System connections and user interfaces

• US 9,294,359 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2012
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Cisler, Pavel, Arrouye, Yan, Iarocci, John, Krochmal, Marc Jason, Sharp, Christopher Brooke, Linn, Christopher Scott, Gonodanov, Mikhail, Cooper, Simon P., Murphy, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaw, Yin-Chen
• Assistant Examiner(s): King, John B
• Application Number:
  US13/645,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20130145275A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,265 Days
• Field of Search: 726 1- 5, 726/8
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/168 Details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems, e.g. browsing and visualisation, 2d or 3d GUIs query results presentation G06F16/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1824 implemented using Network-attached Storage [NAS] architecture distributed or networked storage systems G06F3/067; protocols for distributed storage of data in a network H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/33 using certificates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

This disclosure relates to methods and systems to allow, in one embodiment, automatic access from one system to other systems which include an operating system that includes a user login process. In one embodiment, a method includes logging into, automatically in response to starting a first data processing system, a second data processing system at least as a guest user of the second data processing system which has a storage volume storing data and displaying a user interface object on a display device of the first data processing system, the user interface object corresponding to at least one of the second data processing system and the storage volume to allow at least one of a search to be performed or a browsing to be performed of the data stored on the storage volume.

Claims

1. A method for automatically logging a client device into one or more data processing systems, the method comprising:

at the client device;

passively receiving, through a network to which the client device is connected, an advertisement indicating an availability of the one or more data processing systems, wherein each data processing system of the one or more data processing systems is accessible through the network;

identifying, based on the advertisement, that each data processing system of the one or more data processing systems enables client devices to be automatically logged in to the data processing system;

determining, for each data processing system of the one or more data processing systems, whether login credentials are available for the data processing system;

in response to determining that login credentials are available for the data processing system;

automatically logging into the data processing system using the login credentials to permit the client device to access the data processing system with a user account level of permission that exceeds a guest account level of permission;

in response to determining that login credentials are not available for the data processing system;

automatically logging into the data processing system at least as a guest user of the data processing system to permit the client device to access the data processing system with the guest account level of permission;

displaying a user interface object that includes filtered references for each data processing system of the one or more data processing systems; and

accessing at least a portion of a functionality provided by a data processing system in response to a selection of one of the filtered references for the data processing system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each data processing system of the one or more data processing systems is a network-accessible storage volume, a printer, a scanner, or a handheld device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein, when at least one data processing system of the one or more data processing systems is a storage volume, the method further comprises:

automatically mounting the storage volume.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the user interface object includes a file management software window that includes a file and folder viewing portion that enables data stored on the mounted storage volume to be accessed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the advertisement is received in response to one of booting up from a shutdown state and logging in a user who was logged off.

6. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor included in a computing device, cause the computing device to carry out steps that include:

passively receiving, through a network to which the computing device is connected, an advertisement indicating an availability of one or more data processing systems, wherein each data processing system of the one or more data processing systems is accessible through the network;

identifying, based on the advertisement, that each data processing system of the one or more data processing systems enables computing devices to be automatically logged in to the data processing system;

determining, for each data processing system of the one or more data processing systems, whether login credentials are available for the data processing system;

in response to determining that login credentials are available for the data processing system;

automatically logging into the data processing system using the login credentials to permit the computing device to access the data processing system with a user account level of permission that exceeds a guest account level of permission;

in response to determining that login credentials are not available for the data processing system;

automatically logging into the data processing system at least as a guest user of the data processing system to permit the computing device to access the data processing system with the guest account level of permission;

displaying a user interface object that includes filtered references for each data processing system of the one or more data processing systems; and

accessing at least a portion of a functionality provided by a data processing system in response to a selection of one of the filtered references for the data processing system.

7. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 6, wherein each data processing system of the one or more data processing systems is a network-accessible storage volume, a printer, a scanner, or a handheld device.

8. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein, when at least one data processing system of the one or more data processing systems is a storage volume, the steps further include:

automatically mounting the storage volume.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the user interface object includes a file management software window that includes a file and folder viewing portion that enables data stored on the storage volume to be accessed.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 6, wherein the advertisement is received in response to one of booting up from a shutdown state and logging in a user who was logged off.

11. A computing device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to carry out steps that include;

passively receiving, through a network to which the computing device is connected, an advertisement indicating an availability of one or more data processing systems, wherein each data processing system of the one or more data processing systems is accessible through the network;

identifying, based on the advertisement, that each data processing system of the one or more data processing systems enables computing devices to be automatically logged in to the data processing system;

determining, for each data processing system of the one or more data processing systems, whether login credentials are available for the data processing system;

in response to determining that login credentials are available for the data processing system;

automatically logging into the data processing system using the login credentials to permit the computing device to access the data processing system with a user account level of permission that exceeds a guest account level of permission;

in response to determining that login credentials are not available for the data processing system;

automatically logging into the data processing system at least as a guest user of the data processing system to permit the computing device to access the data processing system with the guest account level of permission;

displaying a user interface object that includes filtered references for each data processing system of the one or more data processing systems; and

accessing at least a portion of a functionality provided by a data processing system in response to a selection of one of the filtered references for the data processing system.

12. The computing device of claim 11, wherein each data processing system of the one or more data processing systems is a network-accessible storage volume, a printer, a scanner, or a handheld device.

13. The computing device of claim 12, wherein, when at least one data processing system of the one or more data processing systems is a storage volume, the steps further include:

automatically mounting the storage volume.

14. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the user interface object includes a file management software window that includes a file and folder viewing portion that enables data stored on the storage volume to be accessed.