James R Fritsch

US Patent:

20030023963, Jan 30, 2003

Filed:

Jul 25, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/912975

Inventors:

Suellen Birkholz - Rochester MN, US
Carol Egan - Rochester MN, US
Clair Ewert - Rochester MN, US
James Fritsch - Rochester MN, US
John Gressett - Rochester MN, US
Lonny Olson-Williams - Rochester MN, US

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F009/44

US Classification:

717/172000, 717/168000

Abstract:

Method and apparatus for upgrading a software on a customer system are provided. In one embodiment, a method for upgrading a software on a customer system comprises: receiving, by a supplier system, a software inventory from the customer system; verifying one or more business contracts for the software inventory utilizing one or more databases connected to the supplier system; and determining one or more software upgrade releases for the software inventory utilizing a product topology database connected to the supplier system.

US Patent:

20060282392, Dec 14, 2006

Filed:

Jun 9, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/149479

Inventors:

Clair Ewert - Rochester MN, US
James Fritsch - Rochester MN, US
Lars Iversen - Karlslunde, DK
James Kidd - Rochester MN, US
Merrill Lindberg - Rochester MN, US

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06Q 99/00

US Classification:

705059000

Abstract:

An electronic proof of entitlements management system that provides the ability to create entitlement record based on customer entitlement purchase, to update elements of the entitlement entity based on entitlement owner authority, and to transfer entitlements to other computer system, both intra-organization and inter-organization. The electronic proof of entitlements in some embodiments are retained and maintained in an Internet-accessible license management database that can be used by customers via web-based support tools to access, view, print, transfer and update the electronic proofs of entitlement. These electronic proofs of entitlement may also be used by software vendor to verify entitlement for software upgrades and process purchases of additional entitlement.

US Patent:

20090158269, Jun 18, 2009

Filed:

Dec 14, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/957057

Inventors:

James R. Fritsch - Rochester MN, US
Lars R. Iversen - Karlslunde, DK
Russell G. Turner - Byron MN, US
Daniel J. Wingard - Kingston NY, US

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F 9/445

US Classification:

717172

Abstract:

Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to software license management and provide a method, system and computer program product for authorizing customer managed software installation. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for authorizing customer managed software installation based on entitlement records can be provided. The method can include in response to a request to transfer a registered software product from an existing platform to a new platform, validating both an entitlement record and also a maintenance record for the registered software product and transferring the registered software product to the new platform only if both the entitlement record and the maintenance record validate.