Rights Elevator

• US 20060242422A1
• Filed: 03/10/2006
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sheldon, Michael G., Odins-Lucas, Zeke B., Hong, James H., Schwartz, Jonathan D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,024,813 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/182
• 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 having computer-readable instructions therein that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to present a user interface in response to a task being prohibited based on a user'"'"'s current account not having a right to permit the task, the user interface comprising:

an identifier identifying a different account having a right to permit the task;

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

,

an information region capable of presenting task-related information which a user may rely upon in making a decision as to whether to authenticate the different account and thereby permit the task.

2. The computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the information region comprises a non-textual region for conveying relative trustworthiness 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 degree of relative trustworthiness and a second color corresponding to a lower degree of relative trustworthiness.

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

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

6. One or more 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 authorized for a user account; and

,

presenting a different user account that is authorized to allow the task and information relating to the task.

7. The media of claim 6, wherein the presenting information comprises presenting information relating to an entity attempting to implement the task.

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

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

10. The media of claim 6, where the presenting information comprises:

gathering information relating to the task;

evaluating the gathered information; and

,

presenting a sub-set of the gathered information based upon said evaluating.

11. The media of claim 10, where the evaluating comprises evaluating the information to determine a relative degree of trustworthiness of the gathered information.

12. The media of claim 11, wherein the presenting comprises presenting gathered information deemed more trustworthy than other gathered information.

13. The media of claim 11, wherein the presenting comprises presenting gathered information along with an indication of a relative degree of trustworthiness of the presented information.

14. The media of claim 13, 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.

15. The media of claim 13, wherein the presenting an indication comprises presenting a colored background selected from a group of colored backgrounds associated with varying degrees of trustworthiness.

16. The media of claim 11, wherein the presenting comprises presenting the sub-set which satisfies a pre-established threshold of trustworthiness.

17. The media of claim 11, wherein the presenting comprises further presenting a summarized statement regarding a degree of trustworthiness of the sub-set.

18. A method comprising:

detecting a rights elevation scenario involving a task; and

,

presenting information relating to the task.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the presenting comprises gathering the information, ranking the information from most trustworthy to least trustworthy, and presenting the most trustworthy information.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the presenting comprises presenting information relating to one or more of:

an entity requesting the task, a is location of the entity, and a publisher of the entity.