Methods and apparatus for rapidly activating previously inactive components in a computer system
First Claim
1. A method of activating a previously inactive component in a computer system comprising:
- receiving a request for activating said previously inactive component;
ascertaining whether there exists a first right for activating said previously inactive component;
if said first right exists, activating said previously inactive component in accordance with said first right;
if there is no first right for activating said previously inactive component, ascertaining whether there exists a second right for activating said previously inactive component, said second right being more restricted than said first right; and
if said second right exists, activating said previously inactive component in accordance with said second right,wherein said first right represents an acquired right and said second right represents a pending right granted based on a provisional license that is shorter in duration than a duration of said first right,wherein said first right is represented by an expected inactive component variable, said expected inactive component variable representing the number of inactive components having the same type as said inactive component that should be present in said computer system to be in compliance with said first right, said second right is represented by a pending expected inactive component variable, said expected inactive component variable representing the number of inactive components having the same type as said inactive component that should be present in said computer system to be in compliance with both said first right and said second right,wherein said pending expected inactive component variable is decremented by an application of a codeword, said second right being deemed to exist if a value of said pending expected inactive component variable is smaller than a value of said expected inactive component variable in said computer system, said pending expected inactive component variable and said expected inactive component variable pertaining to the same component type in said computer system,wherein said value of said pending expected inactive component variable is incremented when said second right expires.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of activating a previously inactive component in a computer system is disclosed. The method includes receiving a request for activating the previously inactive component and ascertaining whether there exists a first right for activating the previously inactive component. The method further includes activating the previously inactive component in accordance with the first right if the first right exists. The method additionally includes ascertaining, if there is no first right for activating the previously inactive component, whether there exists a second right for activating the previously inactive component, the second right being more restricted than the first right. Furthermore, the method includes activating the previously active component in accordance with the second right if the second right exists.
31 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method of activating a previously inactive component in a computer system comprising:
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receiving a request for activating said previously inactive component; ascertaining whether there exists a first right for activating said previously inactive component; if said first right exists, activating said previously inactive component in accordance with said first right; if there is no first right for activating said previously inactive component, ascertaining whether there exists a second right for activating said previously inactive component, said second right being more restricted than said first right; and if said second right exists, activating said previously inactive component in accordance with said second right, wherein said first right represents an acquired right and said second right represents a pending right granted based on a provisional license that is shorter in duration than a duration of said first right, wherein said first right is represented by an expected inactive component variable, said expected inactive component variable representing the number of inactive components having the same type as said inactive component that should be present in said computer system to be in compliance with said first right, said second right is represented by a pending expected inactive component variable, said expected inactive component variable representing the number of inactive components having the same type as said inactive component that should be present in said computer system to be in compliance with both said first right and said second right, wherein said pending expected inactive component variable is decremented by an application of a codeword, said second right being deemed to exist if a value of said pending expected inactive component variable is smaller than a value of said expected inactive component variable in said computer system, said pending expected inactive component variable and said expected inactive component variable pertaining to the same component type in said computer system, wherein said value of said pending expected inactive component variable is incremented when said second right expires. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for allowing a user to activate a previously inactive component in a computer system, said computer including components already activated under an acquired right, comprising:
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sending a request for activating said previously inactive component to a vendor of said computer system; ascertaining, upon receiving said request, whether said activating said previously inactive components causes a number of permissible provisionally activable components to be exhausted; if said activating said previously inactive components causes said number of permissible provisionally activable components to be exhausted, refusing said request; if said activating said previously inactive components does not cause said number of permissible provisionally activable components to be exhausted, generating a codeword for transmitting to said user; obtaining said codeword from said vendor, said codeword implementing a pending right to activate said previously inactive component and including an authorization of said activating said previously inactive component and a time parameter if said activating said previously inactive components does not cause said number of permissible provisionally activable components to be exhausted; and
entering said codeword into said computer system, thereby allowing said additional component to be activated in said computer system during a time period allowed under said pending right, said time period being derivable from said time parameter. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification