Changing the personality of a device by intercepting requests for personality information

Abstract

A method and system for a target to adopt the personality of a source without loading the personality information of the source onto the target is provided. The personality system extracts personality information from the source and stores the personality information on a removable storage medium. The storage medium is then connected to the target. The personality system intercepts requests of the target to retrieve personality information, which but for the interception would be serviced based on personality information of the target. When a request is intercepted, the personality system retrieves the personality information from the connected storage medium, rather than from the personality information of the target. The personality system then replies to the request with the retrieved personality information.

1 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A method for a target to adopt a personality of a source, the target having personality information, the method comprising:
 receiving a request to extract personality information from the source for storage on a storage medium in communication with the source;   extracting the personality information from the source responsively to the request;   storing the extracted personality information on the storage device responsively to the request;   communicatively coupling the storage medium to the target;   intercepting requests to retrieve personality information of the target; and
 when a request is intercepted, retrieving personality information stored on the provided storage medium; and 
   replying to the request with the retrieved personality information stored on the storage medium, rather than the personality information of the target.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 providing to the user a prompt for an indication of whether the storage medium is communicatively coupled to the source or the target prior to receiving the request to extract personality information; and   receiving an indication that the storage medium is communicatively coupled to the source.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the prompt is provided to the user upon communicative coupling of the storage medium to at least one of the source and the target. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the user specifies which personality information available on the source is to be extracted from the source via the request. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the extracted personality information is specific to at least one of a characteristic of the source and a characteristic of a software application operating on the source. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein receipt of the request is responsive to a determination that the storage device is communicatively coupled to the source. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the intercepting of requests includes installing a startup interceptor dynamic link library (DLL) that is to be loaded as part of each process and that executes before other code of the process. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the requests to retrieve personality information are made via a communication network and interception of the requests is made via the communication network. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein a portion of the personality information of the source includes sensitive information and the extraction of the personality information is limited to personality information other than the sensitive information. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein an entity other than the user characterizes the portion of the personality information of the source as sensitive. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the storage device is decoupled from the source prior to communicatively coupling to the target. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the personality information is extracted from the source responsively to a request from the target. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the request from the target updates the personality information of at least of the source and the storage medium. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the personality information includes modified computer settings. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the personality information of at least one of the target and the storage medium is updated responsively to a change in the personality information of the source. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the personality information of at least one of the target and the source is updated responsively to a change in the personality information of the storage medium. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the personality information of at least one of the source and the storage medium is updated responsively to a change in the personality information of the target. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the personality information is extracted from a plurality of sources. 
     
     
         49 . A method for a target to adopt a personality of a source, the target having personality information, the method comprising:
 providing a storage medium, the storage medium including personality information of the source;   communicatively coupling the storage medium to the target;   intercepting requests to retrieve personality information of the target;   retrieving personality information stored on the provided storage medium when a request is intercepted; and   replying to the request with the retrieved personality information stored on the storage medium, rather than the personality information of the target.   
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the personality information stored on the storage device is selected by an entity other than a user of the source or target according to a policy of the entity. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the personality information of the storage medium includes personality information from multiple sources.