Digital license agreement

• US 7,031,943 B1
• Filed: 05/10/2000
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: James, Arthur, Brent, Michelle, Corless, Peter, Khera, Sanjay, Park, Soyoung
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary D.
• Application Number:
  US09/568,652
• Time in Patent Office: 2,169 Days
• Field of Search: 705 50- 54, 705 57- 59, 705/64, 705/67, 705/75, 713155-159, 713164-173, 380/201, 380 28- 30, 380277-279, 707 9- 10
• US Class Current: 705/59
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce

Abstract

A method and system for licensing intellectual properties. A user can acquire a license conveying rights in intellectual properties by accessing a designated site and making a digital license request. Terms and conditions that can be accepted by the user are then made available to the user in the form of a model digital license agreement. Agreement to the terms of the model digital license agreement by the user, and acceptance thereof by the Licensor, creates a digital license agreement that conveys the intellectual property rights defined in the digital license agreement. The final form of the digital license agreement, after agreement thereto by the Licensor and the user, creates a digital license agreement representation that is a digital representation of the terms and conditions that define the intellectual property rights conveyed.

Claims

1. A method for assigning intellectual property rights, said method comprising the computer implemented steps of:

a) storing a model digital license agreement that defines terms for licensing intellectual property related to a product to be sent to a user;

b) enabling electronic links to said model digital license agreement such that said terms for licensing an said intellectual property can be viewed by said user;

c) enabling an electronic selection and acceptance by said user of said terms for licensing said intellectual property prior to sending said product to said user, wherein said model digital license agreement includes a plurality of modular components that are individually selected by said user to define the terms of said model digital license agreement;

d) sending a product to a said user after the terms of said model digital license agreement that are selected by said user are approved by a vendor of said product, said model digital license agreement that is approved defining the intellectual property rights granted to said user that relate to said product;

e) sending a copy of said model digital license agreement that is approved to said user; and

f) sending a digital license key data to said user, said digital license key data enabling the operation of said product.

2. A method for assigning intellectual property rights as recited in claim 1 wherein step c) further comprises the steps of:

c1) enabling a user to insert information into said model digital license agreement; and

c2) enabling said user to digitally sign and certify said model digital license agreement.

3. A method for assigning intellectual property rights as recited in claim 2 further comprising the step of:

g) generating a digital license agreement embodiment upon receipt of a digitally signed model digital license agreement that includes any required information and upon acceptance thereof by a licensor, said digital license agreement embodiment defining the intellectual property rights conveyed to said user.

4. A method for assigning intellectual property rights as recited in claim 2 wherein said model digital license agreement in step a) is stored at a first location, and wherein said terms for licensing said an intellectual property can be viewed at a second location, said method enabling a user to electronically accept said terms for licensing said intellectual property at said second location.

5. A method for assigning intellectual property rights as recited in claim 4 wherein said model digital license agreement includes a plurality of modular components that define intellectual property rights that can be accepted by said user, said plurality of modular components allowing said user to accept ones of said plurality of modular components to obtain a digital license agreement that meets the needs of said user, said method further comprising the step of:

g) generating a digital license agreement embodiment upon receipt of a digitally signed model digital license agreement that includes any required information and upon acceptance thereof by a licensor, said digital license agreement embodiment defining the intellectual property rights represented by the modular components accepted by said user.

6. A method for assigning intellectual property rights as recited in claim 1 wherein step b) further comprises the steps of:

b1) enabling a reseller to request a model digital license agreement upon receipt of a request from a user;

b2) sending a model digital license agreement to said reseller; and

b3) allowing a user to view said model digital license agreement.

7. A method for assigning intellectual property rights as recited in claim 6 wherein step c) further comprises the steps of:

c1) enabling said user to insert information into said model digital license agreement; and

c2) enabling said user to digitally sign said model digital license agreement.

8. A method for assigning intellectual property rights as recited in claim 7 wherein said model digital license agreement includes a plurality of modular components that define intellectual property rights that can be accepted by said user, said plurality of modular components allowing said user to accept ones of said plurality of modular components to obtain a digital license agreement that meets the needs of said user.

