Software distribution method and apparatus

• US 9,727,703 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2011
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Clement, Kurt
• Primary Examiner(s): Huang, Tsan-Yu J
• Application Number:
  US13/227,730
• Publication Number:
  US 20110320311A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,161 Days
• Field of Search: 705 51, 705 59
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/12 Protecting executable software
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

The present invention provides for a method and apparatus for distributing digital information, such as software applications, to application users. By providing the digital information on unused memory space of a computer system, and providing a process for authorizing access to the information, the information can be efficiently and cost effectively transferred to users. Traditional inventory and distribution channel difficulties are avoided.

Claims

1. A method of controlling access to a proprietary software application resident on a new computerized apparatus sold to a purchaser, the method comprising:

receiving an initial request from the purchaser via an input device of the apparatus to execute the application;

automatically accessing a remote third party authorization entity via a network interface of the computerized apparatus in order to obtain an authorization for the initially requested execution of the application;

recording information relating to the obtained authorization on the computerized apparatus for subsequent use;

accessing the application pursuant to the initial request using at least the authorization;

receiving a subsequent request to execute the application from the purchaser; and

granting access to the application pursuant to the subsequent request based at least in part on the recorded information and without having to contact said third party again.

2. A computer-implemented method of controlling access to digital data in a computer apparatus, the data having been recorded on a non-volatile storage device of the computer apparatus, the method comprising:

recording in the computer apparatus a plurality of computer readable instructions, the instructions configured to, when executed by the computer apparatus, control access to the digital data by at least;

based at least in part on receiving a first request for access to the digital data from a first entity, causing the computer apparatus to contact a party authorized to grant access to the digital data when the digital data has not been previously accessed;

receiving authorization to grant access to the digital data;

causing the computer apparatus to record at least a portion of the received authorization in the computerized apparatus, and grant access to the digital data based at least in part on the authorization; and

in response to receiving at least a second request for access to the digital data, cause the computer apparatus to grant another access to the digital data based on the at least portion of the authorization recorded in the computer apparatus, and without further contact with the party.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said recordation of the digital data is performed at a time of manufacture or sale of the computer apparatus.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said first entity comprises a first user of said computer apparatus and said second request is by a second user that is different than the first user.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said second request is made by the first entity.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein:

said contact with the party authorized to grant access to the digital data comprises transmission of at least a portion of the digital data recorded on the computer apparatus to the party; and

said recordation of the digital data is based at least in part on a purchase request for the computer apparatus.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the digital data comprises a software application; and

said recordation of the digital data is performed based at least in part on a sale of the software application.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said first entity comprises a first user of said computer apparatus and said second request is by a second user of said computer apparatus, said second user being different from said first user.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said first entity comprises a first user of said computer apparatus and said second request is made by the first user.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said control of access to the digital data further comprises causing verification of a permission of the computer apparatus to access the software application.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein said contacting the party comprises contacting a computer system remote from the computer apparatus via a data network.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein said grant of access to the digital data based at least in part on the authorization comprises granting access to the digital data based on the recorded authorization.

13. The method of claim 2, further comprising causing presentation at the computer apparatus of an opportunity to qualify for access to the digital data when the party does not provide authorization to grant access to the digital data.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said opportunity to qualify for access to the digital data comprises establishment of an account associated with a first user, the establishment of the account configured at least in part to effect granting of access to the digital data.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said opportunity to qualify for access to the digital data comprises billing a user for the granting of access to the digital data.

16. A method of distributing software with a computerized apparatus having digital data recorded thereon, the method comprising:

recording computer readable instructions in the computerized apparatus, the instructions configured to, when executed by the computerized apparatus, automatically control access to the digital data by at least;

based at least in part on a first request for access to the digital data, executing the computer readable instructions causing the computerized apparatus to contact a party authorized to grant access to the digital data, the contact comprising transmission of at least a portion of the digital data; and

when the party provides authorization to grant access to the digital data, executing the computer readable instructions causing the computerized apparatus to record at least a portion of the authorization in the computerized apparatus, and grant a first access to the digital data based on the authorization;

