SOFTWARE COMPONENT AND SOFTWARE COMPONENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

• US 20070130562A1
• Filed: 08/29/2006
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Jin, Katsumasa, Ikeda, Nobuyuki, Takahashi, Yoshihiro, Toya, Hirotaka
• Granted Patent: US 7,934,196 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/127
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44536 Selecting among different versions

Abstract

A software component, which enables a computer to execute processing, is delivered from a management department and includes at least one software module executable by the computer; a first software subcomponent configured to transmit a component identifying information for identifying the software component, to a software component managing server when the software module is executed; and a second software subcomponent configured to transmit a device identifying information for identifying the computer on which the software component is executed, to the software component managing server when the software module is executed.

Claims

1. A software component enabling a computer to execute processing, the software component comprising:

at least one software module executable by the computer;

a first software subcomponent configured to transmit a component identifying information for identifying the software component, to a software component managing server when the software module is executed; and

a second software subcomponent configured to transmit a device identifying information for identifying the computer on which the software component is executed, to the software component managing server when the software module is executed.

2. The software component according to claim 1, wherein the component identifying information comprises at least one of a name, identification number, and version information of the software component.

3. The software component according to claim 2, wherein the component identifying information further comprises service contract information for the software component.

4. The software component according to claim 3, wherein the service contract information comprises at least one of information about a user who can use the software component, information about a device on which the software component can be used, and a time period during which the software component can be used.

5. The software component according to claim 1, wherein the device identifying information comprises at least one of an IP address and an MAC address of the computer.

6. The software component according to claim 1, wherein the first software subcomponent transmits the component identifying information to the second software subcomponent, and the second software subcomponent transmits the received component identifying information and the device identifying information to the software component managing server.

7. The software component according to claim 1, wherein the first software subcomponent is started by hooking means of the software module, and the second software subcomponent is started by the first software subcomponent.

8. The software component according to claim 1, wherein the software component delivered from a management department is in the form of binary data.

9. A software component management system comprising:

a component utilizing terminal for developing an application software program by incorporating a software component delivered from a management department or for using the developed application software program; and

a software component managing server connected via a telecommunication line to the component utilizing terminal and configured to receive at least component identifying information for identifying the software component and device identifying information for identifying the component utilizing terminal,

wherein, the software component comprising;

at least one software module executable by the component utilizing terminal;

a first software subcomponent configured to transmit the component identifying information for identifying the software component, to the software component managing server when the software module is executed; and

a second software subcomponent configured to transmit the device identifying information for identifying the component utilizing terminal on which the software component is executed, to the software component managing server when the software module is executed.

10. The software component management system according to claim 9, wherein the component identifying information comprises at least one of a name, identification number, and version information of the software component.

11. The software component management system according to claim 10, wherein the component identifying information further comprises service contract information for the software component.

12. The software component management system according to claim 11, wherein the service contract information comprises at least one of information about a user who can use the software component, information about a device on which the software component can be used, and a time period during which the software component can be used.

13. The software component management system according to claim 9, wherein the device identifying information comprises at least one of an IP address and an MAC address of the component utilizing terminal.

14. The software component management system according to claim 9, wherein the first software subcomponent transmits the component identifying information to the second software subcomponent, and the second software subcomponent transmits the received component identifying information and the device identifying information to the software component managing server.

15. The software component management system according to claim 9, wherein the first software subcomponent is started by hooking means of the software module, and the second software subcomponent is started by the first software subcomponent.

16. The software component management system according to claim 9, wherein the software component delivered from the management department is in the form of binary data.