Method for electronic tracking of an electronic device

• US 20040010581A1
• Filed: 06/26/2002
• Published: 01/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Dodapati, Ramesh, Circenis, Edgar, Uno, Carol
• Granted Patent: US 7,185,086 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/73 by creating or determining hardware identification, e.g. serial numbers

Abstract

A method for electronic tracking of an electronic device. Identifying information is received about the electronic device, wherein the identifying information uniquely identifies the electronic device. An electronic transmission is received from the electronic device. Provided the electronic transmission is a request to access a component of the electronic device, an access key is transmitted to a system contact, wherein the access key is for providing access to the component.

Claims

1. A method for electronic tracking of an electronic device, said method comprising:

receiving identifying information about said electronic device, said identifying information uniquely identifying said electronic device;

receiving an electronic transmission from said electronic device; and

provided said electronic transmission is a request to access a component of said electronic device, transmitting an access key to a system contact, wherein said access key is for providing access to said component.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said electronic device is an instant capacity on demand computer system comprising at least one enabled processor and at least one reserve processor.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein said request is a request to access said reserve processor.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said electronic transmission is an electronic mail message.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said access key is generated based on said identifying information such that said access key is unique to said electronic device.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said electronic transmission is manually generated by said system contact.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said access key expires after a predetermined time period.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said computer system comprises an audit application for receiving an electronic transmission from said electronic device, said electronic transmission comprising status information of said electronic device.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said identifying information is comprised in shipping information transmitted from a manufacturing computer system.

10. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein for causing a computer system to perform a method for electronic monitoring of an electronic device, said method comprising:

accessing identification data of said electronic device, said identification data uniquely identifying said electronic device;

accessing an electronic message from said electronic device; and

provided said electronic message is a request to access said electronic device, sending a license key to a system contact, wherein said license key is for providing access to a component of said electronic device.

11. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10 wherein said electronic device is an instant capacity on demand computer system comprising at least one enabled CPU and at least one reserve CPU.

12. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10 wherein said license key is generated based on said identification data such that said license key is unique to said electronic device.

13. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10 wherein said electronic message is manually generated by said system contact.

14. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10 wherein said license key expires after a predetermined time period.

15. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10 wherein said computer system comprises an audit application for accessing an electronic message from said electronic device, said electronic message comprising status information of said electronic device.

16. A computer system comprising:

a bus;

a computer-readable memory coupled to said bus; and

a processor coupled to said bus, said processor for performing a method for electronic tracking of an instant capacity on demand computer system, said method comprising;

receiving identifying information about said instant capacity on demand computer system wherein said instant capacity on demand computer system comprises at least one enabled processor and at least one reserve processor, said identifying information uniquely identifying said instant capacity on demand computer system;

receiving an electronic transmission from said instant capacity on demand computer system; and

provided said electronic transmission is a request to access said reserve processor, transmitting an access key to a system contact, wherein said access key is for providing access to said reserve processor.

17. The computer system as recited in claim 16 wherein said access key is generated based on said identifying information such that said access key is unique to said instant capacity on demand computer system.

18. The computer system as recited in claim 16 wherein said electronic transmission is manually generated by said system contact.

19. The computer system as recited in claim 16 wherein said access key expires after a predetermined time period.

20. The computer system as recited in claim 16 wherein said computer system comprises an audit application for receiving an electronic transmission from said instant capacity on demand computer system, said electronic transmission comprising status information of said instant capacity on demand computer system.

21. The computer system as recited in claim 16 wherein said identifying information is comprised in shipping information transmitted from a manufacturing computer system.