9. A method for assigning intellectual property rights as recited in claim 6 wherein step b2) further includes determining whether said reseller is an authorized reseller of a product, and generating a model digital license agreement upon receipt of a request for a digital license agreement from said reseller when said reseller is determined to be an authorized reseller of said product.

10. A method for assigning intellectual property rights as recited in claim 9 further comprising the steps of:

g) providing a digital license key value to said reseller;

h) producing a copy of said product; and

i) sending said copy of said product and sending said digital license key value from said reseller to said user, said digital license key value enabling the operation of said copy of said product.

11. A computer system comprising:

a bus;

a processor coupled to said bus; and

a memory unit coupled to said bus, said processor for executing a method for assigning intellectual property rights, said method comprising the steps of;

a) storing a model digital license agreement that defines terms for licensing intellectual property related to a product to be sent to a user;

b) enabling electronic links to said model digital license agreement such that said terms for licensing said intellectual property can be viewed by said user;

c) enabling an electronic selection and acceptance by said user of said terms for licensing said intellectual property prior to sending said product to said user, wherein said model digital license agreement includes a plurality of modular components that are individually selected by said user to define the terms of said model digital license agreement;

d) sending a product to said user after the terms of said model digital license agreement that are selected by said user are approved by a vendor of said product, said model digital license agreement that is approved defining the intellectual property rights granted to said user that relate to said product;

e) sending a copy of said model digital license agreement that is approved to said user; and

f) sending a digital license key data to said user, said digital license key data enabling the operation of said product.

12. A computer system as recited in claim 11 wherein said processor performs said method for assigning intellectual property rights and wherein step c) further comprises the steps of:

c1) enabling a user to insert information into said model digital license agreement; and

c2) enabling said user to digitally sign said model digital license agreement.

13. A computer system as recited in claim 12 wherein said processor performs said method for assigning intellectual property rights, said method further comprising the step of:

g) generating a digital license agreement embodiment upon receipt of a digitally signed model digital license agreement that includes any required information and upon acceptance thereof by a licensor, said digital license agreement embodiment defining the intellectual property rights conveyed to said user.

14. A computer system as recited in claim 13 wherein said processor performs said method for assigning intellectual property rights and wherein said model digital license agreement in step a) is stored at a first location, and wherein said terms for licensing said an intellectual property can be viewed at a second location, said method enabling a user to electronically accept said terms for licensing said intellectual property at said second location.

15. A computer system as recited in claim 14 wherein said processor performs said method for assigning intellectual property rights and wherein said model digital license agreement includes a plurality of modular components that define intellectual property rights that can be accepted by said user, said plurality of modular components allowing said user to accept ones of said plurality of modular components to obtain a digital license agreement that meets the needs of said user, said method further comprising the step of:

g) generating a digital license agreement embodiment upon receipt of a digitally signed model digital license agreement that includes any required information and upon acceptance thereof by a licensor, said digital license agreement embodiment defining the intellectual property rights represented by the modular components accepted by said user.

16. A computer system as recited in claim 11 wherein said processor performs said method for assigning intellectual property rights and wherein step b) further comprises the steps of:

b1) enabling a reseller to request a model digital license agreement upon receipt of a request from a user;

b2) sending said model digital license agreement to said reseller; and

b3) allowing a user to view said model digital license agreement.

17. A computer system as recited in claim 16 wherein said processor performs said method for assigning intellectual property rights and wherein step c) further comprises the steps of:

c1) enabling said user to insert information into said model digital license agreement; and

c2) enabling said user to digitally sign said model digital license agreement.

18. A computer system as recited in claim 17 wherein said processor performs said method for assigning intellectual property rights and wherein said model digital license agreement includes a plurality of modular components that define intellectual property rights that can be accepted by said user, said plurality of modular components allowing said user to accept ones of said plurality of modular components to obtain a digital license agreement that meets the needs of said user.

