Switching an application, user and security context based on device orientation

• US 7,779,462 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2005
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Mathew, Ashvin J., Estroff, Eric J., Schauer, Josef
• Primary Examiner(s): CERVETTI, DAVID GARCIA
• Application Number:
  US11/103,392
• Publication Number:
  US 20060230267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,954 Days
• Field of Search: 713/164, 713/168, 715/708, 726/16, 726/17
• US Class Current: 726/17
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1601 Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/84 output devices, e.g. displays or monitors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

A computer is adapted for changing one or more of the application, security, or user contexts based on the orientation of a component, such as a monitor. Changing the context responsive to the reorientation allows two or more users to use the same hardware to complete a transaction requiring at least two perspectives, for example, buyer and seller. In the background, transaction end points may be changed as well as establishment of a secure channel for supporting confidentiality of a user and their personal information. The computer so equipped may be applicable to many situations involving two parties, such as hospitals, personnel/human relations, banking, government benefits, and retail.

Claims

1. A computer supporting a plurality of user contexts comprising:

a component adapted for use in a plurality of orientations;

a memory for storing data corresponding to a plurality of contexts, each of the plurality of user contexts corresponding to a respective unique user;

a sensor for reporting an orientation of the component; and

a processing unit coupled to the sensor, wherein the processing unit selects a first one of the plurality of user contexts from the plurality of user contexts responsive to a first orientation of the component and a second one of the plurality of user contexts responsive to a second orientation of the component.

2. The computer of claim 1, wherein both the first and second user context comprises one of a human user identity and a function-defined user identity.

3. The computer of claim 2, wherein the human user identity comprises one of a customer, a clerk, a supervisor, a data entry person, a client, and an administrator.

4. The computer of claim 1, wherein the processing unit interprets the sensor data to determine a first user zone and a second user zone for the component.

5. The computer of claim 4, wherein the processing unit interprets the sensor data to determine a transition zone between the first and second user zones.

6. The computer of claim 1, wherein the component is a display.

7. A computer-readable memory device adapted to store executable instructions comprising:

a first module for monitoring the orientation of a display logically coupled to a computer; and

a second module for changing between a first security context to a second security context of the computer responsive to a change in the orientation of the display.

8. The computer-readable memory device of claim 7, adapted to store executable instructions wherein the security context comprises at least one of a secure communication channel for communicating with a remote process and a digitally signed application presenting a user interface.

9. The computer-readable memory device of claim 7, adapted to store executable instructions further comprising:

a third module for activating a user context responsive to a change in the orientation of the display of the computer.

10. The computer-readable memory device of claim 7, adapted to store executable instructions further comprising:

a fourth module for activating an application responsive to a change in the orientation of the display of the computer.

11. The computer-readable memory device of claim 7, adapted to store executable instructions wherein the second module further comprises executable instructions for establishing a secure communication channel between the computer and a server.

12. The computer-readable memory device of claim 7, adapted to store executable instructions wherein the application is one of a data entry application and an approval application.

13. A method of adapting a computer for use in multiple contexts comprising:

providing a component of the computer adapted for use in a plurality of orientations;

associating an operating environment with the each of the plurality of orientations of the component;

determining a current orientation from the plurality of orientations of the component of the computer;

selecting the operating environment associated with the current orientation of the component; and

establishing a first operating environment associated with a data entry context when the component is in a first orientation of the plurality of orientations and a second operating environment associated with an approval context when the component is in a second orientation of the plurality of orientations.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the determining the current orientation of the component comprises monitoring data from a sensor, the data corresponding to a position of the component.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the data entry context comprises a first environment for a first user and the approval context comprises a second environment for a second user, each of the operating environments comprising an application context and a security context.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the operating environment comprises a user identity, the user identity comprising one of a human user and a function-defined user.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein establishing the first and second operating environments comprises establishing a data entry user when establishing the first operating environment and establishing an authorization user when establishing the second operating environment.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein establishing the second operating environment comprises performing an implicit login process.