METHOD FOR LATE BINDING IDENTITY TO ACCOUNT

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a method for late binding identity to account.

BACKGROUND

In today's digital lives, using a variety of network service platforms is an important trend. A network service platform is designed for allowing people to build new contact information or share information through the internet. Nowadays, many network service platforms that provide services and application programs have been very well developed. However, most of the network service platforms such as shopping network platforms (e.g., eBay) or social networking sites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Plurk, Google+, etc.) request the user to firstly complete the registration process before logging into the network service platforms. After the registration process is completed and the user logins into the network service platforms, the user can acquire or enjoy the services and functions that are provided by the network service platforms.

In most existing network service platforms (e.g., Google, Opera, Facebook, etc.), a user is able to access a network service platform after the user is registered with a user account. On the other hand, if the user is not registered or authorized, the user cannot view the contents or use the provided services. In some network service platforms, the user is forced to press “like” or give authority to provide personal information in order to use a particular program or read a particular article. However, the user possibly does not know or trust the network service platforms. For example, the user wishes to share a mind test game link on Facebook with friends. If the friends are interested in playing the mind test game, the friends of the user have to press “like” of that game on Facebook and give authority to provide their personal information to the program of the mind test game. Furthermore, the user in a specified network service platform (e.g., Facebook) is not authorized to activate a specific function to a friend in a different network service platform (e.g., Twitter).

Therefore, it is desired to provide a network service platform that allows the user to access the services or functions without the previous registration and allows the user to share services (e.g., contents) or functions of the network service platform to the users in different network service platforms.

SUMMARY

For solving the drawbacks of the conventional technologies, the present invention provides a method for late binding identity to account. Conventionally, most of the network service platforms request the user to firstly complete the registration process before logging into the network service platforms. A concept of the present invention is to support a user to start using the network service platform with a user account, which is automatically generated from the network service platform without identity registration. Consequently, the user can access the services or functions of the network service platform without the previous registration, the user can share services (e.g., contents) or functions of the network service platform to the users in different network service platforms.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for late binding identity to account. The method includes the following steps. Firstly, a projectable space instance for modeling a workspace is provided to a system, wherein an information importer, an information and/or a tool is configured in the projectable space instance. Then, the workspace is projected to a machine, and a user account is provided for allowing a user to access the projected workspace. The user account is automatically generated by the system under a condition that the user does not provide an authorized identity to login into the projected workspace. While the user accesses the projected workspace to drive the information importer, the information and/or the tool, the user is requested to provide an authorized identity and binding the authorized identity to the user account so as to activate an access right for the information importer, the information and/or the tool. Then, the user is allowed to login into the projected workspace from the machine or an additional machine according to the authorized identity bound to the user account.

In an embodiment, the system includes a server, and the projectable space instance is provided to the server. The user account is automatically generated by the server under the condition that the user does not provide an authorized identity to login into the projected workspace.

In an embodiment, the information and/or the tool is imported into the projected workspace through the information importer.

In an embodiment, the information is a unified information unit after an original information acquired from an information source is unified, and/or the tool is a unified tool after an original tool acquired from an information source is unified.

In an embodiment, the original information is modeled into the unified information unit with a unified data model, and/or the original tool is modeled into the unified tool with another unified data model.

In an embodiment, the information source is a network service platform. In an embodiment, the method further includes a step of binding the user account to a machine code of the machine so as to lock the user account on the machine.

In an embodiment, the machine is identified according to the machine code. In an embodiment, the method further includes a step of allowing the projected workspace to record a historical usage of the user.

In an embodiment, the historical usage is recorded in a storage medium that is accessible by the projected workspace.

In an embodiment, the storage medium is a browser cookie, a browser cache or a file.

In an embodiment, the historical usage contains a browsing history, an executed operation log and/or any form of information for reasonably analyzing a preference of the user.

In an embodiment, the projected workspace tracks the historical usage of the user according to the user account.

In an embodiment, after the projected workspace tracks and analyzes the historical usage of the user, the projected workspace provides a service and/or a content to the user.

In an embodiment, the method further includes a step of providing a label to label the automatically-generated user account under a condition that the user expects to create a role with a designated name and to access the projected workspace on the machine under the designated name without giving authorized identity.

In an embodiment, a content of the label is a true name or a fake name that is provided by the user so as to label the user account.

In an embodiment, the user is allowed to provide plural authorized identities to bind to the user account, and any of the plural authorized identities is identifiable by the projected workspace.

