Network licensing system for portable computers

• US 20060106732A1
• Filed: 12/28/2005
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1996
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GraphOn Corporation
• Original Assignee: GraphOn Corporation
• Inventors: Coley, Christopher D., Wesinger, Ralph E. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US11/321,843
• Publication Number:
  US 20060106732A1
• 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
• 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 network licensing system for portable computers is disclosed for monitoring use of software application. A client module is provided that is associated with the client software application. A licensing module is provided that is associated with the client module. The licensing module monitors the use of the client software application when the portable computer is not in network communication, and refreshes licensing information with a network server when the portable computer is able to establish communications with the network server over an IP-compliant network.

Claims

1. A network licensing system for portable computers comprising:

a portable computer having a client software application operable thereon;

a client module associated with the client software application;

a licensing module operatively disposed on the portable computer and associated with the client module;

the licensing module being configured to monitor the use of said client software application on said portable computer when said portable computer is not in network communication, and refresh licensing information with a network server when the portable computer is able to establish communications with the network server over an IP-compliant network.

2. The network licensing system of claim 1, wherein the licensing module comprises an agent component that can receive and respond to license validity inquiries generated by said client module associated with said client software application.

3. The network licensing system of claim 2, wherein said licensing module further comprises a cache for storing audits of said client application.

4. The network licensing system of claim 3, wherein the network server refreshes license information based upon audit information retrieved from said cache of said licensing module.

5. The network licensing system of claim 1, wherein the user is prompted to re-connect to a network if the portable computer is not connected to a network for a pre-determined length of time.

6. A network licensing system for portable computers comprising:

a portable computer having a client software application operable thereon;

client module means associated with the client software application;

licensing module means operatively disposed on the portable computer and associated with the client module means;

the licensing module means including means for monitoring the use of said client software application on said portable computer when said portable computer is not in network communication; and

the licensing module means further including means for refreshing licensing information with a network server when the portable computer is able to establish communications with the network server over an IP-compliant network.

7. The network licensing system of claim 6, wherein the licensing module means further comprises an agent component means for receiving and responding to license validity inquiries generated by said client module means.

8. The network licensing system of claim 7, wherein said licensing module means further comprises a cache means for storing audits of said client application.

9. The network licensing system of claim 8, wherein the network server refreshes license information based upon audit information retrieved from said cache means of said licensing module means.

10. The network licensing system of claim 6, further comprising means for prompting a user to re-connect to a network if the portable computer is not connected to a network for a pre-determined length of time.

11. A network licensing system for portable computers comprising:

a portable computer having a client software application operable thereon;

a client module associated with the client software application;

a licensing module associated with the client module;

the licensing module being configured to monitor the use of said client software application on said portable computer when said portable computer is not in network communication, and refresh licensing information with a network server when the portable computer is able to establish communications with the network server over an IP-compliant network.

12. The network licensing system of claim 11, wherein the licensing module comprises an agent component that can receive and respond to license validity inquiries generated by said client module associated with said client software application.

13. The network licensing system of claim 12, wherein said licensing module further comprises a cache for storing audits of said client application.

14. The network licensing system of claim 13, wherein the network server refreshes license information based upon audit information retrieved from said cache of said licensing module.

15. The network licensing system of claim 11, wherein the user is prompted to re-connect to a network if the portable computer is not connected to a network for a pre-determined length of time.