US6832349B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Remote activation of enhanced functionality features in locally created documents
Assignee: Hewlett Packard Development Co LP
•
Filing: 2001-08-27
•
Granted: 2004-12-14
•
Expires: 2021-08-27
Abstract
Abstract A method and system for remotely activating document features in locally created electronic documents. Documents having certain document features, are created in a design application at a local computer. Codes correlating to the imparted document features are generated and embedded in the document file. Documents are delivered to a remote computer having a viewer application for opening and viewing the document. The viewer application reads the generated codes and unlocks functionality in the application for implementation of document features. The document features may provide enhanced functionality as value-added items such as digital signature capability, the ability to view a document in high fidelity, and local saving of the document with associated document data.
Inventors
- 👤 Mark W. Seamans
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 15:00
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F40/00; G06F40/10; G06F40/166; G06F40/174
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
156 words
A system for remotely activating document features in locally created electronic documents, the system comprising: a. an electronic document design application for creating an electronic document on a local computer; b. means for entering document features to the electronic document; c. means for generating an activation key correlating to the document features entered to the electronic document and embedding the activation key into the electronic document; d. means for delivering the electronic document to a remote computer through an electronic network; e. means for receiving the electronic document at the remote computer; f. a viewer application located on the remote computer for opening the electronic document, the viewer application having functionalities for carrying out document features, the functionalities being selectively unlocked in response to an activation key corresponding to the entered document features; and g. means for reading the activation key in the electronic document and unlocking the document features in correlation to the activation key.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
156 words
A system for remotely activating document features in locally created electronic documents, the system comprising: a. an electronic document design application for creating an electronic document on a local computer; b. means for entering document features to the electronic document; c. means for generating an activation key correlating to the document features entered to the electronic document and embedding the activation key into the electronic document; d. means for delivering the electronic document to a remote computer through an electronic network; e. means for receiving the electronic document at the remote computer; f. a viewer application located on the remote computer for opening the electronic document, the viewer application having functionalities for carrying out document features, the functionalities being selectively unlocked in response to an activation key corresponding to the entered document features; and g. means for reading the activation key in the electronic document and unlocking the document features in correlation to the activation key.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the document features are enhanced functionality features.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
96 words
The system of claim 1 , further comprising: h. means for generating a unique document code for the electronic document created by the electronic document design application and embedding the document code into the electronic document; i. a network server; j. means for delivering the electronic document from the local computer to the remote computer through the network server; k. means for reading the unique document code each time the electronic document passes from the network server to the remote computer; and l. means for counting the number of times the unique document code is read.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
75 words
The system of claim 3 , further comprising: m. means for locating a unique license code in the electronic design application and generating a unique organization code for the electronic document in response to the unique license code; n. means for reading the unique organization code each time the electronic document passes from the network server to the remote computer; and o. means for counting the number of times the unique organization code is read.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 4 , further comprising means for determining a license fee in response to the number of times the unique organization code is read.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system of claim 4 , further comprising means for determining a license fee in response to the number of times both the unique document code and unique organization code are read.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 4 , wherein the feature code, unique document code and unique organization code are binary data strings.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 7 , further comprising means for combining the feature code, unique document code and unique organization code to create one contiguous binary data string.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
67 words
The system of claim 8 , wherein the feature code succeeds the unique document code and unique organization code in the order of reading, whereby the addition of string length to the feature code in response to new document features added to the electronic document design application does not reposition binary string elements corresponding to the unique document code, unique organization code and existing document activation key.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the functionalities are selectively unlocked only while the electronic document is in focus.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic document design application is a form design application.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
128 words
A method of remotely activating document features in a locally created electronic document, the method comprising: a. creating an electronic document at a local computer using an electronic document design application; b. entering document features to the electronic document using the functionality of the electronic document design application; c. generating an activation key in relation to the document features entered to the electronic document; d. embedding the activation key in the electronic document; e. delivering the electronic document to a remote computer; f. receiving the electronic document at the remote computer; g. opening the electronic document in a viewer application having functionality for carrying out document features; h. reading the activation key in the electronic document; and i. unlocking selected document features in response to the activation key.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
128 words
