Try before you buy software distribution and marketing system
US5907617A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 14, 1997 |
| Grant date | May 25, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 14, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F2211/007
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A computer-based system is provided for demonstrating software programs to a potential purchaser and for gathering marketing information related to the demonstration of the programs. The system enables the software programs for execution upon selection by a user, and allows the user to subsequently operate or sample the selected software program. The system maintains the selected software program in a locked state to prevent unauthorized duplication of the selected software program, and selectively disables the sampling, such as when the user completes the sampling or if the system detects that the user is attempting to copy the sampled application. A code is generated that identifies one or more particular software programs and contains information relating to sampling of the particular software programs by the user, such as which applications were sampled and how many times they were sampled.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.