Method and apparatus for the accurate metering of software application usage and the reporting of such usage to a remote site on a public network
First Claim
1. A method of enabling fee based access to one or more software applications, comprising:
- establishing a user account with a billing site which responds to input user information and correspondingly debits the user account;
obtaining an application package for use on a client computer, the application package including a metering monitor, a login tool, one or more client applications, and an application library having metering means for developing information relating to usage of said client applications;
using said login tool to establish communication with said user account at said billing site;
using said metering means to obtain and communicate to said metering monitor usage information relating to usage of said client applications on said client computer;
using said metering monitor to communicate said usage information to said user account at said billing site; and
using the usage information to debit said user account.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are disclosed which provide a system for accurate time and usage based metering of client application or client application feature usage and the reporting of said usage to a site on a public network. The present invention can be used as an alternative to traditional license granting systems, or be used for any other purpose where tracking and metering of valuable resources or services is useful. While the current invention can provide metering and billing capability to software applications akin to the billing systems deployed by telecommunication companies for line and feature usage, the metering can also emulate traditional licensing models and operate in conjunction with traditional licensing systems.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of enabling fee based access to one or more software applications, comprising:
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establishing a user account with a billing site which responds to input user information and correspondingly debits the user account;
obtaining an application package for use on a client computer, the application package including a metering monitor, a login tool, one or more client applications, and an application library having metering means for developing information relating to usage of said client applications;
using said login tool to establish communication with said user account at said billing site;
using said metering means to obtain and communicate to said metering monitor usage information relating to usage of said client applications on said client computer;
using said metering monitor to communicate said usage information to said user account at said billing site; and
using the usage information to debit said user account. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system for providing fee based access to one or more software applications and for remotely monitoring use thereof, comprising:
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means forming a billing site having a database for storing user account information, communication means for receiving application usage data, and processing means for processing the usage data, attributing a cost to said usage data, and debiting said cost to a corresponding user account in said database;
a client computer communicatively associated with said billing site; and
an application package installed on said client computer, said application package including a metering monitor, a login tool, one or more client applications, and an application library having metering means for developing information relating to usage of said client applications;
wherein said login tool is used to establish communication with a user account at said billing site, said metering means is used to obtain and communicate usage information relating to usage of said client applications to said metering monitor, and said metering monitor is used to communicate said usage information to said user account. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19)
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16. An application package for installation on a client computer, comprising:
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a metering monitor, a login tool, one or more client applications, and an application library having metering means for developing information relating to usage of said client applications;
wherein said login tool is used to establish communication with a user account at a billing site, said metering means is used to obtain and communicate to said metering monitor usage information relating to usage of said client applications, and said metering monitor is used to communicate said usage information to said user account at said billing site.
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20. An application package for installation on a client computer, comprising:
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a login tool, one or more client applications, and an application library having metering means for developing information relating to usage of said client applications and a metering monitor;
wherein said login tool is used to establish communication with a user account at a billing site, said metering means is used to obtain and communicate to said metering monitor usage information relating to usage of said client applications, and said metering monitor is used to communicate said usage information to said user account at said billing site.
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Specification