In an embodiment, when the user logins into the projected workspace from the additional machine according to the authorized identity bound to the user account, the projected workspace tracks the user account.

In an embodiment, the user account is automatically generated by the system when the user accesses the projected workspace at a first time.

In an embodiment, the method further includes a step of allowing the system to automatically generating an additional user account to an additional user and binding a known identity of the additional user to the additional user account. The additional user account is generated when the user accessing the projected workspace shares the projected workspace to the additional user or invites the additional user to access the projected workspace.

In an embodiment, the projectable space instance is an object, an extensible markup language document, or an instance which is instantiated with a structured language or a structured protocol.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer program product for late binding identity to account. The computer program product includes a program code. While the computer program product is executed in a computer, the program code performs the following steps. Firstly, a projectable space instance for modeling a workspace is provided to a system, wherein an information importer, an information and/or a tool is configured in the projectable space instance. Then, the workspace is projected to a machine, and a user account is provided for allowing a user to access the projected workspace. The user account is automatically generated by the system under a condition that the user does not provide an authorized identity to login into the projected workspace. While the user accesses the projected workspace to drive the information importer, the information and/or the tool, the user is requested to provide an authorized identity and binding the authorized identity to the user account so as to activate an access right for the information importer, the information and/or the tool. Then, the user is allowed to login into the projected workspace from the machine or an additional machine according to the authorized identity bound to the user account.

The above objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an implementation concept of a unifying method according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an implementation concept of using the unified script as an intermediate language for implementing the personal workspace;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a preferred configuration of a personal workspace;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an initial state of the method of projecting the workspace according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 5A and 5B are schematic diagrams illustrating operating concepts of the method of projecting the workspace as shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating the relationship between a projectable space instance as shown in FIG. 4 and a projected workspace as shown in FIG. 5B;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a method for late binding identity to account according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 schematically illustrates an implementation concept of a mechanism using the method of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 schematically illustrates an implementation concept of the method of FIG. 7 and the mechanism of FIG. 8 when a user accesses the projected workspace at a first time;

FIG. 10 schematically illustrates an implementation concept of the method of FIG. 7 and the mechanism of FIG. 8 when a user accesses the projected workspace at a next time;

FIG. 11 schematically illustrates an implementation concept of providing a label to label the automatically-generated user account according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 schematically illustrates an implementation concept of binding an identity of Facebook to the user account corresponding to the projected workspace;

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a method for automatically generating a user account for a receiver while sharing content to the receiver; and

FIG. 15 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a computer program product using the method of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention is more fully appreciated by reference to the following description, including the following glossary of terms and the concluding examples. For the sake of brevity, the disclosures of the publications, including patents, cited in this specification are herein incorporated by reference.

The examples below are non-limiting and are merely representative of various aspects and features of the present invention. The term “information source” used herein is defined as a sequence of symbols that can be interpreted as a message in the most limited technical meaning. And the message is used for organizing and labeling information. For example, the information source includes website (such as internet service), intranet, social network, software, electronic book, database and other media of information (such as storage media of non-transitory computer or storage media of mobile device). The term “original information” used herein is a file, a web page, a database row, a policy, a rule or any data accessible in a corresponding machine and server, but is not limited thereto. The term “original tool” used herein is a utility program, a widget, an intelligent agent, an application, a service or any executable component accessible in a corresponding machine and server, but is not limited thereto. It is noted that the information sources, the original information and the original tool are not restricted to the above examples.

Moreover, “original information” and “original tool” are implementation examples of “original matters” used herein. In accordance with the present invention, a plurality of “original matters” from identical or different “information sources” are modeled to a plurality of “unified matters” by a unifying method. Consequently, the “unified matters” in the same execution environment are compatible with each other and cooperate to perform a specified task. The “unified tool” and the “unified information unit” are implementation examples of the “unified matters”. Moreover, the term “Matterizer” used herein is a means, a device or a program code to perform the unifying process.

In an embodiment, the above unifying method comprises steps of: modeling at least one original information obtained from at least one information source of multiple information sources into a unified information unit with one unified data model via re-organizing the original information, and/or modeling at least one original tool obtained from at least one information source of multiple information sources into a unified tool with another unified data model via re-organizing the original tool. The one unified data model and another unified data model could be identical or different, and the unifying method described above could be completed through a matterizer.

Please refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an implementation concept of a unifying method according to an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the matterizer 992 re-organizes an attribute and a link of an original matter 991 with a unified data model 993, and thus models the original matter 991 into a unified matter 994. Consequently, the basic attribute of the unified matter 994 include a type of the original matter 991 and a link indicating where the original matter 994 is located.

