Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Arvind R Padole

Eric H Wong

David G Thaler

Ping Xie

James Anthony Schwartz, Jr

Justin Allen Hutchings

Ellsworth Davis Walker

Shon Eizenhoefer

Daniel Stelian Mihai

Greg M Zaverucha

Kevin M Kane

Troy Alan Funk

Itai Rosenberger

Pawel R Winogrodzki

Sanket Patel

Shon T Eizenhoefer

James A Schwartz Jr

The application is directed to a computer-implemented method and apparatus for provisioning an Internet of Things (IoT) device on an IoT network. The application is also directed to a method for managing access to functionality of an IoT device in a networked group.

Leveraging pre-existing groups for IoT device access

Various embodiments provide an ability to automatically boot a computing device with an operating system stored on a portable storage device when the portable storage device is detected to be present. The computing device can be configured to dynamically boot from the portable storage device when the portable storage device is detected, and revert to a programmed boot order in its associated boot module when the portable storage device is not detected. In some embodiments, the operating system is fully encapsulated on the portable storage device, such as the operating system being completely separate from an operating system initially booting the computing device.

Dynamically redirecting boot to another operating system

A method and system for activating and obtaining a license for a software product is disclosed. A local license is obtained from a storage medium of the software product and is stored with the software product on a user's computer. The local license allows for one of multiple license types to be activated from a single software product. The user enters a product key containing a channel ID. The compact disk or other storage medium is searched for the appropriate local license for the channel ID. The local license includes a MSIID, a channel ID range for each supported license type, a license type for each channel id range, and an optional product expiration date for the license type. The license type is determined by looking up the product key's channel id in the local license's channel id range table. If activation is required based on the license type, then an installation ID including a product ID (PID) and a hardware ID (H/W ID) are transmitted to an activation authority. The activation authority uses the PID to determine whether the software product has been activated before and uses the channel ID to determine the type of backend license to grant. If the PID is found in the database, the activation authority applies various unlocking rules to determine whether or not the backend license should be issued and, if so, the he activation authority transmits a backend license.

Method and system for licensing a software product

Growing community of inventors

Bothell, WA, United States of America

Arvind R Padole