Computer data product license installation / update confirmation
View Patent ↗An authenticated digital confirmation of an installation or an update of a licensed computer data product, for providing the licensor with a validation that the installation/update was carried out as intended, and conveying relevant details of the installation/update. The installation/updating facility (internal software, external hardware device, or combination thereof) examines and documents the pre-installation/update state of the target computer system, performs the installation/update, examines and documents the post-installation/update state, and generates the confirmation, which is a summary or digest of the process and the status thereof. The confirmation is securely authenticated and sent to the licensor for validation, to be used for order fulfillment, billing and accounting, and other purposes.
1. A client computer having a processor and memory, configured to implement
a) a client data product update manager, configured to install a specified update to an identified data product on the client computer; and
b) a client update confirmation manager for use in a system for confirming that the specified update to the identified computer data product was performed on the client computer, the client update confirmation manager comprising:
an update confirmation generator, configured to generate an update confirmation indicating a status of the specified update; and
an authenticator, configured to generate and add to the update confirmation an authentication value for the update confirmation;
wherein the update confirmation with authentication value is sent to a server license update confirmation manager remote from the client computer.
2. The client computer implementing a client update confirmation manager of claim 1 , wherein the update confirmation comprises information indicative of at least one of:
a data product update status;
a post-update state of the client computer subsequent to the update;
a confirmation identifier;
a licensor identifier;
a licensee identifier;
a product identifier;
a license update identifier;
information of at least one of the product version, client configuration, and license, prior to the update;
information of at least one of the product version, client configuration, and license, after the update;
a client computer system identifier;
a license update status;
a license update log comprising information of at least one previous update event;
a license update timestamp;
information of the state of the client system prior to the update
information of the state of the client system after the update;
information for authenticating the confirmation; and
a user confirmation code.
3. The client computer implementing a client update confirmation manager of claim 1 , wherein the update confirmation includes information from a sequential update counter.
4. The client computer implementing a client update confirmation manager of claim 3 , wherein the update confirmation consists of a number, whereby the installation of a plurality of updates performed in sequential order with no omissions can be confirmed.
5. The client computer implementing a client update confirmation manager of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the client data product update manager and the client update confirmation manager is at least partially contained in the client computer.
6. The client computer implementing a client update confirmation manager of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the client data product update manager and the client license update confirmation manager is at least partially contained in an external hardware device removably coupled to the client computer.
7. The client computer implementing a client update confirmation manager of claim 6 , wherein the removable external hardware device includes a display configured to display a user confirmation code.
8. A system for confirming that a specified update to an identified computer data product was performed on a particular client computer, the system comprising:
a) a client data product update manager, configured to be implemented on a particular client computer to install a specified update to an identified data product on the particular client computer;
b) the client computer, having a processor and memory, configured to implement a client update confirmation manager comprising:
an update confirmation generator, configured to generate an update confirmation indicating a status of the update; and
an authenticator, configured to generate and add to the update confirmation an authentication value for the update confirmation; and
c) a server computer having a processor and memory, configured to implement a server update confirmation manager configured to obtain the update confirmation with authentication value, comprising:
a validator configured to validate the obtained update confirmation; and
a confirmation database configured to store the validated update confirmation.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the client data product update manager and the client update confirmation manager is at least partially contained in the client computer.
10. The system of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the client data product update manager and the client update confirmation manager is at least partially contained in an external hardware device removably coupled to the client computer.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the removable external hardware device includes a display configured to display a user confirmation code.
12. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a sequential update counter configured to generate a sequence of numbers, wherein the update confirmation consists of a sequential number, and updates are performed in sequential order with no omissions.
13. A method for use in a system for confirming that a specified update to an identified computer data product was performed on a particular client computer, the method comprising:
installing a data product update in a client computer having a processor and memory;
generating an update confirmation indicating a status of the update;
generating and adding to the update confirmation an authentication value for the update confirmation; and
sending the update confirmation with authentication value to a server license update confirmation manager remote from the client computer.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
obtaining the update confirmation by an update confirmation manager in a server having a processor and memory remote from the client computer,
whereby the installation of the data product update in the client computer is confirmed.
15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
adding an authentication value to the update confirmation before said obtaining; and
validating the update confirmation after said obtaining.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the update confirmation consists of a number obtained from a sequential update counter, whereby a plurality of updates performed in sequential order with no omissions may be confirmed.
17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising collecting configuration and license parameters for the licensed computer data product in the client computer after said installing; wherein the update confirmation is generated using said configuration and license parameters.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the configuration and license parameters are selected from information indicative of:
a data product update status;
a post-update state of the client computer subsequent to the update;
a confirmation identifier;
a licensor identifier;
a licensee identifier;
a product identifier;
a license update identifier;
information of at least one of the product version, client configuration, and license, prior to the update;
information of at least one of the product version, client configuration, and license, after the update;
a client computer system identifier;
a license update status;
a license update log comprising information of at least one previous update event;
a license update timestamp;
information of the state of the client system prior to the update
information of the state of the client system after the update;
information for authenticating the confirmation; and
a user confirmation code.
19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising collecting configuration and license parameters before said installing.
20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising displaying a user confirmation code.
21. A computer readable storage device storing computer-readable instructions which, when read by cooperating elements of a system for confirming that a specified update to an identified computer data product was performed on a particular client computer, causes the system to perform a method comprising:
installing the specified update to the identified data product on the particular client computer, the client computer having a processor for processing the update and a memory for storing the processed update;
generating an update confirmation indicating the status of the data product update;
adding to the update confirmation an authentication value for the update confirmation;
obtaining the update confirmation by an update confirmation manager in a server remote from the client computer;
validating the obtained update confirmation; and storing the validated update confirmation in a confirmation database,
whereby the installation of the data product update in the client computer is confirmed.