System and method for product registration

• US 6,151,707 A
• Filed: 11/20/1997
• Issued: 11/21/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ken Sidelinger
• Original Assignee: Remedy Golf Incorporated
• Inventors: Hecksel, David L., Duderstadt, Russel A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafiz, Tariq R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAS, CHAMELI
• Application Number:
  US08/975,536
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• Field of Search: 395/712, 380/51, 705/27, 705/59, 713/200, 713/201, 717/11
• US Class Current: 717/178
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2135 Metering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation

Abstract

A method for registering a software program and performing post-registration activities includes initiating a registration session for the software program; identifying a matching software program; selecting registration information stored in a memory, the selected registration information provided by a user during a previous registration session for the matching software program; and proceeding with the registration session based on the selected registration information.

In another embodiment, the method includes determining a current registration status of the software program based on a current date, a reference date, and a configurable post-registration activity period; and conducting the post-registration activity based on the status of the software program.

Claims

1. A method for registering a software program, comprising:

initiating a registration session for the software program;

searching a memory for a matching software program comprising a previously registered software program having at least one attribute that matches an attribute of the software program;

adding the matching software program to a list of matching software programs;

selecting the most recently accessed matching software program from the list of matching software programs;

retrieving selected registration information associated with the selected matching software program and provided by a user during a previous registration session for the selected matching software program; and

proceeding with the registration session based on the selected registration information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the matching program comprises identifying a previously registered software program associated with registration information presented in the registration session.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the matching program comprises:

determining a user, a national language, or the name of a publisher of the software program; and

identifying a previously registered software program having a user, a national language, or a publisher matching the user, national language, or publisher of the software program.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the most recently accessed matching software program comprises:

determining a current date;

determining a last-accessed date of each matching software program;

comparing the current date to the last-accessed date of each matching software program; and

selecting the matching software program having a last-accessed date closest to the current date.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein proceeding with the registration session comprises:

populating a registration data field with the selected registration information; and

presenting the populated registration data field to a user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein proceeding with the registration session comprises:

receiving current registration information from a user; and

updating the registration information associated with the matching software program with the current registration information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein proceeding with the registration session comprises:

receiving current registration information associated with the software program; and

establishing a unique identifier for the current registration information associated with the software program.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating registration information associated with the software program to a remote device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating registration information associated with the software program during a subsequent registration session for another software program.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring usage statistics associated with the software program; and

collecting the usage statistics during the registration session.

11. A system for registering a software program, comprising:

a memory operable to store registration information provided by a user during a previous registration session for a most recently accessed matching software program;

a user interface operable to receive input from a user; and

a processor operable to retrieve the registration information associated with the matching software program for use in a registration session for a software program.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the memory comprises a plurality of configuration files capable of being indexed according to at least one attribute of the matching software program.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the memory comprises a plurality of configuration files capable of being indexed according to a user, a national language, or a publisher associated with the matching software program.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising a usage monitor operable to gather usage statistics related to the software program.

15. The system of claim 11, further comprising a communication link operable to communicate information associated with the registration session to a remote site.

16. A computer readable media having a software program operable to execute the following steps on a processor of a computer:

initiating a registration session for a software program;

searching a memory for a matching software program comprising a previously registered software program having at least one attribute that matches an attribute of the software program;

adding the matching software program to a list of matching software programs;

selecting a most recently accessed matching software program from the list of matching software programs;

retrieving selected registration information associated with the selected matching software program and provided by a user during a previous registration session for the selected matching software program; and

proceeding with the registration session based on the selected registration information.

17. The computer readable media of claim 16 wherein identifying the matching program comprises identifying a previously registered software program associated with registration information presented in the registration session.

18. The computer readable media of claim 16, wherein identifying the matching program comprises:

determining a user, a national language, or a publisher associated with the software program; and

identifying a previously registered software program having a user, a national language, or a publisher matching the user, national language, or publisher associated with the software program.

19. The computer readable media of claim 16, wherein selecting the most recently accessed matching software program comprises:

determining a current date;

determining a last-accessed date of each matching software program;

comparing the current date to the last-accessed date of each matching software program; and

selecting the matching software program having a last-accessed date closest to the current date.

20. The computer readable media of claim 16, wherein proceeding with the registration session comprises:

populating a registration data field with the selected registration information; and

presenting the populated registration data field to a user.

21. The computer readable media of claim 16, wherein proceeding with the registration session comprises:

receiving current registration information from a user; and

updating the registration information associated with the matching software program with the current registration information.

22. The computer readable media of claim 16, wherein proceeding with the registration session comprises:

receiving current registration information associated with the software program; and

establishing a unique identifier for the current registration information associated with the software program.

23. The computer readable media of claim 16, further comprising communicating registration information associated with the software program to a remote device.

24. The computer readable media of claim 16, further comprising communicating registration information associated with the software program during a subsequent registration session for another software program.

25. The computer readable media of claim 16, further comprising:

monitoring usage statistics associated with software program; and

collecting the usage statistics during the registration session.

