Patent ID: 8166560

Claim:
A method to control computer access, comprising: storing a user profile in local memory of a computer, the user profile having settings customized for a user of the computer, the settings specifying types of information that the user is authorized to access on the computer; remotely storing a copy of the user profile in a database of a server that communicates with the computer; detecting an event at the computer that initiates a synchronization procedure; retrieving a time associated with the copy of the user profile stored in the server; comparing the time associated with the copy to another time associated with the user profile stored in the local memory of the computer, whereby the copy is synchronized to a latest version stored in the computer; producing a prompt at the computer to identify the user of the computer; receiving a password that identifies the user of the computer; querying the copy of the user profile stored in the server for the password to verify the password; detecting no response from the server to verify the password; querying the user profile stored in the memory of the computer for the password when the server fails to respond; determining the password matches the user profile stored in the memory of the computer; and controlling access to the computer in accordance with the user profile.