Task initiated account presentation for rights elevation

• US 8,024,813 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2006
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Odins-Lucas, Zeke B., Hong, James H., Schwartz, Jonathan D, Sheldon, Michael G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pich; Ponnoreay
• Assistant Examiner(s): King; John B
• Application Number:
  US11/276,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20060242422A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,020 Days
• Field of Search: 713/168, 713/201, 709/228, 709/223, 707/3
• US Class Current: 726/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database

Abstract

Systems and/or methods are described that enable a user to elevate his or her rights. In one embodiment, these systems and/or methods detect a task which is not authorized for a user account. Responsive to detecting the task, the embodiment presents a different user account that is authorized to allow the task and information relating to the task.

Claims

1. One or more computer-readable media, wherein the computer-readable media excludes signals, the computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions therein that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to present a user interface, the user interface comprising:

a graphical user interface component presented in response to a task being prohibited based on a current account not having a right to permit the task;

the graphical user interface component, without user interaction, simultaneously including;

a plurality of identifiers identifying different accounts having a right to permit the task;

an authenticator region capable of receiving, from a user, an authenticator usable to authenticate a selected different account having the right to permit the task; and

an information region programmed to present task-related information which the user may rely upon in making a decision as to whether to authenticate the different account and thereby permit the task;

the computer-readable instructions therein further, when executed by the computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising;

gathering the task-related information from a plurality of sources, wherein the same types of the information are gatherable from more than one source;

evaluating the gathered task-related information to define a sub-set that contains one representative of at least one of the types of the information; and

where the graphical user interface component presented includes the sub-set of the gathered information based upon said evaluating and not presenting the gathered information that is not a part of the sub-set defined during the evaluating.

2. The computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the information region comprises a non-textual region for conveying a trustworthiness rank of the task-related information based at least on a source of the task-related information.

3. The computer-readable media of claim 2, wherein the non-textual region comprises one of:

a first color corresponding to a higher trustworthiness rank and a second color corresponding to a lower trustworthiness rank.

4. The computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the task-related information indicates the task, an entity that requested or attempted the task, a publisher of the entity, and a location of the entity.

5. One or more computer-readable media, wherein the computer-readable media excludes signals, the computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions therein that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform acts comprising:

detecting a task which is not currently authorized for a user account;

gathering information relating to the task from a plurality of sources, types of the information gathered including the task, an entity attempting to implement the task, and a publisher of the entity wherein the same types of the information are gatherable from more than one source;

evaluating the gathered information to define a sub-set that contains one representative of at least one of the types of the information;

presenting a different user account that is authorized to allow the task; and

presenting information relating to the task comprising the sub-set of the gathered information based upon said evaluating and not presenting the gathered information that is not a part of the sub-set defined during the evaluating.

6. The media of claim 5, wherein the presenting information comprises presenting a location of the entity attempting to implement the task.

7. The media of claim 5, where the evaluating comprises evaluating the information to determine a trustworthiness rank of the gathered information.

8. The media of claim 7, wherein the presenting comprises presenting gathered information ranked higher than other gathered information.

9. The media of claim 7, wherein the presenting comprises presenting the gathered information along with an indication of the trustworthiness rank of the presented information.

10. The media of claim 9, wherein the presenting an indication comprises presenting a symbol selected from a group of symbols associated with types of entities which could request rights elevation.

11. The media of claim 9, wherein the presenting an indication comprises presenting a colored background selected from a group of colored backgrounds associated with the trustworthiness rank.

12. The media of claim 7, wherein the presenting comprises presenting the sub-set which satisfies a pre-established trustworthiness rank.

13. The media of claim 7, wherein the presenting comprises further presenting a summarized statement regarding the trustworthiness rank of the sub-set.

15. The media of claim 5, wherein presenting information relating to the task comprises presenting an indication of trustworthiness rank based at least on a type of entity requesting rights elevation and information gathered from one or more sources.

16. The media of claim 5, wherein presenting information relating to the task comprises:

presenting the sub-set of the gathered information along with an indication of the trustworthiness rank of the sub-set of the information gathered.

17. The computer-readable media of claim 5, wherein:

the evaluating comprises generating a trustworthiness ranking the information gathered relating to the task based at least on whether an entity requesting the task;

has a known publisher,

is signed, and

is authenticated; and

the presenting the information relating to the task including an indication of the trustworthiness ranking of the information, wherein the information relating to the task comprises;

the entity attempting to implement the task,

a location of the entity attempting to implement the task, and

the publisher of the entity attempting to implement the task.

14. A method comprising:

detecting, by a computer, a rights elevation scenario involving a task;

gathering task-related information, by a task-related information aggregator on the computer, from a plurality of sources, wherein information of the same types are gatherable from more than one source;

evaluating the gathered task-related information to define a sub-set that contains one representative of at least one of the types of the information; and

ranking, by the computer, the information gathered relating to the task based at least on whether an entity requesting the task;

has a known publisher,

is signed, and

is authenticated;

packaging, by the computer, the information relating to the task to convey a trustworthiness ranking of the information; and

presenting, by the computer, the information relating to the task with an indication of the trustworthiness ranking of the information, wherein;

the presenting comprises presenting the most highly ranked information; and

the information relating to the task comprises information relating to;

the entity requesting the task,

a location of the entity requesting the task, and

the publisher of the entity requesting the task

the presenting comprises presenting the sub-set of the gathered information based upon said evaluating and not presenting the gathered information that is not a part of the sub-set defined during the evaluating.