In the present invention, when one open or running software application
having secured features enters an access signed-in or logged-in state,
other open or running software applications having secured features enter
a ready signed-in state automatically, without prompting user
intervention. The same operation that signed-in or logged-in the initial
software application will transition other software applications that are
presently open, active to run, or that start in run mode to a ready
signed-in state. The access signed-in state fully authenticates the
user's identity and grants access to secured features. The ready
signed-in state places the software application in a state of readiness
to authenticate and access secured features without prompting user
intervention. One feature of the present invention is the sharing of a
sign-in or login credential (e.g. username and password) and the
processing of the shared credential in order to provide a universal,
shared sign-in session between open software applications having secured
features. This feature helps provide a user experience that in effect,
has only one sign-in or login session for software applications with
secured features.