# US 8,788,356 B2 · System and method for effectively providing software to client devices in an electronic network > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,788,356 B2 - Document ID: US8788356B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/587,456 - Filed: 2009-10-07 - Published: 2011-04-07 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2009-10-07 - Assignees: Sony Corporation; Sony Electronics Inc. - Applicants: Nikolaos Georgis; Adrian Crisan - Inventors: Nikolaos Georgis; Adrian Crisan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8788356B2 ## CPC - G06Q 30/0601: Electronic shopping [e-shopping] - G06F 8/61: Installation - G06F 9/44505: {Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files} - G06Q 30/0241: Advertisements - G06Q 30/0242: Determining effectiveness of advertisements - G06Q 30/0254: {based on statistics} - G06Q 30/0255: {based on user history} - G06Q 30/0631: {Recommending goods or services} - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A system and method for effectively supporting software distribution in an electronic network includes a software server and a network of client devices. The software server stores software items received from a software provider. The software items include various types of trial software that is provided to device users for temporary evaluation and potential purchase. A recommendation engine of the software server creates recommendation lists to identify optimal candidates from among the stored software items for performing an automatic and transparent software download procedures. The recommendation engine creates the recommendation lists by analyzing selectable software-ranking criteria related to device users of the client devices. The software server then downloads the optimal candidates from the stored software items to respective target devices during the software download procedures. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for supporting software distribution in an electronic network, comprising: a software server that stores software items received from a software provider; a recommendation engine that creates a recommendation list by analyzing targeting information to identify an optimal candidate from among said software items for performing a software download procedure, said targeting information including social network statistics that describe one or more types of transactions performed in a social network and client profile information; and client devices that are connected to said software server through said electronic network, said software server downloading said optimal candidate to a target device from said client devices during said software download procedure. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein said optimal candidate is trial software that is provided without cost to a device user of said target device for a temporary evaluation and a potential purchase. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2 wherein said target device is initially provided to said device user without any of said trial software being preloaded in an untargeted manner by a device manufacturer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein said software server provides to said target device an offer to download one or more of said software items. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein said software items include software updates and software programs released after a manufacturing date of said target device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 further comprising a profile module that compiles a client profile corresponding to a device user of said target device, said client profile being analyzed to create said recommendation list, said client profile comprising client download transaction histories, client demographic information, client Internet browsing patterns, and hardware/software configurations of said target device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 further comprising a social network statistics module that compiles said social network statistics regarding trialware transactions of said device users that form said social network, said trialware transactions including downloads from said software server, said social network statistics being utilized by said recommendation engine to target said device users from said social network. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 further comprising a download targeting module for performing a client targeting procedure that sets a transfer flag to identify said target device, said download targeting module evaluating a client profile of said target device to determine whether a device user of said target device is likely to select and purchase said optimal candidate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein a ranking manager of said recommendation engine performs a trialware ranking procedure to create said recommendation list by analyzing pre-defined ranking criteria from a client profile of a device user of said target device, a profile manager of said software server periodically performing a profile update procedure to update said client profile to reflect any recent software download activity by said target device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein a communication manager of said software server automatically and transparently performs said software download procedure to push said optimal candidate of said recommendation list to said target device. ### Claim 11 A target device for receiving software distribution in an electronic network, comprising: a profile module that compiles a client profile corresponding to a device user of said target device, said client profile and targeting information being utilized by a recommendation engine of a software server to create a recommendation list that identifies an optimal candidate from among software items for performing a software download procedure, said targeting information including social network statistics that describe one or more types of transactions performed in a social network and said client profile; a download manager that downloads said optimal candidate to said target device; and a processor device that controls said profile module and said download manager. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The target device of claim 11 wherein said optimal candidate is trial software that is provided without cost to a device user of said target device for a temporary evaluation and a potential purchase. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The target device of claim 12 wherein said target device is initially provided to said device user without any of said trial software being preloaded in an untargeted manner by a device manufacturer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The target device of claim 11 wherein said software server provides to said target device an offer to download one or more of said software items. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The target device of claim 11 wherein said software items include software updates and software programs released after a manufacturing date of said target device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The target device of claim 11 wherein said client profile is analyzed to create said recommendation list, said client profile comprising client download transaction histories, client demographic information, client Internet browsing patterns, and hardware/software configurations of said target device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The target device of claim 11 further comprising a social network statistics module that compiles said social network statistics regarding trialware transactions of said device users that form said social network, said trialware transactions including downloads from said software server, said social network statistics being utilized by said recommendation engine to target said device users from said social network. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The target device of claim 11 further comprising a download targeting module for performing a client targeting procedure that sets a transfer flag to identify said target device, said download targeting module evaluating a client profile of said target device to determine whether a device user of said target device is likely to select and purchase said optimal candidate. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The target device of claim 11 wherein a ranking manager of said recommendation engine performs a trialware ranking procedure to create said recommendation list by analyzing pre-defined ranking criteria from a client profile of a device user of said target device, a profile manager of said software server periodically performing a profile update procedure to update said client profile to reflect any recent software download activity by said target device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The target device of claim 11 wherein a communication manager of said software server automatically and transparently performs said software download procedure to push said optimal candidate of said recommendation list to said target device.