IP Library Granted Patent US 9,160,816
Granted Patent B2
US 9,160,816 · App. 13/646,621 · Granted Oct 13, 2015

Methods and systems for fast account setup

Inventors: Michael McDougall (San Francisco, CA); Steve S. Ko (Los Altos, CA); John William Scalo (Santa Cruz, CA); Patrick L. Coffman (San Francisco, CA); Aaron Matthew Everitt (Cupertino, CA)
Assignee: Apple Inc.
H04L67/42G06F21/45H04L67/2804
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,160,816
App. No.
13/646,621
Granted
Oct 13, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for collecting, storing, and transmitting account information in a matchable form, and for using this information to quickly set up accounts. Account information is maintained and shared between one or more client devices and an intermediate server. Account information can be reconciled locally to determine whether to add or enable an active account or an account proxy to a client device. Account proxies can be quickly enabled by a single user action. The methods and systems allow enabled accounts and account proxies to be removed from a first client device without propagating the deletion to a second client device.

Claims (31)

1. A non-transitory machine readable storage medium containing executable instructions which when executed by a data processing system cause the data processing system to perform a method for account setup, the method comprising:

collecting local account information from a client device;

collecting server account information from a server, wherein the server account information includes a collection of data representing an account enabled on a different client device, and wherein the account is disabled on the client device;

determining the local account information does not include the server account information; and

generating on the client device, in response to the determining, an account proxy to simulate the account, wherein the account proxy includes account proxy information comprising the collection of data representing the account enabled on the different client device, and wherein the account remains disabled on the client device after generating the account proxy; and

receiving an activation command to enable the account proxy into the account on the client device.

2. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 1 further comprising logging into the server, wherein collecting the local account information and the server account information is in response to the logging in.

3. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 1 further comprising receiving a push notification from the server, wherein collecting the local account information and the server account information is in response to the receiving.

4. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 1 further comprising opting into an account setup policy, wherein collecting the local account information and the server account information is in response to the opting in.

5. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the activation command includes a selection of a control element of a graphical user interface.

6. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 5 , wherein enabling the account proxy into the account further comprises receiving a password input.

7. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 1 further comprising:

updating the local account information with the account proxy information; and

propagating the updated local account information to the server.

8. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the local account information is stored in an active account repository on the client device.

9. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the server is a cloud computing server configured to provide cloud computing services to the client device.

10. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the server account information is stored in a key value store on the server.

11. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the server account information is a value keyed to the different client device, wherein the value comprises an account hash, and wherein the account hash comprises an identity matching key portion.

12. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the identity matching key portion includes username and account type information.

13. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the account proxy information is added to an account proxy repository on the client device.

14. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the account proxy information comprises identifying information and non-identifying information required to set up the active account on the client device.

15. A method comprising:

collecting local account information from a client device;

collecting server account information from a server, wherein the server account information includes a collection of data representing an account enabled on a different client device, and wherein the account is disabled on the client device;

determining the local account information does not include the server account information; and

generating on the client device, in response to the determining, an account proxy to simulate the account, wherein the account proxy includes account proxy information comprising the collection of data representing the account enabled on the different client device, and wherein the account remains disabled on the client device after generating the account proxy; and

receiving an activation command to enable the account proxy into the account on the client device.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising logging into the server, wherein collecting the local account information and the server account information is in response to the logging in.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising receiving a push notification from the server, wherein collecting the local account information and the server account information is in response to the receiving.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising opting into an account setup policy, wherein collecting the local account information and the server account information is in response to the opting in.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the activation command includes a selection of a control element of a graphical user interface.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 27, 2012
From: MCDOUGALL, MICHAEL T.; KO, STEVE S.; SCALO, JOHN WILLIAM; COFFMAN, PATRICK L.; EVERITT, AARON MATTHEW
To: APPLE INC.
Reel/Frame 029534/0754 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61594327 · Feb 2, 2012
Related Publication 20130204925A1 · Aug 8, 2013