Trial upgrade capability for wireless handheld devices

• US 20040203686A1
• Filed: 12/23/2002
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Bahr, Casey
• Granted Patent: US 7,046,997 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

A system permits trail capabilities of upgrade features for a wireless client, such as a personal digital assistant (PDA), without intervention of a remote service provider. The software for running a plurality of advanced features is preloaded, in a disabled state, onto the client prior to sale. The first time the user attempts to access the advanced feature a fault condition is triggered since this feature does not theretofore exist. The fault management system initiates a fault recovery routine in attempt to recover from the fault. This routine actually comprises the code that places the preloaded software in an enabled state thus beginning the trial period and allowing the user an opportunity to use and evaluate the advanced feature. Managed objects (MOs) associated with the feature monitors usage of the feature and such that the feature can be disabled when a threshold usage has been reached and the trial period is over.

Claims

1. A method for allowing trial capabilities of an upgrade feature for a wireless client, comprising:

preloading a wireless client with software for operating at least one upgrade feature;

placing said software in a disabled state;

triggering a fault condition the first time at least one said upgrade feature is accessed; and

running a fault recover routine in response to said fault condition, said fault recover routine placing said software in an enabled state to start a trial period.

2. The method for allowing trial capabilities of an upgrade feature as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

associating with each of said at least one upgraded features a managed object (MO); and

populating a threshold object associated with said MO with a threshold value for the upgrade feature.

3. The method for allowing trial capabilities of upgrade features as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

incrementing a counter in accordance with a metric for determining a condition for ending the trial period;

comparing a value of said counter to said threshold object; and

disabling said software when said value of said counter reaches a value of said threshold object to end said trial period.

4. The method for allowing trial capabilities of an upgrade feature as recited in claim 3, wherein said metric is a unit cost measure.

5. The method for allowing trial capabilities of an upgrade feature as recited in claim 3 wherein said metric is number of uses.

6. The method for allowing trail capabilities of upgrade features as recited in claim 3, wherein said metric is time.

7. The method for allowing trial capabilities of an upgrade feature as recited in claim 3, further comprising:

setting said threshold object to a maximum value when said upgrade feature is permanently enabled.

8. A system for allowing trial capabilities of an upgrade feature in a portable device, comprising:

a software platform to manage operations of a portable device;

a fault recovery module associated with said software platform to manage fault events;

at least one upgrade feature software stored on the portable device in a disabled state, said upgrade feature software to cause said portable device to perform an upgrade feature;

a fault recovery routine associated with said fault recovery module to enable said upgrade feature software when a fault condition is detected to start a trial period

9. The system for allowing trail capabilities of an upgrade feature in a portable device as recited in claim 8 wherein said fault condition is generated a first time a user attempts to use said upgrade feature and said upgrade feature software is in said disabled state.

10. The system for allowing trail capabilities of an upgrade feature in a portable device as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

a managed object (MO) associated with said upgrade feature; and

a threshold object associated with said MO representing a threshold value associated with said upgrade feature.

11. The system for allowing trial capabilities of an upgrade feature in a portable device as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

a counter incremented in accordance with a metric for determining a condition for ending the trial period; and

a comparator to compare a value of said counter to said threshold object and to disable said upgrade feature software when said value of said counter reaches a value of said threshold object to end said trial period.

12. The system for allowing trial capabilities of an upgrade feature in a portable device as recited in claim 10, wherein said metric is a unit cost measure.

13. The system for allowing trial capabilities of an upgrade feature in a portable device as recited in claim 10, wherein said metric is number of uses.

14. The system for allowing trial capabilities of an upgrade feature in a portable device as recited in claim 10, wherein said metric is time.

15. The system for allowing trial capabilities of an upgrade feature in a portable device as recited in claim 10, wherein said threshold object is set to a maximum value when said upgrade feature is permanently enabled.

16. A medium for storing computer executable code to allow trial capabilities of an upgrade feature on a wireless client preloaded with upgrade feature software in a disabled state, said code to execute instructions comprising:

triggering a condition a first time said upgrade feature is accessed; and

running a routine in response to said condition, said routine placing said upgrade feature software in an enabled state to start a trial period of the upgraded feature.

17. A medium for storing computer executable code as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

associating with said upgraded feature a managed object (MO); and

populating a threshold object within said MO with a threshold value for the upgrade feature.

18. A medium for storing computer executable code as recited in claim 17, further comprising:

incrementing a counter in accordance with a metric for determining a condition for ending the trial period;

comparing a value of said counter to said threshold object; and

disabling said upgrade feature software when said value of said counter reaches a value of said threshold object to end said trial period.

19. A medium for storing computer executable code as recited in claim 18, further comprising:

setting said threshold object to a maximum value when said upgrade feature is permanently enabled.

20. A medium for storing computer executable code as recited in claim 18, wherein said metric is one of unit cost measure, number of uses, and time.

21. A method for allowing trial capabilities of an upgrade feature for a wireless client, comprising:

preloading a wireless client with software for operating at least one upgrade feature;

placing said software in a disabled state;

triggering a condition the first time at least one said upgrade feature is accessed; and

running a routine in response to said condition, said routine placing said software in an enabled state to start a trial period.

22. The method for allowing trial capabilities of an upgrade feature as recited in claim 21, further comprising:

associating with each of said at least one upgraded features a managed object (MO); and

populating a threshold object associated with said MO with a threshold value for the upgrade feature.

23. The method for allowing trial capabilities of upgrade features as recited in claim 22, further comprising:

incrementing a counter in accordance with a metric for determining a condition for ending the trial period;

comparing a value of said counter to said threshold object; and

disabling said software when said value of said counter reaches a value of said threshold object to end said trial period.

24. The method for allowing trial capabilities of an upgrade feature as recited in claim 23, wherein said metric is a unit cost measure.

25. The method for allowing trial capabilities of an upgrade feature as recited in claim 23 wherein said metric is number of uses.

26. The method for allowing trail capabilities of upgrade features as recited in claim 23, wherein said metric is time.

27. The method for allowing trial capabilities of an upgrade feature as recited in claim 23, further comprising:

setting said threshold object to a maximum value when said upgrade feature is permanently enabled.

28. A system for allowing trial capabilities of an upgrade feature in a portable device, comprising:

a software platform to manage operations of a portable device;

at least one upgrade feature software stored on the portable device in a disabled state, said upgrade feature software to cause said portable device to perform an upgrade feature;

a software routine to enable said upgrade feature software when a condition is detected to start a trial period

29. The system for allowing trail capabilities of an upgrade feature in a portable device as recited in claim 28 wherein said is generated a first time a user attempts to use said upgrade feature and said upgrade feature software is in said disabled state.

30. The system for allowing trail capabilities of an upgrade feature in a portable device as recited in claim 28, further comprising:

a managed object (MO) associated with said upgrade feature; and

a threshold object associated with said MO representing a threshold value associated with said upgrade feature.

31. The system for allowing trial capabilities of an upgrade feature in a portable device as recited in claim 30, further comprising:

a counter incremented in accordance with a metric for determining a condition for ending the trial period; and

a comparator to compare a value of said counter to said threshold object and to disable said upgrade feature software when said value of said counter reaches a value of said threshold object to end said trial period.

32. The system for allowing trial capabilities of an upgrade feature in a portable device as recited in claim 30, wherein said metric is a unit cost measure.

33. The system for allowing trial capabilities of an upgrade feature in a portable device as recited in claim 30, wherein said metric is number of uses.

34. The system for allowing trial capabilities of an upgrade feature in a portable device as recited in claim 31, wherein said metric is time.

35. The system for allowing trial capabilities of an upgrade feature in a portable device as recited in claim 32, wherein said threshold object is set to a maximum value when said upgrade feature is permanently enabled.