Purchasing of individual features of a software product

• US 20080172300A1
• Filed: 01/11/2007
• Published: 07/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Ansari, Mohammed Zubair, Karki, Mukesh, Oliver, Robert Ian, Unal, Serdar, Atas, Yusuf
• Granted Patent: US 8,239,274 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing

Abstract

In various embodiments, a user may, via a processing device, indicate a desire to purchase a feature of an installed software product. A purchase request may be sent to an e-commerce server, or other server. The purchase request may be validated and information concerning the software product, the feature of the software product, and the processing device may be stored. Enabling information may be sent to the processing device to enable the feature of the software product. In some embodiments, the user may request a trial of a feature of a software product before purchasing the feature. In other embodiments, the user may deactivate a purchased feature of a software product on one processing device and may activate the purchased feature of the software product on a different processing device.

Claims

1. A method for providing features of a software product for purchase on a feature-by-feature basis, the method comprising:

receiving, via a network, a purchase request from a first processing device for a feature associated with a software product installed on the first processing device, the purchase request including identifying information, the identifying information including information identifying the software product, information identifying the feature associated with the software product, and information identifying the first processing device;

validating payment for the feature associated with the software product;

storing the identifying information; and

sending enabling information to the first processing device to enable the feature associated with the software product.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the enabling information sent to the first processing device is for enabling the feature associated with the software product for a predetermined time period, the method further comprising:

receiving a request from the first processing device to activate the feature associated with the software product; and

sending permanently enabling information to the first processing device to permanently enable the feature associated with the software product.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request for a free trial period for the software feature associated with the software product;

sending temporary enabling information to the first processing device to temporarily enable the feature associated with the software product for a predetermined time period, wherein;

the receiving a request for a free trial period for the software feature associated with the software product, and the sending temporary enabling information to the first processing device to temporarily enable the feature associated with the software product for a predetermined time period are performed before the receiving, via the network, of the purchase request from the first processing device for the feature associated with the software product installed on the first processing device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request for a free trial period for the software feature associated with the software product, the received request being sent by the first processing device in response to a user requesting the software feature when presented with information about the software feature while using the software product;

sending temporary enabling information to the first processing device to temporarily enable the feature associated with the software product for a predetermined time period, wherein;

the receiving a request for a free trial period for the software feature associated with the software product, and the sending temporary enabling information to the first processing device to temporarily enable the feature associated with the software product for a predetermined time period are performed before the receiving, via the network, of the purchase request from the first processing device for the feature associated with the software product installed on the first processing device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying information further includes information identifying a user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the identifying information includes information identifying a user, and

the method further comprises;

receiving, from the first processing device, a deactivation request with respect to the feature associated with the software product, the deactivation request including the information identifying the user, the information identifying the software product, the information identifying the feature associated with the software product, and the information identifying the first processing device;

disassociating the stored information identifying the first processing device from the stored identifying information in response to receiving the deactivation request with respect to the feature associated with the software product;

receiving an activation request from a second processing device to activate the feature associated with the software product, the activation request including the information identifying the user, the information identifying the software product, the information identifying the feature associated with the software product, and information identifying the second processing device;

causing the information identifying the second processing device be stored and to associate the information identifying the second processing device with the feature associated with the software product; and

sending enabling information to the second processing device to enable the feature associated with the software product.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the identifying information includes information identifying a user, and

the user is an entity, a subset of an entity, or an individual.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the identifying information includes information identifying a user,

the user is an entity, a subset of an entity, or an individual, and

the method further comprises;

receiving a request for information with respect to the user, the requested information with respect to the user including the information identifying the software product, the information identifying the feature associated with the software product, and information identifying a processing associated with the user;

providing the information with respect to the user;

receiving a request to disassociate a hardware item associated with the user from the feature of the software product;

disassociating the hardware item associated with the user from the feature of the software product in response to receiving the request to disassociate the hardware item;

receiving a request to activate the feature of the software product with respect to a different hardware item associated with the user;

associating the different hardware item associated with the user with the feature of the software product in response to receiving a request to activate the feature of the software product with respect to the different hardware item associated with the user; and

sending enabling information to the different hardware item associated with the user to enable the feature associated with the software product.

9. A machine-readable medium having instructions stored thereon for at least one processor, the machine-readable medium comprising:

instructions for disassociating, in response to receiving a deactivation request, at least a portion of a software product from a first processing device, the deactivation request including information identifying a user, information identifying the software product, and information identifying the first processing device;

instructions for associating, in response to receiving an activation request from a second processing device, the at least a portion of the software product with the second processing device, the activation request including the information identifying the user, the information identifying the software product, and information identifying the second processing device; and

instructions for sending enabling information to the second processing device to enable the at least a portion of the software product.

10. The machine-readable medium of claim 9, wherein:

the deactivation request further includes information identifying a feature of the software product,

the instructions for disassociating, in response to receiving a deactivation request from a first processing device, the at least a portion of the software product from the first processing device further includes instructions for disassociating a feature of the software product from the first processing device,

the instructions for associating, in response to receiving an activation request from a second processing device, the at least a portion of the software product with the second processing device further includes instructions for associating the feature of the software product with the second processing device, the activation request further including the information identifying the feature of the software product; and

the instructions for sending enabling information to the second processing device to enable the at least a portion of the software product further includes instructions for sending enabling information to the second processing device to enable the feature of the software product.

