APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MANAGING WEB BASED SERVICE ACCOUNT

• US 20110145905A1
• Filed: 12/15/2010
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Kim, Hyung Jin, CHO, Seong Chul, Kim, Dae Ho, Jo, Gweon Do
• Granted Patent: US 8,793,775 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/7
• 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 2221/2105 Dual mode as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2113 Multi-level security, e.g. mandatory access control
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

Provided is a method and apparatus for managing a web based service account. The web based service account management apparatus may select, from among web based service accounts, an account undesired to be exposed to others, and may display an account set with a hiding indication only when a user authenticated through a user authentication process desires to read the account.

Claims

1. An apparatus for managing a web based service account, comprising:

an account selector to select at least one user account; and

a hiding setting unit to set a hiding indication with respect to the selected at least one user account.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the account selector selects, from email accounts, at least one user account undesired to be exposed to others.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the account selector selects, from messenger user accounts, at least one user account undesired to be exposed to others.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the hiding setting unit stores, in a predetermined mail box, a mail received from the at least one user account and a mail transmitted to the at least one user account.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the hiding setting unit sets the hiding indication by setting a new nickname with respect to the at least one user account.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the hiding setting unit sets the hiding indication by setting a password with respect to the at least one user account.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the same character string as a user account address is set as a basic password.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a hiding release unit to expose a user account set with the hiding indication when a predetermined criterion is satisfied.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein when a password of the user account set with the hiding indication is input, the hiding release unit exposes the user account set with the hiding indication.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein when the same character string as a nickname of the user account set with the hiding indication is input, the hiding release unit exposes the user account set with the hiding indication.

11. A method for managing a web based service account, comprising:

selecting at least one user account; and

setting a hiding indication with respect to the selected at least one user account.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the selecting comprises selecting, from email accounts, at least one user account undesired to be exposed to others.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the selecting comprises selecting, from messenger user accounts, at least one user account undesired to be exposed to others.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the setting comprises storing, in a predetermined mail box, a mail received from the at least one user account and a mail transmitted to the at least one user account.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the setting comprises setting the hiding indication by setting a new nickname with respect to the at least one user account.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the setting comprises setting the hiding indication by setting a password with respect to the at least one user account.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the same character string as a user account address is set as a basic password.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

exposing a user account set with the hiding indication when a predetermined criterion is satisfied.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the exposing comprises exposing the user account set with the hiding indication when a password of the user account set with the hiding indication is input.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the exposing comprises exposing the user account set with the hiding indication when the same character string as a nickname of the user account set with the hiding indication is input.