Changing user identities without closing applications
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An operating system registry contains multiple “identities.” One of these identities is designated the current identity. An application executing on a multitasking computer system uses information stored in the current identity to configure the application, for example to provide a user-specific user interface. When an application opens, it registers with an identity manager using objects known as “connection points.” To switch identities, a user supplies the name of an identity to switch to. The identity manager then uses the registered connection points to query each of the applications for permission to switch identities. If all the registered connection points grant permission to switch identities, then the identity manager switches the current identity by changing information in the registry. The identity manager then notifies all applications, via their registered connection points, that a change to the registry has been made so that the applications can take appropriate action.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1-18. -18. (canceled)
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19. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:
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a. running a first application and a second application on a computer system using a current identity of a user of the computer system, the current identity defining a plurality of work-environment settings, the current identity being used by both the first application and the second application, the current identity being a first identity, the first and second applications running substantially simultaneously on a multitasking computer system;
b. receiving a request to change the current identity;
c. obtaining permission from the first application and the second application to change the current identity; and
d. changing the current identity so that the first application uses a second identity rather than the first identity without closing the first application, and so that the second application uses the second identity rather than the first identity without closing the second application. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification