Issuing unlock codes from a server with third party billing
First Claim
1. A method for providing access to an application, comprising:
- determining an activation code at a central service, based on a unique identifier of a computing device on which the application is to be run and an application identifier associated with the application;
providing the activation code to a publisher entity that is remote from the central service; and
providing the activation code to a device associated with the computing device.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The use of software is licensed on a particular central processing unit (CPU) residing on a computing device. A code is generated at a central service and provided to a third party publisher, such as a third party website, a vending machine, a retailer, or a phone service provider, for example. The third party publisher then provides the code to a user, who provides it to the computing device, which in turn, unlocks the appropriate software (or features of software) residing on, or being used in conjunction with, the computing device. The unlocking code may be provided to a storage device such as a memory unit that is plugged into or otherwise attached to the computing device running the software, or may be provided to the user who enters the code manually. The unlocking code may unlock the entire software application, or just particular features of the software, such as a higher level of a game or a working version of an application that was otherwise provided as a demo version.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method for providing access to an application, comprising:
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determining an activation code at a central service, based on a unique identifier of a computing device on which the application is to be run and an application identifier associated with the application;
providing the activation code to a publisher entity that is remote from the central service; and
providing the activation code to a device associated with the computing device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An activation control system, comprising:
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a central service comprising;
an activation handler for receiving a request for an activation code for an application to run on a computing device; and
an activation code generator for determining the activation code based on a unique identifier of the computing device on which the application is to be run and an application identifier associated with the application; and
a publisher entity for generating and sending the request for the activation code to the central service, for receiving the activation code from the central service, and for providing the activation code to a device associated with the computing device. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A computing device, comprising:
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a central processing unit (CPU) for launching an application on the computing device, requesting and receiving an activation code for the application from a publisher entity, and activating the application based on the activation code; and
a memory device for storing the activation code. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification