Method and apparatus for providing limited access to data objects or files within an electronic software delivery and management system

• US 8,271,387 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2005
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flexera Software LLC
• Original Assignee: Intraware Inc. (Flexera Software LLC)
• Inventors: Pieper, Tobid, Martinelli, Paul, Thompson, Brad, Brentano, James, Pietrzak, Brent, Turtle, Donald
• Primary Examiner(s): Agwumezie, Charles C
• Application Number:
  US11/158,972
• Publication Number:
  US 20060287957A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,647 Days
• Field of Search: 705/51, 709/203
• US Class Current: 705/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2115 Third party
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing limited access to data objects or files within an electronic software delivery and management system are described. A data object is transmitted to the system for storage in a library. Input of one or more restriction parameters is further requested for the stored data object. A user interface is displayed in a display window for facilitating input of the restriction parameters. At least one customer is selected, such as, for example, one or more users authorized to receive the stored data object. The stored data object is further designated as restricted data object for the selected users. Finally, the user restriction information is stored in appropriate tables within a database.

Claims

1. An electronic software delivery and management (ESDM) apparatus, comprising:

a library storing multiple digital objects each submitted by one of multiple third party manufacturers or channel partners for customers to retrieve via the ESDM apparatus;

a database; and

at least one digital data processing machine coupled to the library and database, wherein the digital data processing machine further comprises at least one processing module receiving at least one third party access restriction request to input customer restrictions on access to a digital object stored in the library, said customer restrictions comprising one or more access restriction parameters, said digital object having been submitted by the third party;

an interface coupled to said at least one digital data processing machine facilitating input of said one or more access restriction parameters, said interface comprising a restrict button or link to restrict the stored digital object to specific customers or to remove prior access restrictions placed on the stored digital object;

wherein said at least one processing module;

facilitating selection by said third party of at least one customer authorized to receive said stored digital object from the library as defined by said customer restrictions and in response to said at least one access restriction request; and

designating the stored digital object as a restricted digital object for the selected at least one customer; and

wherein said at least one processing module storing said customer restrictions in the database and thereafter operating the ESDM to regulate access to said digital object only to said at least one authorized customer prior to said at least one authorized user obtaining said digital object from said at least one digital data processing machine.

2. A computer implemented method for facilitating input of customer restrictions associated with respective digital objects or files, comprising the steps of:

transmitting a digital object to an ESDM system for storage in a library;

requesting input of one or more access restriction parameters for said stored digital object;

receiving an interface in a display window for facilitating input of said access restriction parameters;

activating a restrict button or link to restrict the stored digital object to specific customers or to remove prior access restrictions placed on the stored digital object;

selecting at least one customer authorized to receive the stored digital object from the library on the basis of said access restriction parameters;

designating the stored digital object as a restricted digital object for the selected one or more customers; and

transmitting the customer access restriction information to said ESDM system for storage in appropriate tables within a database.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein customers are authorized to access digital objects or files based on entitlement data.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said objects are grouped in packages which the ESDM system makes available as a whole to customers who are entitled, and wherein the ESDM system only permits specifically identified accounts to access certain digital objects or files within the package, and wherein the ESDM system makes said digital objects or files available to said customers independent of creation of any additional entitlements.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

responsive to receiving selection of a customer to be removed from the access restriction list, said ESDM system removing the customer restrictions from the tables within the database.

6. An electronic software delivery and management apparatus, comprising:

a library storing digital objects;

a database storing access entitlement information and access restriction parameters; and

at least one digital data processing machine coupled to the library and the database, the digital data processing machine programmed to perform operations to facilitate delivery of said digital objects or files from software manufacturers and channel partners to customers;

wherein said processing machine comprises at least one processing module receiving a request to access one of said digital objects stored in said library;

wherein said at least one processing module retrieving customer entitlement information from tables within the database, wherein said access entitlement information is associated with a customer;

wherein said at least one processing module retrieving access restriction parameters for the requested digital object;

wherein said at least one processing module determining whether access to the stored digital object is restricted to specific customers based on said customer entitlement information and said access restriction parameters;

wherein said at least one processing module denying the customer access to the digital object if access to the stored digital object is restricted to specific customers and the customer that requested access to the stored digital object is not one of said specific customers;

wherein said at least one processing module allowing the customer access to the digital object if access to the stored digital object has no associated customer restrictions or if the customer is one of said specific customers; and

wherein said at least one processing module transmitting an approval of access to the customer.

7. A computer implemented network connected electronic software delivery and management (ESDM) apparatus, operated by one party on behalf of multiple different third party entities for customers of the entities to retrieve digital objects corresponding to the entities via the ESDM apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a library programmed to receive and store multiple digital objects, each digital object exclusively corresponding to one of the entities, the digital objects comprising software modules, updates, bug repairs, patches, and release notifications;

a web server comprising at least one processing module, upon receiving a request from one of the entities to input access restriction parameters, providing a web accessible interface structured to receive input of said access restriction parameters by the requesting entity;

wherein the at least one processing module presenting, via the interface, metadata pertaining only to the digital objects corresponding to the requesting entity, and permitting the requesting entity to designate any of said digital objects as having restricted access thereto;

wherein the at least one processing module presenting, via the interface, a searchable list of customers of the requesting entity, and permitting the requesting entity to designate from the presented list one or more customers to have access to said restricted digital object; and

wherein the at least one processing module authenticating customers requesting access to digital objects in the library;

a database programmed to store access entitlement information including digital objects that are restricted and customers that are designated to have access to said restricted digital objects; and

a processing server providing customer access to said digital objects in the library,

wherein the processing server, upon receiving a request from an authenticated customer to access a digital object from the library, retrieving customer entitlement information for the requested digital object from the database; and

wherein the processing server providing access to each requested digital object only to the customers designated by the entity corresponding to the digital object to have access to the requested digital object as indicated in the entitlement information.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, where the entities include at least one of:

manufacturers of digital objects stored in the library;

channel partners including (1) distributors of digital objects stored in the library and (2) original equipment manufacturers (OEM) providing products that contain digital objects in the library.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, where the ESDM apparatus is programmed such that manufacturers establish account permissions determining whether channel partners are permitted to add or modify customer accounts, order permissions, process and modify orders submitted by customers, and add or modify product information stored in library.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, where the ESDM apparatus is programmed such that channel partners control manufacturer access to customer account information, order data, and product information originating from the channel partner.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, where the digital objects are implemented as files and the metadata includes all of the following:

file identification information, file description information, file name, file status information, ownership information, entitlement information, file type, language, software platform, file size, and file access and viewing history.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, where the processing server is programmed to perform further operations responsive to a request from an authenticated customer to access a digital object from the library, comprising:

transmitting a message approving or denying access to the digital object according to results of the retrieval of the customer entitlement.