Apparatus and method of managing a licensable item

• US 10,140,672 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2015
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Hohlfeld, Matthew W., Mahan, Michael P., Mandyam, Giridhar D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sholeman, Abu S
• Application Number:
  US14/834,913
• Publication Number:
  US 20150363901A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,190 Days
• Field of Search: 726 1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/105 Arrangements for software license management or administration, e.g. for managing licenses at corporate level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1087 Synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/101 Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 2220/18 Licensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/184 Intellectual property management

Abstract

An apparatus and method of managing a licensable item includes accessing a licensing policy related to managing a licensable item, and a license agent making a determination to act to enforce the licensing policy or to first communicate with a server before acting to enforce the licensing policy. Further, the apparatus and method include enforcing the licensing policy in accordance with the determination to act to enforce the licensing policy or to first communicate with a server before acting.

Claims

1. A method of operating an apparatus that is configured to manage a licensable item, comprising:

accessing a licensing policy related to whether an action is permitted to be taken with the licensable item, wherein the licensing policy corresponds to a client version of a license for the licensable item that is maintained on the apparatus and is configured to be synchronized with a server version of the license for the licensable item that is maintained on a server;

making a determination, by a license agent, first attempt to communicate, by the apparatus, with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license before acting to enforce the licensing policy for the action;

attempting to communicate, by the apparatus, with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license before acting to enforce the licensing policy for the action in response to the determination to first attempt to communicate with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license before acting to enforce the licensing policy for the action, wherein synchronization of the client and server versions of the license produces a synchronized client version of the license by updating the client version of the license to include one or more changes made to one or more licensing policies in the server version of the license that occurred after a previous synchronization of the client version of the license with the server version of the license; and

enforcing the licensing policy for the action based on the non-synchronized version of the license in response to the attempt to communicate by the apparatus with the server being unsuccessful,

wherein accessing the licensing policy includes accessing a first licensing policy related to a first licensable item in a first runtime and accessing a second licensing policy related to a second licensable item in a second runtime, and

wherein enforcing the licensing policy includes enforcing the first licensing policy for the first licensable item executed in the first runtime and enforcing the second licensing policy for the second licensable item executed in the second runtime.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing the licensing policy includes accessing an enforcement rule associated with the licensing policy, and

wherein enforcing the licensing policy includes determining a constraint imposed by the enforcement rule on the action taken with the licensable item.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the action is one or more of a recall, deletion, update, transfer, upgrade, expiration, download, and/or activation of the licensable item.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein making the determination further comprises:

accessing a synchronization rule that is associated with the licensing policy; and

determining whether the synchronization rule calls for communicating with the server.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein making the determination further comprises:

accessing a time stamp for a most recent synchronization of the licensing policy; and

determining whether an elapsed time since the time stamp exceeds the synchronization rule.

6. The method of claim 4,

wherein the one or more changes made to the one or more licensing policies includes downloading a new enforcement rule;

and

wherein enforcing the licensing policy includes determining a constraint imposed by the new enforcement rule on the action taken with the licensable item.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein enforcing the licensing policy includes reporting to the server the action taken with the licensable item.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein attempting to communicate with the server further comprises communicating packet data incorporating data associated with the licensing policy with data traffic that is unrelated to the licensing policy.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein making the determination includes determining that the synchronization rule allows the action to be taken with the licensable item when a connection to the server is unavailable, and

wherein the enforcing enables the action to be taken with the licensable item in response to determining that the connection to the server is unavailable.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the attempt to communicate by the apparatus with the server is determine to be unsuccessful if an associated connection to the server has a capacity less than a threshold value.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing the licensing policy further comprises responding to a user selection of the licensable item.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein making the determination further comprises accessing a synchronization rule that is associated with the licensing policy, and determining whether the synchronization rule calls for communicating with the server, and

wherein enforcing the licensing policy further comprises delaying the action for the licensable item until the licensing policy is synchronized with the server in response to the determination to first attempt to communicate with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license before acting to enforce the licensing policy for the action.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing the licensing policy further comprises pre-fetching the licensing policy prior to a user selection of the licensable item.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein pre-fetching the licensing policy further comprises pre-fetching the licensing policy associated with more than one licensable item.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein pre-fetching the licensing policy further comprises pre-fetching more than one licensing policy associated respectively with more than one licensable item.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein pre-fetching the licensing policy further comprises pre-fetching more than one licensing policy incrementally over intermittent communication sessions with the server.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing the licensing policy includes accessing a first licensing policy related to a first licensable item of a first service type and accessing a second licensing policy related to a second licensable item of a second service type, and

wherein enforcing the licensing policy includes enforcing the first licensing policy for the first licensable item and enforcing the second licensing policy for the second licensable item.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein enforcing the licensing policy further comprises monitoring duration of use or an enumeration of launches of the licensable item.

