System and Method for Separation of Software Purchase from Fulfillment

• US 20110178887A1
• Filed: 01/15/2010
• Published: 07/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Huber, Gary D., O'Connor, Clint H., Curtis, William A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,256,899 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/21
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0607 Regulated
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/184 Intellectual property management

Abstract

A system, method, and computer-readable medium are disclosed for separating the purchase of digital assets from their fulfillment. Information associated with the purchase of a system and digital assets to be processed by the system is received, including the system'"'"'s unique system identifier. The unique system identifier is associated with the digital assets to generate digital assets entitlement data. A personalization agent installed on the system determines the system'"'"'s unique system identifier and automatically downloads the purchased digital assets and their associated digital assets entitlement data. Once downloaded, the personalization agent uses the digital assets entitlement data to install the purchased digital assets on the system, thereby entitling the system to process the installed digital assets.

Claims

1. A system for managing the entitlement of digital assets, comprising:

a storage medium comprising a repository of system identifier data, digital assets data, and digital assets entitlement data; and

a processor, the processor being operable to;

receive purchase transaction data comprising system identifier data associated with the purchase of a target system;

receive purchase transaction data comprising digital assets identifier data associated with the purchase of digital assets, wherein the purchase transaction data is provided by a first provider;

process the purchase transaction data to generate digital assets entitlement data, wherein the digital assets entitlement data is associated with the target system identified by the system identifier data and with digital assets identified by the digital assets identifier data;

receive a digital assets entitlement message from a personalization agent associated with the target system, wherein the digital assets entitlement message comprises the system identifier data; and

provide the digital assets entitlement data and the digital assets data associated with the system identifier data to the personalization agent, wherein the digital assets entitlement data and the digital assets data is provided by a second provider, wherein the digital assets entitlement data and the digital assets data is provided by a second provider.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the purchase transaction data is generated by performing an on-line purchase transaction.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the purchase transaction data is generated by performing Point Of Sale (POS) purchase transaction.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the purchase transaction data is generated by performing an After Point Of Sale (APOS) purchase transaction.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the provision of the digital assets entitlement data and the digital assets data is performed by a single provider on a network.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the provision of the digital assets entitlement data and the digital assets data is performed by a dependently or independently by a plurality of providers on a network.

7. A computer-implemented method for managing the entitlement of digital assets, comprising:

receiving purchase transaction data comprising system identifier data associated with the purchase of a target system;

receiving purchase transaction data comprising digital assets identifier data associated with the purchase of digital assets, wherein the purchase transaction data is provided by a first provider;

processing the purchase transaction data to generate digital assets entitlement data, wherein the digital assets entitlement data is associated with the target system identified by the system identifier data and with digital assets identified by the digital assets identifier data;

receiving a digital assets entitlement message from a personalization agent associated with the target system, wherein the digital assets entitlement message comprises the system identifier data; and

providing the digital assets entitlement data and the digital assets data associated with the system identifier data to the personalization agent, wherein the digital assets entitlement data and the digital assets data is provided by a second provider.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the purchase transaction data is generated by performing an on-line purchase transaction.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the purchase transaction data is generated by performing Point Of Sale (POS) purchase transaction.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the purchase transaction data is generated by performing an After Point Of Sale (APOS) purchase transaction.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the provision of the digital assets entitlement data and the digital assets data is performed by a single server on a network.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the provision of the digital assets entitlement data and the digital assets data is performed by a plurality of servers on a network.

13. A computer-usable medium embodying computer program code, the computer program code comprising computer executable instructions configured for:

using a storage medium comprising a repository of system identifier data, digital assets data, and digital assets entitlement data; and

using processing logic to;

receive purchase transaction data comprising system identifier data associated with the purchase of a target system;

receive purchase transaction data comprising digital assets identifier data associated with the purchase of digital assets, wherein the purchase transaction data is provided by a first provider;

process the purchase transaction data to generate digital assets entitlement data, wherein the digital assets entitlement data is associated with the target system identified by the system identifier data and with digital assets identified by the digital assets identifier data;

receive a digital assets entitlement message from a personalization agent associated with the target system, wherein the digital assets entitlement message comprises the system identifier data; and

provide the digital assets entitlement data and the digital assets data associated with the system identifier data to the personalization agent, wherein the digital assets entitlement data and the digital assets data is provided by a second provider.

14. The computer usable medium of claim 13, wherein the purchase transaction data is generated by performing an on-line purchase transaction.

15. The computer usable medium of claim 13, wherein the purchase transaction data is generated by performing Point Of Sale (POS) purchase transaction.

16. The computer usable medium of claim 13, wherein the purchase transaction data is generated by performing an After Point Of Sale (APOS) purchase transaction.

17. The computer usable medium of claim 13, wherein the provision of the digital assets entitlement data and the digital assets data is performed by a single provider on a network.

18. The computer usable medium of claim 13, wherein the provision of the digital assets entitlement data and the digital assets data is performed dependently or independently by a plurality of providers on a network.