Cloud-based device information storage

• US 8,943,551 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2011
• Issued: 01/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Ganapathy, Narayanan, Greeff, Esaias E.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHEHNI, GHAZAL B
• Application Number:
  US13/113,384
• Publication Number:
  US 20110225640A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,345 Days
• Field of Search: 713155-159
• US Class Current: 726/3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 Proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security

Abstract

Device information for each of multiple devices associated with a user account is maintained by a cloud service. The device information can include credential information allowing the device to be accessed by other ones of the multiple devices, remote access information indicating how the device can be accessed by other ones of the multiple devices on other networks, and property information including settings and/or device drivers for the device. The device information for each of the multiple devices is made available to other ones of the multiple devices, and can be used by the multiple devices to access one another and provide a consistent user experience across the multiple devices.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

maintaining, by a cloud service and associated with a user account of a user of the cloud service, device information for each of multiple devices associated with the user account, the device information including, for one or more of the multiple devices, credential information allowing the device to be accessed by other ones of the multiple devices;

making the device information for a first device associated with the user account available through the cloud service to a second device associated with the user account; and

making the device information for the second device available through the cloud service to the first device.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, the device information for each device including a container identifier that allows the device information for each device to be distinguished from the device information for other devices of the multiple devices.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, the credential information for a device including a name and password used to access the device.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, the device information including, for each of at least one of the multiple devices, remote access information indicating how the device can be accessed by the other devices of the multiple devices on other networks across the Internet.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, the device information including, for each of at least one of the multiple devices, property information including settings for the device.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, the device information including, for each of at least one of the multiple devices, an indication of one or more device drivers and applications to be installed on other devices of the multiple devices in order to access the device.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, the device information including, for each of at least one of the multiple devices, one or more attributes of the device to provide a common user experience for the device across other devices of the multiple devices.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving additional device information for a new device associated with the user account;

the maintaining including maintaining the additional device information as associated with the user account; and

the making including making the additional device information available to other ones of the multiple devices.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, further comprising receiving at least part of the additional device information from the new device.

10. A method as recited in claim 8, further comprising receiving at least part of the additional device information from a seller of the new device.

11. One or more computer storage memories having stored thereon multiple instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a first device, cause the one or more processors to:

obtain, from a cloud service, device information for a second device, the device information being associated with a user account of a user logged in to the cloud service; and

communicate with the second device using the device information obtained from the cloud service.

12. One or more computer storage memories as recited in claim 11, the device information including credential information for the second device, and the instructions that cause the one or more processors to use the device information comprising instructions that cause the one or more processors to use the credential information to access the second device.

13. One or more computer storage memories as recited in claim 11, the device information including remote access information indicating how the second device can be accessed by the first device, the first device being on a first network and the second device being on a second network, the instructions that cause the one or more processors to use the device information comprising instructions that cause the one or more processors to access the second device using the remote access information.

14. One or more computer storage memories as recited in claim 13, the remote access information including both an identifier of a gateway of the second network and an identifier of the second device on the second network.

15. One or more computer storage memories as recited in claim 11, the device information including an indication of one or more device drivers to be installed in order to access the second device, the instructions that cause the one or more processors to use the device information comprising instructions that cause the one or more processors to install the one or more device drivers on the first device prior to accessing the second device.

16. One or more computer storage memories as recited in claim 15, the instructions that cause the one or more processors to use the device information comprising instructions that cause the one or more processors to obtain the one or more device drivers from a location indicated by the device information.

17. One or more computer storage memories as recited in claim 11, the device information including one or more settings, the instructions that cause the one or more processors to use the device information comprising instructions that cause the one or more processors to configure the first device in accordance with the one or more settings.

18. One or more computer storage memories as recited in claim 11, the multiple instructions further causing the one or more processors to persist, on the first device after the user has logged off the cloud service, the device information for the second device.

19. One or more computer storage memories as recited in claim 11, the multiple instructions further causing the one or more processors to:

receive additional device information for a new device paired to the first device;

provide the additional device information to the cloud service for association of the additional device information with the user account.

20. A method, implemented on a first device, comprising:

logging in to a cloud service with a user account;

obtaining, from the cloud service, device information for a second device, the device information being associated with the user account, the device information including credential information allowing the second device to be accessed, remote access information indicating how the first device on one network can access the second device on another network, and one or more device drivers to be installed on the first device in order to allow communication with the second device; and

using the device information to access the second device, the using including using the credential information to access the second device, accessing the second device as indicated by the remote access information, and installing the one or more device drivers on the first device prior to accessing the second device.