Closing the users browser connection whilst keeping your php script running has been an issue since 4.1, when the behaviour of register_shutdown_function() was modified so that it would not automatically close the users connection.

sts at mail dot xubion dot hu
Posted the original solution:

<?php
header("Connection: close");
ob_start();
phpinfo();
$size=ob_get_length();
header("Content-Length: $size");
ob_end_flush();
flush();
sleep(13);
error_log("do something in the background");
?>

Which works fine until you substitute phpinfo() for 
echo ('text I want user to see'); in which case the headers are never sent!

The solution is to explicitly turn off output buffering and clear the buffer prior to sending your header information.

example:

<?php
 ob_end_clean();
 header("Connection: close");
 ignore_user_abort(); // optional
 ob_start();
 echo ('Text the user will see');
 $size = ob_get_length();
 header("Content-Length: $size");
 ob_end_flush(); // Strange behaviour, will not work
 flush();            // Unless both are called !
 // Do processing here 
 sleep(30);
 echo('Text user will never see');
?>
 
Just spent 3 hours trying to figure this one out, hope it helps someone :)

Tested in:
IE 7.5730.11
Mozilla Firefox 1.81