Method for determining whether a client software application is licensed

• US 20050251490A1
• Filed: 04/19/2005
• Published: 11/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1996
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Christopher D. Coley, Ralph E. Wesinger Jr
• Original Assignee: Christopher D. Coley, Ralph E. Wesinger Jr
• Inventors: Coley, Christopher D., Wesinger, Ralph E. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US11/109,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20050251490A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/59
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• 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 21/121 Restricting unauthorised execution of programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/602 Providing cryptographic facilities or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2101 Auditing as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2135 Metering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for commerce, e.g. marketing, shopping, billing, auctions or e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/062 for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0838 Key agreement, i.e. key establishment technique in which a shared key is derived by parties as a function of information contributed by, or associated with, each of these network architectures or network communication protocols for key exchange in a packet data network H04L63/061
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/12 Transmitting and receiving encryption devices synchronised or initially set up in a particular manner
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3297 involving time stamps, e.g. generation of time stamps

Abstract

Method and apparatus for determining whether a client software application is licensed are disclosed. In one disclosed embodiment, a computer for operating a licensed client software application is provided that includes a client module associated with the client software application. The client module is configured to detect the use of the client software application. Upon a detection, the client module then sends a license validity inquiry request regarding the client software application to a license server over an IP-compliant connection. The client software application is then operated in accordance with the contents of a response message received from the license server.

Claims

1. A method for determining whether a client software application is licensed comprising:

detecting the use of the client software application by a client module associated with the client software application;

sending, by the client module, a license validity inquiry request regarding said client software application to a license server over an IP-compliant connection; and

operating said client software application in accordance with the contents of a response message received from the license server.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising directing a user of said client software application to a Web site if it is determined that no valid license exists.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the client software application is not enabled for use until a valid license is purchased.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said license validity request is sent at predetermined intervals.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said license validity request includes the IP address of the machine upon which the client software application is operating.

6. An apparatus for determining whether a client software application is licensed comprising:

means for detecting the use of the client software application by a client module associated with the client software application;

means for sending a license validity inquiry request regarding said client software application to a license server over an IP-compliant connection; and

means for operating said client software application in accordance with the contents of a response message received from the license server.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising means for directing a user of said client software application to a Web site if it is determined that no valid license exists.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising means for not enabling the client software application for use until a valid license is purchased.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising means for sending said license validity request at predetermined intervals.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising means for including the IP address of the machine upon which the client software application is operating in said license validity request.

11. A computer for determining whether a hosted client software application is licensed comprising:

a computer for operating a licensed client software application;

a client module associated with the client software application operatively disposed on said computer;

the client module being configured to;

detect the use of the client software application;

send a license validity inquiry request regarding said client software application to a license server over an IP-compliant connection; and

operate said client software application in accordance with the contents of a response message received from the license server.

12. The computer of claim 11, wherein said client module is further configured to direct a user of said client software application to a Web site if it is determined that no valid license exists.

13. The computer of claim 11, wherein said client module is further configured to not enable said client software application until a valid license is purchased.

14. The computer of claim 11, wherein said license validity request is sent at predetermined intervals.

15. The computer of claim 11, wherein said license validity request includes the IP address of the machine upon which the client software application is operating.

16. A computer-readable device for causing a computer to perform a method for determining whether a client software application is licensed, the method comprising:

detecting the use of the client software application by a client module associated with the client software application;

sending, by the client module, a license validity inquiry request regarding said client software application to a license server over an IP-compliant connection; and

operating said client software application in accordance with the contents of a response message received from the license server.

17. The device of claim 16, further comprising directing a user of said client software application to a Web site if it is determined that no valid license exists.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the client software application is not enabled for use until a valid license is purchased.

19. The device of claim 16, wherein said license validity request is sent at predetermined intervals.

20. The device of claim 16, wherein said license validity request includes the IP address of the machine upon which the client software application is operating.