Method for evaluating software freely distributed over the internet

• US 20050251489A1
• Filed: 04/19/2005
• Published: 11/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1996
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Christopher D. Coley, Ralph E. Wesinger Jr
• Original Assignee: Christopher D. Coley, Ralph E. Wesinger Jr
• Inventors: Coley, Christopher D., Wesinger, Ralph E. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US11/109,972
• Publication Number:
  US 20050251489A1
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/105 Arrangements for software license management or administration, e.g. for managing licenses at corporate level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/121 Restricting unauthorised execution of programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/602 Providing cryptographic facilities or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2101 Auditing as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2135 Metering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for commerce, e.g. marketing, shopping, billing, auctions or e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/062 for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0838 Key agreement, i.e. key establishment technique in which a shared key is derived by parties as a function of information contributed by, or associated with, each of these network architectures or network communication protocols for key exchange in a packet data network H04L63/061
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/12 Transmitting and receiving encryption devices synchronised or initially set up in a particular manner
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3297 involving time stamps, e.g. generation of time stamps

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for evaluating software freely distributed over the Internet are disclosed. In one disclosed embodiment, licensing system code is inserted into software to be distributed. The code includes a client module associated with the distributed software. A computer operating the software may then by caused to form a connection to a license server over an IP-compliant network responsive to detection by the client module of use of the distributed software on a client computer. The client computer may also be directed to a Web site associated with the distributed software and the user prompted to either purchase the distributed software or evaluate the distributed software for a demonstration period.

Claims

1. A method for evaluating software freely distributed over the Internet comprising:

inserting licensing system code into software to be distributed, the code including a client module associated with the distributed software;

forming a connection to a license server over an IP-compliant network responsive to detection by the client module of use of the distributed software on a client computer;

directing the client computer to Web site associated with the distributed software; and

wherein the Web site prompts the user to either purchase the distributed software or evaluate the distributed software for a demonstration period.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the acts of:

receiving, by the client computer, a validation from said license server over said connection responsive to an election to either purchase or evaluate said distributed software; and

operating said client software application in accordance with the contents of said validation.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the act of selectively enabling features of said distributed software.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the act of prompting a user to enter credit card information responsive to a request to enable a selected feature of said distributed software.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the act of monitoring the use of said distributed software and billing the user according to those features used.

6. An apparatus for evaluating software freely distributed over the Internet comprising:

client computer means for operating distributed software, the distributed software including licensing system code inserted therein including a client module associated with the distributed software;

means for forming a connection to a license server over an IP-compliant network responsive to detection by the client module of use of the distributed software on the client computer means;

means for directing the client computer to Web site associated with the distributed software; and

wherein the Web site prompts the user to either purchase the distributed software or evaluate the distributed software for a demonstration period.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising means for receiving a validation from said license server over said connection responsive to an election to either purchase or evaluate said distributed software and operating said client software application in accordance with the contents of said validation.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising means for selectively enabling features of said distributed software.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising means for prompting a user to enter credit card information responsive to a request to enable a selected feature of said distributed software.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising means for monitoring the use of said distributed software and billing the user according to those features used.

11. A computer for operating distributed software comprising:

a computer for operating distributed software, the distributed software having licensing system code inserted therein including a client module associated with the distributed software;

the computer being configured to;

form a connection to a license server over an IP-compliant network responsive to detection by the client module of use of the distributed software on the computer;

direct said computer to Web site associated with the distributed software; and

wherein the Web site prompts the user to either purchase the distributed software or evaluate the distributed software for a demonstration period.

12. The computer of claim 11, wherein said computer is further configured to receiving a validation from said license server over said connection responsive to an election to either purchase or evaluate said distributed software and operate said client software application in accordance with the contents of said validation.

13. The computer of claim 11 wherein said computer is further configured to selectively enable features of said distributed software.

14. The computer of claim 13, wherein said computer is further configured to prompt a user to enter credit card information responsive to a request to enable a selected feature of said distributed software.

15. The computer of claim 11, wherein said computer is further configured to monitor the use of said distributed software and billing the user according to those features used.

16. A computer-readable device for causing a computer to perform a method for evaluating software freely distributed over the Internet, the method comprising:

inserting licensing system code into software to be distributed, the code including a client module associated with the distributed software;

forming a connection to a license server over an IP-compliant network responsive to detection by the client module of use of the distributed software on a client computer;

directing the client computer to Web site associated with the distributed software; and

wherein the Web site prompts the user to either purchase the distributed software or evaluate the distributed software for a demonstration period.

17. The device of claim 16, further comprising the acts of:

receiving, by the client computer, a validation from said license server over said connection responsive to an election to either purchase or evaluate said distributed software; and

operating said client software application in accordance with the contents of said validation.

18. The device of claim 16, further comprising the act of selectively enabling features of said distributed software.

19. The device of claim 18, further comprising the act of prompting a user to enter credit card information responsive to a request to enable a selected feature of said distributed software.

20. The device of claim 16, further comprising the act of monitoring the use of said distributed software and billing the user according to those features used.