System and method for exchanging user interface data in a multi-user system

• US 20070016773A1
• Filed: 07/15/2005
• Published: 01/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Toshev, Kalin, Gunyakti, Caglar, Perlman, Brian, Girotto, Jay
• Granted Patent: US 7,945,942 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/166
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices

Abstract

A centralized process is provided for elevating portions of an application running under a user account to administrator privilege. A service security identifier is temporarily associated with the user and the portions of the application to be elevated to administrator privileges. The service security identifier is registered in the access control list to be accessed by the operating system. The centralized process may be used in the activation of software products.

Claims

1. In a computer system having an operating system, an administrative account having administrator level privileges and at least one user account without administrator level privileges, a method of performing operations requiring administrator privileges in a user account responsive to a user, comprising

identifying the need to provide administrator level privileges to an application running in a non-administrator privileged mode;

communicating the portion of the operations in the application requiring administrator level privileges;

elevating the portion of the operations of the application running in a non administrative privileged mode to administrator level privilege level.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of identifying the need to provide administrator level privileges comprises the steps of:

scheduling a notification message; and

notifying the user.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of notifying the user comprises

displaying an interactive dialog application.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of communicating the portion of the operations in the application requiring administrator level privileges comprises:

creating a session moniker instance to identify and communicate said portion of the operations requiring administrative level privileges.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of elevating some portion of the operations comprises:

assigning a service security identifier associated with the portions of the operations to be elevated to administrative privileges;

storing the service security identifier in the systems access control list

executing at administrator level privilege the portions of the operations associated with the service security identifier.

6. A system for elevating a portion of the operations of an application running in a non administrative privileged mode to administrator level privilege level comprising:

means for identifying the need to provide administrator level privileges to an application running in a non-administrator privileged mode;

means for communicating the portion of the operations in the application requiring administrator level privileges; and

means for elevating the portion of the operations of the application running in a non administrative privileged mode to administrator level privilege level.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said means for identifying comprises:

a service host;

a service control manager; and

a notification service operating in a system account under said service host and responsive to the service control manger.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein said means for communicating comprises:

a session moniker having one interactive user context instance per user.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein said means for elevating comprises:

an out of process thin wrapper for administrator level application program interface calls.

10. A method for activating software comprising:

notifying a user of activation status;

creating a session moniker instance for the user;

creating a user interface executable program for launching an out of process COM object;

launching an internet connection wizard;

launching an activation wizard; and

launching a binary application for providing administrator level privilege to functions in the activation wizard.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

updating the access control list with a service security identifier including user information, and administrator level privilege assigned to functions in non administrator level applications.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said step of notifying a user comprises:

launching an interactive dialog application.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein said step of creating a session moniker comprises:

assigning a service security identifier.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said step of launching a binary application for providing administrator level privilege to functions in the activation wizard comprises:

checking the privilege level assigned to the user with the assigned service security identifier.