Method and system for managing digital goods

• US 8,135,756 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2006
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flexera Software LLC
• Original Assignee: Intraware Inc. (Flexera Software LLC)
• Inventors: Brentano, James, Pieber, Toby, Martinelli, Paul, Thompson, Brad, Northing, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): SYED, FARHAN M
• Application Number:
  US11/608,201
• Publication Number:
  US 20070220051A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,923 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/805
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A system and method for transferring digital goods facilitates bulk upload of file images to a central repository. The software gets a File ID and a path to each file image to be uploaded from a list, typically an XML file, of input attributes. After successful verification, the file image is uploaded to the central repository and linked with a corresponding metadata object. Each metadata object contains attributes that describe the corresponding file image. Although file attributes may be defined when the metadata object is created, the software determines file image attributes as the file image is being uploaded and records them in the metadata object. File images are either uploaded from a server, typically an FTP server, having been placed there by the goods vendor; or the file images can be uploaded directly from a computer operated by the vendor.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of transferring digital goods from one or more vendors to a central network repository, comprising steps of:

assigning each vendor from among said one or more vendors a unique e-commerce server space directory, wherein the unique e-commerce server space directory includes a unique URL that allows vendors access to their own dynamically generated and password-protected web site;

loading one or more versions of a plurality of software files from a source location by a vendor, wherein said source location comprises an FTP server;

obtaining at least one File ID parameter for each version of each software file among the plurality of software files and a source file pathname identifying the actual e-commerce server space directory location of each version of each software file in said plurality of software files at one or more computers operated by said one or more vendors, wherein said at least one File ID parameter is selected from a list of input parameters, wherein said at least one File ID parameter comprises an XML (eXtensible Markup Language) file, wherein said XML file contains an element corresponding to each version of each software file in said plurality of software files, and wherein said element contains said at least one File ID parameter;

obtaining, for each software file in said plurality of software files, a vendor identifier and a checksum for verifying the integrity of each version of each software file in said plurality of software files via one or more application-specific forms available to a user through one or more web service, wherein said checksum is configured for tracking multiple versions of said plurality of software files;

linking each version of each software file in said plurality of software files with a corresponding metadata object within a product description;

creating said at least one corresponding metadata object by the vendor of each version of each software file in said plurality of software files;

uploading each version of each software file in said plurality of software files from said source location to said unique e-commerce server space directory, wherein said uploading fails when;

said at least one file image is not found;

said metadata object is not found;

or

said software file in said plurality of software files fails an integrity check; and

interpreting the at least one File ID parameter and the source file pathname according to predefined rules for display of the at least one file image on standardized browsers using a user-defined template.

2. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with a computer program for transferring digital goods from one or more vendors to a central network repository, comprising computer-readable code means, said computer-readable code means comprising program code for executing a method for transferring digital goods, said method comprising steps of:

assigning each vendor from among said one or more vendors a unique e-commerce server space directory, wherein the unique e-commerce server space directory includes a unique URL that allows vendors access to their own dynamically generated and password-protected web site;

loading one or more versions of a plurality of software files from a source location by a vendor, wherein said source location comprises an FTP server;

obtaining at least one File ID parameter for each version of each software file among the plurality of software files and a source file pathname identifying the actual e-commerce server space directory location of each version of each software file in said plurality of software files at one or more computers operated by said one or more vendors, wherein said at least one File ID parameter is selected from a list of input parameters, wherein said at least one File ID parameter comprises an XML (eXtensible Markup Language) file, wherein said XML file contains an element corresponding to each version of each software file in said plurality of software files, and wherein said element contains said at least one File ID parameter;

obtaining, for each software file in said plurality of software files, a vendor identifier and a checksum for verifying the integrity of each version of each software file in said plurality of software files via one or more application-specific forms available to a user through one or more web service, wherein said checksum is configured for tracking multiple versions of said plurality of software files;

linking each version of each software file in said plurality of software files with a corresponding metadata object within a product description;

creating said at least one corresponding metadata object by the vendor of each version of each software file in said plurality of software files;

uploading each version of each software file in said plurality of software files from said source location to said unique e-commerce server space directory, wherein said uploading fails when;

said at least one file image is not found;

said metadata object is not found;

or

said software file in said plurality of software files fails an integrity check; and

interpreting the at least one File ID parameter and the source file pathname according to predefined rules for display of the at least one file image on standardized browsers using a user-defined template.

3. A system for transferring digital goods from one or more vendors to a central network repository, comprising steps of:

a source location comprising a server, wherein one or more versions of a plurality of software files is stored at said location;

memory;

processor means for executing instructions in memory, said instructions including instructions for;

assigning each vendor from among said one or more vendors a unique e-commerce server space directory, wherein the unique e-commerce server space directory includes a unique URL that allows vendors access to their own dynamically generated and password-protected web site;

loading one or more versions of a plurality of software files from a source location by a vendor, wherein said source location comprises an FTP server;

obtaining at least one File ID parameter for each version of each software file among the plurality of software files and a source file pathname identifying the actual e-commerce server space directory location of each version of each software file in said plurality of software files at one or more computers operated by said one or more vendors, wherein said at least one File ID parameter is selected from a list of input parameters, wherein said at least one File ID parameter comprises an XML (eXtensible Markup Language) file, wherein said XML file contains an element corresponding to each version of each software file in said plurality of software files, and wherein said element contains said at least one File ID parameter;

obtaining, for each software file in said plurality of software files, a vendor identifier and a checksum for verifying the integrity of each version of each software file in said plurality of software files via one or more application-specific forms available to a user through one or more web service, wherein said checksum is configured for tracking multiple versions of said plurality of software files;

linking each version of each software file in said plurality of software files with a corresponding metadata object within a product description;

creating said at least one corresponding metadata object by the vendor of each version of each software file in said plurality of software files;

uploading each version of each software file in said plurality of software files from said source location to said unique e-commerce server space directory, wherein said uploading fails when;

said at least one file image is not found;

said metadata object is not found;

or

said software file in said plurality of software files fails an integrity check; and

interpreting the at least one File ID parameter and the source file pathname according to predefined rules for display of the at least one file image on standardized browsers using a user-defined template.