Apple patent lets you transfer user account from computer to computer
Posted by Dennis Sellers 
May 20, 2008 at 9:44am
You may soon be able to transfer your user account from computer to computer, according to an Apple patent (number 737824) filed at the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. The invention relates generally to multi-user computer systems and, more particularly, user account management for multi-user computer systems.
Improved approaches for enabling user accounts to be portable across different multi-user computer systems are disclosed. A user account created at a multi-user computer can be stored to an external, portable data store, rendering the user account portable. The multi-user computer system, e.g., through its operating system, locates user accounts on not only in local storage of the multi-user computer system, but also in any removable data storage attached to the multi-user computer system.
This means that, by coupling the external, portable data store to another multi-user computer, a user is able to log in to any supporting multi-user computer and be presented with their user configuration and user directory. Since the data store that stores the user account is not only external but also portable, a user can simply tote the data store to the location of different multi-user computers.
In one embodiment, the external, portable data store can not only store the user account but can also provide general data storage. In another embodiment, the external, portable data store can be a portion of a portable computing device (e.g., media player) that provides other functionality besides data storage.
The inventors are Robert T. Bowers and Steve Ko. The graphic below is a simplified block diagram of a multi-user computer system according to one embodiment of the invention.
R Says:
Is it possible that this is more about “Home on iPod” than simply copying your home files?
Posted on May 21, 2008
Dr. I. Margaronis Says:
There is little difference between home on ipod and home on a portable drive- both are specifically mentioned in Pogue’s books. I’m not saying it’s not a great idea- I use it and have used it for years. It’s just that I do not see how something which is such blatant prior art and indeed very obvious could be subject to a patent
Posted on May 21, 2008
Harvey Says:
If prior art is obvious to us, it’s even more obvious to Apple. Why go to all the trouble of paying lawyers to acquire a patent that you know in advance you can’t get? Apple is neither spendthrifty nor stupid. There must be something else here that we’re not seeing that makes this unique and patentable.
Posted on May 21, 2008
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Dennis Sellers
Dennis has been a newspaper editor/reporter (seven years) and teacher (seven years). He has over 4,000 magazine, newspaper and online articles to his credit. He has also covered the Mac and tech industries for over a decade for such online publications as MacCentral, MacMinute and now MacsimumNews.
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Dr. I. Margaronis Says:
How can this be a new invention worthy of a patent? This is easily possible under OS X and is even documented in David Pogue’s books on OS X in the Missing Manual Series. I have been using this to carry my user folder between different computers on a portable hard drive for many years!
Posted on May 21, 2008