Multiuser Web Service Sign-In

• US 20070204037A1
• Filed: 02/27/2006
• Published: 08/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Kunz, Michael, Chow, Trevin, Ayres, Lynn, Lester, Erren
• Application Number:
  US11/276,396
• Publication Number:
  US 20070204037A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

Embodiments of multi-user web service sign-in are presented herein.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

outputting a user interface having a plurality of portions, wherein each said portion;

corresponds to a user account with a web service provider; and

is selectable to access the corresponding account; and

when one particular said portion is selected, initiating authentication to the corresponding web service provider to access the respective user account.

2. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the initiating authentication is performed without input of user credentials and further comprising authenticating an identity of a user attempting access to the corresponding web service provider using the user credentials.

3. A method as described in claim 1 wherein a plurality of said user accounts correspond to different respective service providers.

4. A method as described in claim 1, wherein a plurality of said portions each includes customized user information.

5. A method as described in claim 4, wherein the customized user information is retrieved from remote storage via a network.

6. A method as described in claim 4, wherein the customized user information is selected from the group consisting of:

a user tile;

a user name;

an alias;

text;

graphics;

a color selection;

audio;

an image;

animation; and

video.

7. A method as described in claim 1, wherein each said portion is configured based upon web service account descriptions stored for a particular client device.

8. A method as described in claim 1, wherein each said web service provider provides one or more services selected from a group consisting of:

email service;

instant messaging service;

Internet search service;

image search service;

web log service;

ecommerce service; and

news service.

9. A method comprising:

storing information describing a plurality of web service accounts as one or more browser-readable objects; and

generating, by a browser using the one or more browser-readable objects, a user interface having a plurality of portions, wherein each said portion;

corresponds to a respective said web service account; and

is selectable to automatically sign-in to the web service account.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein one or more browser-readable objects are accessible from remote storage via a network.

11. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein the information describes particular said web service accounts that are to have a corresponding said portion in the generated user interface.

12. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein the information describes a plurality of customized user data associated with the web service accounts to be include in respective portions.

13. A method as recited in claim 12 further comprising obtaining the customized user data for inclusion in respective portions from a location described by the information.

14. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the one or more browser-readable objects are accessible from local storage on a client device.

15. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein a single said browser readable object stores information corresponding to a plurality of web service accounts.

16. One or more computer-readable media comprising computer executable instruction that, when executed, direct a computer to output a user interface having a plurality of portions, each of which corresponds to a web service account and is selectable to cause authentication data to be communicated via a network to permit access to the corresponding web service account.

17. One or more computer-readable media as described in claim 16, wherein one or more said portion includes customizable parts corresponding to the respective web service account.

18. One or more computer-readable media as described in claim 17, wherein the customized parts are selected by a user from the group consisting of:

a user tile;

a user name;

an alias;

text;

graphics;

a color selection;

audio;

an image;

animation; and

video.

19. One or more computer-readable media as described in claim 16, wherein selecting one said portion on a client device causes the authentication data for a corresponding web service account to be communicated to a service provider to authenticate the client device to the web service account.

20. A method as described in claim 16, wherein authentication to one said web service account provides access to a suite of services from the same web service provider.