Patents by Inventor Eric R. Flo
Eric R. Flo has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 8230485Abstract: A system and method for controlling access to a computer provides for loose security within a local network while retaining strong security against external access to the network. In one embodiment, a user has access to trusted nodes in a secured group within an unmanaged network, without being required to choose, enter and remember a login password. To establish such a secure blank password or one-click logon account for the user on a computer, a strong random password is generated and stored, and the account is designated as a blank password account. If the device is part of a secured network group, the strong random password is replicated to the other trusted nodes. When a user with a blank password account wishes to log in to a computer, the stored strong random password is retrieved and the user is authenticated.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2004Date of Patent: July 24, 2012Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Sterling M. Reasor, Ramesh Chinta, Paul J. Leach, John E. Brezak, Eric R. Flo
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Patent number: 7966572Abstract: In an implementation of user interface transition, a user interface logon page is displayed with selectable logon controls that each have a corresponding user-identifiable indicator. A transition from the user interface logon page to a user interface desktop page is initiated in response to a selectable logon control being selected. The transition displays the user-identifiable indicator corresponding to the selectable logon control uninterrupted throughout the transition, and the user-identifiable indicator corresponding to the selectable logon control is displayed on the user interface desktop page.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2004Date of Patent: June 21, 2011Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: David A. Matthews, Kanwal VedBrat, Hillel N. Cooperman, Sterling M. Reasor, Charles Cummins, J. Craig Hally, Mark R. Ligameri, Timothy P. McKee, Giampiero M. Sierra, Timothy D. Noonan, Eric R. Flo, Charles W. Stabb
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Patent number: 7823071Abstract: In an implementation of user interface start page, the start page includes a user-identifiable indicator associated with a user of a computing system to indicate that the user is logged-on to the computing system. The user interface start page also includes user-selectable controls from one or more regions of a user interface desktop page which is displayed after a transition from the user interface start page to the user interface desktop page. Each of the user-selectable controls on the user interface start page initiate a display of information associated with the user when selected.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2004Date of Patent: October 26, 2010Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: David A. Matthews, Kanwal VedBrat, Hillel N. Cooperman, Sterling M. Reasor, Charles Cummins, J. Craig Hally, Mark R. Ligameri, Timothy P. McKee, Giampiero M. Sierra, Timothy D. Noonan, Eric R. Flo, Charles W. Stabb
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Patent number: 7818789Abstract: This invention is directed to provide a method for enabling an administrator to monitor and selectively limit the computer functions available to a user. The method is carried out on a personal computer by an administrator, and administrator decisions can be enforced on other personal computers in a local network. The invention enables an administrator to restrict a user's logon hours, logon duration, access to computer functions, and access to applications based on content rating. In addition, the administrator may temporarily restrict or extend normally allowed access privileges. The invention also allows for the monitoring, auditing, and reporting of a user's computer function usage to an administrator.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2008Date of Patent: October 19, 2010Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Craig Adam Beilinson, Raymond J. Chen, Ramkumar Ramasubramanian, Dennis L. Davis, Christopher A. Evans, Eric R. Flo, Sterling M. Reasor
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Patent number: 7810143Abstract: Systems and/or methods are described that enable a credential interface. These systems and/or methods may build a credential user interface enabling a user to choose between multiple credentials and submit an authenticator for a chosen credential. These systems and/or methods may also gather information about arbitrary credentials and build a user interface for submission of authenticators for these arbitrary credentials.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2005Date of Patent: October 5, 2010Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: David M. Ruzyski, James H. Hong, Brian K. McNeil, Chris J. Guzak, Brian D. Wentz, Klaus U. Schutz, Stefan Richards, Eric C. Perlin, Cristian Ilac, Sterling M. Reasor, Eric R. Flo, John Stephens, Benjamin A. Hutz
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Patent number: 7797735Abstract: This invention is directed to provide a method for enabling an administrator to monitor and selectively limit the computer functions available to a user. The method is carried out on a personal computer by an administrator, and administrator decisions can be enforced on other personal computers in a local network. The invention enables an administrator to restrict a user's logon hours, logon duration, access to computer functions, and access to applications based on content rating. In addition, the administrator may temporarily restrict or extend normally allowed access privileges. The invention also allows for the monitoring, auditing, and reporting of a user's computer function usage to an administrator.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2008Date of Patent: September 14, 2010Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Craig Adam Beilinson, Raymond J. Chen, Ramkumar Ramasubramanian, Dennis L. Davis, Christopher A. Evans, Eric R. Flo, Sterling M. Reasor
