Patent ID: 6795925
Filing Date: 2004-09-21
Classification: G06F,G06Q

Abstract:
For use with computer software installed on a personal computer, a computer readable storage medium having stored data representing instructions executable by the personal computer to provide software anti-piracy protection and repeated contact between an authorized software representative and the computer software or a user of the computer software, the computer readable storage medium comprising:instructions for requiring entry of a first authorization code supplied with the computer software to at least partially enable the computer software on the personal computer for use by the computer software user during an initial authorization period; instructions for requiring the computer software user to manually or automatically contact the representative for retrieval of at least one additional authorization code to repeat the enablement of the computer software on the personal computer for use by the computer software user during a subsequent authorization period after the initial authorization period and allowing the repeat of the enablement of the computer software to be performed prior to the expiration of the initial authorization period so the enablement of the computer software can be continuous from the initial authorization period to the subsequent authorization period, the computer software being enabled during the subsequent authorization period without requiring further communication with the representative following entry of the at least one additional authorization code; instructions for automatically initiating contact from the personal computer or the computer software with the representative based on a computer software usage metric; instructions for transferring information from the computer software or the computer software user to the representative subsequent to the initiation of contact with the representative; instructions for receiving marketing or computer software upgrade information from the representative by the personal computer or the computer software in response to the computer software or the computer software user transferring information to the representative; instructions for selectively displaying at least a portion of the received information on the personal computer for the computer software user to view; and instructions for repeating the steps of automatically initiating contact, transferring information, receiving information, and selectively displaying information.