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Software rental system, software rental method, and computer program for being executed on the software rental system

  • US 20020022971A1
  • Filed: 08/21/2001
  • Published: 02/21/2002
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2000
  • Status: Abandoned Application
First Claim
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1. A software rental system that offers commercial software products to one or more client systems on the rental basis over a communication network, wherein said client systems are connected to server system that includes one or more server computers through the communication network and wherein said server system includes:

  • use request obtaining means for receiving a request to use a software product (software use request) submitted to said server system from each of said client system over the communication network;

    in response to the software use request received by said use request obtaining means, authenticating means for authenticating the user who submitted the software use request from said each client system over the communication network, by checking the identification information received with the software use request over the communication network;

    after the user is authenticated by said authenticating means, licensing means for licensing the user on said each client system to use the software product as requested;

    usage status obtaining means for obtaining, from said each client system and over the communication network, the usage status information for the software product licensed by said licensing means, said usage status information reflecting the actual use of the software product running on said each client system; and

    usage fee calculating means for calculating the usage fee for the software product, based on the usage status information received from said usage status information obtaining means.

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