40. The method of claim 1, wherein the licensing policy for the action is configured to be enforced based on the synchronized client version of the license in response to a successful attempt to communicate by the apparatus with the server.

19. An apparatus for managing a licensable item, comprising:

at least one processing circuit configured to;

access a licensing policy related to whether an action is permitted to be taken with the licensable item, wherein the licensing policy corresponds to a client version of a license for the licensable item that is maintained on the apparatus and is configured to be synchronized with a server version of the license for the licensable item that is maintained on a server;

make a determination to first attempt to communicate with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license before acting to enforce the licensing policy for the action;

attempt to communicate with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license before acting to enforce the licensing policy for the action in response to the determination to first attempt to communicate with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license before acting to enforce the licensing policy for the action, wherein synchronization of the client and server versions of the license produces a synchronized client version of the license by updating the client version of the license to include one or more changes made to one or more licensing policies in the server version of the license that occurred after a previous synchronization of the client version of the license with the server version of the license; and

enforce the licensing policy for the action based on the non-synchronized version of the license in response to the attempt to communicate by the apparatus with the server being unsuccessful,

wherein the at least one processing circuit is configured to access the licensing policy by accessing a first licensing policy related to a first licensable item in a first runtime and accessing a second licensing policy related to a second licensable item in a second runtime, and

wherein the at least one processing circuit is configured to enforce the licensing policy by enforcing the first licensing policy for the first licensable item executed in the first runtime and enforcing of the second licensing policy for the second licensable item executed in the second runtime.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to manage a licensable item, the instructions comprising:

at least one instruction for causing the computer to access a licensing policy related to whether an action is permitted to be taken with the licensable item, wherein the licensing policy corresponds to a client version of a license for the licensable item that is maintained on the computer and is configured to be synchronized with a server version of the license for the licensable item that is maintained on a server;

at least one instruction for causing the computer to make a determination, by a license agent, to first attempt to communicate, by the computer, with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license before acting to enforce the licensing policy for the action;

at least one instruction for causing the computer to attempt to communicate with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license before acting to enforce the licensing policy for the action in response to the determination to first attempt to communicate with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license before acting to enforce the licensing policy for the action, wherein synchronization of the client and server versions of the license produces a synchronized client version of the license by updating the client version of the license to include one or more changes made to one or more licensing policies in the server version of the license that occurred after a previous synchronization of the client version of the license with the server version of the license; and

at least one instruction for causing the computer to enforce the licensing policy for the action based on the non-synchronized version of the license in response to the attempt to communicate by the computer with the server being unsuccessful,

wherein the at least one instruction for causing the computer to access causes the computer to access the licensing policy by accessing a first licensing policy related to a first licensable item in a first runtime and accessing a second licensing policy related to a second licensable item in a second runtime, and

wherein the at least one instruction for causing the computer to enforce causes the computer to enforce the licensing policy by enforcing the first licensing policy for the first licensable item executed in the first runtime and enforcing of the second licensing policy for the second licensable item executed in the second runtime.

21. An apparatus for managing a licensable item, comprising:

means for accessing a licensing policy related to whether an action is permitted to be taken with the licensable item, wherein the licensing policy corresponds to a client version of a license for the licensable item that is maintained on the apparatus and is configured to be synchronized with a server version of the license for the licensable item that is maintained on a server;

means for making a determination, by a license agent, to first attempt to communicate, by the apparatus, with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license before acting to enforce the licensing policy for the action;

means for attempting to communicate with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license before acting to enforce the licensing policy for the action in response to the determination to first attempt to communicate with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license before acting to enforce the licensing policy for the action, wherein synchronization of the client and server versions of the license produces a synchronized client version of the license by updating the client version of the license to include one or more changes made to one or more licensing policies in the server version of the license that occurred after a previous synchronization of the client version of the license with the server version of the license; and

means for enforcing the licensing policy for the action based on the non-synchronized version of the license in response to the attempt to communicate by the apparatus with the server being unsuccessful,

wherein the means for accessing accesses the licensing policy by accessing a first licensing policy related to a first licensable item in a first runtime and accessing a second licensing policy related to a second licensable item in a second runtime, and

wherein the means for enforcing enforces the licensing policy by enforcing the first licensing policy for the first licensable item executed in the first runtime and enforcing of the second licensing policy for the second licensable item executed in the second runtime.

