Methods for distributions of digital files

Abstract

The invention relates to a process for distributing files, having the steps of receiving at least one digital file, transmitting the digital file to a location, and selecting at least one content provider. The process also has the steps of updating a content of the content provider to provide a reference to the digital file at the location, generating an updated digital file by adding information which identifies the content provider to the digital file when the reference to the digital file is selected at the content provider, and transmitting at least a portion of the at least one updated digital file to a client network.

1 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A method comprising:
 receiving on-line in a first site from a vendor site information associated with a software product;   transmitting from the first site to a referring site first data and/or code useable to produce one or more links associated with the software product that are to be used in the referring site to initiate a download of the software product to a computing device, the software product comprising a design time incorporated software component comprising second data and/or functions useable in the software product to assist in establishing an electronic communication between the computing device and the vendor site for the purpose of initiating a purchase transaction for the right to use the software product in the computing device; and   electronically receiving in the first site third data useable to remunerate the associated referring site during or after the completion of the purchase transaction by the computing device resulting from an activation of the one or more links of the referring site.   
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 17 , further comprising transmitting from the first site to the referring site one or more advertisements associated with the software product. 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 17 , further comprising transmitting from the first site to the referring site an application useable to modify the one or more links. 
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 18 , further comprising transmitting from the first site to the referring site an application useable to modify the one or more links and/or the one or more advertisements. 
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein the referring site comprises a webpage 
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 21 , wherein the referring site is identifiable by a URL address. 
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 17 , further comprising electronically receiving in the first site software product information, the referring site electronically selected by the first site using the software product information. 
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 17 , further comprising the first site using the third data to remunerate the associated referring site during or after the completion of the purchase transaction by the computing device resulting from an activation of the one or more links of the referring site. 
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 17 , wherein the software component comprises one or more of a class or set of classes with properties and/or methods, a library component, an executable component, a dynamic library, an executable file, and source code. 
     
     
         26 . A method according to  claim 17 , wherein the software product comprises one or more of a computer program, an installation program installing a program in the computing device, a computer program update package, an installing file downloading a computer program on-line or an upgrade thereof, and a computer program library. 
     
     
         27 . A method according to  claim 17 , wherein the design time incorporated software component is incorporated into the software product in the programming environment within which the software product is programmed. 
     
     
         28 . A method according to  claim 17 , wherein the software product comprises source code to access the component's properties, to modify them and/or to call the component's functions from the software product. 
     
     
         29 . A method according to  claim 17 , wherein the design time incorporated software component allows in the software product the execution of certain executable instructions with functionalities that are pre-defined in the component. 
     
     
         30 . A method according to  claim 17 , wherein the design time incorporated software component is useable in determining if the computing device has a right to use the software product. 
     
     
         31 . A method according to  claim 30 , wherein the design time incorporated software component is capable of allowing the use of the software product in the computing device upon determining that the computing device has a right to use the software product. 
     
     
         32 . A method according to  claim 17 , wherein the software product after being installed on the computing device is capable of producing one or more graphical interfaces in the computing device useable to permit a user of the computing device to initiate the purchase transaction. 
     
     
         33 . A method according to  claim 17 , wherein the software product after being installed on the computing device is capable of producing in the computing device a graphical interface useable to permit a user of the computing device to establish a communication with the vendor site through a browser of the computing device. 
     
     
         34 . A method according to  claim 33 , wherein the graphical interface comprises a link to the vendor site. 
     
     
         35 . A method according to  claim 34 , wherein the link to the vendor site is a URL. 
     
     
         36 . A method according to  claim 17 , wherein the communication enables the transmission of data between the computing device and the vendor site useable for enabling the use of the software product in the computing device. 
     
     
         37 . A method according to  claim 17 , wherein the software product is capable of establishing an electronic communication between the computing device and the vendor site via a browser of the computing device to initiate the purchase transaction. 
     
     
         38 . A method according to  claim 37 , wherein the software product is capable of transmitting to the vendor site identifying data associated with the computing device. 
     
     
         39 . A method according to  claim 17 , further comprising electronically receiving in the first site from the computing device identifying data of the referring site. 
     
