Apple has been granted a patent for “User Interfaces for Sharing An Account With Another User.”
About the patent
It relates generally to computer user interfaces, and more specifically to user interfaces and techniques for sharing an account with another user identity. In the patent Apple notes that a computer system can be used to configure various aspects of an account, such as an account provisioned on the computer system. Typically, the account is associated with a user of the computer system.
However, some customary techniques for configuring an account using a computer system are generally cumbersome and inefficient,” according to Apple. For example, some existing techniques are unable to share the account with another user identity. In addition, some existing techniques for configuring the account use a complex and time-consuming user interface, which may include multiple key presses or keystrokes.
Apple’s patent involves a technique that provides computer systems with faster, more efficient methods and interfaces for configuring and sharing an account for use by another user identity.
Summary of the patent
Here’s Apple’s abstract of the patent: “The present disclosure generally relates to displaying a user interface for sharing an account associated with a first user identity with a second user identity. The user interface includes a first sharing option and a second sharing option. One or more inputs corresponding to a request to share the account are detected.
“If the one or more inputs include a selection of the first sharing option, a request to invite the second user identity to become a joint owner of the account is transmitted. If the one or more inputs include a selection of the second sharing option, a request to invite the second user identity to become a participant of the account without becoming a joint owner of the account is transmitted.”
