Abstract:
An apparatus for preconfiguring an information handling system which includes means for configuring a system with options selected according to user input wherein the options includes at least one renewable component, means for enabling a customer to indicate authorization to automatically renew the renewable component, and a database that receives information from and supplies information to the configurator and the automatic renewal module is disclosed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to build to order systems, and more particularly, pre-configuring a system using after point of sale information.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.  
         [0005]     It is known to order information handling systems either via the telephone or over the internet. It is also known to custom configure systems that are ordered via either method.  
         [0006]     One issue relating to information handling systems that are custom configured relates to providing software or services with the custom configured information handling system. The software or services may be provided when software or services are ordered when the information handling system is ordered or via an additional opportunity to order the software or services after the system is received by a customer.  
         [0007]     More specifically, when a custom configured information handling system is ordered, a customer is provided with an opportunity to order additional software or some form of a subscription service at the time of ordering the custom configured information handling system. Additionally, the custom configured information handling system is provided to the customer with an additional opportunity to order additional software or some form of subscription service. Certain software or subscription services may have limited time licenses (i.e., the software or subscription services are renewable components of the information handling system).  
         [0008]     It is known to provide renewable components with the option of automatic renewal when the components are installed onto an information handling system by the user of the information handling system. However, known processes do not provide an effective method for automatically renewing customers for the software products or services that were ordered via the manufacturer of the information handling system, either at the point of sale or via the provided additional opportunity. Because the manufacturer often receives revenue from the original sale as well as from any renewal it is desirable for the manufacturer to be able to provide the opportunity for the customer to automatically renew the software as well as a mechanism for tracking the renewal.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     In accordance with the present invention, a process for auto renewing limited term software or service agreements by a manufacturer is described. More specifically, the process includes providing a process that allows customers to automatically renew limited term software or service agreements via a configurator. The configurator provides a selection next to appropriate software and service categories that grants the manufacturer permission to recharge an account such as a credit card account than a predefined term commitment expires. The manufacturer then communicates the renewal to the customer and updates appropriate internal systems and partner systems to reflect the changed status. The system can also include an option for renewal when an original account is no longer valid.  
         [0010]     In one embodiment, the invention relates to a system for configuring an information handling system which includes a configurator which configures a system with options selected according to user input wherein the options includes at least one renewable component, an automatic renewal module which enables a customer to indicate authorization to automatically renew the renewable component, and a database that receives information from and supplies information to the configurator and the automatic renewal module.  
         [0011]     In another embodiment, the invention relates to an apparatus for preconfiguring an information handling system which includes means for configuring a system with options selected according to user input wherein the options includes at least one renewable component, means for enabling a customer to indicate authorization to automatically renew the renewable component, and a database that receives information from and supplies information to the configurator and the automatic renewal module.  
         [0012]     In another embodiment, the invention relates to a method of configuring an information handling system for automatic renewal which includes configuring a system with options selected according to user input wherein the options include at least one renewable component, enabling a user to authorize automatic renewal of the renewable component, presenting payment options and obtaining payment information during a checkout process wherein the payment information is applied to the automatic renewal of the renewable component, and using information derived during configuring for enabling. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]     The present invention may be better understood, and its numerous objects, features and advantages made apparent to those skilled in the art by referencing the accompanying drawings. The use of the same reference number throughout the several figures designates a like or similar element.  
         [0014]      FIG. 1  shows a block diagram of access to a system configuration store.  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  shows a system block diagram of an information handling system.  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  shows a schematic block diagram of the operation of the system configuration store  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  shows a schematic block diagram of the system configuration store.  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  shows a flow diagram of the configuration of an information handling system to include the customization features.  
         [0019]      FIG. 6  shows a flow diagram of the operation of a system for enabling automatic renewal of software and service agreements. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0020]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a customer can access the system configuration store  110  using any suitable computer equipment  120 , via the Internet  122 . The computer equipment  120  may include a display  130 , computer  132 , keyboard  134 , and pointing device  136 . Display  130  is used for displaying the various pages of the on-line store while a customer is using the on-line store. Alternately, a customer can access the system configuration store  110  via a telephone  140  which is coupled to the system configuration store via a telephone network  142 . In the case of a telephone access to the system configuration store, the customer speaks with a sales representative who obtains the configuration information from the customer and in turn enters the information into the system configuration store  110  to configure a system. The system configuration store  110  provides the ability for a customer to enable automatically renewal of limited term software or service agreements by a manufacturer.  
         [0021]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , a system block diagram of an information handling system  200  is shown having features thereof configured in accordance with the system configuration store  110  as discussed herein. The information handling system  200  includes a processor  202 , input/output (I/O) devices, such as a display, a keyboard, a mouse, and associated controllers, collectively designed by a reference numeral  204 , a non-volatile memory  206  such as a hard disk and drive, and other storage devices, such as a floppy disk and drive and other memory devices  208 , and various other subsystems  210 , all interconnected via one or more buses  212 .  
         [0022]     The information handling system  200  also includes an automatic renewal module  230  stored on the non-volatile memory.  
