Remote feature activator feature extraction

• US 20040044631A1
• Filed: 08/30/2002
• Published: 03/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Technology Corporation Miami Lakes FLA US
• Inventors: Serkowski, Robert J., Walker, William T., Levy, Leslie, Lieou, Bruce G., Lourenco, Mary K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,681,245 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/59
• 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]

Abstract

A system for creating a database record for providing a license to use a computational component is provided that comprises, in one configuration: (a) an input operable to receive an order identifier associated with an order related to a computational component; (b) an interface 120 operable to retrieve order information associated with the order identifier, wherein the order information comprises at least one material code; and (c) a material code mapping agent 124 operable to compare the at least one material code with at least one material code mapping table to identify corresponding computational component information associated with the at least one material code and, in another configuration, (a) a transaction record comprising first information associated with the order, the order relating to at least a first computational component and/or feature thereof; (b) a configuration file 148 comprising second information different from the first information, the configuration file relating to at least one of a telecommunication switch and server; and (c) a configuration file processing agent 156 operable to compare at least some of the first information with at least some of the second information to form a system record comprising both first and second information.

Claims

1. A method for creating a database record for providing a license to use a computational component, comprising:

receiving an order identifier associated with an order related to a computational component;

retrieving order information associated with the order identifier, wherein the order information comprises at least one material code;

comparing the at least one material code with at least one material code mapping table to identify corresponding computational component information associated with the at least one material code; and

generating a license file containing at least some of the computational component information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the computational component information comprises a plurality of a description of the computational component, a platform description, a module type, an application description, a release description, and a feature code.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

repeating the comparing step for each of a plurality of material codes in the order information.

4. A computer readable medium comprising instructions to perform the steps of claim 1.

5. A logic circuit operable to perform the steps of claim 1.

6. A system for creating a database record for providing a license to use a computational component, comprising:

an input for receiving an order identifier associated with an order related to a computational component;

interface means for retrieving order information associated with the order identifier, wherein the order information comprises at least one material code;

material code mapping means for comparing the at least one material code with at least one material code mapping table to identify corresponding computational component information associated with the at least one material code; and

license generation means for generating a license file containing at least some of the computational component information.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the computational component information comprises a plurality of a description of the computational component, a platform description, a module type, an application description, a release description, and a feature code.

8. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

repeating the comparing step for each of a plurality of material codes in the order information.

9. A system for creating a database record for providing a license to use a computational component, comprising:

an input operable to receive an order identifier associated with an order related to a computational component;

an interface operable to retrieve order information associated with the order identifier, wherein the order information comprises at least one material code;

a material code mapping agent operable to compare the at least one material code with at least one material code mapping table to identify corresponding computational component information associated with the at least one material code; and

a feature activator operable to generate a license file containing at least some of the computational component information.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the computational component information comprises a plurality of a description of the computational component, a platform description, a module type, an application description, a release description, and a feature code.

11. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

repeating the comparing step for each of a plurality of material codes in the order information.

19. A computer readable medium comprising instructions to perform the steps of claim 11.

20. A logic circuit operable to perform the steps of claim 11.

12. A method for creating a database record for providing a license to use a computational component, comprising:

providing a transaction record comprising first information associated with an order, the order relating to at least a first computational component and/or feature thereof, and a configuration file comprising second information different from the first information, the configuration file relating to at least one of a telecommunication switch and server;

comparing at least some of the first information with at least some of the second information to form a system record comprising both first and second information; and

generating a license file using the system record.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the providing step comprises:

determining if at least one of the following statements is true;

the configuration file is valid, a serial number in the configuration file is contained in another configuration file for a different switch and/or server, the serial number in the configuration file is valid, and a platform type in the configuration file matches the platform type in the transaction record;

when the at least one of the following statements is not true, rejecting the configuration file.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first information comprises a first platform type and the comparing step comprises:

using the platform type to the system record when the second information does not include a second platform type.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the comparing step comprises:

determining whether selected first information is associated with a first, second or third type of feature;

when the selected first information is associated with the first type of feature and, when the switch configuration file indicates that the first type of feature is available for use, using the selected first information in a right-to-use field in the system record;

when the selected first information is associated with the second type of feature and, when the second information does not contain the second type of feature, using the selected first information in right-to-use, setting, and range fields in the system record; and

when the selected first information is associated with the third type of feature and, when the second information does not contain the third type of feature, using the selected first information in right-to-use, setting, and range fields in the system record.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the providing step comprises:

receiving configuration information from the at least one of a telecommunication switch and server; and

forming the switch configuration file from the received configuration information.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the configuration information comprises at least one of a platform identifier, a platform type, a software version, a serial number, and a duplication indicator.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the forming step comprises:

determining whether the configuration information is associated with a first, second or third type of feature;

when the configuration information is associated with the first type of feature and, when the configuration file indicates that the first type of feature is available for use, using the configuration information in the switch configuration file;

when the configuration information is associated with the second type of feature, using the configuration information in the configuration file; and

when the configuration information is associated with the third type of feature, using the configuration information in the configuration file.