11. The machine-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the information identifying a user identifies an entity, a subset of an entity, or an individual.

12. The machine-readable medium of claim 9, wherein:

the information identifying a user identifies an entity, a subset of an entity, or an individual, and

the machine-readable medium further comprises;

instructions for providing information with respect to the user, in response to receiving a request for information with respect to the user from a remote processing device via a network, the provided information including information identifying the user, information identifying a software product, and information identifying a hardware item associated with the user;

instructions for disassociating the hardware item from at least a portion of the software product in response to receiving a request from a different hardware item to disassociate the hardware item;

instructions for associating the different hardware item with the at least a portion of the software product in response to receiving an activation request for the at least a portion of the software product with respect to the different hardware item; and

instructions for sending enabling information to the different hardware item to enable the at least a portion of the software product.

13. The machine-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising:

instructions for receiving, via a network, a purchase request from one of a plurality of processing devices for one of a plurality of features associated with one of a plurality of software products installed on the one of a plurality of processing devices, the purchase request including identifying information, the identifying information including information identifying a user of the one of the plurality of processing devices, information identifying the one of the plurality of software products, information identifying the one of the plurality of features associated with the one of the plurality of software products, and information identifying the one of the plurality of processing devices;

instructions for validating payment for the one of the plurality of features associated with the one of the plurality of software products;

instructions for associating the user of the one of the plurality of processing devices with the one of the plurality of processing devices and with the one of the plurality of features associated with the one of the plurality of software products by storing the identifying information; and

instructions for sending enabling information to the one of the plurality of processing device is to enable the one of the plurality of features associated with the one of the plurality of software products.

14. A system for enabling features associated with software products, via a network, the system comprising:

at least one server, the at least one server including at least one processor, and at least one memory communicatively connected to the at least one processor, the at least one memory comprising instructions for the at least one processor, the at least one memory comprising;

instructions for receiving a request for enabling a feature of a software product installed on a first processing device, the request including identifying information, the identifying information further including information identifying the software product, information identifying the feature of the software product, and information identifying the first processing device;

instructions for storing the identifying information in a database and associating the feature of the software product with the first processing device; and

instructions for sending enabling information to the first processing device to enable the feature of the software product.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the instructions for receiving a request for enabling a feature of a software product installed on a first processing device further include instructions for receiving a purchase request for purchasing the feature of the software product, and

the at least one memory further comprises instructions for validating a payment for the feature of the software product.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the request further includes information identifying a user of the first processing device, and

the instructions for storing the identifying information in a database and associating the feature of the software product with the first processing device further includes instructions for storing the information identifying a user and associating the feature of the software product with the user.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the request further includes information identifying a user of the first processing device,

the instructions for storing the identifying information in a database and associating the feature of the software product with the first processing device further includes instructions for storing the information identifying a user and associating the feature of the software product with the user, and

the at least one memory further comprises;

instructions for receiving, from a remote processing device via the network, a request for information with respect to at least one software product, and at least one feature of the at least one software product associated with a user, the request for information including information identifying the user; and

instructions for providing, to the remote processing device via a network, the information with respect to the at least one software product, and the at least one feature of the at least one software product associated with the user.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the request further includes information identifying a user of the first processing device, the instructions for storing the identifying information in a database and associating the feature of the software product with the first processing device further includes instructions for storing the information identifying a user and associating the feature of the software product with the user, and

the at least one memory further comprises;

instructions for receiving, from a remote processing device via the network, a request for information with respect to at least one software product, and at least one feature of the at least one software product associated with a user, the request for information including information identifying the user;

instructions for providing, to the remote processing device via a network, the information with respect to the at least one software product, and the at least one feature of the at least one software product associated with the user; and

instructions for disassociating one of the at least one feature of one of the at least one software product from a processing device in response to receiving a disassociation request from the remote processing device.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the request further includes information identifying a user of the first processing device, the instructions for storing the identifying information in a database and associating the feature of the software product with the first processing device further includes instructions for storing the information identifying a user and associating the feature of the software product with the user, and

the at least one memory further comprises;

instructions for receiving, from a remote processing device via the network, a request for information with respect to at least one software product, and at least one feature of the at least one software product associated with a user, the request for information including information identifying the user;

instructions for providing, to the remote processing device via a network, the information with respect to the at least one software product, and the at least one feature of the at least one software product associated with the user;

instructions for authenticating the user; and

instructions for disassociating one of the at least one feature of one of the at least one software product from a processing device in response to receiving a disassociation request from the remote processing device, the instructions for disassociating one of the at least one feature of one of the at least one software product being permitted to execute only when the instructions for authenticating the user successfully authenticate the user.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the request further includes information identifying a user of the first processing device, the instructions for storing the identifying information in a database and associating the feature of the software product with the first processing device further includes instructions for storing the information identifying a user and associating the feature of the software product with the user, and

the at least one memory further comprises;

instructions for receiving, from a remote processing device via the network, a request for information with respect to at least one software product, and at least one feature of the at least one software product associated with a user, the request for information including information identifying the user;

instructions for providing, to the remote processing device via a network, the information with respect to the at least one software product, and the at least one feature of the at least one software product associated with the user; and

instructions for disassociating one of the at least one feature of one of the at least one software product from a processing device in response to receiving a disassociation request from the remote processing device, the instructions for disassociating one of the at least one feature of the one of the at least one software product being permitted to execute only a predetermined number of times with respect to the user.