In this embodiment, the original matter 991 at least includes an original information (not shown) or an original tool (not shown), but is not limited thereto. In the above unifying method, if the attribute accessible from the original information corresponds to the attribute to be unified in the unified information unit, the unified information unit is directly produced through the matterizer 992. If the attribute accessible from the original information does not correspond to the attribute to be unified in the unified information unit, the original information is firstly re-defined by logically re-organizing the attributes and the link of the original information, and then the original information is converted into a new original information with the attributes which correspond to attributes to be unified in the unified information unit. Consequently, the unified information unit is indirectly produced.

Moreover, if the original tool is compatible with the working environment of the workspace, the unified tool is directly produced by the matterizer 992. On the other hand, if the original tool is incompatible with the working environment of the workspace, the unified tool is indirectly produced via an adapter and/or a software development kit (SDK) of the original tool to drive the original tool. The adapter provides an interface implementation compatible with the working environment.

Herein, “the descriptions of the unifying method”, “the methods of obtaining the unified matters” and “the descriptions of the matterizer” may be referred to the U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/324,069, entitled “A method of unifying information and tool from a plurality of information sources”, and also referred to the China Patent Application No. 201410768564.X, entitled “A method of unifying information and tool from a plurality of information sources and computer product and device using the method”. The detailed descriptions thereof are omitted.

The above unifying method is presented herein for purpose of illustration and description only. The method of unifying a plurality of original matters from different information sources is not restricted. However, those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention.

Hereinafter, two other unifying methods will be illustrated. The first unifying method is applied to a method of unifying the information of Garmin satellite navigation. Through a point-of-interest (POI) function of the Garmin satellite navigation, the method of unifying the information is employed to unify the imported original point information (i.e., an original information) into the corresponding unified point information (i.e., a unified information unit). The second unifying method is applied to a method of unifying the tool of an Android system. The Android system is a Linux-based open source mobile operating system. However, most application programs (i.e., original tools) are written in the Java programming language. Consequently, the application program (i.e., the original tool) written in the Java programming language can be modelled into a unified application program (i.e., the unified tool) compatible with the Android system so as to be executed in the Android system.

The term “workspace” used herein is a working environment for providing interactions among the at least one matterizer, the at least one tool and/or the at least one information so as to implement a specified task. Moreover, the at least one tool and/or at least one information can be imported into the workspace through the at least one matterizer. However, the way of importing the information and/or tool into the workspace is not restricted. Hereinafter, information importers such as the information importers 9881, 9882 and 9883 of FIG. 2, the Dropbox importer 9761′ of FIG. 6 and the information importer 760 of FIG. 13 are some examples of the matterizer. The term “unified script” used herein is an intermediate language to implement the workspace. Moreover, via the “unified script”, the at least one matterizer, the at least one tool and/or the at least one information can be provided to the workspace (e.g., built in or plugged in the workspace).

In an embodiment, the above at least one information is a unified information unit which is produced after at least one original information obtained from at least one information source is unified, and the above at least one tool is a unified tool which is produced after at least one original tool obtained from at least one information source is unified. Moreover, according to different tasks, the required unified information unit and/or the required unified tool from the corresponding information source can be added to the personal workspace (e.g., built in or plugged in the personal workspace). In other words, the “workspace” is a user-orientated “personal workspace”.

Please refer to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an implementation concept of using the unified script as an intermediate language for implementing the personal workspace. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a preferred configuration of a personal workspace. As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, a unified information unit 985′ corresponding to an original information 985 in Dropbox 982, a first unified tool 986′ corresponding to a compatible original tool 986 in a cloud storage 983 and a second unified tool 987′ corresponding to an incompatible original tool 987 in a server 984 are combined together into a personal workspace 981 according to the required tasks. In particular, a unified script 980 as an intermediate language for implementing the personal workspace 981 is firstly compiled, and then an information importer 9881 of the Dropbox 982, an information importer 9882 of the cloud storage 983 and an information importer 9883 of the server 984 are configured through the unified script 980. Moreover, after the original information 985 in the Dropbox 982 is unified into the unified information unit 985′ by the information importer 9881, the unified information unit 985′ is imported into the personal workspace 981.

As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the original tool stored in the cloud storage 983 is the compatible original tool 986, which is compatible with the component architecture of the unified tool in the personal workspace 981. Moreover, the first unified tool 986′ corresponding to the compatible original tool 986 is directly provided to the personal workspace 981 through the information importer 9882 of the unified script 980.