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Patent number: 7743022Abstract: Disclosed is a data synchronization service for use in a peer-to-peer computing environment. Selected data objects are copied onto selected computing devices. A service running on each device monitors data objects for changes. When a change is detected, the service sends a change notification to the other devices so that they can update their copies of the data object. A user can access a data object from any device, knowing that he will retrieve the latest version of the data object. Instead of incurring the costs of storing a large file on every device, a user “ghosts” the file on some devices. A ghosting device stores only metadata about the file rather than the entire file. The user accesses the file through the ghost: access requests are sent to a device that holds the actual contents, and those contents are presented to the user as if they were stored locally.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2003Date of Patent: June 22, 2010Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Shaun A. Kaasten, Jason F. Moore, Balan Sethu Raman, Chris J. Guzak, David A. Orbits, Sudarshan A. Chitre, Eric R. Flo, Jeffrey M. Saathoff
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Publication number: 20080155685Abstract: This invention is directed to provide a method for enabling an administrator to monitor and selectively limit the computer functions available to a user. The method is carried out on a personal computer by an administrator, and administrator decisions can be enforced on other personal computers in a local network. The invention enables an administrator to restrict a user's logon hours, logon duration, access to computer functions, and access to applications based on content rating. In addition, the administrator may temporarily restrict or extend normally allowed access privileges. The invention also allows for the monitoring, auditing, and reporting of a user's computer function usage to an administrator.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 26, 2008Publication date: June 26, 2008Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATIONInventors: CRAIG ADAM BEILINSON, RAYMOND J. CHEN, RAMKUMAR RAMASUBRAMANIAN, DENNIS L. DAVIS, CHRISTOPHER A. EVANS, ERIC R. FLO, STERLING M. REASOR
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Patent number: 7356836Abstract: This invention is directed to provide a method for enabling an administrator to monitor and selectively limit the computer functions available to a user. The method is carried out on a personal computer by an administrator, and administrator decisions can be enforced on other personal computers in a local network. The invention enables an administrator to restrict a user's logon hours, logon duration, access to computer functions, and access to applications based on content rating. In addition, the administrator may temporarily restrict or extend normally allowed access privileges. The invention also allows for the monitoring, auditing, and reporting of a user's computer function usage to an administrator.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2002Date of Patent: April 8, 2008Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Craig Adam Beilinson, Raymond J. Chen, Ramkumar Ramasubramanian, Dennis L. Davis, Christopher A. Evans, Eric R. Flo, Sterling M. Reasor
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Patent number: 6950818Abstract: A method and system for implementing policy by accumulating policies for a policy recipient from policy objects associated with a hierarchically organized structure of containers, such as directory containers (sites, domains and organizational units) that includes the policy recipient. Based on administrator input, policy settings for the policy recipient may be accumulated into a specific order by inheriting policy from higher containers, which may enforce their policy settings over those of lower containers. Policy that is not enforced may be blocked at a container. The result is an accumulated set of group policy objects that are ordered by relative strength to resolve any policy conflicts. Policy may be applied to a policy recipient by calling extensions, such as an extension that layers the policy settings into the registry or an extension that uses policy information from the objects according to the ordering thereof.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2002Date of Patent: September 27, 2005Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Michael W. Dennis, Michele L. Freed, Daniel Plastina, Eric R. Flo, David E. Kays, Jr., Robert E. Corrington
