Methods and arrangements for providing a mark-up language based graphical user interface for user identification to an operating system

• US 20050257042A1
• Filed: 07/20/2005
• Published: 11/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sierra, Giampiero M., Evans, Christopher A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,761,700 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45512 Command shells

Abstract

Methods and arrangements are provided that can be used to identify users to an operating system during initialization through an advanced graphical user interface (GUI). The resulting GUI can be visually compelling and functional while advantageously remaining easy for the developer to create, maintain and modify. A markup language rendering engine is loaded substantially near the beginning of an operating system initialization procedure, and provided with markup language code that solicits at least one user input associated with a user logon process when rendered by the markup language rendering engine. The markup language code can be written in Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Dynamic HTML, eXtensible Markup Language (XML), eXtensible Hypertext Markup Language (XHTML), Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML), etc.

Claims

1. A system comprising means for:

while booting a computer and prior to allowing a user to logon to the computer, arranging for a markup language rendering engine to be loaded at the beginning of an operating system initialization procedure; and

providing markup language code suitable for use with the markup language rendering engine, the markup language being capable of soliciting at least one user input when rendered by the markup language rendering engine, the user input being associated with a user logon process configured to selectively allow a user to logon to the computer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for providing the markup language code further comprises means for providing user data, the user data being operatively associated with the user logon process.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the user data includes data selected from a set comprising a list of users, a text identifier, a graphical identifier, a password enabled identifier, and password hint data, and related user information data.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising means for configuring the markup language rendering engine to display at least a portion of the user data based on the markup language code.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for configuring the markup language code to provide the user input to an authorization entity for validation determination.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the user input includes at least one input selected from a group of inputs comprising a user name, a user identifier, and a password.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the markup language code includes markup language code selected from at least one markup language in a group comprising hypertext markup language (HTML), Dynamic Hypertext Markup Language (DHTML), eXtensible Markup Language (XML), eXtensible Hypertext Markup Language (XHTML), and Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML).

8. One or more computer-readable media embodying computer-readable instructions which, when executed, perform acts comprising:

while booting a computer and prior to allowing a user to logon to the computer, loading a markup language rendering engine at the beginning of an operating system initialization procedure;

retrieving user data from the operating system;

rendering markup language code associated with a logon screen configured to selectively allow a user to logon to the computer using at least a portion of the user data;

collecting at least one user input associated with the logon screen; and

establishing a logon session if the user input is valid.

9. The media of claim 8, wherein the act of establishing a logon session further comprises:

providing the user input to the operating system; and

causing the operating system to authenticate the user input.

10. The media of claim 9, wherein the act of establishing a logon session further comprises providing the user input to an authorization entity for validation determination.

11. The media of claim 8, wherein the user data comprises data selected from a set comprising a list of users, a text identifier, a graphical identifier, a password enabled identifier, and password hint data, and related user information data.

12. The media of claim 8, wherein the markup language code comprises markup language code selected from at least one markup language in a group comprising hypertext markup language (HTML), Dynamic Hypertext Markup Language (DHTML), eXtensible Markup Language (XML), eXtensible Hypertext Markup Language (XHTML), and Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML).

13. A computing system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

while booting the computing system and prior to allowing a user to logon to the computing system, load a markup language rendering engine at the beginning of an operating system initialization procedure;

retrieve user data from the operating system;

render markup language code associated with a logon screen configured to selectively allow a user to logon to the computing system using at least a portion of the user data;

collect at least one user input associated with the logon screen; and

establish a logon session if the user input is valid.

14. The computing system of claim 13, wherein establish a logon session further comprises:

provide the user input to the operating system; and

cause the operating system to authenticate the user input.

15. The computing system of claim 14, wherein establish a logon session further comprises provide the user input to an authorization entity for validation determination.

16. The computing system of claim 13, wherein the user data comprises data selected from a set comprising a list of users, a text identifier, a graphical identifier, a password enabled identifier, and password hint data, and related user information data.

17. The computing system of claim 13, wherein the markup language code comprises markup language code selected from at least one markup language in a group comprising hypertext markup language (HTML), Dynamic Hypertext Markup Language (DHTML), eXtensible Markup Language (XML), eXtensible Hypertext Markup Language (XHTML), and Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML).