Method and system for distributing and installing software
First Claim
1. A method for installing a first software product on a computing device comprising:
- receiving a command from a user to install software on the computing device;
accessing a storage medium having computer code necessary for installing a plurality of software products on the computer including the first software product, the computer code including a first portion that is used during the operation of each of the plurality of software products after installation on the computer and a plurality of different second portions, each second portion associated with a different one of the plurality of software products and used during the operation of only its associated different one of the plurality of software products;
determining that the user is entitled to install the first software product; and
installing on the computing device at least the first portion of computer code and only one second portion of computer code, that second portion being the second portion of computer code associated with the first software product.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and computer readable media are disclosed related to installing and distributing multiple software products. Computer code necessary to install multiple, related but distinct software products is stored on the storage media and includes at least some primary code that is necessary to all software products installable from a storage medium or set of media. Installation of a specific software product includes the installation of the primary code and at least some product-specific code. Installation is performed by an installer that identifies and installs the appropriate software product based on information, such as a product key, provided by the user. The installer may use a lookup table to identify the code to install and verify that the user is entitled to the software product.
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Citations
70 Claims
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1. A method for installing a first software product on a computing device comprising:
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receiving a command from a user to install software on the computing device;
accessing a storage medium having computer code necessary for installing a plurality of software products on the computer including the first software product, the computer code including a first portion that is used during the operation of each of the plurality of software products after installation on the computer and a plurality of different second portions, each second portion associated with a different one of the plurality of software products and used during the operation of only its associated different one of the plurality of software products;
determining that the user is entitled to install the first software product; and
installing on the computing device at least the first portion of computer code and only one second portion of computer code, that second portion being the second portion of computer code associated with the first software product. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for installing a first version of a software application on a computer comprising:
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receiving a command from a user to install software on the computer;
accessing at least one data storage disc having computer code necessary for installing a plurality of versions of the software application on the computer including the first version, the computer code including a primary portion that is used during the operation of each of the plurality of versions after installation on the computer and a plurality of different version-specific portions, each version-specific portion associated with a different version of the software application and used during the operation of only its associated different version;
requesting a product key;
receiving the product key, the product key identifying the first version; and
installing the primary portion of computer code and only the version-specific portion of computer code associated with the first version. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of distributing a plurality of software products to consumers comprising:
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storing, on a plurality of storage media, identical copies of computer code, each copy including computer code required to install and execute any of the plurality of software products including the first software product and wherein a common portion of the computer code is necessary to execute all of the plurality of software products after installation;
providing consumers access to an installer that, upon receipt of entitlement information, will install the common portion of the computer code and a second portion of computer code associated only with that version of the software application identified by the entitlement information; and
distributing at least one of the plurality of storage media to each consumer. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method of distributing a plurality of versions of a software application to consumers comprising:
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associating at least one distinct product key with each version of the software application;
creating a plurality of storage media, each including identical copies of computer code, each copy including computer code required to install any of the plurality of versions of the software application including the first version and wherein a common portion of the computer code is necessary to install all of the plurality of versions;
providing an installer that, upon receipt of the product key, will install the common portion of the computer code and a second portion of computer code associated only with that version of the software application associated with the product key; and
distributing at least one of the plurality of storage media to each consumer. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A computer-readable medium comprising:
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computer code necessary to install any of a plurality of versions of a software application including at least a first portion of computer code that is necessary to install all of the plurality of versions of the software application and a plurality of second portions, each second portion necessary to install a distinct one of the plurality of versions of the software application; and
an installer that, when executed by a computer, requests a product key and installs one of the versions of the software application based on the product key given in response to the request. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A computer program product readable by a computing system and encoding a computer program of instructions for executing a computer process for installing a first version of a software application on a computer, said computer process comprising:
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receiving a command from a user to install software on the computer;
accessing at least one data storage disc having computer code necessary for installing a plurality of versions of the software application on the computer including the first version, the computer code including a primary portion that is used during the operation of each of the plurality of versions after installation on the computer and a plurality of different version-specific portions, each version-specific portion associated with a different version of the software application and used during the operation of only its associated different version;
requesting a product key;
receiving the product key, the product key identifying the first version; and
installing the primary portion of computer code and only the version-specific portion of computer code associated with the first version. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. A method for installing a first version of a software application on a computer comprising:
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receiving a command from a user to install software on the computer;
accessing at least one data storage disc having computer code necessary for installing a plurality of versions of the software application on the computer including the first version, the computer code including a primary portion that is used during the operation of each of the plurality of versions after installation on the computer and a SKU file containing encoded licenses and behavior information for the plurality of versions;
requesting a product key;
receiving the product key, the product key identifying a first version; and
installing the primary portion of computer code and the SKU file. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70)
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Specification