If the first tab opens the second tab automagically, you can do something like this:
First tab:
//open the first tab
var child_window = window.open( ...params... );
Second tab:
// get reference to first tab
var parent_window = window.opener;
Then, you can call functions and do all sorts of stuff between tabs:
// copy var from child window
var var_from_child = child_window.some_var;
// call function in child window
child_window.do_something( 'with', 'these', 'params' )
// copy var from parent window
var var_from_parent = parent_window.some_var;
// call function in child window
parent_window.do_something( 'with', 'these', 'params' )