A method of remotely activating document features in a locally created electronic document, the method comprising: a. creating an electronic document at a local computer using an electronic document design application; b. entering document features to the electronic document using the functionality of the electronic document design application; c. generating an activation key in relation to the document features entered to the electronic document; d. embedding the activation key in the electronic document; e. delivering the electronic document to a remote computer; f. receiving the electronic document at the remote computer; g. opening the electronic document in a viewer application having functionality for carrying out document features; h. reading the activation key in the electronic document; and i. unlocking selected document features in response to the activation key.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
74 words
The method of claim 12 , further comprising: j. generating a unique document code for the electronic document; k. embedding the document code into the electronic document; l. delivering the electronic document from the local computer to the remote computer through a network server; m. reading the unique document code for each delivery from the network server to the remote computer; and n. counting the number of times the unique document code is read.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
69 words
The method of claim 13 , further comprising: o. locating a unique license code in the electronic design application; p. generating a unique organization code for the electronic document in response to the unique license code; q. reading the unique organization code each time the, electronic document passes from the network server to the remote computer; and r. counting the number of times the unique organization code is read.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 14 , further comprising: S. calculating a first license fee in response to the number of times the unique organization code is read; and t. calculating a second license fee in response to the number of times both the unique document code and the unique organization code are read.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein the unlocking is performed only when the electronic document is in focus.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein the electronic document design application is a form design application.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
160 words
A system for determining license fees for network based transactions, the system comprising: a. a network server having memory; b. a plurality of transaction files residing in the memory of the network server; c. a unique organization code taken from a plurality of organization codes and embedded in at least one transaction file, each of the plurality of organization codes corresponding to a unique organization; d. a computer; e. means for placing a request from the computer to the network server for download of the at least one transaction file from the network server to the computer; f. means for reading the unique organization code each time the at least one transaction file is downloaded from the network server to the computer; g. means for counting the number of times the unique organization code is read; and h. means for calculating a license fee for an organization in response to the number of times the unique organization code is read.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
160 words
A system for determining license fees for network based transactions, the system comprising: a. a network server having memory; b. a plurality of transaction files residing in the memory of the network server; c. a unique organization code taken from a plurality of organization codes and embedded in at least one transaction file, each of the plurality of organization codes corresponding to a unique organization; d. a computer; e. means for placing a request from the computer to the network server for download of the at least one transaction file from the network server to the computer; f. means for reading the unique organization code each time the at least one transaction file is downloaded from the network server to the computer; g. means for counting the number of times the unique organization code is read; and h. means for calculating a license fee for an organization in response to the number of times the unique organization code is read.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
85 words
The system of claim 18 , further comprising: i. a unique document code embedded in each of the plurality of transaction files; j. means for reading the unique document code each time the at least one transaction file is downloaded from the network server to the computer; k. means for counting the number of times the unique document code is read; and l. means for calculating the license fee for the organization in response to the number of times the unique document code is read.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
174 words
A system for determining license fees for network based transactions, the system comprising: a network server having a memory; a plurality of transaction files residing in the memory of the network server; a unique organization code taken from a plurality of organization codes and embedded in at least one transaction file, each of the plurality of organization codes corresponding to a unique organization; a plurality of computers; a communication module operating on one of the computers and configured to place a request from the one computer to the network server for download of the at least one transaction file from the network server to the one computer; and a tracking module operating on the network server and configured to: read the unique organization code each time the at least one transaction file is downloaded from the network server to the one computer, count the number of times the unique organization code is read, and calculate a license fee for an organization in response to the number of times the unique organization code is read.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
174 words
A system for determining license fees for network based transactions, the system comprising: a network server having a memory; a plurality of transaction files residing in the memory of the network server; a unique organization code taken from a plurality of organization codes and embedded in at least one transaction file, each of the plurality of organization codes corresponding to a unique organization; a plurality of computers; a communication module operating on one of the computers and configured to place a request from the one computer to the network server for download of the at least one transaction file from the network server to the one computer; and a tracking module operating on the network server and configured to: read the unique organization code each time the at least one transaction file is downloaded from the network server to the one computer, count the number of times the unique organization code is read, and calculate a license fee for an organization in response to the number of times the unique organization code is read.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 20 , further comprising a unique document code embedded in each of the plurality of transaction files.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
68 words
