Relicensing of electronically purchased software
US6009401A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 6, 1998 |
| Grant date | Dec 28, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 6, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06Q30/06
- WIPO fieldIT methods for management
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The present invention, generally speaking, provides a mechanism for use in conjunction with Electronic Software Distribution (ESD) that provides purchase documentation and that allows for convenient re-download and relicensing of soft-ware, including old software versions. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a relicensing manager software utility installed on an end user's machine interacts with one or more of a remote publisher site, a license clearing house and a merchant site to relicense, transfer, or obtain a refund for a software product. The term "software product" is used to refer to both executable software programs and to electronic content (e.g, pictures, recordings, etc.) The role of the publisher site is to archive both current and old versions of software products. The role of the license clearinghouse is to keep a count of licensed installations and to grant or deny permission to relicense based on the count. The role of the product server is to effect a credit transaction and, according to the terms of the end-user license, to refund the purchase price of a recently purchased software product for which the customer has requested license revocation. T…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.