System and method for entitling digital assets

• US 10,387,927 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2010
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: O'Connor, Clint H., Huber, Gary D., Haze, Michael, Curtis, William A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Misiaszek, Michael
• Application Number:
  US12/688,001
• Publication Number:
  US 20110178888A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,504 Days
• Field of Search: 705 261- 272
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

A system, method, and computer-readable medium are disclosed for managing the entitlement of digital assets. System identifier data associated with a target system, including its unique system identifier, is received, along with digital assets selection data corresponding to digital assets data to be processed by the target system. The system identifier data is processed with the digital assets selection data to generate digital assets entitlement data. The digital assets data and the digital assets entitlement data is then provided to a personalization agent associated with the target system. In turn, the personalization agent processes the digital assets entitlement data and the digital assets data for installation on the target system, thereby entitling the system to process the installed digital assets data.

Claims

1. A system for managing the entitlement of digital assets within a digital assets entitlement environment, the digital assets entitlement environment comprising a digital assets entitlement system executing on a digital assets entitlement server, a target system and a point of sale system having an associated scanner, comprising:

a storage medium comprising a repository of system identifier data, digital assets data, and digital assets entitlement data; and

a processor, the processor being operable to;

receive input data comprising system identifier data associated with a target system;

receive input data comprising digital assets selection data, wherein the digital assets selection data corresponds to digital assets data, the digital assets selection data being obtained via by the associated scanner of the point of sale system, the digital assets selection data corresponding to a digital asset, the digital asset being represented but not contained in a card or package;

process the input data to generate digital assets entitlement data, wherein the digital assets entitlement data is associated with the target system identified by the system identifier data and with digital assets corresponding to the digital assets selection data; and

provide the digital assets data and the digital assets entitlement data to a personalization agent associated with the target system, wherein the personalization agent processes the digital assets entitlement data and the digital assets data for installation of the digital asset on the target system; and

wherein

the digital assets data comprises system personalization data, the system personalization data corresponding to a personalization option, the personalization operation being physically represented as an image on a card or package, the personalization option comprising a personalized feature, capability or function to be applied to the target system, the personalization option being applied to the target system via the personalization agent.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the installation of the digital assets entitlement data on the target system allows the target system to process data associated with the installed digital assets data.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the unique system identifier comprises a plurality of unique system component identifiers.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital assets entitlement data comprises user data associated with the unique system identifier.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital assets entitlement data comprises digital assets license data.

6. A method for managing the entitlement of digital assets within a digital assets entitlement environment, the digital assets entitlement environment comprising a digital assets entitlement system executing on a digital assets entitlement server, a target system and a point of sale system having an associated scanner, comprising:

receiving input data comprising system identifier data associated with the target system;

storing the system identifier data within a basic input output system (BIOS) of the target system;

receiving input data comprising digital assets selection data, wherein the digital assets selection data corresponds to digital assets data, the digital assets selection data being obtained via the associated scanner of the point of sale system, the digital assets selection data corresponding to a digital asset, the digital asset being represented but not contained in a card or package;

processing the input data to generate digital assets entitlement data, wherein the digital assets entitlement data is associated with the target system identified by the system identifier data and with digital assets corresponding to the digital assets selection data; and

providing the digital assets data and the digital assets entitlement data to a personalization agent associated with the target system, wherein the personalization agent processes the digital assets entitlement data and the digital assets data for installation of the digital asset on the target system; and

wherein

the digital assets data comprises system personalization data, the system personalization data corresponding to a personalization option, the personalization operation being physically represented as an image on a card or package, the personalization option comprising a personalized feature, capability or function to be applied to the target system, the personalization option being applied to the target system via the personalization agent.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the installation of the digital assets entitlement data on the target system allows the target system to process data associated with the installed digital assets data.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the unique system identifier comprises a plurality of unique system component identifiers.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the digital assets entitlement data comprises user data associated with the unique system identifier.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the digital assets entitlement data comprises digital assets license data.

11. A non-transitory computer-usable medium embodying computer program code for managing the entitlement of digital assets within a digital assets entitlement environment, the digital assets entitlement environment comprising a digital assets entitlement system executing on a digital assets entitlement server, a target system and a point of sale system having an associated scanner, the computer program code comprising computer executable instructions configured for:

using a storage medium comprising a repository of system identifier data, digital assets data, and digital assets entitlement data; and

using processing logic to;

receive input data comprising system identifier data associated with target system, the system identifier data being stored within a basic input output system (BIOS) of the target system;

receive input data comprising digital assets selection data, wherein the digital assets selection data corresponds to digital assets data, the digital assets selection data being obtained via the associated scanner of the point of sale system, the digital assets selection data corresponding to a digital asset, the digital asset being represented but not contained in a card or package;

process the input data to generate digital assets entitlement data, wherein the digital assets entitlement data is associated with the target system identified by the system identifier data and with digital assets corresponding to the digital assets selection data; and

provide the digital assets data and the digital assets entitlement data to a personalization agent associated with the target system, wherein the personalization agent processes the digital assets entitlement data and the digital assets data for installation of the digital asset on the target system, the personalization agent comprising a unique identifier associated with the system identifier data associated with the target system; and

wherein

the digital assets data comprises system personalization data, the system personalization data corresponding to a personalization option, the personalization operation being physically represented as an image on a card or package, the personalization option comprising a personalized feature, capability or function to be applied to the target system, the personalization option being applied to the target system via the personalization agent.

12. The computer usable medium of claim 11, wherein the installation of the digital assets entitlement data on the target system allows the target system to process data associated with the installed digital assets data.

13. The computer usable medium of claim 11, wherein the unique system identifier comprises a plurality of unique system component identifiers.

14. The computer usable medium of claim 11, wherein the digital assets entitlement data comprises user data associated with the unique system identifier.

15. The computer usable medium of claim 11, wherein the digital assets entitlement data comprises digital assets license data.

16. The computer usable medium of claim 11, wherein the computer executable instructions are deployable to a client computer from a server at a remote location.

17. The computer usable medium of claim 11, wherein the computer executable instructions are provided by a service provider to a customer on an on-demand basis.