The system of claim 21 , wherein the tracking module is additionally configured to: read the unique document code each time the at least one transaction file is downloaded from the network server to the computer, count the number of times the unique document code is read, and calculate the license fee for the organization in response to the number of times the unique document code is read.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
106 words
A computer-readable medium containing instructions for remotely activating document features in a locally created electronic document, by: entering document features to an electronic document using the functionality of an electronic document design application; generating an activation key in relation to the document features entered to the electronic document; embedding the activation key in the electronic document; delivering the electronic document to a remote computer; receiving the electronic document at the remote computer; opening the electronic document in a viewer application having functionality for carrying out document features; reading the activation key in the electronic document; and unlocking selected document features in response to the activation key.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
106 words
A computer-readable medium containing instructions for remotely activating document features in a locally created electronic document, by: entering document features to an electronic document using the functionality of an electronic document design application; generating an activation key in relation to the document features entered to the electronic document; embedding the activation key in the electronic document; delivering the electronic document to a remote computer; receiving the electronic document at the remote computer; opening the electronic document in a viewer application having functionality for carrying out document features; reading the activation key in the electronic document; and unlocking selected document features in response to the activation key.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
125 words
A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method of remotely activating document features in a locally created electronic document, the method comprising: entering document features to an electronic document using the functionality of an electronic document design application; generating an activation key in relation to the document features entered to the electronic document; embedding the activation key in the electronic document; delivering the electronic document to a remote computer; receiving the electronic document at the remote computer; opening the electronic document in a viewer application having functionality for carrying out document features; reading the activation key in the electronic document; and unlocking selected document features in response to the activation key.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
125 words
A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method of remotely activating document features in a locally created electronic document, the method comprising: entering document features to an electronic document using the functionality of an electronic document design application; generating an activation key in relation to the document features entered to the electronic document; embedding the activation key in the electronic document; delivering the electronic document to a remote computer; receiving the electronic document at the remote computer; opening the electronic document in a viewer application having functionality for carrying out document features; reading the activation key in the electronic document; and unlocking selected document features in response to the activation key.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
129 words
A computer-readable medium containing instructions for determining license fees for network based transactions, by: placing a request from a computer to a network server for download of at least one transaction file from the network server to the computer; reading a unique organization code each time the at least one transaction file is downloaded from the network server to the computer, wherein the unique organization code is selected from a plurality of organization codes and is embedded in at least one transaction file, and wherein each of the plurality of organization codes corresponds to a unique organization; counting the number of times the unique organization code is read; and calculating a license fee for an organization in response to the number of times the unique organization code is read.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
129 words
A computer-readable medium containing instructions for determining license fees for network based transactions, by: placing a request from a computer to a network server for download of at least one transaction file from the network server to the computer; reading a unique organization code each time the at least one transaction file is downloaded from the network server to the computer, wherein the unique organization code is selected from a plurality of organization codes and is embedded in at least one transaction file, and wherein each of the plurality of organization codes corresponds to a unique organization; counting the number of times the unique organization code is read; and calculating a license fee for an organization in response to the number of times the unique organization code is read.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
144 words
A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method of determining license fees for network based transactions, the method comprising: embedding a unique organization code selected from a plurality of organization codes into at least one transaction file, wherein each of the plurality of organization codes corresponds to a unique organization; placing a request from a computer to a network server for download of the at least one transaction file from the network server to the computer; reading the unique organization code each time the at least one transaction file is downloaded from the network server to the computer; counting the number of times the unique organization code is read; and calculating a license fee for an organization in response to the number of times the unique organization code is read.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
144 words
A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method of determining license fees for network based transactions, the method comprising: embedding a unique organization code selected from a plurality of organization codes into at least one transaction file, wherein each of the plurality of organization codes corresponds to a unique organization; placing a request from a computer to a network server for download of the at least one transaction file from the network server to the computer; reading the unique organization code each time the at least one transaction file is downloaded from the network server to the computer; counting the number of times the unique organization code is read; and calculating a license fee for an organization in response to the number of times the unique organization code is read.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2007-12-14 | 2008-06-14 | 2008-12-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-12-14 | 2012-06-14 | 2012-12-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2015-12-14 | 2016-06-14 | 2016-12-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |