Data Serialization In A User Switching Environment

• US 20090300190A1
• Filed: 07/01/2009
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Armstrong, Kevin, Williamson, Steve
• Application Number:
  US12/496,500
• Publication Number:
  US 20090300190A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/3851 from multiple instruction streams, e.g. multistreaming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4418 Suspend and resume; Hibernate and awake
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/461 Saving or restoring of program or task context
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4843 by program, e.g. task dispatcher, supervisor, operating system
• 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 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

A method for sharing a common computing system among multiple users is disclosed. A user can perform a login process during which an input data, such as a user name or a password can be entered by the user to access a session. The user name and/or the password are then serialized into an object or a set of objects. If the serialized object or objects are authentic, a session is created and the session properties of the session are defined. Any applications that are subsequently executed during the session remain active after the session is switched out.

Claims

1. A method of switching user sessions, the method comprising:

receiving a set of user accounts, each of which corresponds with an established session;

receiving a selection of a user account included in the set of user accounts;

receiving input data;

retrieving configuration data associated with the user previously stored at the time the selected user account was created; and

comparing the input data with the retrieved user configuration data without serializing the input data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising.

initiating a session associated with the user of the selected user account;

and

displaying the session to the user of the selected user account.

3. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor in a computer system, causes the processor to perform the operations of:

storing information associated with a first user and a second user;

creating a first user session for the first user, and a second user session for the second user;

displaying the first user session;

receiving a request to authenticate the second user; and

switching out the first session to display the second session.

4. A session switching system, comprising:

an initiation module configured to create and initiate a user session;

an authentication module configured to verify identify of each user when a session is accessed; and

a switching module configured to switch out or into a user session from another user session.