Managing browser tabs based on uniform resource locators

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10025876-B2
Application number	US-201715462128-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 17, 2017
Priority date	Aug 4, 2015
Publication date	Jul 17, 2018
Grant date	Jul 17, 2018

Abstract

A computer implemented method and system for managing browser tabs includes identifying a plurality of URLs (Uniform Resource Locator(s)) in response to detecting the URLs in a web browser running on a computer. The plurality of URLs are organized based on each of the URLs, and each of the plurality of URLs correspond to a tab opened by the web browser. The tabs of the web browser are grouped based on the URLs.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for managing browser tabs, the system comprising:
a computer system comprising: a computer processor, a computer-readable storage medium, and program instructions stored on the computer-readable storage medium being executable by the processor, to cause the computer system to perform a method, comprising:
identifying a plurality of URLs (Uniform Resource Locator(s)) in response to detecting the URLs used by a web browser running on a device including a computer, the URLs being selected from a group consisting of: a website, an email program, and a document, the computer having a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, and the program instructions being executable by the computer, the device including one or more of: a mobile device, a desktop computer, and a server, the device and the web browser connecting to the Internet to connect to and access websites;
organizing the plurality of URLs based on the URLs, each of the plurality of URLs corresponding to a tab opened by the web browser;
grouping the tabs of the web browser based on the URLs, the grouped tabs including at least part of a same URL;
identifying a source for each of the plurality of URLs in response to receiving the URLs in the web browser running on the device, the source of the URLs being selected from a group consisting of: the website, the email program, and the document;
organizing the plurality of URLs based on the source of each of the URLs;
identifying a source for each of the plurality of URLs in response to using the URLs by the web browser running on the computer and initiating a tab;
identifying a source for each of a plurality of links in response to using the link to initiate a URL and a tab by the web browser running on the computer;
determining a protocol type, a domain name, and a specific web page for each the plurality of URLs;
grouping the tabs with the same domain name and the same protocol type;
displaying the group of tabs along a top of a web browser display, for display on a display of the device, the group of tabs being grouped under a group tab;
detecting a pattern of usage including setting a frequency threshold for opening the tabs by a user; and
grouping a plurality of open tabs together in response to the tabs being opened by the user an amount of times meeting or exceeding the frequency threshold;
detecting a pattern of usage by a user initiating the URLs used by the web browser resulting in the plurality of open tabs, the pattern of usage including:
detecting a pattern of manual movement by the user for the plurality of open tabs, which includes detecting when the user groups tabs together, and moves a tab from one group to another group; and
automatically grouping the tabs of the web browser based on the pattern of usage including the pattern of manual movement by:
grouping together a plurality of tabs from a same source;
grouping together a plurality of tabs based on the source and the pattern of manual movement which includes the user manually grouping tabs together; and
using the pattern of manual movement as a default for grouping of tabs and additional link launches from the same source to be grouped according to the pattern.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting a length of time a tab is open, the tab being part of a group of open tabs; and moving the open tabs into a group in response to the tabs meeting or exceeding a threshold time open, the threshold time being a predetermined period of time.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting a pattern of manual movement by the user for the plurality of open tabs being opened by the user, including detecting when the user moves a link from a source from one group to another group, and when the user manually groups tabs together; and
grouping together another link from the source, and another tab related to previously grouped tabs, based on the pattern of manual movement.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Broomhall Matthew E
• Dotson Christopher R
• Caldas Fabrizio N
• Spano Sr Michael R

Classifications

• G06F40/134

  Hyperlinking · CPC title

• H04L67/02

  based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP] · CPC title

• G06F3/0483

  Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor · CPC title

• G06F16/955

  using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL] · CPC title

• G06F16/9566

  URL specific, e.g. using aliases, detecting broken or misspelled links · CPC title