wherein the recording of the at least portion of the authorization in the computerized apparatus enables subsequent execution of the computer readable instructions, said subsequent execution causing the computerized apparatus to grant a second access to the digital data automatically based at least in part on receiving at least a second request for access to the digital data, the second access not requiring contact with the party authorized to grant access to the digital data.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the recordation of the digital data and the recording computer readable instructions is performed by a first party; and

the second request is received from a second party, the second party being different from the first party.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the recordation of the digital data and the recording computer readable instructions is performed by a first party; and

the first request is received from a second party, the second party being different from the first party.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein:

contacting the party authorized to grant access to the digital data comprises accessing a network connection; and

the digital data comprises a software application configurable to operate independently of a continued access to the network connection.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the recordation of the software application and the recording computer readable instructions are each performed during manufacture of the computerized apparatus.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the recordation of the software application and the recording computer readable instructions are each performed based at least on a sale of the software application.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the authorization to grant access to the digital data is based at least in part on verifying a permission of the computerized apparatus to access the software application.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the software application is selected from the group consisting of:

(i) a word processing application, (ii) a spreadsheet application, (iii) a gaming application, and (iv) an Internet access application.

24. The method of claim 16 wherein the recordation of the digital data and the computer readable instructions are each performed based at least in part on a purchase request for the computerized apparatus.

25. A method of distributing a software application with a computerized apparatus, the method comprising:

recording the software application on a non-volatile storage device in the computerized apparatus by a first entity;

recording a plurality of computer readable instructions in the computerized apparatus by the first entity; and

arranging for a transfer of the computerized apparatus to a second entity;

wherein the plurality of instructions are configured to enable automated control of access to the software application by at least;

based at least in part on receiving a first request to run the software application from the second entity, causing the computerized apparatus to contact via a network a party authorized to grant access to the software application;

receiving authorization to grant access to the software application;

causing the computerized apparatus to record at least a portion of the received authorization in the computerized apparatus, and grant access to the software application based at least in part on the authorization; and

in response to receiving at least a second request from the second entity to run the software application, causing the computerized apparatus to grant another access to the software application based on the authorization recorded in the computerized apparatus, said another access being granted without requiring further contact with the party.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the recording the software application is performed by the first entity based at least in part on a sale of the software application to the second entity.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the recording the software application is performed by the first entity based at least in part on a sale of the computerized apparatus to the second entity.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the recording of the software application and the recording of the computer readable instructions are each performed during manufacture of the computerized apparatus.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the party provides the authorization to grant access to the digital data based at least in part on verifying a permission of the computerized apparatus to access the software application.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein the software application is selected from group consisting of:

(i) a word processing application, (ii) a spreadsheet application and (iii) a gaming application.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein the storage device comprises a removable medium.

32. The method of claim 25, wherein the storage device comprises a hard disk drive.

33. The method of claim 25, wherein the storage device comprises a programmable memory.

34. A method of controlling access to digitally rendered information in a computerized apparatus, the method comprising:

recording the digitally rendered information on at least one non-volatile storage medium of the computerized apparatus by a first entity;

recording computer readable instructions in the computerized apparatus; and

controlling access to the digitally rendered information by at least;

based at least in part on detecting an attempted use of the digitally rendered information by a second entity, causing automatic execution of the computer readable instructions adapted to (i) access a network link, and (ii) to contact a party authorized to grant access to the digitally rendered information;

when the party provides an authorization to grant access to the digitally rendered information, cause recording of the authorization in the computerized apparatus, and causing granting of a first access to use the digitally rendered information based at least in part on the recorded authorization; and

based at least in part on receiving a second request from the second entity to access the digitally rendered information, granting at least a second access to use the digitally rendered information based at least in part on the authorization recorded in the computerized apparatus, and without further contact with the party.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the digitally rendered information comprises a software application configurable for stand-alone operation without relying on continued access to the network link.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the digitally rendered information comprise a software application, and the recording of the application is performed based at least in part on a purchase of the software application by the second entity.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the software application is configurable for stand-alone operation without relying on continued access to the network link.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the recording of the digitally rendered information is performed by the first entity during manufacture of the computerized apparatus pursuant to a sale of the computerized apparatus.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein said providing an authorization to grant access to the digital data comprises authenticating the second entity for access the software application.

40. The method of claim 36, wherein said providing an authorization to grant access to the software application comprises authenticating the computerized apparatus for access to the software application.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein said authenticating is effected via the network link.