LOCATION ENABLED BOOKMARK AND PROFILE

• US 20100318701A1
• Filed: 06/12/2009
• Published: 12/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: SRINIVASAN, SRIDHAR, LIU, JOHNNY, GU, YE
• Granted Patent: US 8,032,666 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Location based profiles are used to modify the configuration of a computing device based on a detected location. The location based profiles allow features such as cameras to be enabled and disabled. Physical and logical data storage partitions can also be mounted and unmounted, and the home screen displayed by a device can be modified. Location bookmarks can be used to further customize the appearance and function of a computing device.

Claims

1. One or more computer-storage media storing computer-useable instructions that, when executed by a computing device, perform a method for modifying the configuration of a computing device based on a location profile, the method comprising:

detecting a location for a computing device;

determining, based on the detected location, that the computing device has crossed a first geographic boundary corresponding to a first location profile;

disabling at least one input/output feature of the computing device in response to crossing the first geographic boundary; and

changing the status of at least one content source by making the at least one content source accessible or inaccessible in response to crossing the first geographic boundary.

2. The computer storage media storing computer-useable instructions that, when executed by a computing device, perform a method according to claim 1, wherein the input/output feature is an input/output component.

3. The computer storage media storing computer-useable instructions that, when executed by a computing device, perform a method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one content source comprises a disk partition, and changing the status of the content source comprises mounting or unmounting the disk partition.

4. The computer storage media storing computer-useable instructions that, when executed by a computing device, perform a method according to claim 1, further comprising modifying a displayed home screen in response to crossing the first geographic boundary.

5. The computer storage media storing computer-useable instructions that, when executed by a computing device, perform a method according to claim 4, wherein modifying the displayed home screen comprises replacing the home screen with the user interface for an application.

6. The computer storage media storing computer-useable instructions that, when executed by a computing device, perform a method according to claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a second location for the computing device;

determining that the computing device has crossed a second geographic boundary corresponding to a second location profile, the second location profile having a different authorization level than the first location profile; and

disabling at least one additional input/output feature of the computing device in response to crossing the second geographic boundary.

7. The computer storage media storing computer-useable instructions that, when executed by a computing device, perform a method according to claim 6, wherein the second geographic boundary is different from the first geographic boundary.

8. The computer storage media storing computer-useable instructions that, when executed by a computing device, perform a method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving the first location bookmark from a central server prior to detecting the location for the computing device.

9. The computer storage media storing computer-useable instructions that, when executed by a computing device, perform a method according to claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a second location for the computing device;

determining that the computing device has crossed a second geographic boundary corresponding to a second location profile, the second location profile having a different authorization level than the first location profile; and

changing the status of at least one content source in response to crossing the second geographic boundary.

10. The computer storage media storing computer-useable instructions that, when executed by a computing device, perform a method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one input/output feature is disabled and the status of the at least one content source is changed without rebooting the computing device.

11. A computer-based method for modifying the configuration of a computing device, comprising:

detecting a location for a computing device;

determining, based on the detected location, that the computing device has crossed a first geographic boundary corresponding to a first location profile;

disabling at least one input/output feature of the computing device in response to crossing the first geographic boundary;

enabling at least one input/output feature of the computing device different from the disabled feature in response to crossing the first geographic boundary;

modifying the displayed home screen in response to crossing the first geographic boundary; and

making at least one content source accessible in response to crossing the first geographic boundary.

12. The computer-based method of claim 11, wherein modifying the displayed home screen comprises replacing the home screen with the user interface for an application.

13. The computer-based method of claim 11, further comprising:

detecting a second location for the computing device;

determining that the computing device has crossed a second geographic boundary corresponding to a second location profile, the second location profile having a different authorization level than the first location profile; and

disabling at least one additional input/output feature of the computing device in response to crossing the second geographic boundary.

14. The computer-based method of claim 13, wherein the second geographic boundary is different from the first geographic boundary.

15. The computer-based method of claim 13, wherein the at least one additional input/output feature disabled in response to crossing the second geographic boundary is different from the at least one input/output feature enabled in response to crossing the first geographic boundary.

16. A computer-based method for modifying the configuration of a computing device, comprising:

detecting a first location for a computing device;

determining, based on the detected location, that the computing device has crossed a first geographic boundary corresponding to a location profile;

disabling at least one input/output feature of the computing device in response to crossing the first geographic boundary;

changing the status of at least one content source by making the at least one content source accessible or inaccessible in response to crossing the first geographic boundary;

detecting a second location for the computing device different from the first location;

determining that the computing device has crossed a second geographic boundary corresponding to a location bookmark; and

providing access to the location bookmark on the home screen of the device in response to crossing the second geographic boundary.

17. The computer-based method of claim 16, wherein the second geographic boundary is different from the first geographic boundary.

18. The computer-based method of claim 16, wherein providing access to the location bookmark comprises displaying a link to the location bookmark on the home screen.

19. The computer-based method of claim 16, further comprising providing a notification that a bookmark corresponding to the second location is available.

20. The computer-based method of claim 16, further comprising:

detecting a third location for the computing device;

determining that the computing device has crossed a third geographic boundary corresponding to a second location profile, the second location profile having a different security level than the first location profile; and

disabling at least one additional input/output feature of the computing device in response to crossing the third geographic boundary.