Software activation system, sewing machine, and server

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11601417-B2
Application number	US-202016810125-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 5, 2020
Priority date	Mar 27, 2019
Publication date	Mar 7, 2023
Grant date	Mar 7, 2023

Abstract

A software activation system includes a sewing machine and at least one server connected via a network. The sewing machine acquires an authentication code corresponding to an activation target software that is at least one of a program and data not activated on the sewing machine, and transmits, to an authentication server included in the at least one server, an authentication request including the acquired authentication code. The server acquires an authentication key on the basis of the authentication request, when the authentication request is received by the first receiver; and transmits the acquired authentication key to the sewing machine. The sewing machine also receives the authentication key from the authentication server, determines whether the received authentication key satisfies a predetermined authentication condition, and activates the activation target software on the sewing machine when it is determined that the authentication key satisfies the predetermined condition.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A software activation system comprising:
a sewing machine and at least one server connected via a network,
wherein
the sewing machine includes:
a first storage device configured to store distinguishing information unique to the sewing machine;
a processor and a memory storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform processes comprising:
acquiring an authentication code corresponding to an activation target software that is at least one of a program and data not activated on the sewing machine; and
transmitting, to an authentication server included in the at least one server, an authentication request including the acquired authentication code, the authentication request including individual identification information unique to the sewing machine, the individual identification information being generated on the basis of the distinguishing information acquired from the first storage device, and

the server includes a first receiver configured to receive the authentication request from the sewing machine, a processor, and a memory storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform processes comprising:
acquiring an authentication key on the basis of the authentication request, when the authentication request is received by the first receiver, the acquiring of the authentication key including acquiring the authentication key on the basis of the individual identification information included in the authentication request; and
transmitting the acquired authentication key to the sewing machine, and

the computer-readable instructions stored in the memory of the sewing machine further cause the processor of the sewing machine to perform processes comprising:
receiving the authentication key from the authentication server;
determining whether the received authentication key satisfies a predetermined authentication condition by determining whether the authentication key satisfies the authentication condition on the basis of the distinguishing information stored in the first storage device; and
activating the activation target software on the sewing machine when it is determined that the authentication key satisfies the predetermined condition.

2. The software activation system according to claim 1 , wherein
the authentication request includes model identification information identifying a model of the sewing machine, and
the computer-readable instructions stored in the memory of the server further cause the processor of the server to perform processes comprising:
identifying the model of the sewing machine on the basis of the model identification information included in the authentication request;
determining, on the basis of the identified model of the sewing machine, whether the sewing machine is a compatible model for the activation target software; and
performing notification of a predetermined error to the sewing machine when it is not determined that the sewing machine is the compatible model.

3. The software activation system according to claim 1 , wherein
the computer-readable instructions stored in the memory of the sewing machine further cause the processor of the sewing machine to perform processes comprising:
transmitting, to a confirmation server included in the at least one server, a confirmation request requesting identification information, the identification information being information for identifying not yet installed software that is at least one of a program and data that is not yet installed;
receiving, from the confirmation server, a confirmation response including the identification information; and
installing the not yet installed software in the sewing machine,

the confirmation server further includes a second receiver configured to receive the confirmation request from the sewing machine,
the computer-readable instructions stored in the memory of the confirmation server further cause the processor of the confirmation server to perform processes comprising:
acquiring the identification information on the basis of the confirmation request when the confirmation request is received by the second receiver; and
transmitting, to the sewing machine, the confirmation response including the acquired identification information, and

the installing the not yet installed software in the sewing machine includes installing the not yet installed software in the sewing machine on the basis of the identification information included in the received confirmation response.

4. The software activation system according to claim 3 , wherein
the sewing machine further includes a second storage device configured to store a current status by which software installed in the sewing machine is identifiable,
the confirmation request includes the current status stored in the second storage device,
the confirmation server further includes a third storage device configured to store a most recent status by which software to be installed in the sewing machine is identifiable, and
the acquiring the identification information includes identifying the not yet installed software to be installed in the sewing machine, on the basis of the current status included in the confirmation request and the most recent status stored in the third storage device, and acquiring the identified not yet installed software as the identification information.

5. The software activation system according to claim 3 , wherein
the sewing machine further includes a second storage device configured to store a current status by which software installed in the sewing machine is identifiable,
the confirmation server further includes a third storage device configured to store a most recent status by which software to be installed in the sewing machine is identifiable,
the identification information is the most recent status stored in the second storage device, and
the installing the not yet installed software includes identifying the not yet installed software to be installed in the sewing machine, on the basis of the most recent status included in the confirmation response and the current status stored in the second storage device, and installing the identified not yet installed software in the sewing machine.

6. The software activation system according to claim 3 , wherein
the installing the not yet installed software includes generating, from the identification information, a provider source address of the identified not yet installed software, acquiring data of the not yet installed software from the generated provider source address, and installing the data of the not yet installed software in the sewing machine.

7. The software activation system according to claim 3 , wherein
the confirmation server and the authentication server are a same specific server, and the transmitting of the authentication request to the authentication server and the transmitting of the confirmation request to the confirmation server is a single transmission process to transmit, to the specific server, the authentication request functioning as the confirmation request.

8. The software activation system according to claim 3 , wherein
the confirmation server and the authentication server are a same specific server, and the transmitting of the confirmation request to the confirmation server includes transmitting the confirmation request to the specific server, when, in the determining whether the authentication key satisfies a predetermined condition, it is determined that the authentication key satisfies the predetermined condition.

9. The software activation system according to claim 3 , wherein
the sewing machine

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Yamamoto Satomi
• Hanabusa Masahiro

Classifications

• D05D2205/085

  combined with a display arrangement, e.g. touch sensitive control panel · CPC title

• D05B79/00

  Incorporations or adaptations of lighting equipment · CPC title

• H04L63/0876

  based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint · CPC title

• H04L63/06

  for supporting key management in a packet data network (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08) · CPC title

• D05B39/00

  Workpiece carriers (for automatically controlling movement of work-carrier to obtain particular configuration of seam D05B21/00; in general A41H15/00) · CPC title