Cloud-based device information storage

• US 9,197,625 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2014
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Ganapathy, Narayanan, Greeff, Esaias E.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHEHNI, GHAZAL B
• Application Number:
  US14/528,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20150058955A1
• Time in Patent Office: 390 Days
• Field of Search: 726 3- 10
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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, a first device information for a first device and a second device information for a second device, the first and second devices associated with the user account, the first device information including credential information allowing the second device to access the first device, the second device information including credential information allowing the first device to access the second device, the first device information and the second device information being different;

making the first device information available to the second device and the second device information available to the first device.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, the first device information including a container identifier that allows the first device information to be distinguished from the second device information.

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

4. The method as recited in claim 1, the device information including remote access information indicating how the first device can be accessed by the second device on other networks across the Internet.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, the first device information including property information including settings for the first device.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, the first device information including an indication of one or more device drivers and applications to be installed on the second device in order to access the first device.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, the first device information including one or more attributes of the first device to provide a common user experience for the first device when accessed by the second device.

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

receiving a third device information for a third device associated with the user account;

the maintaining including maintaining the third device information, the third device information being different than the first device information, the third device information being different than the second device information; and

making the third device information available to the first device and the second device.

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

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

11. One or more memory devices comprising instructions that are executable to cause a device to implement a cloud service that performs operations comprising:

maintaining, by a cloud service and associated with a user account of a user of the cloud service, a first device information for a first device and a second device information for a second device, the first and second devices associated with the user account, the first device information including credential information allowing the second device to access the first device, the second device information including credential information allowing the first device to access the second device, the first device information and the second device information being different;

making the first device information available to the second device and the second device information available to the first device.

12. The one or more memory devices as recited in claim 11, the first device information including a container identifier that allows the first device information to be distinguished from the second device information.

13. The one or more memory devices as recited in claim 11, the first device being on a first network and the second device being on a second network.

14. The one or more memory devices as recited in claim 13, the second device information including both an identifier of a gateway of the second network and an identifier of the second device on the second network.

15. The one or more memory devices as recited in claim 11, the second device information including an indication of one or more device drivers to be installed in order to access the second device, the instructions that are executable to cause a device to implement a cloud service further comprising making the one or more device drivers available to the first device.

16. The one or more memory devices as recited in claim 15, the making the one or more device drivers available comprising an indication of a location where the one or more device drivers may be obtained.

17. The one or more memory devices as recited in claim 11, the second device information including one or more settings, the instructions that are executable to cause a device to implement a cloud service further comprising making the one or more settings available to the first device.

18. The one or more memory devices as recited in claim 11, the instructions that are executable to cause a device to implement a cloud service further comprising instructions to persist, after the user has logged off of the cloud service associated with the user account, the second device information.

19. The one or more memory devices as recited in claim 11, the instructions that are executable to cause a device to implement a cloud service further comprising:

receiving third device information for a third device paired to the second device; and

making the third device information available to the first device.

20. A device comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more computer storage memories comprising instructions that are executable by the one or more processors to perform a process comprising;

maintaining, by a cloud service and associated with a user account of a user of the cloud service, a first device information for a first device and a second device information for a second device, the first and second devices associated with the user account, the first device information including credential information allowing the second device to access the first device, the second device information including credential information allowing the first device to access the second device, the first device information and the second device information being different;

making the first device information available to the second device and the second device information available to the first device.