Regional network licensing system

• US 20060122940A1
• Filed: 12/28/2005
• Published: 06/08/2006
• 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:
  US11/321,788
• Publication Number:
  US 20060122940A1
• 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 regional network licensing system is disclosed. The system may include regional license servers in communication with computers running a protected client software application. The computers include client licensing modules associated with the client software application. Regional license servers include an agent component for updating the client licensing modules with license information received from a central license server. The client application associated with the client licensing module is operated in accordance with the licensing information.

Claims

1. A regional network licensing system comprising:

a central licenser server;

a plurality of regional license servers in communication with the central licensing server, each of the regional license servers including an agent component in communication over an IP-compliant network with a plurality of client licensing modules associated with a client software application;

said central license server being configured to direct license information to the agent component of a selected regional license server;

said selected regional license server being configured to update the plurality of client licensing modules with the license information; and

wherein said client application associated with said client licensing module is operated in accordance with said licensing information.

2. The regional network system of claim 1, wherein said central license server and said plurality of regional license servers are in communication through an IP-compliant network.

3. The regional network system of claim 2, wherein said plurality of client licensing modules send license inquiry information to said agent component in said regional license server.

4. The regional network system of claim 3, wherein said agent component of said regional license server uses the license inquiry information to prepare a billing statement.

5. The regional network system of claim 4, wherein said regional license server further comprises an audit tool for monitoring use of said client software applications.

6. A regional network licensing system comprising:

a central licenser server;

a plurality of regional license servers in communication with the central licensing server, each of the regional license servers including agent component means in communication over an IP-compliant network with a plurality of client licensing module means associated with a client software application;

said central license server being configured to direct license information to the agent component means of a selected regional license server;

said selected regional license server including means for updating the plurality of client licensing module means with the license information; and

wherein said client licensing module means includes means for operated said client application in accordance with said licensing information.

7. The regional network system of claim 6, wherein said central license server and said plurality of regional license servers are in communication through an IP-compliant network.

8. The regional network system of claim 7, wherein said plurality of client licensing module means further comprises means for sending license inquiry information to said agent component means in said regional license server.

9. The regional network system of claim 8, wherein said agent component of said regional license server further comprises means for utilizing the license inquiry information to prepare a billing statement.

10. The regional network system of claim 9, wherein said regional license server further comprises audit tool means for monitoring use of said client software applications.

11. A regional network licensing system comprising:

a plurality of regional license servers including an agent component in communication over an IP-compliant network with a plurality of client licensing modules associated with a client software application;

said selected regional license server including an agent component for updating the plurality of client licensing modules with license information received from a central license server; and

wherein said client application associated with said client licensing module is operated in accordance with said licensing information.

12. The regional network system of claim 11, wherein said central license server and said plurality of regional license servers are in communication through an IP-compliant network.

13. The regional network system of claim 12, wherein said plurality of client licensing modules send license inquiry information to said agent component in said regional license server.

14. The regional network system of claim 13, wherein said agent component of said regional license server uses the license inquiry information to prepare a billing statement.

15. The regional network system of claim 14, wherein said regional license server further comprises an audit tool for monitoring use of said client software applications.