26. A method for performing a post-registration activity associated with a software program, comprising:

accessing a memory comprising a reference date and at least one configurable post-registration activity period;

for each configurable post-registration activity period, generating an activity date comprising the reference date plus the configurable post-registration activity period;

comparing the current date to at least one activity date to determine a current activity date; and

conducting a post-registration activity based on the determined current activity date.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the reference date comprises an installation date of the software program.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein comparing the current activity date to at least one activity date further comprises identifying a current activity date having an activity date immediately preceding the first activity date occurring after the current date.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

identifying a current post-registration activity period associated with the current activity date; and

accessing the memory to retrieve a registration status associated with the current post-registration activity period.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the post-registration activity comprises registering the software program.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein registering the software program comprises:

accessing a memory comprising registration information relating to a previously registered software program;

presenting the user with a plurality of registration data fields; and

populating the data fields with registration information associated with the previously registered software program.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein conducting a post-registration activity comprises:

presenting the user with a configurable survey question associated with the current activity date; and

receiving a response to the configurable survey question.

33. The method of claim 26, wherein conducting post-registration activity comprises:

accessing a memory comprising registration information associated with the software program; and

updating registration information associated with a previously registered program.

34. The method of claim 26, wherein conducting a post-registration activity comprises:

determining that a registration status of the software program is deferred;

accessing a memory comprising registration information associated with the software program;

establishing a communication link with a remote device; and

transmitting the information associated with the software program to the remote device.

35. The method of claim 26, wherein conducting a post-registration activity comprises:

gathering usage statistics associated with the software program;

establishing a communication link with a remote device; and

communicating the usage statistics associated with the software program to the remote device.

36. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

establishing a communication link with a remote device;

transmitting information received during the session to the remote device.

37. A system for performing post-registration activities, comprising:

a memory comprising;

a reference date associated with a software program;

a configurable post-registration activity period associated with the software program; and

registration information relating to at least one previously registered software program; and

a processor operable to access the memory to determine a current registration status of the software program, the current registration status based on a relationship between the reference date, a current date, and the configurable post-registration activity period, the processor further operable to conduct a session based on the current registration status of the software, the processor further operable to access the memory in response to a current registration of the software program to retrieve selected registration information relating to a selected previously registered software program, and to utilize the selected registration information in the current registration of the software program.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the selected registration information comprises information selected from a group consisting of information personal to the user and the user'"'"'s previous responses to survey questions.

39. A computer readable media having a software program operable to execute the following steps on a processor of a computer:

initiating a session;

accessing a memory comprising a reference date and at least one configurable post-registration activity period;

for each configurable post-registration activity period, generating an activity date comprising the reference date plus the configurable post-registration activity period;

comparing the current date to at least one activity date to determine a current activity date; and

conducting a session based on the determined current activity date.

40. The computer readable media of claim 39, wherein the reference date comprises an installation date of the software program.

41. The computer readable media of claim 39, wherein the current activity date comprises:

an activity date immediately preceding the first activity date occurring after the current date.

42. The computer readable media of claim 39, further comprising:

identifying a current post-registration activity period comprising the configurable post-registration activity period associated with the current activity date; and

accessing the memory based on the current post-registration activity period to determine a current registration status the current registration status comprising the registration status associated with the current post-registration activity period.

43. The computer readable media of claim 42, wherein determining the registration status and conducting a session comprise:

determining that the registration status of the identified software is unregistered; and

conducting a registration session to register the software program.

44. The computer readable media of claim 43, wherein conducting a registration session to register the software program comprises:

accessing a memory comprising registration information relating to at least one previously registered software program;

presenting the user with a plurality of registration data fields; and

populating the data fields with registration information associated with the previously registered software program.

45. The computer readable media of claim 43, wherein determining the registration status and conducting a session comprise:

determining that the registration status of the software program is deferred;

accessing a memory comprising registration information associated with the software program;

establishing a communication link with a remote device; and

transmitting the information associated with the software program to the remote device.

46. The computer readable media of claim 39, wherein conducting a session comprises:

presenting the user with a configurable survey question associated with the current activity date.

47. The computer readable media of claim 39, wherein conducting a session comprises:

accessing a memory comprising registration information associated with the software program; and

updating the registration information associated with the software program.

48. The computer readable media of claim 47, further comprising updating registration information associated with a previously registered program.

49. The computer readable media of claim 39, wherein conducting a session comprises:

gathering usage statistics associated with the software program;

establishing a communication link with a remote device; and

communicating the usage statistics associated with the software program to the remote device.

50. The computer readable media of claim 39, further comprising:

establishing a communication link with a remote device;

transmitting information received during the session to the remote device.

51. A system for performing post-registration activities, comprising:

a memory comprising;

a reference date associated with a software program;

a configurable post-registration activity period associated with the software program;

a chronology table comprising an activity date corresponding to each configurable post-registration activity period comprising the reference date plus one of the configurable post-registration activity periods; and

a current activity date determined by comparing a current date to at least one activity date; and

a processor operable to access the memory to determine the current activity date and to conduct a post-registration activity based on the determined current activity date.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein the reference date comprises an installation date of the software program.

53. The system of claim 51, wherein the current activity date comprises:

the activity date immediately preceding the first activity date occurring after the current date.

54. The system of claim 51, further comprising:

a usage monitor operable to gather usage statistics related to the software program; and

wherein the memory comprises usage statistics related to the software program.

55. The system of claim 51, wherein the memory comprises at least one configurable survey question associated with the current activity date.

56. The system of claim 51, further comprising a communication link operable to couple the processor to a remote device.