Data Serialization In A User Switching Environment

Abstract

A method for sharing a common computing system among multiple users is disclosed. A user can perform a login process during which an input data, such as a user name or a password can be entered by the user to access a session. The user name and/or the password are then serialized into an object or a set of objects. If the serialized object or objects are authentic, a session is created and the session properties of the session are defined. Any applications that are subsequently executed during the session remain active after the session is switched out.

1 . A method of switching user sessions, the method comprising:
 receiving a set of user accounts, each of which corresponds with an established session;   receiving a selection of a user account included in the set of user accounts;   receiving input data;   retrieving configuration data associated with the user previously stored at the time the selected user account was created; and   comparing the input data with the retrieved user configuration data without serializing the input data.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising.
 initiating a session associated with the user of the selected user account; and   displaying the session to the user of the selected user account.   
   
   
       3 . A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor in a computer system, causes the processor to perform the operations of:
 storing information associated with a first user and a second user;   creating a first user session for the first user, and a second user session for the second user;   displaying the first user session;   receiving a request to authenticate the second user; and   switching out the first session to display the second session.   
   
   
       4 . A session switching system, comprising:
 an initiation module configured to create and initiate a user session;   an authentication module configured to verify identify of each user when a session is accessed; and   a switching module configured to switch out or into a user session from another user session.