Licensing and access authorization

• US 20040030564A1
• Filed: 12/18/2002
• Published: 02/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Hartinger, Andreas, Kiesel, Martin
• Application Number:
  US10/276,605
• Publication Number:
  US 20040030564A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/121 Restricting unauthorised execution of programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2135 Metering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for providing licenses and access authorizations of software components or for instantiation of software objects by the acquisition of value points (WP), wherein every software module or instantiation of a module is associated with a defined number of value points (WP). Licensing is based on a comparison of the acquired value points (WP) (value point credit) with the value points (WP) (value point debit) required for the application.

Claims

1. Method for licensing and/or access authorization of software modules for industrial controllers and/or computer systems, characterized in that a customer acquires value points (WP, WP1-WPn) as usage authorization for the desired software modules, wherein a valuation in the form of value points (WP, WP1-WPn) is associated with each software module.

2. Method for licensing and/or access authorization of software modules according to claim 1, characterized in that the value points (WP, WP1-WPn) are purchased by the customer in form of an authorization currency for using the software modules.

3. Method for licensing and/or access authorization of software modules according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the customer is authorized to use the actually desired software modules, if the number of value points (WP, WP1-WPn) already acquired by the costumer reaches at least the sum of the value points (WP, WP1-WPn) for the actually desired software modules.

4. Method for licensing and/or access authorization of software modules according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the access authorization is performed when the software modules are installed.

5. Method for licensing and/or access authorization of software modules according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the access authorization is performed when the software modules are used.

6. Method for licensing and/or access authorization of software modules according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a license manager continuously computes and monitors the current balance of acquired and used value points (WP, WP1-WPn).

7. Method for licensing and/or access authorization of software modules according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the value points (WP, WP1-WPn) are supplied on a data carrier, which exists anyway to operate the controller or the computer system.

8. Method for licensing and/or access authorization of software modules according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the value points (WP, WP1-WPn) are supplied to the controller or the computer system on a memory card.

9. Method for licensing and/or access authorization of software modules according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the value points (WP, WP1-WPn) are supplied to the controller or the computer system on a MMC memory card (MMC).

10. Method for licensing and/or access authorization of software modules according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the data carrier for the value points (WP, WP1-WPn) can also be implemented as a key containing information.

11. Method for licensing and/or access authorization of software modules according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the value points (WP, WP1-WPn) are transmitted to the industrial controllers and/or computer systems via a data line or via the Internet.