On-line software rental
View Patent ↗Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for a rental service through a computer network. A collection of virtual containers is assigned to a set of users including one or more users. Each virtual container in the collection is configured to identify one or more software products that are rented by users in the set. A user in the set is authorized to access a software product through the computer network based on whether the software product is identified as a rented software product in one or more virtual containers of the collection assigned to the set of users.
1. A system for providing an on-line rental service for a plurality of software products, the client device comprising:
a server device, including:
a memory for storing data and executable instructions; and
a processor for processing the stored data and executing the instructions to cause actions, comprising:
enabling at least one user to select at least one of the plurality of software products that are available for rent from the on-line rental service;
providing access to a subscription to a package offered by the on-line rental service, the package assigning a collection of a plurality of virtual containers to the at least one user, wherein the package is selected from a plurality of packages, each assigning a different quantity of the plurality of virtual containers;
enabling at least one virtual container in the collection to provide a different rental period duration from at least one other virtual container in the collection, and wherein the at least one selected software product is placed in at least one of the plurality of virtual containers in the collection to identify the selected at least one software product as being rented by the at least one assigned user;
assigning at least one virtual container in the collection with a virtual container priority level;
assigning at least one virtual container in the collection a variable software product access level; and
enabling selective removal of a software product from at least one virtual container in the collection and selective replacement with a new software product before the end of a rental period associated with the at least one virtual container; and
a client device, including:
a memory for storing data and executable instructions; and
a processor for processing the stored data and executing the instructions to cause actions, comprising:
enabling the at least one user to access the at least one software product if it is identified in a virtual container as rented and in the collection assigned to the at least one user.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the client device causes further actions including receiving authorization from the on-line rental service to provide access for the at least one user to at least one rented software product.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the server device causes further actions including:
enabling the at least one user to select a software game that is one of the plurality of software products; and
enabling the at least one user to play the selected software game with the client device.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the client device providing the at least one user access to the software product further includes authorizing the access based on at least one previous association of the software product with the collection of the plurality of the virtual containers.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the server device causes further actions including removing each rented software product from the virtual container at the end of its rental period.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the client device causes further actions including:
presenting a list including a plurality of items, each item representing at least one of the plurality of software products for rent; and
enabling the at least one user to select at least one of the plurality of items in the list.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the client device causes further actions including presenting a list including a plurality of items based on a user profile, wherein each item represents at least one of the plurality of software products for rent.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the server device causes further actions including assigning at least one of the plurality of virtual containers for rentals having at least one of a high priority, a variable rental period, or limited content.
9. A computing device for providing an on-line rental service for a plurality of software products, the computing device comprising:
a memory for storing data and executable instructions; and
a processor for processing the stored data and executing the instructions to cause actions, comprising:
enabling at least one user to select at least one of the plurality of software products that are available for rent from the on-line rental service;
providing access to a subscription to a package offered by the on-line rental service, the package assigning a collection of a plurality of virtual containers to the at least one user, wherein the package is selected from a plurality of packages, each assigning a different quantity of the plurality of virtual containers;
enabling at least one virtual container in the collection to provide a different rental period duration from at least one other virtual container in the collection, and wherein the at least one selected software product is placed in at least one of the virtual containers in the collection to identify the selected at least one software product as being rented by the at least one assigned user;
assigning at least one virtual container in the collection with a virtual container priority level;
assigning at least one virtual container in the collection to a variable software product access level;
enabling selective removal of a. software product from at least one virtual container in the collection and selective replacement with a new software product before the end of a rental period associated with the at least one virtual container; and
enabling the at least one user to access the at least one software product if it is identified in at least one of the plurality of virtual containers as rented and in the collection assigned to the at least one user.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the virtual container priority level corresponds to a market value of games that can be placed in the corresponding virtual container.
11. The computing device of claim 9 , wherein further actions include: enabling the at least one user to select a software game that is one of the plurality of software products; and enabling the at least one user to play the selected software game.
12. The computing device of claim 9 , wherein further actions include authorizing the access to the at least one software product is based on at least one previous association of the at least one software product with the collection of the plurality of virtual containers.
13. The computing device of claim 9 , wherein further actions include removing each rented software product from the virtual container at the end of its rental period.
14. The computing device of claim 9 , wherein further actions include: presenting a list including a plurality of items, each item representing at least one of the plurality of software products for rent; and enabling the at least one user to select at least one of the plurality of items in the list.
15. The computing device of claim 9 , wherein further actions include assigning at least one of the plurality of virtual containers for rentals having at least one of a high priority, a variable rental period, or limited content.
16. A processor readable storage medium, the medium comprising data and instructions that when executed by a processor are operable to cause at least one apparatus to cause an on-line rental service to perform operations, comprising:
enabling at least one user to select at least one of a plurality of software products that are available for rent from the on-line rental service;
providing access to a subscription to a package offered by the on-line rental service, the package assigning a collection of a plurality of virtual containers to the at least one user, wherein the package is selected from a plurality of packages, each assigning a different quantity of the plurality of virtual containers;
enabling at least one virtual container in the collection to provide a different rental period duration from at least one other virtual container in the collection, and wherein the at least one selected software product is placed in at least one of the virtual containers in the collection to identify the selected at least one software product as being rented by the at least one assigned user;
assigning at least one virtual container in the collection with a virtual container priority level;
assigning at least one virtual container in the collection a variable software product access level;
enabling selective removal of a software product from at least one virtual container in the collection and selective replacement with a new software product before the end of a rental period associated with the at least one virtual container; and
enabling the at least one user to access the at least one software product if it is identified in at least one of the plurality of virtual containers as rented and in the collection assigned to the at least one user.
17. The processor readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein further operations include receiving authorization from the on-line rental service to provide access for the at least one user to the rented software product.
18. The processor readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein further operations include:
enabling the at least one user to select a software game that is one of the plurality of software products; and
enabling the at least one user to play the selected software game.
19. The processor readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein further operations include authorizing the access to the at least one software product is based on at least one previous association of the at least one software product with the collection of the plurality of virtual containers.
20. The processor readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein further operations include removing each rented software product from the virtual container at the end of its rental period.
21. The processor readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein further operations include:
presenting a list including a plurality of items, each item representing at least one of the plurality of software products for rent; and
enabling the at least one user to select at least one of the items in the list.
22. The processor readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein further operations include assigning one of the plurality of virtual containers for rentals having at least one of a high priority, a variable rental period, or limited content.