Use of resource up to extension value by subscription device

• US 9,183,375 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2013
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Webb, Rowdy K., Pizot, Laurent, Kennedy, Shawn C., Ward, Jefferson P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson, Michael D.
• Application Number:
  US13/754,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20140215584A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/42 using separate channels for security data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226

Abstract

A pin associated with an identification number (ID) of a subscription device and a sequence number of a credit is output to a user. The pin is inputted to the subscription device. The subscription device is to allow the user to use a resource up to an extension value stored in the subscription device, if the entered pin correlates to a stored pin of the subscription device.

Claims

1. A subscription system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memory resources storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the subscription system to;

receive an identification number (ID) and a sequence number, the ID number corresponding to a subscription device and the sequence number corresponding to a credit last received by the subscription device, wherein the credit indicates a subscription limit of a utilized resource met by the subscription device;

search a database to locate a pin associated with the ID number and the sequence number; and

in response to locating the pin, transmit an additional credit to the subscription device to enable the subscription device to utilize the resource up to an extension amount above the subscription limit;

wherein the resource corresponds to one of a number of pages printed, an amount of ink consumed, a usage time, or a number of access events on the subscription device, and wherein the subscription limit and the extension amount are encrypted via an asymmetric key algorithm in the last received credit and the additional credit respectively.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the extension amount is embedded in an extension field included in the additional credit.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the ID number and the sequence number are received over a first network connection, and wherein the subscription system transmits the additional credit to the subscription device over a second network connection.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the subscription system to:

provide a plurality of credits over a time period to the subscription device via the second network connection according to a subscription plan; and

set a variable extension amount for each of the plurality of credits based on one or more factors.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the one or more factors correspond to at least one of a number of resource units of the subscription plan, a time period in which the subscription plan has been maintained, a number of times a connection with the subscription system has been lost, a use history of a user associated with the subscription plan, and a resource total of the subscription device.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the subscription system to:

(i) reduce the extension amount, (ii) lock out a user associated with the subscription plan, or (iii) cancel the subscription plan if the user (i) enters the pin incorrectly beyond a first threshold number of times, (ii) invokes use of the resource via the extension amount beyond a second threshold number of times, or (iii) submits ID numbers and sequence numbers that do not match beyond a third threshold number of times.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the subscription system to:

calculate the sequence number to be different for each of the plurality of credits;

wherein the subscription device is to store the extension value and the sequence number of a last received credit of the plurality of credits.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor of a subscription device, cause the subscription device to:

based on one or more events, suspend resource usage and display a sequence number corresponding to a last received credit;

receive an additional credit over a network connection from a provider, the additional credit indicating an extension amount of resources to be utilized by the subscription device;

based on the additional credit, add the extension amount of resources to a subscription limit, of a user subscription, indicated in the last received credit.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the one or more events include a loss of a network connection.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the one or more events include the subscription device reaching the subscription limit, based on the user subscription, and indicated in the last received credit.

11. A subscription device comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memory resources storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the subscription device to perform operations comprising;

based on one or more events, suspend resource usage and display a sequence number corresponding to a last received credit;

receive an additional credit over a network connection from a provider, the additional credit indicating an extension amount of resources to be utilized by the subscription device;

based on the additional credit, add the extension amount of resources to a subscription limit, of a user subscription, indicated in the last received credit.

12. The subscription device of claim 11, wherein the one or more events include a loss of a network connection.

13. The subscription device of claim 11, wherein the one or more events include the subscription device reaching the subscription limit, based on the user subscription, and indicated in the last received credit.