As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the original tool stored in the server 984 is the incompatible original tool 987, which is incompatible with the component architecture of the unified tool in the personal workspace 981. Moreover, the second unified tool 987′ corresponding to the incompatible original tool 987 is provided to the personal workspace 981 through the compatible adapter 989 and the information importer 9883 of the unified script 980.

As shown in FIG. 3, the user can configure and arrange (e.g., group or place) the unified information unit 985′, the first unified tool 986′ and the second unified tool 987′ in a specific area of the personal workspace 981 according to the practical requirements. Moreover, according to the operational relationship between the unified tool and the unified information unit (e.g., the clicking or dragging actions between the two), the user can perform specified tasks by using the unified tool to access or control the corresponding unified information unit.

Herein, “the descriptions of using the unified script as the intermediate language for implementing the personal workspace” and “the descriptions of allowing the required unified information unit and/or the required unified tool from the corresponding information sources to be arbitrarily combined together into the personal workspace according to the practical requirements” may be referred to the U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/325,466, entitled “Method for performing task on unified information units in a personal workspace”, and also referred to the China Patent Application No. 201410796528.4, entitled “A method of combining unified matters in a personal workspace and computer product and device using the method”. The detailed descriptions thereof are omitted.

The above personal workspace is presented herein for purpose of illustration and description only, and it is noted that the applications of the workspace in the present invention is not restricted. For example, the unified script as the intermediate language for implementing the workspace can be previously edited. Consequently, the workspace equips the default matterizer, the default information and/or the default tool. This workspace is not limited to be operated by a single user. According to the practical requirements, this workspace can be operated by multiple users at the same time or at different times.

Moreover, the “workspace” used herein is obtained by “a method of projecting a workspace” to any electronic device with computational capability. An example of the electronic device includes but is not limited to a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a notebook computer or a desktop computer. Consequently, the “projected workspace” can be operated by any user through any electronic device with computational capability.

In an embodiment, the method of projecting the workspace comprises the following steps. Firstly, a projectable space instance instantiated by the unified script is obtained through a uniform resource identifier (URI). As mentioned above, the unified script is defined to configure at least one of the matterizer, the information and the tool to model the workspace. Moreover, the projectable space instance is used to build the projected workspace corresponding to the workspace, and thus provide an interface for operating at least one of the matterizer, the information and the tool to implement a task. Then, a projector parses the projectable space instance and build a working environment to configure at least one of the matterizer, the information and the tool so as to execute the projected workspace for providing interactions between at least one user and the projected workspace.

The projector is acquired from a remote data station, the projectable space instance or a preloaded application program, and loaded into an engine for providing a compatible environment to execute the projector. An example of the engine includes but is not limited to a Javascript engine, a Windows application or a Linux application. Preferably but not exclusively, the unified script can be declared by a document type definition (DTD), an extensible markup language (XML) Schema, a structured language or a structured protocol. Preferably but not exclusively, the projectable space instance is an object, an extensible markup language (XML) document, or an instance instantiated with a structured language or a structured protocol.

Please refer to FIG. 4, FIG. 5A, FIG. 5B and FIG. 6. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an initial state of the method of projecting the workspace according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 5A and 5B are schematic diagrams illustrating operating concepts of the method of projecting the workspace as shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating the relationship between a projectable space instance as shown in FIG. 4 and a projected workspace as shown in FIG. 5B.

In the initial state of FIG. 4, a first electronic device 971 and a second electronic device 972 are in communication with each other (e.g., through network connection). Moreover, the first electronic device 971 stores a projectable space instance 973, and the second electronic device 972 has a built-in projector 974.

In this embodiment, the unified script 9731 is declared by a document type definition (DTD) and defined to configure at least one information importer (i.e., an example of the matterizer), at least one unified information unit and/or at least one unified tool to model a workspace, and the projectable space instance 973 is an instance instantiated with the extensible markup language (XML). As shown in FIG. 6, the projectable space instance 973 is used for building a projected workspace 976 corresponding to the workspace. Moreover, the information importer, the unified information and/or the unified tool is allowed to be added to or removed from the projectable space instance 973.

