Method for determining by a license server whether a client software application is licensed

• US 20050273436A1
• Filed: 04/21/2005
• Published: 12/08/2005
• 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:
  US11/113,360
• Publication Number:
  US 20050273436A1
• 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

A license server is disclosed that may operate oven an IP-compliant network. The license server includes a database for storing and retrieving license records associated with a client software application. The license server may be configured to receive a license validity inquiry request from a client module over the IP-compliant connection that includes information regarding a client software application associated with the client module. The server may then query the database to determine whether a valid license exists for the client software application. Responsive to the query, the license server may form a response message containing the results of the query and send a response message to the client module over the IP-compliant network.

Claims

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

receiving a license validity inquiry request from a client module over an IP-compliant connection, the inquiry request containing information regarding a client software application associated with the client module;

querying a database to determine whether a valid license exists for the client software application;

forming a response message containing the results of the query responsive to said query; and

sending said response message to said client module over said IP-compliant network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the act of 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 2, further comprising the act of accepting payment for enablement for use of said client software application.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the act of adjusting the price of said client software application according to the features desired to be enabled.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising the act of updating said database to indicate that a valid license has been purchased.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the act of updating said database to include the IP address of the machine upon which purchased client software application is operating.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the act of utilizing said IP address to facilitate the determination of whether a valid license exists.

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

means for receiving a license validity inquiry request from a client module over an IP-compliant connection, the inquiry request containing information regarding a client software application associated with the client module;

means for querying a database to determine whether a valid license exists for the client software application;

means for forming a response message containing the results of the query responsive to said query; and

means for sending said response message to said client module over said IP-compliant network.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, 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.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising means for accepting payment for enablement for use of said client software application.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising means for adjusting the price of said client software application according to the features desired to be enabled.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising means for updating said database to indicate that a valid license has been purchased.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising the act of updating said database to include the IP address of the machine upon which purchased client software application is operating.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising the act of utilizing said IP address to facilitate the determination of whether a valid license exists.

15. A license server comprising:

a license server coupled to an IP-compliant network, the license server including a database operatively disposed therein for storing and retrieving license records associated with a client software application;

said license server being configured to;

receive a license validity inquiry request from a client module over the IP-compliant connection, the inquiry request containing information regarding a client software application associated with the client module;

query the database to determine whether a valid license exists for the client software application;

form a response message containing the results of the query; and

send said response message to said client module over said IP-compliant network.

16. The license server of claim 15, wherein said license server 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.

17. The license server of claim 16, wherein said license server is further configured to accept payment for enablement for use of said client software application.

18. The license server of claim 17, wherein said license server is further configured to adjust the price of said client software application according to the features desired to be enabled.

19. The license server of claim 17, wherein said license server is further configured to update said database to indicate that a valid license has been purchased.

20. The license server of claim 19, wherein said license server is further configured to update said database to include the IP address of the machine upon which purchased client software application is operating.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the act of utilizing said IP address to facilitate the determination of whether a valid license exists.

22. A computer-readable device containing a set of instructions for causing a computer to perform a method for determining whether a client software application is licensed, the method comprising:

receiving a license validity inquiry request from a client module over an IP-compliant connection, the inquiry request containing information regarding a client software application associated with the client module;

querying a database to determine whether a valid license exists for the client software application;

forming a response message containing the results of the query responsive to said query; and

sending said response message to said client module over said IP-compliant network.

23. The device of claim 22, further comprising the act of directing a user of said client software application to a Web site if it is determined that no valid license exists.

24. The device of claim 23, further comprising the act of accepting payment for enablement for use of said client software application.

25. The device of claim 24, further comprising the act of adjusting the price of said client software application according to the features desired to be enabled.

26. The device of claim 24, further comprising the act of updating said database to indicate that a valid license has been purchased.

27. The device of claim 26, further comprising the act of updating said database to include the IP address of the machine upon which purchased client software application is operating.

28. The device of claim 27, further comprising the act of utilizing said IP address to facilitate the determination of whether a valid license exists.