Image forming apparatus, license managing method for applications executed by image forming apparatus, program for implementing the method, and storage medium storing the program

• US 20060021012A1
• Filed: 06/21/2005
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ito, Daisuke
• Granted Patent: US 7,949,607 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/608 Secure printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction

Abstract

An image forming apparatus which enables a user to continue an operation using an application without restarting the application, by the image automatically accessing a license server to update a license for the application when the license becomes expired while the user is performing the operation. A notification notifying the application of invalidity of the license is issued when it is detected that the license for the application has become invalid during execution of the application. The application suspends the execution of the application in response to the notification.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a license information storage unit that stores license information relating to a license for an application executed by the image forming apparatus;

a license managing unit that manages the license information stored in said license information storage unit in association with the application; and

a notifying unit that issues a notification notifying the application of invalidity of the license when said license managing unit detects that the license for the application has become invalid during execution of the application,

wherein the application suspends the execution of the application in response to the notification from said notifying unit.

2. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

an operation of the image forming apparatus is related to an operation of the application; and

the suspension of the execution of the application in response to the notification from said notifying unit includes suspension of the operation of the image forming apparatus related to the application.

3. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

an application managing unit that instructs a license obtaining application for accessing an external license managing device to start in response to said license managing unit detecting that the license of the application has become invalid during the execution of the application.

4. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein:

said license managing unit updates the license information stored in said storage unit in response to the license obtaining application obtaining an updated license from the license managing device; and

said notifying unit notifies the application that the license information has been updated.

5. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 4,

wherein the application restarts the suspended execution of the application in response to the notification that the license information has been updated from said notifying unit.

6. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a user interface that displays an operation screen of the image forming apparatus and accepts operation inputs from a user; and

wherein said user interface displays a message indicating that the application is suspended in response to the suspension of the application.

7. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 6,

wherein said user interface displays a massage urging update of the license of the application.

8. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 6,

wherein said user interface instructs start of a license obtaining application for accessing an external license managing device in response to acceptance of a key input for license update.

9. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

said user interface notifies said license managing unit of updated license information in response to acceptance of an input of license update information, and

said license managing unit obtains the updated license information notified by said user interface to thereby update the license information stored in said storage unit.

10. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a user interface that displays an operation screen of the image forming apparatus and accepts operation inputs from a user; and

a set value storage unit that stores setting as to whether to automatically start a license obtaining application for accessing an external license managing device when the license of the application has become invalid; and

wherein said user interface is responsive to the suspension of the execution of the application, for instructing start of the license obtaining application when the setting stored in said set value storage unit is to start the license obtaining application, and for displaying a message urging update of the license when the setting stored in said set value storage unit is not to start the license obtaining application.

11. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the license information includes information relating to a term of validity of the application.

12. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the license information includes an upper limit value of a number of times of operation of the image forming apparatus which is related to the application, the image forming apparatus operating in accordance with execution of the application.

13. A license managing method for an application executed by an image forming apparatus, comprising:

a license information storing step of storing license information relating to a license for the application executed by the image forming apparatus;

a license managing step of managing the license information stored in said license information storing step in association with the application;

an application executing step of executing the application; and

a notifying step of issuing a notification notifying the application of invalidity of the license when it is detected in said license managing step that the license of the application has become invalid during execution of the application,

wherein said application executing step comprises suspending the execution of the application in response to the notification in said notifying step.

14. A program for implementing a license managing method for an application executed by an image forming apparatus, comprising:

a license information storing module for storing license information relating to the application executed by the image forming apparatus;

a license managing module for managing the license information stored in said license information storing module in association with the application;

an application executing module for executing the application; and

a notifying module for issuing a notification notifying the application of invalidity of a license when it is detected by said license managing module that the license of the application has become invalid during execution of the application during execution of the application,

wherein said application executing module suspends the execution of the application in response to the notification from said notifying module.

15. A computer-readable storage medium storing the program as claimed in claim 14.