The projector 974 of the second electronic device 972 will build a working environment 975 in the second electronic device 972 for executing the projected workspace 976. In addition, the projector 974 provides a microkernel 977 (see FIG. 6) to the working environment 975 for equipping at least one information importer, at least one unified information and/or at least one unified tool that will be added to the projected workspace 976. When the second electronic device 972 acquires the projectable space instance 973 from the first electronic device 971 through a URI, the projector 974 of the second electronic device 972 starts to parse the projectable space instance 973 (see FIG. 5A). After the projectable space instance 973 is parsed by the projector 974, the projected workspace 976 is built in the working environment 975 according to parsed contents of the projectable space instance 973 (see FIG. 5B). Accordingly, a user of the second electronic device 972 can interact with the projected workspace 976 through the second electronic device 972 so as to perform related tasks.

The relationships between the unified script 9731, the projectable space instance 973 and the projected workspace 976 will be illustrated in more detailed through a usage situation as shown in FIG. 6. The usage situation as shown in FIG. 6 is related to a process of building a projected workspace that is capable of accessing jpg format image files and gif format image files from a specified internet space and allowing the image files to be viewed by a user. In this usage situation, the unified script 9731 is declared by the Document Type Definition (DTD), and the projectable space instance 973 is instantiated with XML.

Moreover, an information importer and a unified tool are added into the projectable space instance 973, and at least one unified information unit corresponding to the original information is imported into the projected workspace 976 through the information importer. In this usage situation, the information importer is a Dropbox importer. The information of the Dropbox importer is disclosed in the dashed line frame 9761 of FIG. 6. The original information includes a jpg format image file 9791, a jpg format image file 9792 and a gif format image file 9793 in Dropbox 979 (i.e., an information source). The unified information units includes a unified jpg format image file 9791′, a unified jpg format image file 9792′ and a unified gif format image file 9793′, which will be described later. The unified tool is an image viewer for accessing image files which are imported into the projected workspace 976. The information of the image viewer is disclosed in the dashed line frame 9762 of FIG. 6.

As mentioned above, the projected workspace 976 is built after the projectable space instance 973 is parsed by the projector 974 of the second electronic device 972. In this embodiment, the Dropbox importer 9761′ corresponding to the dashed line frame 9761 and the image viewer 9762′ corresponding to the dashed line frame 9762 are configured in the projected workspace 976. Moreover, the jpg format image file 9791, the jpg format image file 9792 and the gif format image file 9793 in Dropbox 979 are unified and imported into the projected workspace 976 by the Dropbox importer 9761′. Consequently, the unified jpg format image file 9791′ corresponding to the jpg format image file 9791, the unified jpg format image file 9792′ corresponding to the jpg format image file 9792 and the unified gif format image file 9793′ corresponding to the gif format image file 9793 are displayed on the projected workspace 976. When the user of the second electronic device 972 manipulates any of the unified image files 9791′, 9792′ and 9793′ by any specified operating means (such as an action of clicking any of the unified images files 9791′, 9792′ and 9793′ or an action of dragging and dropping any of the image files 9791′, 9792′ and 9793′ to the image viewer 9762′), the image viewer 9762′ will access the contents of the corresponding unified image files 9791′, 9792′ or 9793′ to allow the unified image files 9791′, 9792′ or 9793′ to be viewed by the user. Moreover, the Dropbox importer 9761′ and the image viewer 9762′ mentioned above are equipped by the microkernel 977.

It is noted that the URI of the projectable space instance 973 may be a HTTP (hypertext transfer protocol) URI or a FTP (file transfer protocol) URI. In case that the first electronic device 971 and the second electronic device 972 are integrated into one device, the URI of the projectable space instance 973 can also be a local file URI. However, the types of the URI of the projectable space instance 973 are not restricted.

Herein, “the descriptions of the method of projecting the workspace” may be referred to the U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/577,772, entitled “Method of projecting a workspace and system using the same”, and also referred to the China Patent Application No. 201410814138.5, entitled “Method of projecting a workspace and system using the same”. The detailed descriptions thereof are omitted.

The above method of projecting the workspace to any electronic device with computational capability is presented herein for purpose of illustration and description only. The method of projecting the workspace to any electronic device with computational capability is not restricted. However, those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention.

Moreover, any workspace can be projected to any electronic device with computational capability. That is, any workspace can be delivered to any electronic device with computational capability. The present invention provides a method for late binding identity. The concepts of the method will be illustrated in more details as follows.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a method for late binding identity to account according to an embodiment of the present invention. The method comprises the following steps. Firstly, a projectable space instance for modeling a workspace is provided to a system, wherein an information importer, an information and/or a tool is configured in the projectable space instance (Step S110). Then, the workspace is projected to a machine, and a user account is provided for allowing a user to access the projected workspace, wherein the user does not provide an authorized identity to login into the projected workspace (Step S120). While the user accesses the projected workspace to drive the information importer, the information and/or the tool, the user is requested to provide an authorized identity, and the authorized identity is bound to the user account so as to activate an access right for the information importer, the information and/or the tool (Step S130). Then, the user is allowed to login into the projected workspace from the machine or an additional machine according to the authorized identity bound to the user account (Step S140).

