METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LICENSE DISTRIBUTION

• US 20080189131A1
• Filed: 04/10/2008
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Technology Corporation Miami Lakes FLA US
• Inventors: Chavez, David L.
• Application Number:
  US12/100,869
• Publication Number:
  US 20080189131A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/105 Arrangements for software license management or administration, e.g. for managing licenses at corporate level
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A method and apparatus for license distribution are disclosed. An endpoint requests information from a server related to information required for the server to grant a license. The server provides the required information to the endpoint. The endpoint obtains the required information, and forwards the information to the server. The server, upon receiving the information, determines if a license may be granted to the endpoint, and transmits a license authorization to the endpoint, which includes the number of licenses which are granted.

Claims

1-12. -12. (canceled)

13. A method for copying digital content by a digital content receiver, comprising:

displaying digital content;

receiving from a user a request to copy the digital content;

accessing a server which is geographically dislocated from the digital content receiver;

receiving, from said server, a request for license information related to requirements for granting license to copy digital content;

determining said requested license information;

communicating said requested license information to said server;

receiving, from said server, a copy license, including a number of copies which are authorized to be made; and

generating a copy of the digital content when said number of copies is greater than zero.

14. The method for copying digital content by a digital content receiver, as claimed in claim 13, wherein there are no limitations on the viewing of the digital content.

15. The method for copying digital content by a digital content receiver, as claimed in claim 13, wherein said requested license information includes a plurality of fields, including a content name field, a customer name field, a number of copies requested field, and a payment field.

16. The method for copying digital content by a digital content receiver, as claimed in claim 15, wherein said payment field includes a requirement for credit card information.

17. The method for copying digital content by a digital content receiver, as claimed in claim 13, wherein said copy license includes a plurality of fields including a content name field, a customer name field, a number of licenses granted field, a use allowed field, and a qualifying field.

18. The method for copying digital content by a digital content receiver, as claimed in claim 17, wherein said qualifying field includes authentication information.

19. The method for copying digital content by a digital content receiver, as claimed in claim 17, wherein said qualifying field includes a decryption key.

20. The method for copying digital content by a digital content receiver, as claimed in claim 13, wherein said accessing and communicating steps are performed using hyper text transfer protocol (HTTP).

21. The method for copying digital content by a digital content receiver, as claimed in claim 13, wherein said accessing and communicating steps are performed using hyper text transfer protocol over secure socket layer (HTTPS).

22. The method for copying digital content by a digital content receiver, as claimed in claim 13, wherein said generating a copy step includes:

verifying that said number of copies is greater than zero;

verifying that a valid qualifying field is present in said copy license;

generating a copy of the digital content when said number of copies is greater than zero and said valid qualifying field is present; and

decrementing said number of copies.

23-68. -68. (canceled)

69. A computer readable medium encoded with instructions for directing a digital content receiver to perform a method copying digital content, comprising:

displaying digital content;

receiving from a user a request to copy the digital content;

accessing a server which is geographically dislocated from the digital content receiver;

receiving, from said server, a request for license information related to requirements for granting license to copy digital content;

determining said requested license information;

communicating said requested license information to said server;

receiving, from said server, a copy license, including a number of copies which are authorized to be made; and

generating a copy of the digital content when said number of copies is greater than zero.

70. The computer readable medium of claim 69, wherein said requested license information includes a plurality of fields, including a content name field, a customer name field, a number of copies requested field, and a payment field.

71. The computer readable medium of claim 70, wherein said payment field includes a requirement for credit card information.

72. The computer readable medium of claim 69, wherein said copy license includes a plurality of fields including a content name field, a customer name field, a number of licenses granted field, a use allowed field, and a qualifying field.

73. The computer readable medium of claim 72, wherein said qualifying field includes authentication information.

74. The computer readable medium of claim 72, wherein said qualifying field includes a decryption key.

75. The computer readable medium of claim 69, wherein said accessing and communicating steps are performed using hyper text transfer protocol (HTTP).

76. The computer readable medium of claim 69, wherein said accessing and communicating steps are performed using hyper text transfer protocol over secure socket layer (HTTPS).

77. The computer readable medium of claim 69, wherein said generating a copy step includes:

verifying that said number of copies is greater than zero;

verifying that a valid qualifying field is present in said copy license;

generating a copy of the digital content when said number of copies is greater than zero and said valid qualifying field is present; and

decrementing said number of copies.