Authorising use of a computer program

• US 20030163741A1
• Filed: 04/23/2003
• Published: 08/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flexera Software LLC
• Original Assignee: Optimiser Pty, Ltd.
• Inventors: Mullins, Leo
• Granted Patent: US 7,694,345 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1015 to users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/121 Restricting unauthorised execution of programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/085 involving remote charge determination or related payment systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists

Abstract

A method of authorising use of a computer program only able to be used when an authorised message is received from an authorising system. The method includes providing an authorisation system, making a request to use a computer program, signalling the request to the authorisation system, the authorisation system recording the use of the computer program and providing the authorisation message to the computer program upon receipt of the authorisation message the computer program may be used.

Claims

1. A method of authorising use of a computer program, said method including the steps of:

providing an authorisation system;

the authorisation system recording an identifier of a computer program to be authorised for use;

registering a user with the authorisation system, the user receiving a user identification from the authorisation system;

the authorisation system recording an arrangement that relates to the authorised use of the computer program by the use;

the user requesting use of the computer program;

sending the computer program identifier and user identification to the authorisation system in a log request message;

the authorisation system verifying the identity of the user from the user identification and checking the arrangement to determine whether the user is authorised to use the computer program identified by the computer program identifier;

the authorisation system recording the information sent with the request message;

the authorisation system indicating to the computer program whether the user is authorised to use the computer program, where if the user is verified and authorised to use the computer program, then a login authorisation message is sent to the computer program, otherwise an authorisation denied message is sent to the computer program;

allowing use of the computer program upon receipt of the authorisation message.

3. A method according to either claim 1 or 2, wherein the computer program is a software application or a sub-component of the software application.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the login request message is sent to the authorisation system when the user requests to use the software application and the authorisation request message is sent to the authorisation system when the user requests to use the sub-component of the software application.

5. A method according to either claim 1 or 2, wherein the method further includes the steps of:

the computer program sending a use message to the authorisation system indicting that the computer program is being used;

the authorisation system recording the user message against the identified user.

6. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the method includes the steps of:

sending a request to the authorisation system to incur a charge for the use of the computer program after use of the computer program is authorised;

the authorisation system recording a charge against the identified user for use of the computer program.

7. A method according to either claim 1 or 2, wherein the authorisation denied message includes information relating to the reason for denying use of the computer program.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein if an authorisation denied message is sent to the computer program, then the computer program determines how to process based on information relating to the reason for denying use of the computer program.

9. A method according to either claim 1 or 2, wherein the arrangement permits use of computer program by a class of user.

10. A method according to either claim 1 or 2, wherein the arrangement specifies whether the user is charged for use of the computer program.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the charge for use of the computer program is determined by the terms of the arrangement for use of the computer program by the use.

12. A method according to either claim 1 or 2, wherein an interface program signals the login request to the authorisation system.

13. A method according to claim 6, wherein the charge is recorded in program use units that operate as a currency for payment of the user of one or more computer programs.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the rate of program use units are charged for the use of the particular program is recorded in the authorisation system.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the program use units are charged by the authorisation system upon receipt of the request to charge for use at the recorded rate.

16. A method according to claim 6, wherein the request to the authorisation system to charge the user is sent once per use of the computer program.

17. A method according to claim 6, wherein the request to the authorisation system to charge the user is sent once per specified period during the use of the computer program.

18. A Method according to claim 12, wherein the communication between the interface program and the authorisation system is encrypted.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein messages sent between the interface program and the authorisation system includes a unique component that is only valid for a single use.

20. A method according to either claim 1 or 2, wherein the user identification is obtained from the user by providing the user with a login prompt, the user entering the login identification provided by the authorisation system and the entered user identification being included in the login request.

21. A method according to claim 12, wherein the interface program is a separate program called by the computer program being authorised as part of the initialisation of the authorised computer program.

22. A method according to claim 12, wherein the interface program forms part of the computer program and is started when a user attempts to use the computer program.

23. A method according to claim 12, wherein the interface program is part of an operating system and is started when a user attempts to use the computer program.

