Storage and delivery of device features

• US 20030204575A1
• Filed: 04/29/2002
• Published: 10/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cornami, Inc.
• Original Assignee: QuickSilver Controls, Inc.
• Inventors: Master, Paul L., Watson, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,493,375 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing

Abstract

A system for permitting new, or enhanced, functionality to be transferred to an adaptable device. In a preferred embodiment, the permitted functionality is determined according to an accounting method associated with a user'"'"'s account. This approach allows a user to contract for specific services, functionality, etc. regardless of changes over time such as changes to data formats, communication protocols, external devices or infrastructure, etc. In a preferred embodiment, the functionality is stored on a ubiquitous communications network such as the Internet. Functionality is transferred to different devices as digital information over the network. This allows hardware functionality to be licensed in many forms. For example, site licenses can be obtained for companies; hardware “trialware” can be provided to allow limited functionality for a limited time for lower-cost payments, etc.

Claims

1. A method for delivering adaptation information to an adaptable hardware device, wherein the device includes a plurality of heterogeneous computational elements coupled to an interconnection network, the method comprising

using a network to transfer the adaptation information to the device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the Internet is used to perform at least part of the transfer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein another adaptable hardware device is used to perform at least a part of the transfer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein multiple adaptable hardware devices each perform part of a collective function.

5. A method for delivering adaptation information to an adaptable hardware device, the method comprising

defining permitted functionality for a given device;

receiving a request to provide functionality for the given device;

checking whether the permitted functionality includes the requested functionality; and

if the permitted functionality includes the requested functionality then providing the requested functionality to the given device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of defining permitted functionality includes storing a list of permissible functions in a digital system.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the list is stored in a server computer coupled to the Internet.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of defining permitted functionality further comprises

defining the permitted functionality in accordance with payments made by a user associated with the given device.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the method steps are performed by a digital processing system coupled to a network.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the digital network is the Internet.

11. A method for providing adaptation information to an adaptable device, the method comprising

defining a range of permissible functions;

providing the device with first adaptation information to allow the device to perform a first function in the range of permissible functions;

accepting a request to enable the device to perform the first function in a different geographic location, wherein the device functionality must be modified to achieve the first function in the different geographic location; and

providing the device with second adaptation information to allow the device to perform the first function in the different geographic location.

12. A method for providing adaptation information to an adaptable device, the method comprising

defining a range of permissible functions;

at a first time, providing the device with first adaptation information to allow the device to perform a first function in the range of permissible functions;

accepting a request to enable the device to perform the first function at a second time later than the first time, wherein the device functionality must be modified to achieve the first function at the second time; and

providing the device with second adaptation information to allow the device to perform the first function at a time from the second time onwards.

13. A method for providing adaptation information to an adaptable device, wherein the device includes a plurality of heterogeneous computational elements coupled to an interconnection network, wherein a digital network is used to transfer the adaptation information to the adaptable device, the method comprising

providing the adaptation information to a user associated with the adaptable device on a trial basis.

14. A method for providing adaptation information to an adaptable device, wherein the device includes a plurality of heterogeneous computational elements coupled to an interconnection network, wherein a digital network is used to transfer the adaptation information to the adaptable device, the method comprising

using network propagation to provide users with access to the adaptation information.

15. A method for providing adaptation information to an adaptable device, wherein the device includes a plurality of heterogeneous computational elements coupled to an interconnection network, wherein a digital network is used to transfer the adaptation information to the adaptable device, the method comprising

licensing the adaptation information in a site license.

16. A method for providing adaptation information to an adaptable device, wherein the device includes a plurality of heterogeneous computational elements coupled to an interconnection network, wherein a digital network is used to transfer the adaptation information to the adaptable device, the method comprising

accepting payment from a user associated with a given device;

and

subsequent to the step of accepting payment, performing the step of unlocking additional functionality in the given device.