Portable Profile Access Token

Abstract

A profile data set associated with a user's profile may be stored using the user's portable device (eg, a wireless mobile device or a stand-alone connector device). When the user encounters the base device, the user can transfer his / her profile data set from the portable device to the base device, allowing the base device temporary authorization to download software applications owned by the user profile to the base device, and Software settings and purchase settings are also passed. The user can then trigger the portable device to pass an authorization token to the base device, authorize the base device to execute the downloaded software application, to execute the downloaded software application according to the user's software settings, and / or via the base device using the user's purchase settings Make a purchase. Terminating the connection automatically terminates these authorizations.

Description

[0001] Cross References to Related Applications [0002] This application is related to US Patent No. 8,171,536, entitled "Method and Apparatus for Authenticating Users in a Network," filed May 23, 2007, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. technical field [0003] The present invention generally relates to personal profile data. More specifically, the present invention relates to devices for storage and transfer of personal profile data. Background technique [0004] Typically, multiple hardware devices are capable of running the same software application. However, once a user begins using an instance of a software application, often certain user-adjusted settings and other user profile information are stored only on the hardware device on which the user decides to run the software application. [0005] Sometimes, such user profile information may be difficult and laborious to recreate. For example, where the software application is a video game, ...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0008] However, when a user wants to run their software application on a new hardware device, it is often difficult to do so, and it is even more difficult for the user to use his / her user profile, which can include various software application settings and even payment information. files to run their software applications

For example, a user may use his / her log to log into a new hardware device in order to download the software application, but this is not always the desired result - for example, if the new hardware device is a friend's hardware device or a leased hardware device, the user may not want to grant a friend or renter permanent access to the software application and / or the user's user profile

Typically, the network that provides the software application limits the number of hardware devices that can access the software application, so allowing a friend hardware device access to the software application may limit what the user can do with the software application in the future

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