Method and apparatus for propagating user preferences across multiple computer environments
First Claim
1. A method for propagating user preference information among a plurality of local computers, wherein each local computer is coupled to a repository computer and has one or more user-controllable parameters, said method comprising the steps of:
- maintaining user preference information regarding hardware and/or software configurations corresponding to each of a plurality of users on the repository computer;
associating a user of a local computer with corresponding user preference information on the repository computer;
transmitting the corresponding user preference information to the local computer; and
updating one or more user-controllable parameters of the local computer according to the transmitted corresponding user preference information.
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Abstract
An embodiment of the present invention provides a method for propagating user preference information among a plurality of local computers coupled to a repository computer, where each local computer has one or more user-controllable parameters. According to the embodiment, the repository computer maintains central user preference information and transmits that information to a local computer. The local computer uses the transmitted user preference information to update one or more of its user-controllable parameters.
287 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for propagating user preference information among a plurality of local computers, wherein each local computer is coupled to a repository computer and has one or more user-controllable parameters, said method comprising the steps of:
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maintaining user preference information regarding hardware and/or software configurations corresponding to each of a plurality of users on the repository computer;
associating a user of a local computer with corresponding user preference information on the repository computer;
transmitting the corresponding user preference information to the local computer; and
updating one or more user-controllable parameters of the local computer according to the transmitted corresponding user preference information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer system in which user preference information is propagated among a plurality of computers, said computer system comprising:
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one or more local computers, each of said local computers including a local data store containing user preference information regarding hardware and/or software configurations, said local data store being used by said local computer to establish default settings for one or more user-controllable parameters; and
a repository computer coupled to said one or more local computers, said repository computer including a database containing user preference information corresponding to each of a plurality of users and program code for selectively transmitting user preference information to a local computer, wherein the transmitted user preference information corresponds to a particular user of the local computer. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An instruction set residing on a storage medium for propagating user-specific configuration information among a plurality of computers, said instruction set comprising instructions for:
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maintaining a central database of user preference information corresponding to each of a plurality of users, wherein said user preference information comprises information relating to at least one of a software configuration and a hardware configuration for a user computer; and
transmitting user preference information to a computer associated with a selected one of said plurality of users. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
identifying one or more computers associated with the selected user;
transmitting user preference information to each of said identified computers following an update of said user preference information included in said central database.
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18. The instruction set of claim 17, further comprising instructions for ensuring said one or more computers are activated prior to transmitting said user preference information.
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19. The instruction set of claim 16, further comprising instructions for:
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reading a communication from a remote computer to identify a user of said remote computer; and
retrieving user preference information corresponding to said identified user from said central database.
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20. The instruction set of claim 16, wherein said storage medium comprises a permanent storage device installed in a computer.
- 21. An apparatus for propagating user preference information among a plurality of local computers, wherein each of the plurality of local computers includes a local data store containing user preference information regarding hardware and/or software configurations, the local data store being used by the local computer to establish settings for one or more user-controllable parameters, said apparatus being coupled to at least one of the plurality of local computers and including a database containing user preference information corresponding to each of a plurality of uniquely-identifiable users and program code for selectively transmitting user preference information to a local computer for updating the local data store of the local computer, said transmitted user preference information corresponding to an identified user of the local computer.
Specification