Systems and methods for licensing and providing selective access to network applications

• US 20020196944A1
• Filed: 02/15/2002
• Published: 12/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gittings, Dave, Turbeville, Dan, Davis, Eric, Young, Dave, Yeung, Steve, Summey, Gerry, Appelbaum, James
• Application Number:
  US10/077,197
• Publication Number:
  US 20020196944A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/277
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/121 Restricting unauthorised execution of programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/128 involving web programs, i.e. using technology especially used in internet, generally interacting with a web browser, e.g. hypertext markup language [HTML], applets, java

Abstract

The present invention provides systems and methods for controlling access to networked applications. An embodiment of the invention discloses using developer and access keys to validate and control user access to one or more network applications. The network access and licensing system disclosed includes a customer computer, one or more network tools, and an access application configured to issue and license the use of developer and access keys.

Claims

1. A method of selectively providing user access to a network application, comprising the steps of:

issuing a first key to a user, wherein said first key gives said user access to an input record format associated with said network application, wherein further said input record format includes a first key field and a second key field;

issuing a second key to said user;

receiving an input from said user, said input associated with said network application and formatted according to said input record format; and

allowing said network application to process said input if said first key field of said input contains said first key and said second key field of said input contains said second key.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first key is a developer key and said second key is an access key.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of entering into a license agreement before issuing said first key to said user.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of entering into a license agreement before issuing said second key to said user.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of entering into a first license agreement before issuing said first key to said user, and entering into a second license agreement before issuing said second key to said user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said user is an end-user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said user is a user of third-party developer software.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said first and second keys issued to said user are unique to said user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said first key is common to other users and said second key is unique to said user.

10. A method to allow an application provider to track access to network applications by users of third-party software, said method comprising the steps of:

issuing a first key to a developer of said third-party software, wherein said first key is common to a plurality of users of said third-party software;

issuing a second key to a user, wherein said user is one of said plurality of users of said third-party software;

requiring that said first and second keys be provided to access said network application; and

tracking said access to said network application by said first and second keys.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said second key is unique to said user.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of entering into a license agreement with said developer prior to issuing said first key.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of entering into a license agreement with said user prior to issuing said second key.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein requiring that said first and second keys be provided to access said network application, comprises the steps of:

providing said developer with a data format for an input file associated with said network application, wherein said record layout includes a first key field and a second key field; and

confirming that said input file to said network application contains said first key in said first key field and said second key in said second key field.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein tracking said access to said network application by said first and second keys comprises the step of updating a tracking file to indicate that said network application was accessed using said first and second keys.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said access application is further configured to keep a record of said customer computer access to said network application.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein said access application is additionally configured to send a license agreement to said customer computer.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein said access application is additionally configured to send a first license agreement to said customer computer prior to issuing said developer key, and is further configured to send a second license agreement to said customer computer prior to issuing said access key.

16. A system for selectively providing a user with access to an application over a network, the system comprising:

a customer computer;

an access application in electronic communication with said customer computer via a network; and

a network application in electronic communication with said access application and said customer computer;

wherein said access application is configured to issue a developer key and access key to said customer computer, and allow access to said network application upon receipt from said customer computer of input that includes said developer and access keys.

20. A system for selectively providing a user with access to an online tool over a network, the system comprising:

a customer computer;

an access control application in electronic communication with said customer computer via said network, said access control application configured to authorize said user to access said online tool, and said access control application further configured to issue a developer key and access key to said authorized user; and

an access tracking application in electronic communication with said access control application, said access tracking application configured track said authorized user access to said online tool.

21. A method for selectively providing access to software over a network, comprising the steps of:

issuing a first developer key to a first third-party developer and a second developer key to a second third-party developer, wherein said first third-party developer is associated with a first client application and said second third-party developer is associated with a second client application;

issuing a first access key to a first user, wherein said first user is one of a first plurality of users that access said software via said first client application;

issuing a second access key to a second user, wherein said second user is one of a second plurality of users that access said software via said second client application; and

providing access to said software to said first and second users.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

tracking access to said software by said first and second users;

retaining tracking data associated with said first and second users; and

comparing said tracking data associated with said first user with said tracking data associated with said second user.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

tracking access to said software by said first and second plurality of users;

retaining tracking data associated with said first and second plurality of users;

associating said tracking data associated with said first plurality of users to said first third-party developer, and associating said tracking data associated with said second plurality of users with said second third-party developer;

comparing said tracking data associated with said first third-party developer with said tracking data associated with said second third-party developer.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of disabling access to said software by said first user without affecting access to said software by said second user.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of disabling access to said software by said first user without affecting access to said software by other users in said first plurality of users that are accessing said software via said first client application.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of disabling access to said software by said first plurality of users without affecting access to said software by said second plurality of users.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein said access application is configured to disable access to said first computer system without affecting access to said software application by said second and third computer systems.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein said access application is configured to disable access to said first and second computer systems without affecting access to said software application by said third computer system.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein said access application is configured to disable access to said third computer system without affecting access to said software application by said first and second computer systems.

31. The system of claim 27, wherein said access application is configured to track access to said software application by said first, second and third computer systems.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein said access application is configured to collect and compare tracking data associated with said first, second and third computer systems.

27. A system for selectively enabling and disabling access to a software application, the system comprising:

a first client application residing on a first and second computer system;

a second client application residing on a third computer system;

an access application residing on a software provider system;

wherein said access application is configured to associate a first developer key with said first client application, and to associate a second developer key with said second client application;

wherein said access application is configured to associate a first access with said first computer system, associate a second access key with said second computer system, and associate a third access key with said third computer system; and

wherein further said access application is configured to enable access to said software application by said first computer system upon receipt of an input containing at least one of said first developer key and said first access key; and

is configured to enable access to said software application by said second computer system upon receipt of an input containing at least one of said first developer key and said second access key; and

is configured to enable access to said software application by said third computer system upon receipt of an input containing at least one of said second developer key and said third access key.