         [0023]     For purposes of this invention, an information handling system may include any instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operable to compute, classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate, switch, store, display, manifest, detect, record, reproduce, handle, or utilize any form of information, intelligence, or data for business, scientific, control, or other purposes. For example, an information handling system may be a personal computer, a network storage device, or any other suitable device and may vary in size, shape, performance, functionality, and price. The information handling system may include random access memory (RAM), one or more processing resources such as a central processing unit (CPU) or hardware or software control logic, ROM, and/or other types of nonvolatile memory. Additional components of the information handling system may include one or more disk drives, one or more network ports for communicating with external devices as well as various input and output (I/O) devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a video display. The information handling system may also include one or more buses operable to transmit communications between the various hardware components.  
         [0024]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , an on-line store is a component of an Internet website to which a customer may go to configure a particular information handling system, for example, according to desired options of the customer. An on-line store is one example of a system configuration store  110 . The on-line store is typically a subset of a larger Internet website. At the on-line store, a customer can select one or more products in which the customer is interested. Upon selection of a particular product, the on-line store presents the customer with the ability to go to the product information for the particular product, customize the product, price the customized product, purchase the product, and other actions as discussed. While shopping happens in the website (i.e., selection of a particular kind of system by a customer), when the customer is ready to purchase a customized system, the customer is then directed to that part of the website which the on-line store application controls.  
         [0025]     An on-line store  310  for use in generating customer configured information handling systems, e.g., customer configured computer systems, is shown. The on-line store  310  includes a welcome or introductory module  312 , a commerce application module  314 , and a thank you module  316 . The on-line store  310  includes an on-line store user interface which enables the system configuration, pricing, and ordering of an information handling system via the Internet. The commerce application  314  includes a configurator  318 , shopping cart  320 , a checkout module  322 , a services activation module  324 , an automatic renewal module  326  and database  328 . The database  328  provides information to the configurator  318 , shopping cart  320 , checkout module  322 , services activation module  324  and automatic renewal module  326 . The configurator  318  includes a pricing module  328 , a view module  330 , a lead time warning module  332 , a validation (or compatibility) warning module  334 , and a merchandising module  336 . The various modules of the configurator  318  are driven by data from the database  328 , and thus the configurator  318 , shopping cart  320 , checkout module  322  and services activation module  324  are all linked to the database  328 .  
         [0026]     In operation of the on-line store  310 , the welcome module  312  presents a welcome page  312 , the configurator  318  presents a configurator page, the shopping cart  320  presents a shopping cart page, the checkout module  322  presents a checkout page, the services activation module  324  presents a services activation page, the automatic renewal module  326  provides a registration and customization page and the thank you module  316  presents a thank you page. The welcome page includes a static page and generally resides outside of the commerce application  314 . The configurator page, shopping cart page, checkout page, services activation page and registration and customization page are within the commerce application and use information provided by the database. The checkout includes a payment feature, delivery feature, personal versus business feature, and instructional text features (i.e., how to fill out an on-line form.)  
         [0027]     The welcome page is typically an introductory page and includes a link into the on-line store  310 . The welcome page is typically a static welcome page. Upon completion of configuration of a system, is transferred to a services activation page in which the customer is provided an opportunity to activate various services such as internet service or content services such as music services. After completion of the services activation, the customer is transferred to the automatic renewal page. After completion of the automatic renewal, the customer is transferred to a checkout page. After completion of the checkout, the customer is transferred to a static thank you page. The thank you page provides a message of gratitude to the customer for having placed the order or for visiting the on-line store.  
         [0028]     Aspects of the configurator  318  which interact with database  328  are shown in  FIG. 3 . In essence, the entire commerce application  314  interacts with the database. The configurator  318 , shopping cart  320 , checkout module  322 , services activation module  324  and registration and customization module are each part of the commerce application  314  and interact with the database  328 . For example, with the shopping cart  320 , additional merchandising information associated with a particular system which has been configured and placed in the shopping cart by an on-line store customer can be provided.  
         [0029]     Also, various services may be provided for order by the customer by the services activation module  324  based upon the type of system ordered as well as components that are included within the system ordered. Additionally, by providing the services activation module  326  and the automatic renewal module  236  within the commerce application  314 , the customer continues the experience a similar customer experience and the system provider is able to use the information from the database  328  and to maintain control over the customer contact. By maintaining control over the customer contact the system provider is able to determine what services are activated and to maintain accurate and up to date records of the service activation.  
         [0030]     When a purchase is processed via the telephone, then the customer representative interacts with a system similar to configurator  318 .  
         [0031]     The automatic renewal module  326  allows customers to automatically renew limited term software or service agreements via the commerce application  314 . The automatic renewal module  326  may provide a selection (e.g., via selection buttons) next to appropriate software and service categories that grants the manufacturer permission to recharge an account such as a credit card account when a predefined term commitment expires. The manufacturer then communicates the renewal to the customer and updates appropriate internal systems and partner systems to reflect the changed status. The automatic renewal system can also include an option for renewal when an original account is no longer valid.  
