SOFTWARE DELIVERY MODELS

• US 20130031607A1
• Filed: 07/24/2012
• Published: 01/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Aditya, Vikas
• Granted Patent: US 8,856,875 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/121 Restricting unauthorised execution of programs

Abstract

Generally, this disclosure describes software delivery systems (and methods). A server is provided that operates to provision software on a customer'"'"'s local machine. The server system, in response to a software purchase from an end user (customer), is configured to install the software on the customer'"'"'s machine, encrypt the software, and provision encryption keys to grant the customer access to the software. In addition, a software agent is installed on the customer'"'"'s machine that enables monitoring, by the server, of the customer'"'"'s installed software. The server system is configured to control customer access to the installed software, via the software agent, and to terminate customer access to the software (for example, for nonpayment of fees). Thus, the software provider can retain control over software that is remotely deployed at an end user location.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a request, at a remote server from an end user system, to download at least one software application to the end user system;

installing, on the end user system by the remote server, a software agent module configured to control user access to the at least one software application and configured to monitor the usage of the at least one software application;

provisioning, by the remote server, a software encryption key and controlling the end user system to store the software encryption key on the end user system; and

downloading, by the remote server to the end user system, the software application and encrypting the software application using the software encryption key.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring the software agent module to, in response to a user command to run the at least one software application, decrypt the at least one software application using the software encryption key.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

provisioning, by the remote server, a software license encryption key and controlling the end user system to store the software license encryption key on the end user system; and

downloading, by the remote server to the end user system, a software license corresponding to the at least one software application and encrypting the software license using the software license encryption key.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

configuring the software agent module to, in response to a user command to run the at least one software application, decrypt the software license using the software license encryption key.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring the software agent module to communicate with the remote server system to provide information related to user access of the at least one software application on the end user system.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the remote server system, if the user of the at least one software application on the end user system is abiding by user account terms.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

disabling, by the remote server system, user access to the at least one software application if the user account terms have been violated.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring the software agent module to communicate with the remote server system, and further configuring the software agent module to deny the user access to the at least one software application if the software agent module is unable to communicate with the remote server.

9. A software distribution system, comprising:

a server system configured to communicate with an end user system;

the server system is further configured to;

receive a request, from the end user system, to download at least one software application to the end user system;

install, on the end user system, a software agent module configured to control user access to the at least one software application and configured to monitor the usage of the at least one software application;

provision a software encryption key and control the end user system to store the software encryption key on the end user system; and

download, to the end user system, the software application and encrypt the software application using the software encryption key.

10. The software distribution system of claim 9, wherein the server system is further configured to:

configure the software agent module to, in response to a user command to run the at least one software application, decrypt the at least one software application using the software encryption key.

11. The software distribution system of claim 9, wherein the server system is further configured to:

provision a software license encryption key and control the end user system to store the software license encryption key on the end user system; and

download, to the end user system, a software license corresponding to the at least one software application and encrypt the software license using the software license encryption key.

12. The software distribution system of claim 11, wherein the server system is further configured to:

configure the software agent module to, in response to a user command to run the at least one software application, decrypt the software license using the software license encryption key.

13. The software distribution system of claim 9, wherein the server system is further configured to:

configure the software agent module to communicate with the server system to provide information related to user access of the at least one software application on the end user system.

14. The software distribution system of claim 9, wherein the server system is further configured to:

determine if the user of the at least one software application on the end user system is abiding by user account terms.

15. The software distribution system of claim 14, wherein the server system is further configured to:

disable user access to the at least one software application if the user account terms have been violated.

16. The software distribution system of claim 9, wherein the server system is further configured to:

configure the software agent module to communicate with the remote server system, and further configure the software agent module to deny the user access to the at least one software application if the software agent module is unable to communicate with the server system.

17. A computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon which when executed by a processor result in the following operations comprising:

receiving a request, at a remote server from an end user system, to download at least one software application to the end user system;

installing, on the end user system by the remote server, a software agent module configured to control user access to the at least one software application and configured to monitor the usage of the at least one software application;

provisioning, by the remote server, a software encryption key and controlling the end user system to store the software encryption key on the end user system; and

downloading, by the remote server to the end user system, the software application and encrypting the software application using the software encryption key.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, further comprising the operations of:

configuring the software agent module to, in response to a user command to run the at least one software application, decrypt the at least one software application using the software encryption key.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, further comprising the operations of:

provisioning, by the remote server, a software license encryption key and controlling the end user system to store the software license encryption key on the end user system; and

downloading, by the remote server to the end user system, a software license corresponding to the at least one software application and encrypting the software license using the software license encryption key.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, further comprising the operations of:

configuring the software agent module to, in response to a user command to run the at least one software application, decrypt the software license using the software license encryption key.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, further comprising the operations of:

configuring the software agent module to communicate with the remote server system to provide information related to user access of the at least one software application on the end user system.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, further comprising the operations of:

determining, by the remote server system, if the user of the at least one software application on the end user system is abiding by user account terms.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, further comprising the operations of:

disabling, by the remote server system, user access to the at least one software application if the user account terms have been violated.

24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, further comprising the operations of:

configuring the software agent module to communicate with the remote server system, and further configuring the software agent module to deny the user access to the at least one software application if the software agent module is unable to communicate with the remote server.