KR100433235B1 - Method for selling/maintaining software, and automatically performing post-sale management and license management through computer communication network - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A method for selling/installing software, and automatically performing post-sale management and license management through a computer communication network is provided to lower a sale cost by promptly offering contents of a present software product package through the network and enable a user to use a program instantly by automatically installing the program through the network. CONSTITUTION: The user selects a product and a license type by connected to a sale server through the network(S13). The user receives a license file including information according to product selection and the license type from the sale server(S14). The user receives a service according to the information of the license file from a program server by transmitting the information of the license file to the program server(S19).

Description

How to sell and manage software through computer communication network

The present invention relates to a method for selling and managing software through a computer communication network. More specifically, the software can be sold and installed through a computer communication network, and after-sale and license management can be easily and automatically performed through the communication network. The present invention relates to a method of selling and managing software through a computer communication network.

Conventionally, software developed by a software developer has been widely sold in stores through its own sales network or a specialized distribution company, or sold through a bulletin board of a media medium or a computer communication network or advertisement of various internet sites. In addition, follow-up through this type of sales has been done through customer registration by mail or computer communication network.

Hereinafter, a description will be given of this type of software sales route and post management.

First, when a software developer develops a program, the original software in the form of a diskette or CD-ROM containing the developed program, a user manual to inform the user of the environment, how to install and use the software, and the management of the software purchaser are provided. The customer registration card, which can record information about the purchaser's personal information for use as data, is bundled into a single product package and sold through a sales network, a specialized distributor, a media medium or a computer communication network.

In particular, in recent years, media such as broadcasting (TV, cable television, cable broadcasting, etc.), newspapers and magazines, the World Wide Web Homepage operated by software developers, and computer communication A method of selling software using home shopping such as an electronic bulletin board is used.

However, when selling software through this method, the software developer must provide a package of software products, including the original software (diskette or CD-ROM type), user manual and customer registration card, regardless of the buyer's economic ability or necessity. As a result, a lot of effort had to be made to produce them, and the resulting cost was included in the product cost, which weakened the purchasing power of software. On the other hand, the product buyers had to install and run the environment setting or the original while reading the user manual, which is very cumbersome, and especially for beginners, there were many problems such as installation failure.

On the other hand, after the sale of the product, when the buyer sends the customer registration card to the software developer by mail or computer communication network, and the customer registers, the developer sends the upgrade guide and product related information to the buyer, and the buyer sends the information. On the basis of this, software developers could obtain and use patch files or related materials registered on bulletin boards and various internet sites of computer networks.

In addition, software developers have generally protected the licenses of their programs by inserting copy protection files into the program to prevent illegal copying of the program. However, this method requires not only a lot of time and effort, but also the program itself. There was a downside to being useless at all.

As described above, since the sales, installation, after-sales management, and license management of the software have been distributed and applied in the past, it is time-consuming and economical to execute them, and it is inconvenient for the user to purchase, maintain, and repair a single software. There were many points.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and to provide a convenient and economical method for collectively performing credit sales, installation, after-sales management and license management of software through a computer communication network.

The sales and management method of the software through the computer communication network for achieving the above object is, the server for sale providing a mail order server program, the program server providing a license file service, and the computer communication network connected to each other by a personal computer user by a communication network In

The computer user accessing the server for sale through the communication network and selecting a purchase product specification and a license type;

Receiving, by the computer user, a license file containing information according to the product specification and a license type from the server for sale;

And transmitting, by the computer user, information of a license file received from the server for sale to the program server, and receiving a service according to the information of the license file from the program server.

The above and other objects and advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Hereinafter, the practical application of the present invention through a web browser (web browser), which is used a lot recently to help the understanding of the present invention will be described.

First, in order for a computer user to purchase software, he or she must access a web server of a software manufacturer or a specialized distributor and select software to purchase. After that, you will have to choose the type of license to establish the rights you will have for this selected software. License types may include, for example:

1) With the help of the Client Manager program, the ability to install through a network without copying the original or to copy the original through the network and automatically install from the copied original.

2) designation of the number of concurrent users for one program

3) Expiration date of use (temporary or permanent use)

4) A license for a specific site or for a limited number of installations through a communication network.

5) Whether freeware or shareware.