22. An apparatus for managing a licensable item, comprising:

a network interface circuit configured to communicate with a server; and

a processor configured to execute a license agent for accessing a licensing policy related to whether an action is permitted to be taken with the licensable item, wherein the licensing policy corresponds to a client version of a license for the licensable item that is maintained on the apparatus and is configured to be synchronized with a server version of the license for the licensable item that is maintained on the server, making a determination, by the license agent, to first attempt to communicate, by the apparatus, with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license before acting to enforce the licensing policy for the action;

attempting to communicate with the server via the network interface circuit in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license before acting to enforce the licensing policy for the action in response to the determination to first attempt to communicate with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license before acting to enforce the licensing policy for the action, wherein synchronization of the client and server versions of the license produces a synchronized client version of the license by updating the client version of the license to include one or more changes made to one or more licensing policies in the server version of the license that occurred after a previous synchronization of the client version of the license with the server version of the license, and to enforce the licensing policy for the action based on the non-synchronized version of the license in response to the attempt to communicate by the apparatus with the server being unsuccessful,

wherein the license agent is configured to access the licensing policy by accessing a first licensing policy related to a first licensable item in a first runtime and accessing a second licensing policy related to a second licensable item in a second runtime, and

wherein the license agent is configured to enforce the licensing policy by enforcing the first licensing policy for the first licensable item executed in the first runtime and enforcing of the second licensing policy for the second licensable item executed in the second runtime.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the license agent is configured to access the licensing policy by accessing an enforcement rule associated with the licensing policy, and the license agent is configured to enforce the licensing policy by determining a constraint imposed by the enforcement rule on the action taken with the licensable item.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the action is one or more of recall, deletion, update, transfer, upgrade, expiration, download and/or activation of the licensable item.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the license agent is configured to make the determination by accessing a synchronization rule that is associated with the licensing policy, and determining whether the synchronization rule calls for communicating with the server.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the license agent is configured to make the determination by accessing a time stamp for a most recent synchronization of the licensing policy, and determining whether an elapsed time since the time stamp exceeds the synchronization rule.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the license agent is configured to download a new enforcement rule, and determines a constraint imposed by the new enforcement rule on the action taken with the licensable item.

28. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the license agent is configured to enforce the licensing policy by reporting to the server the action taken with the licensable item.

29. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the network interface circuit is configured to attempt to communicate with the server by communicating packet data incorporating data associated with the licensing policy with data traffic that is unrelated to the licensing policy.

30. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the license agent is configured to determine that the synchronization rule allows the action to be taken with the licensable item when a connection to the server is unavailable, and is configured to enable the action to be taken with the licensable item in response to determining that the connection to the server is unavailable.

31. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the license agent is configured to determine that the attempt to communicate by the apparatus with the server is unsuccessful if an associated connection to the server has a capacity less than a threshold value.

32. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the license agent is configured to access the licensing policy in response to a user selection of the licensable item.

33. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the license agent is configured to attempt to communicate with the server by accessing a synchronization rule that is associated with the licensing policy, and determining whether the synchronization rule calls for communicating with the server, and

wherein the license agent is configured to enforce the licensing policy by delaying the action for the licensable item until the licensing policy is synchronized with the server.

34. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the license agent is configured to access the licensing policy by pre-fetching the licensing policy prior to a user selection of the licensable item.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the pre-fetched licensing policy is associated with more than one licensable item.

36. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the license agent is configured to pre-fetch the licensing policy by pre-fetching more than one licensing policy associated collectively with more than one licensable item.

37. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the license agent is configured to pre-fetch the licensing policy by pre-fetching more than one licensing policy incrementally over intermittent communication sessions with the server.

38. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the license agent is configured to access the licensing policy by accessing a first licensing policy related to a first licensable item of a first service type and accessing a second licensing policy related to a second licensable item of a second service type, and

wherein the license agent is configured to enforce the licensing policy by enforcing the first licensing policy for the first licensable item and enforcing the second licensing policy for the second licensable item.

39. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the license agent is configured to enforce the licensing policy by monitoring duration of use or an enumeration of launches of the licensable item.