KEY INJECTION TOOL

• US 20140250255A1
• Filed: 03/01/2013
• Published: 09/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Gordon, Christopher Robert, Douglas, Keith W., Pfeiffer, David J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,292,664 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/102
• 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 21/73 by creating or determining hardware identification, e.g. serial numbers

Abstract

A method can include injecting key information from memory of a memory device into non-volatile memory of a hardware device via a data port of the hardware device; receiving via the data port identification information from the hardware device that identifies the hardware device; and associating the key information and the identification information in the memory of the memory device. Various other apparatuses, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

injecting key information from memory of a memory device into non-volatile memory of a hardware device via a data port of the hardware device;

receiving via the data port identification information from the hardware device that identifies the hardware device; and

associating the key information and the identification information in the memory of the memory device.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising booting the hardware device via the data port.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the injecting comprises accessing an operating system image from the memory of the memory device and executing the operating system using the processor.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the injecting comprises accessing code from the memory of the memory device via the data port and executing the code using the executing operating system to inject the key information into the non-volatile memory of the hardware device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the key information provides for activation of an operating system executable on the hardware device.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein activation of the operating system occurs after reporting the associated key information and identification information via a network to an activation service.

7. The method of claim 1 comprising injecting another key information from memory of the memory device into non-volatile memory of another hardware device via a data port of the other hardware device;

receiving another identification information from the other hardware device that identifies the other hardware device; and

associating the other key information and the other identification information of the other hardware device in the memory of the memory device.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the associating comprises storing the key information and the identification information in a database in the memory of the memory device.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the memory device comprises a USB device and wherein the data port comprises a USB port.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the hardware device comprises a motherboard that comprises the non-volatile memory.

11. A portable memory device comprising:

a data interface;

an image of an utility operating system;

memory that comprises a data structure that comprises a licensing structure field for license information and an equipment manufacturer field for equipment manufacturer identification information; and

code executable in an utility operating system environment established in part via the image for transmitting the data structure via the data interface.

12. The portable memory device of claim 11 wherein the memory comprises a plurality of the data structures wherein each of the data structures comprises different license information.

13. The portable memory device of claim 11 wherein the data interface comprises a USB interface.

14. The portable memory device of claim 11 wherein the code comprises code to select one of the plurality of data structures.

15. The portable memory device of claim 11 wherein the license information comprises license information for activation of an operating system.

16. The portable memory device of claim 11 wherein the data structure comprises an encrypted data structure.

17. A method comprising:

establishing a preboot execution environment on an information handling device that comprises a processor, memory and a data port;

accessing an image of an utility operating system from a memory device connected to the data port;

executing the utility operating system using the processor to establish a utility operating system environment;

executing code stored on the memory device in the utility operating system environment;

responsive to execution of the code, selecting key information stored in the memory device; and

storing the key information in the memory of the information handling device.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the key information comprises license information for activation of an operating system stored in the memory of the information handling system.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the memory of the information handling device comprises memory accessible via a boot interface.

20. The method of claim 17 comprising reading information from the memory of the information handling device and storing the information to the memory device.