As described above, when a computer user selects a license type while purchasing a product using a home shopping function of a web browser, a computer user receives a license file having information about it. Then, after receiving the address of the site to receive the installation service, use a web browser again to connect to the server of the provided access site and send the information about the license file purchased when the server requests a license file. For example, when the server sends the file with the license file operation information, the information file is delivered to the license file manager registered in the web browser, and the license file manager is executed. The license file manager then sends the license file specified by the user and the server. By referring to the information file, you can continue the specified operation from the server (original copy, automatic installation, manual copy, etc.).

The license file manager is responsible for copying the originals, automatically installing them, copying manuals and other files, and updating license files. Computer users often access the website where the server is located and receive the latest product information such as license change upgrades or patch files based on the license file in the above manner.

On the other hand, the license file is encrypted so that the user cannot change it without permission. It can only be handled by the client manager that received the information from that server.

Such a license file can consist of:

1) Product Number (Code that product developer can know the product type and serial number)

2) Site information about the server (without entering the server access site in a web browser, the license manager can refer to this information and automatically launch a web browser to access the server site (eg http: // www). .microsoft.com / cybershop /)).

3) Encryption code (The license file itself is encrypted so that other companies or users can not read it. Only the encryption file and the information provided by the server can decode the license file.)

4) License type code (which contains information about the type of license you have purchased among the different license types provided by the software vendor.)

5) Information about the files copied from the server, installation information, installed programs, etc. (remembers the maintenance and management of the software version after purchasing the software, and the history information performed by the license manager. Used as reference.)

The above has described the case of using a web browser, but similar functions can be implemented using a dedicated program and a protocol without using the web.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.

1 is a system block diagram illustrating the concept of a software sales and management method through a computer communication network according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1, (1) is a user computer, (2) is a computer network to which the user computer is connected, (3) is connected to a computer network, showing the software product list and the license type for the product list, and the license When the type is specified and the credit settlement of the product is made, it is a sales server that transmits the license file, and (4) is connected to the computer communication network, and when the license file information is input, it is determined that it is a valid file to provide service for the product. Is a program server.

Hereinafter, a description will be given of how the system performs the software sales and management of the present invention by dividing it into a user, a server for sale, and a program server with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a user's view of the selling and managing method in the system block diagram of FIG. 1 for explaining a software selling and managing method according to the present invention.

First, the computer user starts the computer 1 (S10) and then determines whether to make a purchase connection to the sales server 2 through the computer communication network (2) (S11). When the computer user wants to purchase, the user accesses the server for sale 3 (S12), browses the list of products provided by the server for sale 3, specifies a product to purchase, and selects a license type (S13). After selecting the license type, the computer user makes the purchase of goods online and receives a license file provided by the server for sale 3 (S14). Upon receiving the license file, the user returns to step S11 to determine whether to make a purchase connection for purchasing another product. In this step (S11), if the user wants to make a connection for purchase, the process of steps S12 to S14 is repeated, and if not, it is determined whether to access the license file (S15). If it is desired to connect to the license file, the program server 4 is connected (S16). If not, the process returns to step S11. When the user 1 accesses the program server 4 in step S15, information of the license file received by the server for sale 3 is transmitted to the program server 4 (S17). After transmitting the information of the license file, if the service permission of the program server 4 waits for service permission (S18), the service according to the license type is received (S19), and if there is no permission, the process returns to step S11. Repeat the above steps.

3 is a flowchart of the sales and management method seen from a sales server in the system block diagram of FIG. 1 for explaining the software sales and management method according to the present invention.

When a user, ie, a customer, is connected to the sales server 3 (S21), the sales server 3 displays a list of software products (S22). In this state, if there is a customer's purchase product designation (S23), the sales server 3 displays the license type for the product (S24), and if there is no purchase product designation, the process returns to step S22. If the license type is displayed and the license type is specified from the customer (S25) and the payment is made for the product price (S26), the server for sale 3 sends the license file according to the license type to the customer by proceeding to the next step. If no license type is specified (S27), the process returns to step S24 and the process is repeated.

4 is a flowchart showing the selling and managing method from the program server in the system block diagram of FIG. 1 for explaining the software selling and managing method according to the present invention.

