Method and system for administering a concurrent user licensing agreement on a manufacturing/process control information portal server

• US 20020069172A1
• Filed: 09/14/2001
• Published: 06/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric Software, LLC (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Invensys Systems Incorporated (Invensys PLC)
• Inventors: Forney, Paul W., Omshehe, Barry, West, Janie
• Granted Patent: US 7,647,407 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/105 Arrangements for software license management or administration, e.g. for managing licenses at corporate level
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

Disclosed is a server that provides session-persistent concurrent licenses for resources accessed by clients. In one embodiment, rather than requiring a license when the server is initially accessed, a license is not requested until a client seeks access to a licensed resource. In one implementation, scripts for Web pages associated with licensed resources include requests for licenses from a license management facility. Certain resources conditionally request a license based upon the origin of the access request: the license request maybe bypassed for access requests from “pre-licensed” applications. Session-based licensing allows equitable assessment of compensation to a service provider for use of the services. The server includes many resources, some of which require a license for access while others do not. The services of premium value are the only ones for which customers are expected to obtain/claim a license.

Claims

1. A method for administering a session-based concurrent user licensing agreement on a manufacturing/process control information portal such that a single logon during a session persists across multiple distinct resources to which access is provided via the plant information portal site, the method comprising the steps:

receiving, by the portal server, an access request to a resource for which a license is required;

invoking, based upon a code within a sequence of commands associated with the requested resource, a license manager associated with restricted resources associated with the portal, the license manager performing the further steps of;

first confirming that an identified source associated with the request does not possess a concurrent user license;

second confirming that a concurrent license is available to assign to the identified source; and

adding the identified source to a persistent list of concurrent users to which a concurrent user license is assigned.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the second confirming step is based upon a maximum number of allowed concurrent license claims under an established concurrent license agreement maintained by the license manager.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the invoking step is performed in response to an attempt by a particular identified user-session to access portal resources via a web page provided by the portal.