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 installing a device in a computer system, the method comprising:
 detecting an attempt to install a device in a computer system;   determining if the device had been previously installed in the computer system;   if the device had been previously installed, retrieving a device description associated with the previously installed device; and   installing the detected device using the retrieved device description.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , where detecting an attempt to install a device includes monitoring new and previously installed devices on a scheduled or continuous basis. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , where the device description includes one of a model name, model number, serial number, manufacturer name or web page link to the manufacturer of the detected device. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , where retrieving a device description includes retrieving one or more services the detected input device functions to provide, or commands for responding to each service. 
   
   
       5 . A method for detecting a user input device, the method comprising:
 detecting a first input device and a second input device;   launching an input device assistant to retrieve device description from the first input device;   storing the retrieved device description; and   if it is determined that the first input device is similar to the second input device, activating the second input device using the stored device description retrieved from the first input device without launching the input device assistant.   
   
   
       6 . 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:
 monitoring a new or existing input device; and   identifying a driver for driving the input device, where if the driver is not available, the processor further performs the operations of:
 retrieving configuration information from the input device; 
 activating the input device based on the retrieved configuration; and 
 storing the retrieved configuration. 
   
   
   
       7 . An input device detection system, comprising:
 an input device manager configured to monitor or detect a new or previously installed input device, and to control the input device based on a stored configuration data or description retrieved from the input device; and   a database coupled to the input device manager adapted to store the configuration data and the retrieved description.   
   
   
       8 . The input device detection system of  claim 7 , where the input device is a keyboard.