Built-in automatic customer identifier when connecting to a vendor website

• US 6,647,532 B1
• Filed: 10/29/1998
• Issued: 11/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Tuttle, Robert, Boede, Jon
• Primary Examiner(s): Field, Joseph H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bashore, William L.
• Application Number:
  US09/182,403
• Time in Patent Office: 1,839 Days
• Field of Search: 707/513, 703/22, 710/36, 717/11, 717/4, 709/221, 709/223, 705/26, 379/93.01, 370/338
• US Class Current: 715/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/33 using certificates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

Browser software loaded on a customer'"'"'s system during a factory pre-install process that includes an identifying information for a computer system in a universal resource locator pre-installed on the system hard drive is described. HTML content pre-installed on the hard drive by a vendor includes identifying information so that when the customer contacts the vendor via the worldwide web, the customer and system are automatically identified to the vendor.

Claims

1. A method of providing a custom configured computer system having a built-in automatic customer and system identifier configured to identify the computer system to a vendor website, the method comprising:

providing general HTML content with tokens for the computer system to a token substitution program;

providing system and order information specific to the computer system to the token substitution program, wherein the token substitution program combines the general HTML content with the system and order information to generate system-specific content;

installing the system-specific content on a hard drive of the computer system during a computer system pre-install process; and

using the system-specific content stored on the hard drive so that a system service tag field and an express service code field are automatically filled in with a system service tag to automatically identify the computer system in response to a customer accessing the vendor website.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the system-specific content comprises a GET URL.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the system and order information comprises a system identifier for the computer system.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the system identifier includes a customer type, further wherein responsive to a connection of the computer system to the vendor website, the customer type automatically enables vendor website selection of a customer environment to be made and displayed on a web page of the vendor website.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein installing includes storing the system-specific content in a bookmarks database of the hard drive.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein installing includes storing the system-specific content in a HTML content database of the hard drive.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein responsive to a connection of the computer system to the vendor website, the system-specific content is automatically provided to the vendor website and enables the vendor website to display on a web page of the vendor website, information specific to the computer system as a function of the system-specific content.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the information specific to the computer system comprises a list of available hardware components.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the information specific to the computer system comprises troubleshooting instructions.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the information specific to the computer system comprises a list of available software components.

11. A system for providing a custom configured computer having a built-in automatic customer and system identifier configured to identify the computer to a vendor website, said system comprising:

means for providing general HTML content with tokens for the computer to a token substitution program;

means for providing system and order information specific to the computer to the token substitution program, wherein the token substitution program combines the general HTML content with the system and order information to generate computer-specific content; and

means for installing the computer-specific content on a hard drive of the computer during a computer pre-install process, so that a system service tag field and express service code field are automatically filled in with a system service tag to automatically identify the computer system in response to a customer accessing the vendor website.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer-specific content comprises a GET URL.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the system and order information comprises a system identifier for the computer.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the system identifier includes a customer type, further wherein responsive to a connection of computer to the vendor website, the customer type automatically enables vendor website selection of a customer environment to be made and displayed on a web page of the vendor website.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer-specific content is stored in a favorites database of the hard drive.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer-specific content is stored in a HTML content database of the hard drive.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein responsive to a connection of the computer to the vendor website, the computer-specific content is automatically provided to the vendor website and enables the vendor website to display on a web page of the vendor website, information specific to the computer as a function of the computer-specific content.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the information specific to the computer comprises a list of available hardware components.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the information specific to the computer comprises troubleshooting instructions.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the information specific to the computer comprises a list of available software components.

21. A computer system comprising:

a processor;

a memory device;

at least one storage device; and

system-specific content stored in said at least one storage device, wherein said system-specific content comprises a built-in automatic customer and system identifier configured to identify said computer system to a vendor website in response to a selection of said system-specific content during an operation of said computer system, wherein said system-specific content having been generated during a computer system pre-install process by a token substituting program in response to (a) general HTML content with tokens for said computer system and (b) system and order information specific to said computer system, the token substitution program having combined the HTML content with the system and order information to generate said system-specific content, so that a system service tag field and an express service code field are automatically filled in with a system service tag to automatically identify the computer system in response to a customer accessing the vendor website.

22. The computer system of claim 21, wherein said system-specific content comprises a GET URL.

23. The computer system of claim 21, wherein said system and order information comprises a system identifier for said computer system.

24. The computer system of claim 23, wherein the system identifier includes a customer type, further wherein responsive to a connection of said computer system to the vendor website, the customer type identifier enables vendor website selection of a customer environment to be made and displayed on a web page of the vendor website.

25. The computer system of claim 21, wherein said system-specific content is stored in a favorites database of said at least one storage device.

26. The computer system of claim 21, wherein said system-specific content is stored in a HTML content database of said at least one storage device.

27. The computer system of claim 21, wherein responsive to a connection of said computer system to the vendor website, said system-specific content is automatically provided to the vendor website and enables the vendor website to display on a web page of the vendor website, information specific to the computer system as a function of said system-specific content.

28. The computer system of claim 27, wherein the information specific to said computer system is selected from the group consisting of a list of available hardware components, troubleshooting instructions, and a list of available software components.

29. The computer system of claim 21, wherein said at least one storage device is a hard drive.