Invitation to Bind to a Device

• US 20110173311A1
• Filed: 03/21/2011
• Published: 07/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Michaud, Jeffrey H., Yanagihara, Kazuhisa, Vaughan, Gregory Bjorn, Serlet, Bertrand
• Granted Patent: US 8,224,972 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

A server device sends a list of account holders together with an invitation to bind to the server. A client device can decide to present the invitation to a user for decision only if the client device finds a match between the list and the user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for inviting a device to bind to another device, the method comprising:

identifying, on a first device, at least one account for which another device has not been bound to the first device; and

transmitting, from the first device, an invitation to bind to the first device, the invitation including information corresponding to an identifier for each of the identified at least one account.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one account is identified on a list of accounts for which another device has not been bound to the first device, and wherein after the invitation is transmitted a second device binds to the first device for an account on the list, further comprising removing the account from the list after the binding.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the invitation includes a link that can be activated to bind to the first device.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the information comprises, for each of the identified at least one account, a name of an account holder.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the information corresponding to the identifier is generated by encrypting the identifier.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first device is a server device and the invitation is transmitted to at least one client device.

7. A computer program product tangibly embodied in a non-transitory information carrier and comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

identifying, on a first device, at least one account for which another device has not been bound to the first device; and

transmitting, from the first device, an invitation to bind to the first device, the invitation including information corresponding to an identifier for each of the identified at least one account.

8. The product of claim 7, wherein the at least one account is identified on a list of accounts for which another device has not been bound to the first device, and wherein after the invitation is transmitted a second device binds to the first device for an account on the list, further comprising removing the account from the list after the binding.

9. The product of claim 7, wherein the invitation includes a link that can be activated to bind to the first device.

10. The product of claim 7, wherein the information comprises, for each of the identified at least one account, a name of an account holder.

11. The product of claim 7, wherein the information corresponding to the identifier is generated by encrypting the identifier.

12. The product of claim 7, wherein the first device is a server device and the invitation is transmitted to at least one client device.

13. A system comprising:

one or more processors configured to perform operations comprising;

identifying, on a first device, at least one account for which another device has not been bound to the first device; and

transmitting, from the first device, an invitation to bind to the first device, the invitation including information corresponding to an identifier for each of the identified at least one account.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one account is identified on a list of accounts for which another device has not been bound to the first device, and wherein after the invitation is transmitted a second device binds to the first device for an account on the list, further comprising removing the account from the list after the binding.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the invitation includes a link that can be activated to bind to the first device.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the information comprises, for each of the identified at least one account, a name of an account holder.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the information corresponding to the identifier is generated by encrypting the identifier.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the first device is a server device and the invitation is transmitted to at least one client device.