Computer readable storage medium for providing repeated contact with software end-user

• US 6,795,925 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2001
• Issued: 09/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: z4 Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: z4 Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Colvin, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): REVAK, CHRISTOPHER A
• Application Number:
  US09/993,102
• Publication Number:
  US 20020078373A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,051 Days
• Field of Search: 713/200, 713/201, 713/150, 713/168, 713/202, 709/223, 709/224, 705/50-59, 705/14, 717/168
• US Class Current: 726/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/121 Restricting unauthorised execution of programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements

Abstract

A computer readable storage medium for providing repeated contact with computer software or a software user to transfer information which may include advertising, promotional, or marketing information includes repeatedly contacting the software manufacturer or third party representative or agent for continued use of the software. The invention provides for automatically obtaining authorization information in addition to marketing, advertising, and/or promotional information prior to expiration of each authorization interval or period. The user and/or software contacts an authorized representative of the software to obtain authorization information which may be downloaded directly to the software or provided to the user for entry. Authorization intervals may vary depending upon the particular application.

Claims

1. For use with computer software installed on a personal computer, a computer readable storage medium having stored data representing instructions executable by the personal computer to provide software anti-piracy protection and repeated contact between an authorized software representative and the computer software or a user of the computer software, the computer readable storage medium comprising:

instructions for requiring entry of a first authorization code supplied with the computer software to at least partially enable the computer software on the personal computer for use by the computer software user during an initial authorization period;

instructions for requiring the computer software user to manually or automatically contact the representative for retrieval of at least one additional authorization code to repeat the enablement of the computer software on the personal computer for use by the computer software user during a subsequent authorization period after the initial authorization period and allowing the repeat of the enablement of the computer software to be performed prior to the expiration of the initial authorization period so the enablement of the computer software can be continuous from the initial authorization period to the subsequent authorization period, the computer software being enabled during the subsequent authorization period without requiring further communication with the representative following entry of the at least one additional authorization code;

instructions for automatically initiating contact from the personal computer or the computer software with the representative based on a computer software usage metric;

instructions for transferring information from the computer software or the computer software user to the representative subsequent to the initiation of contact with the representative;

instructions for receiving marketing or computer software upgrade information from the representative by the personal computer or the computer software in response to the computer software or the computer software user transferring information to the representative;

instructions for selectively displaying at least a portion of the received information on the personal computer for the computer software user to view; and

instructions for repeating the steps of automatically initiating contact, transferring information, receiving information, and selectively displaying information.

2. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein the instructions for repeating comprise instructions for repeating at predetermined periods.

3. The computer readable storage medium of claim 2 wherein the instructions for repeating at predetermined periods include instructions for repeating at a period based on a clock and/or calendar.

4. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein the instructions for automatically initiating contact include instructions for automatically initiating contact based on elapsed execution time of the computer software.

5. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein the instructions for automatically initiating contact include instructions for automatically initiating contact based on a version number associated with the computer software.

6. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein the instructions for automatically initiating contact include instructions for automatically initiating contact at random periods.

7. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein the instructions for automatically initiating contact include instructions for automatically initiating contact based on number of times the computer software is executed.

8. For use with computer software installed on a personal computer, a computer readable storage medium having stored data representing instructions executable by the personal computer to provide software anti-piracy protection and repeated contact between an authorized software representative and the computer software or a user of the computer software, the computer readable storage medium comprising:

instructions for requiring entry of a first authorization code supplied with the computer software to at least partially enable the computer software on the personal computer for use by the computer software user during an initial authorization period;

instructions for requiring the computer software user to manually or automatically contact the representative for retrieval of at least one additional authorization code to repeat the enablement of the computer software on the personal computer for use by the computer software user during a subsequent authorization period after the initial authorization period and allowing the repeat of the enablement of the computer software to be performed prior to the expiration of the initial authorization period so the enablement of the computer software can be continuous from the initial authorization period to the subsequent authorization period, the computer software being enabled during the subsequent authorization period without requiring further communication with the representative following entry of the at least one additional authorization code;

instructions for automatically initiating contact from the personal computer or the computer software with the representative based on usage of the computer software;

instructions for transferring information from the computer software or the computer software user to the representative subsequent to the initiation of contact with the representative;

instructions for receiving software information, software upgrades, marketing information, promotional information, or advertising information by the personal computer or the computer software from the software administrator in response to the computer software or the computer software user transferring information to the representative;

instructions for selectively displaying at least a portion of the received information on the personal computer for the computer software user to view.

9. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8 further comprising instructions for repeating the steps of automatically initiating contact, receiving information, and selectively displaying received information at predetermined periods.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9 wherein the instructions for repeating at predetermined periods include instructions for repeating at a period based on a clock and/or calendar.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9 wherein the instructions for repeating at predetermined periods include instructions for repeating at a period based on elapsed execution time of the computer software.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9 wherein the instructions for repeating at predetermined periods include instructions for repeating at a period based on a version number associated with the computer software.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9 wherein the instructions for repeating at predetermined periods include instructions for repeating at a period based on number of times the computer software is executed.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8 wherein the instructions for repeating include instructions for repeating at random periods.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8 wherein the instructions for automatically initiating contact include instructions for automatically initiating contact each time the computer software is used.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8 wherein the instructions for automatically initiating contact include instructions for automatically initiating contact based on elapsed execution time of the computer software.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8 wherein the instructions for automatically initiating contact include instructions for automatically initiating contact based on a number of executions of the computer software.

18. For use with computer software installed on a personal computer, a computer readable storage medium having stored data representing instructions executable by the personal computer to provide software anti-piracy protection and repeated contact between an administrator and the computer software or a user of the computer software, the computer readable storage medium comprising:

instructions for requiring the computer software user to enter a first authorization code supplied with the computer software to at least partially enable the computer software on the personal computer for use by the computer software user during an initial authorization period;

instructions for requiring the computer software user to manually or automatically contact the administrator for retrieval of at least one additional authorization code to repeat the enablement of the computer software on the personal computer for use by the computer software user during a subsequent authorization period after the initial authorization period and allowing the repeat of the enablement of the computer software to be preformed prior to the expiration of the initial authorization period so the enablement of the computer software can be continuous from the initial authorization period to the subsequent authorization period, the software being enabled during the subsequent authorization period without requiring further communication with the administrator following entry of the at least one additional authorization code;

instructions for automatically initiating contact from the personal computer or the computer software with the administrator;

instructions for transferring information from the computer software or the computer software user to the administrator subsequent to the initiation of contact with the administrator during an authorization period;

instructions for receiving marketing or computer software upgrade information by the personal computer or the computer software from the administrator in response to the computer software or the computer software user transferring information to the administrator;

instructions for selectively displaying at least a portion of the received information on the personal computer for the computer software user to view; and

instructions for repeating the step of automatically initiating contact and transferring information and then selectively receiving and displaying information.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18 wherein the instructions for automatically initiating contact with the administrator include instructions for automatically initiating contact based on usage of the computer software.