24. A method according to claim 12, wherein the authorisation system is at a location remote from a computer running the activated computer program.

25. A method according to claim 24, wherein the computer running the activated computer program also runs the interface program, the interface program communicates with the authorisation system over a computer network.

26. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 25, wherein the authorisation system is configured to record and authorise a plurality of computer programs.

27. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 26, wherein the authorisation system is configured to record and authorise a plurality of users of the same computer program.

28. A method according to either claim 1 or 2, wherein the authorisation of user of the computer program ends when the computer program is terminated.

29. A method according to either claim 1 or 2, wherein a message is periodically sent to the authorisation system, and a reply sent from the authorisation system, whereby if a reply is not received, authorisation os use of the computer program ends.

2. A method of authorised use of a computer program, said method including the steps of:

providing an authorisation system;

providing an interface for passing messages between the computer program and the authorisation system;

the authorisation system recording an identifier of the computer program to be authorised for use;

registering a user with authorisation system, the user receiving a user identification from the authorisation system;

the authorisation system recording an arrangement that relates to the authorised user of the computer program by the user;

the user making a request to user the computer program;

sending the user identification to the authorisation system in a login request message;

the authorisation system verifying the identity of the user from the user identification; and

if the identity of the is verified, then sending a login successful message to the interface;

if a login successful message is received by the interface, then sending the computer program identifier to the authorisation system in a computer program use request message;

recording the information sent in the user request message;

the authorisation system checking the arrangement to determine whether the user is authorised to use the computer program identified by the computer program identifier;

if the user is authorised to use the computer program, then an authorisation message is sent to the computer program, otherwise an authorisation denied message is sent to the computer program;

allowing use of the computer program upon receipt of the authorisation message the computer program may be used by the user.

30. A distributed system for authorising use of a computer program, said system comprising at least:

an authorisation system, with a storage means for recording an identifier of a computer program to be authorised for use, a user identification and an agreement that relates to the authorised use of the computer program by a user;

a computer for running the computer program;

the computer being configured to send the identifier of the computer program and user identification to the authorisation system in a login request message when the user makes a request to use the computer program;

the authorisation system being configured to verify the identity of the user from the recorded user login identification and check the arrangement to determine whether the user is authorised to use the computer program identified by the recorded computer program identifier;

the authorisation system configured to record the information sent with the request message;

the authorisation system being configured to send an authorisation message to the computer if the user is verified and authorised to use the computer program and otherwise send an authorisation denied message is sent to the computer;

whereby the computer is configured to continue use of the computer program upon receipt of the authorisation message but otherwise terminate the use of the computer program.

31. A system according to claim 30, wherein the system wherein the computer is configured to sending a request to the authorisation system to record a charge or the use of the computer program against the identified user for use of the computer program.

32. A system according to claim 31, wherein the storage means records the rate of charge for the use of the computer program.

33. A system according to claim 32, wherein the authorisation system records a charge against the user upon receipt of the request to charge for use of the computer program.

34. A system according to claim 33, wherein the computer is configured to send a request to the authorisation system to charge the user once per use of the computer program.

35. A system according to claim 33, wherein the computer is configured to send a request to the authorisation system to charge the user is sent once per specified period during the use of the computer program.

36. A system according to claim 31, wherein the communication between the computer program and the authorisation system is encrypted.

37. A system according to claim 30, wherein the computer and the authorisation system are configured to include a unique component in the encrypted messages communicated therebetween.

38. A system according to claim 31, wherein the authorisation system is at a location remote from a computer running the activated computer program.

39. A system according to claim 31, wherein the computer running the activated computer program also runs the interface program, an interface program that communicates with the authorisation system over a computer network.

40. A system according to claim 31, wherein the authorisation system is configured to record and authorise a plurality of computer programs.

41. A system according to claim 31, wherein the authorisation of use of the computer program ends when the computer program is terminated.

42. A system according to claim 31, wherein a message is periodically sent to the authorisation system, and a reply sent from the authorisation system, whereby if a reply is not received, authorisation of use of the computer program ends.