Network-based distribution of application products

• US 10,255,580 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2008
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Gharabally, Sam, Hwang, Yoon Sub, Miller, Mark, Wadycki, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Haq, Naeem U
• Application Number:
  US12/286,075
• Publication Number:
  US 20090276332A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,847 Days
• Field of Search: 705 261, 705 262, 705 2625, 705 263, 705 2635, 705 264, 705 2641- 2644, 705 265, 705 2661- 2664, 705 267, 705 268, 705 2681, 705 2682, 705 269, 705 271, 705 272
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

An improved system and method for submitting, distributing and/or managing digital products with respect to a product distribution system are disclosed. The submission of digital products to the product distribution system can operate to electronically submit not only the digital products but also product information, developer information and distribution parameters. The product distribution system can present the digital products for distribution at an online product distribution site in accordance with the distribution parameters. The online product distribution site can present potential purchasers with product information and/or developer information prior to any purchase.

Claims

1. A method for distributing digital products through an online repository managed by a server computing device, the method comprising, at the server computing device:

receiving electronic submissions of a first digital product and a second digital product;

storing the first and second digital products into a mass data store that is communicably coupled to the server computing device;

analyzing the first and second digital products to identify a correlation between the first and second digital products based at least in part on shared characteristics between the first and second digital products;

assigning the first and second digital products to a same category based at least in part on the correlation;

receiving, from a remote client computing device, a first request to access a first product page associated with the first digital product;

identifying device compatibility information associated with the remote client computing device;

in response to determining, based on the device compatibility information, that the remote client computing device is compatible with the second digital product;

updating the first product page to include information about the second digital product; and

causing the remote client computing device to install one or more of the first or second digital products in response to a second request received from the remote client computing device.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

identifying update information for the first digital product based at least in part on detecting a prior purchase of the first digital product associated with the remote client computing device; and

including the update information in the first product page.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

suggesting, to the remote client computing device, a new update to the first digital product based at least in part on a determination that the update information indicates that the new update is available to the remote client computing device based at least in part on the prior purchase.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising:

authenticating the remote client computing device prior to the remote client computing device receiving the new update.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

generating a second product page by utilizing product information pertaining to the second digital product, wherein the product information comprises at least one of;

(i) a product name, (ii) a supported device type, (iii) a genre indication, (iv) a version number, and (v) a product identifier.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the second product page includes a hyperlink to a license page that provides information concerning a license agreement for the second digital product.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the first product page includes a link to a developer page, and

the developer page comprises at least one link to another digital product offered by a developer of the first digital product.

8. A server computing device configured to distribute digital products through an online repository managed by the server computing device, the server computing device comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the server computing device to;

receive electronic submissions of a first digital product and a second digital product;

store the first and second digital products into a mass data store that is communicably coupled to the server computing device;

analyze the first and second digital products to identify a correlation between the first and second digital products based at least in part on shared characteristics between the first and second digital products;

assign the first and second digital products to a same category based at least in part on the correlation;

receive, from a remote client computing device, a first request to access a first product page associated with the first digital product;

identify device compatibility information associated with the remote client computing device;

in response to determining, based on the device compatibility information, that the remote client computing device is compatible with the second digital product;

update the first product page to include information about the second digital product; and

cause the remote client computing device to install one or more of the first or second digital products in response to a second request received from the remote client computing device.

9. The server computing device of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor further causes the server computing device to:

identify update information for the first digital product based at least in part on detecting a prior purchase of the first digital product associated with the remote client computing device; and

include the update information in the first product page.

10. The server computing device of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor further causes the server computing device to:

suggest, to the remote client computing device, a new update to the first digital product based at least in part on a determination that the update information indicates that the new update is available to the remote client computing device based at least in part on the prior purchase.

11. The server computing device of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor further causes the server computing device to:

authenticate the remote client computing device prior to the remote client computing device receiving the new update.

12. The server computing device of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor further causes the server computing device to:

generate a second product page by utilizing product information pertaining to the second digital product, wherein the product information comprises at least one of;

(i) a product name, (ii) a supported device type, (iii) a genre indication, (iv) a version number, and (v) a product identifier.

13. The server computing device of claim 12, wherein the second product page includes a hyperlink to a license page that provides information concerning a license agreement for the second digital product.

14. The server computing device of claim 8, wherein:

the first product page includes a link to a developer page, and

the developer page comprises at least one link to another digital product offered by a developer of the first digital product.

15. At least one non-transitory machine-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor included in a server computing device, cause the server computing device to distribute digital products through an online repository managed by the server computing device, by carrying out steps that include:

receiving electronic submissions of a first digital product and a second digital product;

storing the first and second digital products into a mass data store that is communicably coupled to the server computing device;

analyzing the first and second digital products to identify a correlation between the first and second digital products based at least in part on shared characteristics between the first and second digital products;

assigning the first and second digital products to a same category based at least in part on the correlation;

receiving, from a remote client computing device, a first request to access a first product page associated with the first digital product;

identifying device compatibility information associated with the remote client computing device;

in response to determining, based on the device compatibility information, that the remote client computing device is compatible with the second digital product;

updating the first product page to include information about the second digital product; and

causing the remote client computing device to install one or more of the first or second digital products in response to a second request received from the remote client computing device.

16. The at least one non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the steps further include:

identifying update information for the first digital product based at least in part on detecting a prior purchase of the first digital product associated with the remote client computing device; and

including the update information in the first product page.

17. The at least one non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the steps further include:

suggesting, to the remote client computing device, a new update to the first digital product based at least in part on a determination that the update information indicates that the new update is available to the remote client computing device based at least in part on the prior purchase.

18. The at least one non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the steps further include:

authenticating the remote client computing device prior to the remote client computing device receiving the new update.

19. The at least one non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the steps further include:

generating a second product page by utilizing product information pertaining to the second digital product, wherein the product information comprises at least one of;

(i) a product name, (ii) a supported device type, (iii) a genre indication, (iv) a version number, and (v) a product identifier.

20. The at least one non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the second product page includes a hyperlink to a license page that provides information concerning a license agreement for the second digital product.

21. The at least one non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein:

the first product page includes a link to a developer page, and

the developer page comprises at least one link to another digital product offered by a developer of the first digital product.