21. A system for creating a database record for providing a license to use a computational component, comprising:

a transaction record comprising first information associated with an order, the order relating to at least a first computational component and/or feature thereof;

a configuration file comprising second information different from the first information, the configuration file relating to at least one of a telecommunication switch and server;

means for comparing at least some of the first information with at least some of the second information to form a system record comprising both first and second information; and

means for generating a license file using the system record.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the comparing means determines whether at least one of the following statements is true:

the configuration file is valid, a serial number in the configuration file is contained in another configuration file for a different switch and/or server, the serial number in the configuration file is valid, and a platform type in the configuration file matches the platform type in the transaction record and, when the at least one of the following statements is not true, rejects the configuration file.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the first information comprises a first platform type and the comparing means uses the platform type to the system record when the second information does not include a second platform type.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the comparing means performs the steps of:

determining whether selected first information is associated with a first, second or third type of feature;

when the selected first information is associated with the first type of feature and, when the switch configuration file indicates that the first type of feature is available for use, using the selected first information in a right-to-use field in the system record;

when the selected first information is associated with the second type of feature and, when the second information does not contain the second type of feature, using the selected first information in right-to-use, setting, and range fields in the system record; and

when the selected first information is associated with the third type of feature and, when the second information does not contain the third type of feature, using the selected first information in right-to-use, setting, and range fields in the system record.

25. The system of claim 21, further comprising means for receiving configuration information from the at least one of a telecommunication switch and server and forming the switch configuration file from the received configuration information.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the configuration information comprises at least one of a platform identifier, a platform type, a software version, a serial number, and a duplication indicator.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the receiving and forming means performs the steps of:

determining whether the configuration information is associated with a first, second or third type of feature;

when the configuration information is associated with the first type of feature and, when the configuration file indicates that the first type of feature is available for use, using the configuration information in the switch configuration file;

when the configuration information is associated with the second type of feature, using the configuration information in the configuration file; and

when the configuration information is associated with the third type of feature, using the configuration information in the configuration file.

28. A system for creating a database record for providing a license to use a computational component, comprising:

a transaction record comprising first information associated with an order, the order relating to at least a first computational component and/or feature thereof;

a configuration file comprising second information different from the first information, the configuration file relating to at least one of a telecommunication switch and server;

a configuration file processing agent operable to compare at least some of the first information with at least some of the second information to form a system record comprising both first and second information; and

a feature activator operable to generate a license file using the system record.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the system record generating agent is operable to (a) determine whether at least one of the following statements is true:

the configuration file is valid, a serial number in the configuration file is contained in another configuration file for a different switch and/or server, the serial number in the configuration file is valid, and a platform type in the configuration file matches the platform type in the transaction record and (b), when the at least one of the following statements is not true, reject the configuration file.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the first information comprises a first platform type and the system record generating agent is operable to use the platform type to the system record when the second information does not include a second platform type.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein the system record generating agent is operable to (a) determine whether selected first information is associated with a first, second or third type of feature;

(b) when the selected first information is associated with the first type of feature and, when the switch configuration file indicates that the first type of feature is available for use, use the selected first information in a right-to-use field in the system record;

(c) when the selected first information is associated with the second type of feature and, when the second information does not contain the second type of feature, use the selected first information in right-to-use, setting, and range fields in the system record; and

(d) when the selected first information is associated with the third type of feature and, when the second information does not contain the third type of feature, use the selected first information in right-to-use, setting, and range fields in the system record.

32. The system of claim 28, further comprising an extraction tool and a configuration file processing agent collectively operable to receive configuration information from the at least one of a telecommunication switch and server and form the switch configuration file from the received configuration information.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the configuration information comprises at least one of a platform identifier, a platform type, a software version, a serial number, and a duplication indicator.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the extraction tool is operable to (a) determine whether the configuration information is associated with a first, second or third type of feature;

(b) when the configuration information is associated with the first type of feature and, when the configuration file indicates that the first type of feature is available for use, use the configuration information in the switch configuration file;

(c) when the configuration information is associated with the second type of feature, use the configuration information in the configuration file; and

(d) when the configuration information is associated with the third type of feature, use the configuration information in the configuration file.