System and method for linking pre-installed software to a user account on an online store
First Claim
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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Abstract
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for associating an application that was pre-installed on a computer with a user account on an online store. A system configured to practice the method presents an application available for download, receives a request to download the application to a computing device, determines that the application is a pre-installed application, presents an authorization prompt configured to request user authorization to link the application with a user account, receives the user authorization, generates a unique hardware identifier associated with the computing device, determines that the application is linkable based upon the unique hardware identifier, and links the adoptable application with the user account when the adoptable application is linkable.
66 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 20, 21, 22, 27)
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6. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by a computing device, causes the computing device to perform steps comprising:
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receiving communications from a client device, the communications including a user selected option configured to update an application installed on the client device and a unique hardware identifier based upon hardware metadata associated with the client device; determining that the application has not been linked to any user account based upon the unique hardware identifier, 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 a 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 a 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 pre-installed applications that have yet to be linked with the user account; determining whether the application has been linked to another user account; preventing the application to be linked with the user account based on the determination that the application has been linked to another user account; and transmitting, to the client device, an approval message notifying the client device that the application has been linked with the user account. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 23, 24)
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13. A method, comprising:
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receiving, at a server, a user request to update an application installed on a computing device; determining, by the server, that the application has an update available;
notifying, by the server, the computing device that the application has the update available;determining, by the server, that the application has not been linked to any user account based upon a unique hardware identifier associated with hardware of 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 a 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 be downloaded to the at least one computing device 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 the pre-installed applications that have 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. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 25, 26)
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19. A system, comprising:
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at least one memory and at least one processor configured to store; a uniqueness table configured to store unique hardware identifiers associated with electronic devices having pre-installed applications linked to user accounts; an applications database storing applications and application updates available for distribution; and a configurations database configured to store an original configuration of a client device, the original configuration of the client device including a representation of an application that was installed on the client device prior to purchase of the client device and a unique hardware identifier identifying the client device; and a processor configured to; receive a request from the client device to update an application installed on the client device, wherein the application is not linked with a user account associated with the client device, determine that the application has not been linked with any user account by querying the uniqueness table for the unique hardware identifier to determine whether the client device has previously adopted the application and querying the configurations database for the unique hardware identifier to determine whether the original configuration of the client device includes the application, in response to finding the unique hardware identifier in the uniqueness table, generating an error indicating that the application has already been linked and therefore will not be linked to the user account, and in response to determining that the unique hardware identifier is not in the uniqueness table as a result of the searching, determine, by a server that the application is part of the original configuration of a computing device, wherein the original configuration of the computing device includes the pre-installed applications that were installed by an entity other than a user before an acquisition of the computing device; in response to determining that the application is part of the original configuration of the computing device, link the application with the user account, wherein to link the application with the user account further includes removing metadata associated with the application from a manifest, the manifest being configured to list the pre-installed applications that have yet to be linked with the user account; determine whether the application has been linked to another user account; and prevent 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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Specification