Patent ID: 8121901

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for allowing the purchase of components for a hardware device using a computer system, the method comprising: automatically determining the identity of a hardware device capable of communicating with computer systems, including comparing received device information for the hardware device with database device information for a plurality of hardware devices stored in a database; causing a display of a list of devices responsive to the received device information not matching any of the database device information for the plurality of hardware devices in the database, such that the user can identify the hardware device by selecting one or more options from the list, wherein an association of the received device information and the hardware device identified by the user from the list is stored in the database, and responsive to a predetermined number of users having made the same association, using the association in a subsequent determination of the identity of a same type of hardware device of a different user to automatically match device information to the identified hardware device; and causing a display on the computer system of at least one component for the hardware device based on the identity of the hardware device, such that a user can select the at least one component for purchase, wherein the at least one component is compatible with and for use with the hardware device.