FIG. 8 schematically illustrates an implementation concept of a mechanism using the method of FIG. 7. An example of the system 1 includes but is not limited to a network service platform. The system 1 can provide the functions of internet access, internet transit, domain name registration and hosting, dial-up access, leased line access and collocation. The service provider of the network service platform may have various forms. For example, the service provider is a commercial service provider, a community-owned service provider or a non-profit service provider such as the provider of the workspace. In this embodiment, the system 1 comprises a server 210. The server 210 comprises a projectable space instance 212 for modeling a workspace. Moreover, the server 210 is executed and driven locally or remotely.

An example of the machine 220 includes but is not limited to a desktop computer, a notebook computer, a personal tablet computer, a smart phone, a mobile device or a wearable device. The machine 220 can acquire the projectable space instance 212 through a uniform resource identifier (URI) corresponding to the projectable space instance 212. Moreover, the projected workspace 211 is built in the machine 220 through a web browser 221 and a projector 222, wherein the projector 222 is loaded into the web browser 221. When a user accesses the projected workspace 211 through the web browser 221 of the machine 220 at the first time, the server 210 will automatically create or generate a user account 230.

Moreover, a browser cookie 240 is a storage medium. Whenever the user accesses the projected workspace 211 through the web browser 221 of the machine 220, the browser cookie 240 is used for recording an historical usage 241 of the projected workspace 211 on the machine 220 and corresponding to the user account 230. The historical usage 241 contains a browsing history, an executed operation log, or any form of information for reasonably analyzing a user preference. In other words, the projected workspace 211 is allowed to track the historical usage 241 of the user according to the user account 230. Consequently, the services and/or contents that are better or the user are interested in can be further provided to the user. The browser cookie 240 for recording the historical usage 241 corresponding to the user account 230 is presented herein for purpose of illustration and description only. It is noted that the storage medium for recording the historical usage 241 corresponding to the user account 230 is not restricted. For example, any other storage medium (e.g., a browser cache or a file) that is accessible by the projected workspace 211 can be used for recording the historical usage 241 corresponding to the user account 230.

Please refer to FIGS. 9 and 10. FIG. 9 schematically illustrates an implementation concept of the method of FIG. 7 and the mechanism of FIG. 8 when a user accesses the projected workspace at a first time. FIG. 10 schematically illustrates an implementation concept of the method of FIG. 7 and the mechanism of FIG. 8 when a user accesses the projected workspace at a next time. When a user 200 accesses the projected workspace 211 at the first time through the web browser 221 of the machine 220, the server 210 will automatically create or generate a user account 230. In addition, the historical usage 241 corresponding to the user account 230 is started to be recorded in the browser cookie 240. For example, the browser cookie 240 further records any operation of the projected workspace 211 corresponding to the user account 230. Consequently, when the user 200 uses the web browser 221 of the machine 220 in the next time and accesses the projected workspace 211 again with the user account 230, the past historical usage corresponding to the user account 230 is still retained.

Optionally, the method of FIG. 7 further comprises a step of binding the user account 230 to a machine code of the machine 210 so as to lock the user account 230 on the machine 210. The machine 210 can be identified according to machine code. In an embodiment, the machine code is an IP code (e.g., IP: 210.32.54.123). If the user 200 accesses the projected workspace 211 through the web browser 221 of the machine 220 not at the first time (i.e., at the second time or at more than the second time), the projected workspace 211 will read the historical record corresponding to the user account 230 from the browser cookie 240 because the user account 230 has been bound to the IP code. The historical record corresponding to the user account 230 indicates any past operation of the projected workspace 211 corresponding to the user account 230. Similarly, any subsequent operation of the projected workspace 211 corresponding to the user account 230 is still recorded in the browser cookie 240.

The method of the present invention can be applied to the machines in public places or public machines (e.g., the computing devices in public places or public computing devices). The use situations of applying the method of the present invention to the above machines will be illustrated as follows. Generally, the machines in public places or public machines cannot identify the users who use the machines because the same machine is possibly used by many different users at different times. For solving the above drawbacks, the present invention further provides a method of distinguishing and identifying a user account of a specific user. That is, the method of FIG. 7 further comprises a step of providing a label to label the automatically-generated user account. Consequently, the user can create a role with a designated name and access the projected workspace on the machine under the designated name without giving authorized identity.

