Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Microsoft Corporation

Stillman T Saunders

Ignacio Ariel Coloma

Vishal Gupta

Andrew M Himberger

Lucas Jason Forschler

Chris Pearo

Lucas J Forschler

The present invention automatically signs or logs a user in to access secured features within a software application without prompting manual intervention when a user starts the software application having secured features. When the software application is started and an automatic sign-in condition is enabled, the software application transitions to a signed-in or logged-in state as long as security criteria are met. As a result, unnecessary and repetitive steps are avoided when signing-in. The automatic sign-in condition may be enabled through initial system setup, from a prompt to enter a credential, or through a service options menu. The present invention improves network efficiency by limiting network transmissions to an as needed basis. The automatic sign-in condition is capable of roaming to other computers within a network, thereby following mobile users. Further, the automatic sign-in condition is controllable by network administrative policy, giving network administrators the ability to disable its functionality when desired.

Signing-in to software applications having secured features

In the present invention, when one open or running software application having secured features enters an access signed-in or logged-in state, other open or running software applications having secured features enter a ready signed-in state automatically, without prompting user intervention. The same operation that signed-in or logged-in the initial software application will transition other software applications that are presently open, active to run, or that start in run mode to a ready signed-in state. The access signed-in state fully authenticates the user's identity and grants access to secured features. The ready signed-in state places the software application in a state of readiness to authenticate and access secured features without prompting user intervention. One feature of the present invention is the sharing of a sign-in or login credential (e.g. username and password) and the processing of the shared credential in order to provide a universal, shared sign-in session between open software applications having secured features. This feature helps provide a user experience that in effect, has only one sign-in or login session for software applications with secured features.

Sharing a sign-in among software applications having secured features

Methods and systems authenticate a user of a sub-location of a network location by using a first cookie for authentication within the network location, such as a domain of the world wide web, and also use a second cookie for authentication within a sub-location of the network location. When the user attempts to visit a network location or sub-location within the network location, the server of the network location authenticates the user by obtaining a previously stored cookie from the user's computer and validating it for the network location. Upon being authenticated by the validation, a cookie for a sub-location within the network location is generated for the user and provided to the user's computer. When the user attempts to access the sub-location within the network location, the cookie provided to the user's computer for the sub-location is obtained and validated to authenticate the user for the sub-location.

Methods and systems for authentication of a user for sub-locations of a network location

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Sammamish, WA, United States of America

Stillman T Saunders