         [0032]     Referring to  FIG. 4 , when automatic renewal information is obtained either via on-line sales  410  or via off-line (e.g., telephone) sales  412 , the information is provided to an order management system  420  which interacts with the factory in which the system is manufactured. The order management system  420  stores this information to a database  430  as well as to a Bill of Materials (BOM)  432  which is associated with a particular system being manufactured. It will be appreciated that one or both the database  430  or the BOM  432  may be used to transfer the information from the customer order to a particular information handling system. The information is then stored in a system descriptor record (SDR) which is stored on the memory of the information handling system  442  being manufactured. Accordingly, the automatic renewal information that is obtained from the customer is stored on the system that is manufactured for that customer.  
         [0033]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , a flow diagram of the operation of a system  500  for enabling automatic renewal of software and service agreements is shown. The system  500  includes a manufacturer portion  506  and a customer portion  508 . More specifically, the order portion  506  of the system  500  starts when a customer starts configuring an information handling system either via the system configuration store  110  at step  510 . Next, the customer selects particular software or service subscriptions at step  512  (e.g., via services activation module  324 ). The particular software or service subscriptions may be multiple software or service subscriptions from multiple vendors. Next the customer selects whether to automatically renew some or all of the selected software or service subscriptions at step  514 . If the customer declines the automatic renewal option then the session completes at step  516  with the customer purchasing the particular information handling system.  
         [0034]     If the customer opts to use the automatic renewal feature, then the customer selects which software or service subscriptions to automatically renew at step  520 . The customer may opt for automatic renewal for any or all of the software or services that were selected. The customer then enters the relevant account information at step  522 . For example, the account information can include a credit card number, name associated with the credit card and expiration date of the credit card. Next at step  524 , the automatic renewal system associates a service tag of the information handling system with the automatic renewal information and stores this information to the order management system  524 . The information about the automatic renewal is also provided to the appropriate backend provider (i.e., each of the providers of the software or service) at step  530 . While the information about the automatic renewal is provided to the backend provider, the payment information is not provided to the backend provider.  
         [0035]     When the customer first executes the software at step  532 , the software automatically communicates with the backend server at step  534  to start a timer for the determination of the renewal period. The backend server  534  links the service tag of the system to the purchase of the software or service at step  540  and sets an automatic renewal flag on the account for the software or service at step  542 .  
         [0036]     Upon expiration of the software or service the backend server  534  provides an indication to a monitoring portion of the program that is stored on the customer information handling system. The monitoring portion determines that the software or service has expired at step  550 . Next the automatic renewal system determines whether the customer has indicated a desire to automatically renew at step  552 . If the customer has not so indicated, then the customer portion of the system  500  transfer control to an after point of sale registration module that initiates an after point of sale renewal of the software at step  554 . The after point of sale renewal of the software is linked with the information handling system and is via the manufacturer of the information handling system.  
         [0037]     If the customer indicated a desire to automatically renew, then the manufacturer sends an email (or other form of communication) to the customer confirming renewal of the software or service at step  560 . When the confirmation is received as determined by step  562 , the expiration date for the subscription is reset at step  564  and information regarding the reset expiration date is provided to the backend server. If the confirmation was not received, then the customer is transferred to an after point of sale registration module that initiates an after point of sale renewal.  
         [0000]     Other Embodiments  
         [0038]     Other embodiments are within the following claims.  
         [0039]     For example, it will be appreciated that the order in which the customer is presented with the services activation page, the automatic renewal page and check out page may vary. E.g., the customer may checkout before accessing the services activation page. Alternately, the services activation module and the automatic renewal page may be presented as a combined page.  
         [0040]     Also for example, it will be appreciated that the automatic renewal module may be provided as a subset of another module&#39;s functions, such as the merchandising module  336 . Thus customers can select which software for autorenewal as they are selecting individual software applications or upon checkout after an information handling system has been configured including all software that is to be loaded onto the information handling system.  
         [0041]     Also for example, the above-discussed embodiments include software modules that perform certain tasks. The software modules discussed herein may include script, batch, or other executable files. The software modules may be stored on a machine-readable or computer-readable storage medium such as a disk drive. Storage devices used for storing software modules in accordance with an embodiment of the invention may be magnetic floppy disks, hard disks, or optical discs such as CD-ROMs or CD-Rs, for example. A storage device used for storing firmware or hardware modules in accordance with an embodiment of the invention may also include a semiconductor-based memory, which may be permanently, removably or remotely coupled to a microprocessor/memory system. Thus, the modules may be stored within a computer system memory to configure the computer system to perform the functions of the module. Other new and various types of computer-readable storage media may be used to store the modules discussed herein. Additionally, those skilled in the art will recognize that the separation of functionality into modules is for illustrative purposes. Alternative embodiments may merge the functionality of multiple modules into a single module or may impose an alternate decomposition of functionality of modules. For example, a software module for calling sub-modules may be decomposed so that each sub-module performs its function and passes control directly to another sub-module.  
         [0042]     Consequently, the invention is intended to be limited only by the spirit and scope of the appended claims, giving full cognizance to equivalents in all respects.