19. A computer system as recited in claim 16 wherein step b2) further includes determining whether said reseller is an authorized reseller of a product, and generating a model digital license agreement upon receipt of a request for a model digital license agreement from said reseller when said reseller is determined to be an authorized reseller of said product.

20. A computer system as recited in claim 19 wherein said processor

performs said method for assigning intellectual property rights, said method further comprising the steps of:

g) providing a digital license key value to said reseller;

h) producing a copy of said product; and

i) sending said copy of said product and sending said digital license key value from said reseller to said user, said digital license key value enabling the operation of said copy of said product.

21. A computer-useable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for causing a computer system to perform the steps of:

a) storing a model digital license agreement that defines terms for licensing intellectual property related to a product to be sent to a user;

b) enabling electronic links to said model digital license agreement such that said terms for licensing said intellectual property can be viewed by said user;

c) enabling an electronic selection and acceptance by said user of said terms for licensing said intellectual property prior to sending said product to said user, wherein said model digital license agreement includes a plurality of modular components that are individually selected by said user to define the terms of said model digital license agreement;

d) sending a product to said user after the terms of said model digital license agreement that are selected by said user are approved by a vendor of said product, said model digital license agreement that is approved defining the intellectual property rights granted to said user that relate to said product;

e) sending a copy of said model digital license agreement that is approved to said user; and

f) sending a digital license key data to said user, said digital license key data enabling the operation of said product.

22. A computer-usable medium as recited in claim 21 wherein step c) further comprises the steps of:

c1) enabling said user to insert information into said model digital license agreement; and

c2) enabling said user to digitally sign said model digital license agreement.

23. A computer-usable medium as recited in claim 22 wherein said computer-readable program code embodied therein causes a computer system to perform the step of:

g) generating a digital license agreement embodiment upon receipt of a digitally signed model digital license agreement that includes any required information and upon acceptance thereof by a licensor, said digital license agreement embodiment defining the intellectual property rights conveyed to said user.

24. A computer-usable medium as recited in claim 23 said model digital license agreement in step a) is stored at a first location, and wherein said terms for licensing said an intellectual property can be viewed at a second location, said method enabling a user to electronically accept said terms for licensing said intellectual property at said second location.

25. A computer-usable medium as recited in claim 24 wherein said model digital license agreement includes a plurality of modular components that define intellectual property rights that can be accepted by said user, said plurality of modular components allowing said user to accept ones of said plurality of modular components to obtain a digital license agreement that meets the needs of said user, and wherein said computer-readable program code embodied therein causes a computer system to perform the step of:

g) generating a digital license agreement embodiment upon receipt of a digitally signed model digital license agreement that includes any required information and upon acceptance thereof by a licensor, said digital license agreement embodiment defining the intellectual property rights represented by the modular components accepted by said user.

26. A computer-usable medium as recited in claim 21 wherein step b) further comprises the steps of:

b1) enabling a reseller to request a model digital license agreement upon receipt of a request from a user;

b2) sending said model digital license agreement to said reseller; and

b3) allowing a user to view said model digital license agreement.

27. A computer-usable medium as recited in claim 26 wherein step c) further comprises the steps of:

c1) enabling said user to insert information into said model digital license agreement; and

c2) enabling said user to digitally sign said model digital license agreement.

28. A computer-usable medium as recited in claim 27 wherein said model digital license agreement includes a plurality of modular components that define intellectual property rights that can be accepted by said user, said plurality of modular components allowing said user to accept ones of said plurality of modular components to obtain a digital license agreement that meets the needs of said user.

29. A computer-usable medium as recited in claim 26 wherein step b2) further includes determining whether said reseller is an authorized reseller of a product, and generating a model digital license agreement upon receipt of a request for a model digital license agreement from said reseller when said reseller is determined to be an authorized reseller of said product.

30. A computer-usable medium as recited in claim 29 wherein said computer-readable program code embodied therein causes a computer system to perform the step of:

g) providing a digital license key value to said reseller;

h) producing a copy of said product; and

i) sending said copy of said product and sending said digital license key value from said reseller to said user, said digital license key value enabling the operation of said copy of said product.