Credentialing User Interface for Gadget Application Access

Abstract

An approach is provided to receive a selection of a displayed window from a group of displayed windows that are visible on a display. The displayed window corresponds to a software application and the displayed window is displayed at a location on the display. Another displayed window is shown visually animating and forming from the first displayed window. An authentication input dialog is displayed on the second displayed window, with the displayed authentication input dialog corresponding to the software application. Authentication data is received at the authentication input dialog and is authenticated.

1 . A machine-implemented method comprising:
 receiving a selection of a first displayed window from a plurality of displayed windows visible on a display, wherein the first displayed window corresponds to a first software application and wherein the first displayed window is displayed at a first location on the display;   visually animating a second displayed window forming from the first displayed window;   displaying an authentication input dialog on the second displayed window, wherein the displayed authentication input dialog corresponds to the first software application;   receiving authentication data at the authentication input dialog; and   authenticating the received authentication data.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 retrieving one or more authentication requirements from a software gadget corresponding to the first displayed window; and 
 generating the authentication input dialog based on the retrieved authentication requirements. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the authenticating further comprises:
 sending the received authentication data to a software gadget corresponding to the first displayed window; and 
 receiving a response from the software gadget that indicates whether the received authentication data was successfully authenticated. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first displayed window is one of a plurality of medium-sized windows displayed in a grid format on the display, wherein each of the medium-sized windows has a substantially common width and a substantially common height. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 closing the second displayed window and returning focus to the first displayed window in response to the authenticating being successful. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 inverting one or more display characteristics from the first displayed window to the authentication input dialog that distinguishes the authentication input dialog from the other windows included in the plurality of displayed windows. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the second displayed window is displayed at a common screen position to the first displayed window so that when the second displayed window appears the first displayed window is not visible on the screen. 
     
     
         8 . A computer program product in a computer-readable storage medium comprising functional descriptive material that, when executed by a computer, directs the computer to perform actions comprising:
 receiving a selection of a first displayed window from a plurality of displayed windows visible on a display, wherein the first displayed window corresponds to a first software application and wherein the first displayed window is displayed at a first location on the display;   visually animating a second displayed window forming from the first displayed window;   displaying an authentication input dialog on the second displayed window, wherein the displayed authentication input dialog corresponds to the first software application;   receiving authentication data at the authentication input dialog; and   authenticating the received authentication data.   
     
     
         9 . The computer program product of  claim 8  wherein the computer program product directs the computer to perform additional actions comprising:
 retrieving one or more authentication requirements from a software gadget corresponding to the first displayed window; and 
 generating the authentication input dialog based on the retrieved authentication requirements. 
 
     
     
         10 . The computer program product of  claim 8  wherein the authenticating further comprises:
 sending the received authentication data to a software gadget corresponding to the first displayed window; and 
 receiving a response from the software gadget that indicates whether the received authentication data was successfully authenticated. 
 
     
     
         11 . The computer program product of  claim 8  wherein the first displayed window is one of a plurality of medium-sized windows displayed in a grid format on the display, wherein each of the medium-sized windows has a substantially common width and a substantially common height. 
     
     
         12 . The computer program product of  claim 8  wherein the computer program product directs the computer to perform additional actions comprising:
 closing the second displayed window and returning focus to the first displayed window in response to the authenticating being successful. 
 
     
     
         13 . The computer program product of  claim 8  wherein the computer program product directs the computer to perform additional actions comprising:
 inverting one or more display characteristics from the first displayed window to the authentication input dialog that distinguishes the authentication input dialog from the other windows included in the plurality of displayed windows. 
 
     
     
         14 . The computer program product of  claim 8  wherein the second displayed window is displayed at a common screen position to the first displayed window so that when the second displayed window appears the first displayed window is not visible on the screen. 
     
     
         15 . An information handling system comprising:
 one or more processors;   a memory accessible by at least one of the processors;   a display accessible by at least one of the processors; and   a set of instructions stored in the memory, wherein the one or more processors executes the set of instructions to perform actions of:   receiving a selection of a first displayed window from a plurality of displayed windows visible on a display, wherein the first displayed window corresponds to a first software application and wherein the first displayed window is displayed at a first location on the display;   visually animating a second displayed window forming from the first displayed window;   displaying an authentication input dialog on the second displayed window, wherein the displayed authentication input dialog corresponds to the first software application;   receiving authentication data at the authentication input dialog; and   authenticating the received authentication data.   
     
     
         16 . The information handling system of  claim 15  wherein the set of instructions performs additional actions comprising:
 retrieving one or more authentication requirements from a software gadget corresponding to the first displayed window; and 
 generating the authentication input dialog based on the retrieved authentication requirements. 
 
     
     
         17 . The information handling system of  claim 15  wherein the authenticating further comprises actions of:
 sending the received authentication data to a software gadget corresponding to the first displayed window; and 
 receiving a response from the software gadget that indicates whether the received authentication data was successfully authenticated. 
 
     
     
         18 . The information handling system of  claim 15  wherein the first displayed window is one of a plurality of medium-sized windows displayed in a grid format on the display, wherein each of the medium-sized windows has a substantially common width and a substantially common height. 
     
     
         19 . The information handling system of  claim 15  wherein the set of instructions performs additional actions comprising:
 closing the second displayed window and returning focus to the first displayed window in response to the authenticating being successful. 
 
     
     
         20 . The information handling system of  claim 15  wherein the set of instructions performs additional actions comprising:
 inverting one or more display characteristics from the first displayed window to the authentication input dialog that distinguishes the authentication input dialog from the other windows included in the plurality of displayed windows. 
 
     
     
         21 . The information handling system of  claim 15  wherein the second displayed window is displayed at a common screen position to the first displayed window so that when the second displayed window appears the first displayed window is not visible on the screen.