Automated method for electronic software distribution
First Claim
1. An automated method for a user to access a vendor software application on a client computing system, comprising:
- requesting access to at least a portion of the vendor software application;
if access is allowed, then executing the portion of the vendor software application on the client;
if access to the portion of the vendor software application is not allowed, then;
if access to the portion of the vendor software application is not allowed, then;
transmitting to a server, a product distribution identifier and an installation identifier, the installation identifier based at least in part on a vendor identifier and a client identifier;
transmitting to the user, a password generated by the server and derived at least in part from both the product distribution identifier and the installation identifier; and
supplying the password to the vendor software application to gain access to the portion of the vendor software application.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for a user to automatically order, unlock and pay for a vendor software application via an automated telephony and/or Internet system. The user requests access to a vendor software application. If access is not allowed, the user transmits a computing device identifier identifying the computing device on which the vendor software application is executing, a vendor software product distribution identifier, and a vendor identifier to a aserver. Pricing data is provided to the user, and payment for the vendor software application is processed before access is granted thereto. After payment processing, the server then transmits a password to the client based on the identifiers. Thereafter, the user enters the password to gain access to and execute the vendor software application to which access was previously denied.
-
Citations
17 Claims
-
1. An automated method for a user to access a vendor software application on a client computing system, comprising:
-
requesting access to at least a portion of the vendor software application; if access is allowed, then executing the portion of the vendor software application on the client; if access to the portion of the vendor software application is not allowed, then; if access to the portion of the vendor software application is not allowed, then; transmitting to a server, a product distribution identifier and an installation identifier, the installation identifier based at least in part on a vendor identifier and a client identifier; transmitting to the user, a password generated by the server and derived at least in part from both the product distribution identifier and the installation identifier; and supplying the password to the vendor software application to gain access to the portion of the vendor software application. - View Dependent Claims (2)
-
-
3. In a client-server computing environment, a computer implemented method for obtaining payment and unlocking a locked software application module for access by a client computing device, comprising:
-
requesting at the client computing device, user input necessary for processing payment for the locked module in response to received user input requesting execution of the locked module; receiving at the client computing device, user input necessary for processing payment for the locked module; transmitting to a server, the user input necessary for processing payment for the locked module; receiving from the server, an installation identifier based at least in part on a vendor identifier and a client identifier; receiving at the client computing device, user input including the installation identifier and a product distribution identifier associated with the locked module; and receiving from the server, a password derived at least in part from the installation identifier and the product distribution identifier received at the client computing device. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A set of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that may be called by a software application executing on a client computing device in a client server computing environment to obtain payment for and provide access to a locked module of the software application for execution of the module, the set of APIs providing computer readable program means to effect:
-
receiving user input at the client computing device necessary for processing payment for the locked module; transmitting the user input necessary for processing payment for the locked module to a server; providing an installation identifier to the client computing device, the installation identifier based at least in part on a vendor identifier and a client identifier; receiving user input at the client computing device comprising the installation identifier and the product distribution identifier associated with the locked module; generating at the server a password based on the installation identifier and product distribution identifier received at the client computing device; and transmitting the password to the client computing device to unlock the locked module, thereby creating an unlocked module that may be executed. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. An article of manufacture comprising a machine readable medium having a plurality of machine readable instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
-
receive user input requesting access to at least a portion of a vendor software application installed on a client; and determine if the vendor software application is executable; if the vendor software application is not executable then; request from the client, a product distribution identifier and an installation identifier, the installation identifier based at least in part on a vendor identifier and a client identifier; generate a password based at least in part on both the product distribution identifier and installation identifier, received in response to the request from the client; and transmit the generated password to the vendor software application installed on the client. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
-
Specification