     
         40 . A method according to  claim 17 , wherein the software product comprises executable instructions that when executed in the computing device are capable of reading first purchase receipt information from the vendor site during or after the purchase transaction. 
     
     
         41 . A method according to  claim 40 , wherein the software product comprises executable instructions that when executed in the computing device are capable of transmitting second purchase receipt information to a licensing site. 
     
     
         42 . A method comprising:
 receiving on-line in a first site from a vendor site information associated with a software product;   transmitting from the first site to a referring site first data and/or code useable to produce at the referring site one or more links associated with the software product to be used in the referring site to initiate a download of a restricted-use version of the software product to a computing device, the software product comprising a design time incorporated software component comprising second data and/or functions useable in the software product to assist in establishing an electronic communication between the computing device and the vendor site for the purpose of initiating a purchase transaction for a right of less restrictive use of the software product in the computing device; and   electronically receiving in the first site third data useable to remunerate the associated referring site during or after the completion of the purchase transaction by the computing device resulting from an activation of the one or more links of the referring site.   
     
     
         43 . A method according to  claim 42 , further comprising transmitting from the first site to the referring site one or more advertisements associated with the software product. 
     
     
         44 . A method according to  claim 42 , further comprising transmitting from the first site to the referring site an application useable to modify the one or more links. 
     
     
         45 . A method according to  claim 43 , further comprising transmitting from the first site to the referring site an application useable to modify the one or more links and/or the one or more advertisements. 
     
     
         46 . A method according to  claim 45 , wherein the referring site comprises a webpage 
     
     
         47 . A method according to  claim 46 , wherein the referring site is identifiable by a URL address. 
     
     
         48 . A method according to  claim 42 , further comprising electronically receiving in the first site software product information, the referring site electronically selected by the first site using the software product information. 
     
     
         49 . A method according to  claim 42 , further comprising the first site using the third data to remunerate the associated referring site during or after the completion of the purchase transaction by the computing device resulting from an activation of the one or more links of the referring site. 
     
     
         50 . A method according to  claim 42 , wherein the software component comprises one or more of a class or set of classes with properties and/or methods, a library component, an executable component, a dynamic library, an executable file, and source code. 
     
     
         51 . A method according to  claim 42 , wherein the software product comprises one or more of a computer program, an installation program installing a program in the computing device, a computer program update package, an installing file downloading a computer program on-line or an upgrade thereof, and a computer program library. 
     
     
         52 . A method according to  claim 42 , wherein the design time incorporated software component is incorporated into the software product in the programming environment within which the software product is programmed. 
     
     
         53 . A method according to  claim 42 , wherein the software product comprises source code to access the component's properties, to modify them and/or to call the component's functions from the software product. 
     
     
         54 . A method according to  claim 42 , wherein the design time incorporated software component allows in the software product the execution of certain executable instructions with functionalities that are pre-defined in the component. 
     
     
         55 . A method according to  claim 42 , wherein the design time incorporated software component is useable in determining if the computing device has the right of less restrictive use of the software product in the computing device. 
     
     
         56 . A method according to  claim 55 , wherein the design time incorporated software component is capable of allowing the less restrictive use of the software product in the computing device upon determining that the computing device has the right of less restrictive use of the software product. 
     
     
         57 . A method according to  claim 42 , wherein the software product after being installed on the computing device is capable of producing one or more graphical interfaces in the computing device useable to permit a user of the computing device to initiate the purchase transaction. 
     
     
         58 . A method according to  claim 42 , wherein the software product after being installed on the computing device is capable of producing in the computing device a graphical interface useable to permit a user of the computing device to establish a communication with the vendor site through a browser of the computing device. 
     
     
         59 . A method according to  claim 58 , wherein the graphical interface comprises a link to the vendor site. 
     
     
         60 . A method according to  claim 59 , wherein the link to the vendor site is a URL. 
     
     
         61 . A method according to  claim 42 , wherein the communication enables the transmission of data between the computing device and the vendor site useable for enabling the less restrictive use of the software product in the computing device. 
     
     
         62 . A method according to  claim 42 , wherein the software product is capable of transmitting to the vendor site identifying data associated with the computing device. 
     
     
         63 . A method according to  claim 42 , further comprising electronically receiving in the first site from the computing device identifying data of the referring site.