When the customer connects to the program server 4 (S31), the program server 4 inputs the information of the license file sent by the customer (S32), and confirms the product number and encryption code of the information sent by the customer ( S33). As a result, if it is confirmed that the file is valid (S34), the information on the license type and the history information of the file are checked to display a list of services for the corresponding product (S36). When the product number and the encryption code are confirmed to be invalid files, the process returns to step S32 to await the input of information on the license file. When the program server 4 displays the list of services, the customer can receive the service according to the specifications selected when he or she has decided on the license type. In this embodiment, the service type is divided into software original, communication network installation, manual copying, reception of latest information, and license type change.

First, the program server asks whether to copy the original, if the customer wants to copy the original (S37), and determines whether the license is valid (S38), if it is valid, transmits the original to the customer (S39) and returns to step S36. If the customer does not want to copy the original or the license is found to be invalid in steps S37 and S38, the process returns to step S36.

Further, the program server asks whether to install the communication network (S40), and if the customer wants it (S40), determines whether the license is valid (S41), and if it is valid, performs the network installation (S42) and returns to step S36. If in step S40, S41 the customer does not want to install the communication network or the license is found to be invalid, the process returns to step S36.

When the program server asks whether to copy the manual (S43), the program server determines whether the license is valid (S44), and if it is valid, transmits the manual copy to the customer (S45), and proceeds to step S36. To return. If in step S43, S44 the customer does not want to copy the manual or the license is found to be invalid, the process returns to step S36.

In addition, the program server asks whether to receive the latest information such as data and patch files related to the software, and if the customer wants it (S46), determines whether the license is valid (S47), and transmits the latest information to the customer if it is valid. (S48) and the process returns to step S36. If in step S46, S47 the customer does not want to provide the latest information or the license is found to be invalid, the process returns to step S36.

In addition, the program server asks if you want to change the license type (S49), if the customer wants to change the license type (S49), displays the license type for the product (S50), and assigns a new license type from the customer and credits the product bill. Receive (S51). If there is a new license type designation and payment, the license update file according to the license type is transmitted to the customer (S52), and the process returns to step S36.

According to the sales and management method of the software through the computer communication network of the present invention, first, the contents of the existing software product package consisting of a diskette, a CD-ROM, a user manual, a customer registration card, etc. are immediately provided through the computer communication network. As a result, the cost of sales can be lowered. Second, the program can be automatically installed during a credit transaction through a communication network, so that the program can be used immediately without installation difficulties. License levels (whether copying the original, the number of users, copying the user manual, etc.) can be easily diversified to apply different selling prices, so it can absorb multiple layers of customers. Fourth, follow-up management after product purchase (product upgrade, Program patches, etc.) Maintenance records can be easily maintained. Fifth, the user can obtain a very convenient effect because the user can receive a program upgrade or a patch of the program later by maintaining a license file.

The above description of the present invention is merely exemplary, and various modifications, changes, substitutions and additions may be made by those skilled in the art through the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, such various modifications, changes, substitutions and additions are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims.

1 is a system block diagram illustrating a concept of a method for selling and managing software through a computer communication network.

2 is a system block diagram of FIG. 1 for explaining a software sales and management method according to the present invention, wherein the sales and management method is viewed from a user side.

3 is a system block diagram of FIG. 1 for explaining a software sales and management method according to the present invention, wherein the sales and management method is viewed from a sales server.

4 is a system block diagram of FIG. 1 for explaining a software sales and management method according to the present invention, wherein the sales and management method is viewed from a program server.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

1: user computer 2: computer communication network

3: Servo for Sale 4: Program Server

Claims (3)

In a sales server that provides a mail order server program, a program server that provides a license file service, and a personal computer user connected to each other by a communication network, The computer user accessing the server for sale through the communication network and selecting a purchase product specification and a license type; Receiving, by the computer user, a license file containing information according to the product specification and a license type from the server for sale; And transmitting the information of the license file received from the server for sale to the program server to receive the service according to the information of the license file from the program server. The license file is, Product number, Site information about the program server, An encryption code for the license file, Code for the license type, And information about a file copied from the program server, installation information, manual copy information of an installed program, and information on data related to the installed program. The method of claim 1, The license type is And a license for installing the program server directly through a communication network without copying the original. The method of claim 1, The license file is sold and managed via a computer communication network, characterized in that the decoding only through the information provided by the encryption code and the program server.