Method and system for controlling access to software features in an electronic device

A computer-readable medium containing program instructions executed in an electronic device for controlling access to features in the electronic device, wherein the electronic device is configured to couple to a portable storage device, wherein the program instructions are executed to perform operations, the operations comprising:

• determining whether a key on the portable storage device corresponding to at least one of the features disabled on the electronic device matches a stored key in the electronic device;
• in response to determining that the key on the portable storage device matches the stored key on the electronic device, performing:
• customizing the stored key based on device-specific information of the electronic device when the portable storage device is coupled to the electronic device;
• and
• storing the customized key in the electronic device and on the portable storage device;
• and
• using the customized key to enable in the electronic device the at least one of the features that is disabled in response to determining that the customized key stored in the portable storage device coupled to the electronic device matches the customized key stored in the electronic device.

A system for controlling access to features and coupling to a portable storage device, the system comprising:

• an electronic device comprising,
• multiple preloaded software features;
• a resource socket to couple to the portable storage device;
• and
• an embedded controller for controlling access to the software features, wherein at least one of the features is disabled, and wherein the embedded control performs operations, the operations comprising:
• determining whether a key, corresponding to the at least one of the features disabled on the electronic device, on the portable storage device coupled to the resource socket matches a stored key in the electronic device;
• in response to determining that the key on the portable storage device matches the stored key on the electronic device, performing:
• customizing the stored key based on device-specific information of the electronic device when the portable storage device is coupled to the electronic device;
• and
• storing the customized key in the electronic device and on the portable storage device;
• and
• using the customized key to enable in the electronic device the at least one of the features that is disabled in response to determining that the customized key stored in the portable storage device coupled to the electronic device matches the customized key stored in the electronic device.