Integrating operating systems with content offered by web based entities

• US 20080263651A1
• Filed: 04/23/2007
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Medvinsky, Gennady, Dutta, Tanmoy, Ilac, Cristian, Chander, Girish, Kavsan, Bronislav, Zhu, Liquiang, Luther, Andreas K., Li, Ziquian
• Granted Patent: US 8,572,716 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/335 for accessing specific resources, e.g. using Kerberos tickets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0807 using tickets, e.g. Kerberos cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0884 by delegation of authentication, e.g. a proxy authenticates an entity to be authenticated on behalf of this entity vis-à-vis an authentication entity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity

Abstract

Example embodiments are provided for integrating operating systems with content offered by internet based entities.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating a computer logon session comprising:

transmitting a validation request to an internet based service provider, wherein said validation request includes a user'"'"'s credentials, said credentials being verifiable by said internet based service provider;

receiving information related to said user from said internet based service provider, wherein said information includes a security context;

utilizing said user security context to generate a token;

logging said user into a client'"'"'s operating system, wherein the token is used by said operating system to authorize operations.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring a client to accept credentials associated with said internet based service provider.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

rendering a challenge on a client'"'"'s screen after receiving incorrect credentials associated with said internet based service provider one or more times.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

caching said security context, wherein said information includes a ticket, said ticket operable to acquire content associated with one or more storage services.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether said user has permission to access content by checking the token;

transmitting a request for said content to one or more remote storage services; and

receiving said content from said one or more storage services.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a request to configure access rights for content associated with a user, wherein said access rights are operable to enable one or more additional users to access said content.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a request to configure a common view of said user'"'"'s computing environment across one or more clients.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting a validation request to an internet based service provider further comprises:

transmitting a validation request to said internet based service provider, wherein validation of said user'"'"'s credentials is required to access the resources associated with said client.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting a validation request to an internet based service provider further comprises:

transmitting a validation request to said internet based service provider, wherein said internet based service provider is selected from a plurality of internet based service providers.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said utilizing said security context to generate a token further comprises:

utilizing said security context to generate an access token including a security identifier, wherein said security identifier includes a user'"'"'s privileges.

11. A method of validating credentials comprising:

receiving a request to validate a user, wherein said request includes a user'"'"'s credentials;

validating said credentials;

generating a security context related to the user, the security context operable to allow a client to acquire content from one or more storage services; and

transmitting said security context to the client.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a request to modify a user profile, said user profile containing information related to settings associated with a user'"'"'s content.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said receiving a request to access a user profile further comprises:

receiving a request to set a common view of said user'"'"'s computing environment across one or more clients.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said receiving a request to access a user profile further comprises:

receiving a request to set access control parameters for a user'"'"'s content, wherein said access control parameters are operable to enable one or more additional users to access said user'"'"'s content.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said receiving a request to access a user profile further comprises:

receiving a request to access an administrative profile, wherein the administrative profile is configured to manage one or more restricted profiles.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein said generating a security context further comprises:

generating a security context that includes a ticket, the ticket configured to allow the client to acquire content from a storage service selected from a plurality of storage services.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein said generating a security context further comprises:

generating a security context including a ticket, the ticket configured to allow the client to access applications and services from a storage service.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein said generating a security context further comprises:

generating a security context including a ticket, the ticket configured to allow the client to acquire from a storage service a common view of a user'"'"'s computing environment across one or more clients.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein said generating a security context further comprises:

generating a security context configured to allow the client to create an access token, wherein the access token includes security information for a logon session.

20. A method of facilitating a computer system logon session comprising:

transmitting a validation request to an internet based service provider, wherein said validation request includes a user'"'"'s credentials, said credentials being verifiable by said internet based service provider;

in response to said validation request, receiving a user security context from said internet based service provider;

utilizing said user security context to generate a token;

utilizing said token in a user login process, whereby said token is utilized to allow a user to access a local computing resource and to obtain user content from at least one storage service.