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Publication number: 20040172423Abstract: Disclosed is a data synchronization service for use in a peer-to-peer computing environment. Selected data objects are copied onto selected computing devices. A service running on each device monitors data objects for changes. When a change is detected, the service sends a change notification to the other devices so that they can update their copies of the data object. A user can access a data object from any device, knowing that he will retrieve the latest version of the data object. Instead of incurring the costs of storing a large file on every device, a user “ghosts” the file on some devices. A ghosting device stores only metadata about the file rather than the entire file. The user accesses the file through the ghost: access requests are sent to a device that holds the actual contents, and those contents are presented to the user as if they were stored locally.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2003Publication date: September 2, 2004Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Shaun A. Kaasten, Jason F. Moore, Balan Sethu Raman, Chris J. Guzak, David A. Orbits, Sudarshan A. Chitre, Eric R. Flo, Jeffrey M. Saathoff
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Publication number: 20040003279Abstract: This invention is directed to provide a method for enabling an administrator to monitor and selectively limit the computer functions available to a user. The method is carried out on a personal computer by an administrator, and administrator decisions can be enforced on other personal computers in a local network. The invention enables an administrator to restrict a user's logon hours, logon duration, access to computer functions, and access to applications based on content rating. In addition, the administrator may temporarily restrict or extend normally allowed access privileges. The invention also allows for the monitoring, auditing, and reporting of a user's computer function usage to an administrator.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2002Publication date: January 1, 2004Inventors: Craig Adam Beilinson, Raymond J. Chen, Ramkumar Ramasubramanian, Dennis L. Davis, Christopher A. Evans, Eric R. Flo, Sterling M. Reasor
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Publication number: 20030023587Abstract: A method and system for implementing policy by accumulating policies for a policy recipient from policy objects associated with a hierarchically organized structure of containers, such as directory containers (sites, domains and organizational units) that includes the policy recipient. Based on administrator input, policy settings for the policy recipient may be accumulated into a specific order by inheriting policy from higher containers, which may enforce their policy settings over those of lower containers. Policy that is not enforced may be blocked at a container. The result is an accumulated set of group policy objects that are ordered by relative strength to resolve any policy conflicts. Policy may be applied to a policy recipient by calling extensions, such as an extension that layers the policy settings into the registry or an extension that uses policy information from the objects according to the ordering thereof. Linking of group policy objects to one or more containers (e.g.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2002Publication date: January 30, 2003Inventors: Michael W. Dennis, Michele L. Freed, Daniel Plastina, Eric R. Flo, David E. Kays, Robert E. Corrington
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Patent number: 6466238Abstract: Conventional computer systems include numerous application programs which by default store files, or documents, in folders containing the application program that creates them. For example, wordprocessing documents are stored by default in the folder with the wordprocessing application program, and so forth. Thus, users who choose not to organize their documents according to subject matter or other criteria end up having their documents dispersed across numerous application-program folders, sometimes making them difficult to find. Accordingly, the inventors devised a computer operating system that defines a common default document folder for application programs. Moreover, to promote use of the default document folder, one embodiment of the operating system includes a graphical user interface which provides links, that is, one-button access to the common default folder, at file access points, such as in file-open and file-save dialog boxes accessed by the application programs.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 1998Date of Patent: October 15, 2002Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Jon R. Berry, Robert F. Day, Eric R. Flo, Joseph H. Matthews, Richard S. Turner, Jr.
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Patent number: 6466932Abstract: A method and system for implementing policy by accumulating policies for a policy recipient from policy objects associated with a hierarchically organized structure of containers, such as directory containers (sites, domains and organizational units) that includes the policy recipient. Based on administrator input, policy settings for the policy recipient may be accumulated into a specific order by inheriting policy from higher containers, which may enforce their policy settings over those of lower containers. Policy that is not enforced may be blocked at a container. The result is an accumulated set of group policy objects that are ordered by relative strength to resolve any policy conflicts. Policy may be applied to a policy recipient by calling extensions, such as an extension that layers the policy settings into the registry or an extension that uses policy information from the objects according to the ordering thereof. Linking of group policy objects to one or more containers (e.g.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 1999Date of Patent: October 15, 2002Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Michael W. Dennis, Michele L. Freed, Daniel Plastina, Eric R. Flo, David E. Kays, Jr., Robert E. Corrington