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US 4,999,806 AGranted
Software distribution system
OwnerFred Chernow, Randy J. Petersoninventors
Life of this patent
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OwnerFred Chernow, Randy J. Petersoninventors
Estimating the term…
A central station distributes software by telephone. The central station accepts credit card information, transmits an acceptance code to a caller and then terminates the call. After verifying the credit card information, the station calls the purchaser back and continues with the transaction only after receiving the acceptance code. The central station then transmits a Control Transfer Program and Initialization Program to the purchaser, and the purchaser executes the Initialization Program to turn over control of the purchaser computer to the central station. The Control Transfer Program is then executed to transfer first a Protection program for ensuring that no memory resident copying programs are running, than a Storing Program for modifying the purchased program for storage at the purchaser computer, and finally the requested program itself. During the transaction, the various transmitted programs are erased, so that at the end of the transaction only a copy protected version of the purchased program remains on the purchaser's disk.
A method of transferring software from a central station to requester equipment in communication with said central station over a communications link for storage at said requester equipment, said method comprising the steps of receiving a request for a particular program, transmitting said particular program to said requester equipment and interrupting said communications link, said method further comprising the steps of:
A method of transferring software from a central station to requester equipment in communication with said central station over a communications link for storage at said requester equipment, said method comprising the steps of:
A system for transferring software from a central station to requester equipment in communication with said central station over a communications link for storage at said requester equipment, said system comprising:
A system for transferring software from a central station to requester equipment in communication with said central station over a communications link for storage at said requester equipment, said system comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.