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System and method for linking pre-installed software to a user account on an online store

  • US 10,158,635 B2
  • Filed: 09/29/2011
  • Issued: 12/18/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2011
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method, comprising:

  • receiving, at a server, a request from a computing device to update an application installed on the computing device;

    determining, by the server, that the application installed on the computing device has an update available;

    notifying, by the server, the computing device that the application has an update available;

    receiving, at the server from the computing device, user authorization to link the application with a user account associated with the computing device;

    in response to receiving the user authorization, receiving, at the server from the computing device, a unique hardware identifier associated with the computing device;

    determining, by the server that the application has not been linked with any user account based upon the unique hardware identifier associated with the computing device, the determining comprising;

    searching a database of unique hardware identifiers that have been previously linked to user accounts for the unique hardware identifier;

    in response to finding the unique hardware identifier in the database, transmitting, by the server to the computing device, an error indicating that the application has already been linked and therefore will not be linked to the user account;

    in response to determining that the unique hardware identifier is not in the database as a result of the searching, determining, by the server that the application is part of an original configuration of the computing device, wherein the original configuration of the computing device includes pre-installed applications that were installed by an entity other than the user before an acquisition of the computing device; and

    in response to determining that the application is part of the original configuration of the computing device, linking the application with the user account, wherein linking the application with the user account allows the application and updates to the application to be downloaded to one or more computing devices associated with the user account, and wherein linking the application with the user account further includes removing metadata associated with the application from a manifest, the manifest being configured to list an additional pre-installed application that has yet to be linked with the user account;

    determining whether the application has been linked to another user account; and

    preventing the application to be linked with the user account based on the determination that the application has been linked to another user account.

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