FIG. 11 schematically illustrates an implementation concept of providing a label to label the automatically-generated user account according to an embodiment of the present invention. As mentioned above, when a user 500 accesses a projected workspace 511 through a web browser 521 of the machine 520, the server 210 will automatically create or generate a user account 530 for the user 500. In addition, the user account 530 is bound to a machine code of the machine 510 (e.g., IP: 210.32.54.123), so that the user account 530 is locked on the machine 510. Moreover, a label for the machine code (IP: 210.32.54.123) is automatically generated to label the user account 530. Consequently, when the user 500 accesses the projected workspace 511 through the web browser 521 of the machine 520 at the next time, the server 210 can authenticate and identify the user 500 by inputting the label corresponding to the user account 530. Consequently, the user 500 can login into the projected workspace 511 again and use the projected workspace 511.

On the other hand, when an additional user 501 accesses the projected workspace 511 or other projected workspace through the web browser 521 of the machine 520, an additional label for the machine code (IP: 210.32.54.123) is also automatically generated by the server 210. As mentioned above, the additional user 501 can login into the projected workspace 511 or other projected workspace again by inputting the additional label corresponding to the user account. In other words, the method of the present invention can distinguish from different users who connect to the server through the same machine.

In a preferred embodiment, the server will generate a new label to the user regardless of whether the user accesses the projected workspace through the web browser of the machine at the first time. Of course, the user can disable the above function of providing the new label in order to prevent from memorizing the label every time. An example of the content of the label includes but is not limit to a word, number or any combination thereof a word, number or any combination thereof. The content of the label is randomly provided by the server or decided by the user. For example, the content of the label is a true name or a fake name that is provided by the user. The authentication method of identifying the user by using the label to label the user account has another advantage that the same user can possess many roles corresponding to different projected workspaces. Moreover, in case that the user expects to create a role with a designated name and access the projected workspace on the machine under the designated name without giving authorized identity, the above authentication method of identifying the user by using the label to label the user account can be performed.

FIG. 12 schematically illustrates an implementation concept of mutually binding an authorized identity between the user account and an additional network service platform by the method of FIG. 7 and the mechanism of FIG. 8. As shown in FIG. 12, a user 600 accesses a projected workspace 611 through a web browser 621 of a machine 620 and uses the services or functions of the projected workspace 611. For example, some services or functions are provided by another network service platform (also referred hereinafter as an additional network service platform), and the user 600 needs an additional authorized identity to acquire the services or functions from the additional network service platform. If the authorized identity of the additional network service platform for the user has been bound to the user account 630, the user can use these services or functions via the authorized identity. Whereas, if the authorized identity of the additional network service platform for the user has not been bound to the user account 630, it is necessary to bind the authorized identity of the additional network service platform to the user account 630 in order to obtain the right of using the services or functions from the additional network service platform.

Regardless of whether the user 600 has the authorized identity of the additional network service platform or the user creates the authorized identity of any network service platform at the first time, the user 600 may assign one or plural authorized identities and bind the one or plural authorized identities to the user account 630. In particular, the user 600 can issue a request to bind the authorized identities of other network service platforms to the user account 630 via the machine 610 so as to implement the binding authentication between the user account 630 and one or plural network service platforms which need the authorized identities. Afterwards, if the user accesses the projected workspace 611 to operate the services or functions of other network service platforms through the user account 630, the user can directly access these services or functions without the need of inputting the authorized identity again. That is, the user account 630 will automatically implement the authentication with the network service platforms.

FIG. 13 schematically illustrates an implementation concept of binding an identity of Facebook to the user account corresponding to the projected workspace. As shown in FIG. 13, a Facebook tool and an information importer 760 are configured in the projected workspace 711. The Facebook tool is an example of the unified tool, and indicated by a Facebook icon 770. The information of a Facebook server 750 is imported into the projected workspace 711 through the information importer 760. When the user clicks the Facebook icon 770, a window 780 is shown in the projected workspace 711, and the window 780 is redirected to the Facebook webpage. After the user inputs the authorized identity (e.g., the personal account and password of Facebook) into the Facebook webpage, the services or functions provided by Facebook can be obtained. Meanwhile, the projected workspace 711 inquires the user whether the authorized identity of Facebook is bound to the user account. If the authorized identity is bound to the user account, when the user accesses the projected workspace 711 through the user account at the next time, the user can directly use the services or functions of Facebook without the need of inputting the personal account and password of Facebook.

