SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUDITING SOFTWARE USAGE

• US 20080320607A1
• Filed: 06/17/2008
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uniloc 2017 LLC (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Uniloc USA, Inc. (Uniloc Corporation Pty. Limited)
• Inventors: Richardson, Ric B.
• Granted Patent: US 7,908,662 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/33
• 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 21/1063 Personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/125 by manipulating the program code, e.g. source code, compiled code, interpreted code, machine code
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2135 Metering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for auditing and selectively restricting software usage based on, for example, software copy counts or execution counts. In one embodiment, the method comprises verifying whether the serial number for a software installed on a computing device corresponds to one of recognized serial numbers, and calculating a copy count (or software execution count) for the serial number. In response to the copy count exceeding a defined upper limit, a limited unlock key may be sent to the device. The limited unlock key may allow the software to be executed on the device for a defined time period, a defined number of executions, and/or with at least one feature of the software disabled.

Claims

1. A method for auditing software usage, comprising:

receiving a serial number for a software installed on a computing device and a device identifier for the device;

determining whether the received serial number corresponds to one of recognized serial numbers;

in response to determination that the received serial number corresponds to one of the recognized serial numbers, calculating a copy count for the received serial number;

in response to the copy count not exceeding a first upper limit of software copies, sending an unlimited unlock key to the device; and

in response to the copy count being greater than the first preset number but not exceeding a second upper limit, sending a first limited unlock key to the device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the first limited unlock key comprises sending a first unlock code that allows the software to run on the device for a first time period before requiring re-authorization to continue use of the software on the device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising, in response to the copy count being greater than the second upper limit but not exceeding a third upper limit, sending a second limited unlock key to the device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein sending the second limited unlock key comprises sending a second unlock code that allows the software to run on the device for a second time period before requiring re-authorization to continue use of the software on the device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the first limited unlock key comprises sending a first unlock code that allows the software to run on the device for a defined number of executions before requiring re-authorization to continue use of the software on the device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the first limited unlock key comprises sending a first unlock code that allows the software to run on the device with at least one feature of the software disabled.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an unlock code request for the software from the device.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising switching to a limiting mode, comprising, in response to the copy count being greater than the first preset number, informing a user that the unlock code request has failed.

9. A method for auditing software usage, comprising:

sending a serial number for a software installed on a computing device and a device identifier for the device to an authorization authority, the authorization authority calculating a copy count for the serial number;

in response to the copy count not exceeding a first upper limit of software copies, receiving from the authorization authority an unlimited unlock key for the software; and

in response to the copy count being greater than the first upper limit but not exceeding a second upper limit, receiving from the authorization authority a first limited unlock key for the software.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving the first limited unlock key comprises receiving a first unlock code that allows the software to run on the device for a first time period before requiring re-authorization to continue use of the software on the device.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising, in response to the copy count being greater than the second upper limit but not exceeding a third upper limit, receiving from the authorization authority a second limited unlock key to the device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein receiving the second limited unlock key comprises receiving a second unlock code that allows the software to run on the device for a second time period before requiring re-authorization to continue use of the software on the device.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving the first limited unlock key comprises receiving a first unlock code that allows the software to run on the device for a defined number of executions before requiring re-authorization to continue use of the software on the device.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving the first limited unlock key comprises receiving a first unlock code that allows the software to run on the device with at least one feature of the software disabled.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising sending an unlock code request for the software to the authorization authority.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising switching to a limiting mode, comprising, in response to the copy count being greater than the first preset number, receiving a message that the unlock code request has failed.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the first limited unlock key allows the software to run on the device for a first time period before requiring re-authorization to continue use of the software on the device.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the memory module further comprises executable code for the processor module to, in response to the copy count being greater than the second upper limit but not exceeding a third upper limit, instruct the transmitter module to send a second limited unlock key to the device.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the second limited unlock key allows the software to run on the device for a second time period before requiring re-authorization to continue use of the software on the device.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the second time period is shorter than the first time period.

17. A system for auditing software usage, comprising:

a receiver module adapted to receive a serial number for a software installed on a computing device and a device identifier for the device;

a transmitter module;

a processor module operatively coupled to the receiver and transmitter modules; and

a memory module operatively coupled to the processor module and comprising executable code for the processor module to;

determine whether the received serial number corresponds to one of recognized serial numbers;

in response to determination that the received serial number corresponds to one of the recognized serial numbers, calculate a copy count for the received serial number;

in response to the copy count not exceeding a first upper limit of software copies, instruct the transmitter module to send an unlimited unlock key to the device; and

in response to the copy count being greater than the first upper limit but not exceeding a second upper limit, instruct the transmitter module to send a first limited unlock key to the device.

22. A client-side system for auditing software usage, comprising:

a receiver module;

a processor module operatively coupled to the receiver module; and

a memory module operatively coupled to the processor module and comprising executable code for the processor module to;

obtain a serial number for a software installed on a computing device;

determine a device identifier for the device;

instruct the transmitter module to send the serial number and the device identifier to the authorization authority, the authorization authority calculating a copy count for the serial number;

wherein, in response to the copy count not exceeding a first upper limit of software copies, the receiver module receives from the authorization authority a unlimited unlock key for the software; and

wherein, in response to the copy count being greater than the first upper limit but not exceeding a second upper limit, the receiver module receives from the authorization authority a first limited unlock key for the software.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising a transmitter module operatively coupled to the processor module, wherein the memory module further comprises executable code for the processor module to instruct the transmitter module to send an unlock code request for the software to an authorization authority.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the first limited unlock key allows the software to run on the device for a first time period before requiring re-authorization to continue use of the software on the device.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein, in response to the copy count being greater than the second upper limit but not exceeding a third upper limit, the receiver module receives from the authorization authority a second limited unlock key for the software.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the second limited unlock key allows the software to run on the device for a second time period before requiring re-authorization to continue use of the software on the device.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the second time period is shorter than the first time period.

28. A method for auditing software usage, comprising:

receiving a serial number for a software installed on a computing device and a device identifier for the device;

determining whether the received serial number corresponds to one of recognized serial numbers;

in response to determination that the received serial number corresponds to one of the recognized serial numbers, calculating a software execution count for the received serial number;

in response to the execution count not exceeding a first upper limit of executions, sending an unlimited unlock key to the device; and

in response to the execution count being greater than the first preset number but not exceeding a second upper limit, sending a first limited unlock key to the device.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein sending the first limited unlock key comprises sending a first unlock code that allows the software to run on the device for a defined number of executions before requiring re-authorization to continue use of the software on the device.