Co-browsing allows at least two participating parties to view substantially the same content that is deliverable through a network. For example, co-browsing provides a way for two participants to have a personal shopping experience while online, such that it simulates the experience of physical shopping. The two participants may also have a separate phone connection that allows both to comment on products viewed through the co-browsing session.
In the past, a proxy server acts as an intermediary source of web content deliverable to both participants in the co-browsing session. For example, the proxy server receives content from a web site, and then forwards the content to each of the participants in the co-browsing session. Because the content is sourced at the proxy server, the proxy server is able to deliver the same content to each of the participants.
One of the issues with having a proxy server as an intermediate source of content is that if there are problems at the proxy server, then both connections to the participants will suffer. For example, if the connection between the content provider and the proxy server goes down, then both participants will also cease receiving data. In another example, if the proxy server is experiencing difficulties in processing the content and formatting it for delivering the co-browsing session, then both participants will also experience those difficulties, such as, delays in inputting and/or receiving information, poor response times, poor quality of multimedia (e.g., data, video, audio), and more. These difficulties experienced at the proxy server will be experienced by the participants.
What is needed is a co-browsing architecture that allows for a co-browsing experience that is seamless with an original browsing session.