Since the authorized identity of Facebook has been bound to the user account, the user can login into the projected workspace 711 and use the projected workspace 711 from any machine through the authorized identity of Facebook. Of course, the user can login into the projected workspace 711 and use the projected workspace 711 from any machine through any known identity. The above example of accessing the projected workspace through the user account is presented herein for purpose of illustration and description only.

Moreover, when the user wants to share the projected workspace to an additional user or invite the additional user to access the projected workspace through the user account, a known identity of the additional user is firstly provided to the projected workspace. Then, an additional user account for the additional user is automatically generated by the server, and the known identity of the additional user is bound to the additional user account. Then, a notification message is issued to the known identity of the additional user in a wireless transmission manner or a wired transmission manner. The known identity of the additional user is an account or an identity that is identified by any network service platform. For example, the known identity of the additional user is an account or an authorized identity of the additional user for a social networking site or an account of an electronic mail of the additional user. Moreover, the notification message contains the uniform resource identifier (URI) of the projectable space instance corresponding to the projected workspace. Consequently, when the additional user uses the known identity and clicks or opens the notification message (e.g., the additional user uses the account of Facebook to receive the notification message from Facebook and clicks the URI of the notification message), the additional user can access the projected workspace. Under this circumstance, the user can share the projected workspace to the additional user.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a method for automatically generating a user account for a receiver while sharing content to the receiver. The method of FIG. 14 illustrates a content sharing method for sharing content to an additional user while a user accesses the projected workspace via the user account and browses each of the network information in the projected workspace. The content sharing method comprises the following steps. Firstly, when the user wants to share the content to the additional user, the user checks if the additional user has a user account (also referred as a second user account) of the server (Step S210). If the judging condition of the step S210 is satisfied, the content is shared to the second user content (Step S240). Whereas, if the judging condition of the step S210 is not satisfied, a step S220 is performed to judge whether a known identity of the additional user is provided. If the judging condition of the step S220 is not satisfied, the flowchart is ended and the content is not shared. Whereas, if the judging condition of the step S220 is satisfied, a step S230 is performed. In the step S230, the server will automatically generate the second user account for the additional user and bind the known identity of the additional user to the second user account.

Moreover, if the user realizes that a known identity of the additional user in a known network resource, the second user account created in the step S230 is shared to the known identity of the additional user in the known network resource through a link. Once the additional user opens the link in the known network resource, the additional user can directly access the projected workspace via the second user account so as to browse the content that is shared by the user. Moreover, the known identity or the authorized identity (e.g., the account name or the password) that is bound to the second user account can be changed by the additional user. The above known network resource is a social networking site (e.g., Facebook or Twitter) or any other appropriate network service (e.g., an electronic mail).

FIG. 15 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a computer program product using the method of FIG. 7. For example, the computer program product 7 is a software package. The computer program product 7 is used for late binding identity to account. Moreover, the computer program product 7 contains a program code 71. While the computer program product 7 is executed in a computer 6, the program code 71 can perform the steps of the method of FIG. 11. The implementations of these steps are similar to those mentioned above, and the detailed descriptions thereof are omitted.

From the above descriptions, the present invention provides a method for late binding identity to account. The present invention has the following advantages. Firstly, the user does not need to perform a registration process before the user logins into or connects to the network service platform. Even if the user logins into the network service platform at the first time and the user has not been authenticated by the network service platform, the network service platform will automatically generate the user account for the user. Secondly, the network service platform is able to analyze the user preference by tracking and analyzing the history usage of the user account. Thirdly, the user can make an authorized identity bound to the user account. Consequently, the user can access the projected workspace in a different machine via the user account. Fourthly, the user is allowed to use an anonymous identity to access the projected workspace and randomly place any information and function component in the projected workspace. Fifthly, a first user who has any know identity of a second user in a different network service platform can share content to the second user or invite the second user.

While the invention has been described in terms of what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention needs not be limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.

Number	Date	Country	Kind
201410768564.X	Dec 2014	CN	national
201410796528.4	Dec 2014	CN	national
201410814138.5	Dec 2014	CN	national

	Number	Date	Country
Parent	14577772	Dec 2014	US
Child	15535110		US

METHOD FOR LATE BINDING IDENTITY TO ACCOUNT

Information

Publication Number

Date Filed

Date Published

Inventors

Original Assignees

CPC

International Classifications

Abstract

Description

Claims

Priority Claims (3)

PCT Information

Continuations (1)