System and Method for Adjustable Licensing of Digital Products

• US 20090138975A1
• Filed: 11/17/2008
• Published: 05/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2007
• 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 8,566,960 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/32
• 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 21/73 by creating or determining hardware identification, e.g. serial numbers

Abstract

Techniques are provided for adjusting the number of devices allowed to use a digital product (e.g., software) under a license. In one embodiment, the technique may involve setting the allowed number of devices to a first upper/lower limit for a first time period, and, after the first time period has expired, increasing/lowering the allowed number of devices to a second upper/lower limit for a second time period. The technique may involve, readjusting the allowed number for a third time period, thereby allowing for a changing number of device installations of the digital product.

Claims

1. A system for adjusting a license for a digital product over time, the license comprising at least one allowed copy count corresponding to a maximum number of devices authorized for use with the digital product, comprising:

a communication module for receiving a request for authorization to use the digital product from a given device;

a processor module in operative communication with the communication module;

a memory module in operative communication with the processor module and comprising executable code for the processor module to;

verify that a license data associated with the digital product is valid based at least in part on a device identity associated with the given device;

in response to the device identity already being on a record, allow the digital product to be used on the given device;

in response to the device identity not being on the record, set the allowed copy count to a first upper limit for a first time period;

calculate a device count corresponding to total number of devices already authorized for use with the digital product; and

when the calculated device count is less than the first upper limit, allow the digital product to be used on the given device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital product comprises software.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the license data comprises information that may be used to verify whether the license for the digital product is valid.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the record comprises an authorization database.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first time period comprises a defined number of days after an initial authorization of the digital product.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the defined number of days comprises six days since the initial authorization, and wherein the first upper limit comprises five authorized devices.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor module is adapted to, in response to the calculated device count equaling the first upper limit, send a warning regarding the allowed copy count to the given device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor module is adapted to, in response to the calculated device count exceeding the first upper limit, deny the request for authorization.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor module is adapted to:

in response to the device identity not being on the record, after the first time period has expired, set the allowed copy count to a second upper limit for a second time period;

recalculate the device count; and

when the recalculated device count is less than the second upper limit, allow the digital product to be used on the given device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the second time period comprises a defined number of days since the initial authorization.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the defined number of days comprises thirty-one days since the initial authorization, and wherein the second upper limit comprises seven authorized devices.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor module is adapted to, in response to the calculated device count equaling the second upper limit, send a warning regarding the allowed copy count to the given device.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor module is adapted to, in response to the calculated device count exceeding the second upper limit, deny the request for authorization.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor module is adapted to:

in response to the device identity not being on the record, after the second time period has expired, set the allowed copy count to a third upper limit;

recalculate the device count; and

when the recalculated device count is less than the third upper limit, allow the digital product to be used on the given device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the third upper limit comprises eleven authorized devices.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor module is adapted to, in response to the calculated device count equaling the third upper limit, send a warning regarding the allowed copy count to the given device.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor module is adapted to, in response to the calculated device count exceeding the third upper limit deny the request for authorization.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the device identity comprises unique device identifying information.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the unique device identifying information comprises at least one user-configurable parameter and at least one non-user-configurable parameter of the given device.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the device identity is generated by utilizing at least one irreversible transformation of the at least one user-configurable and the at least one non-user-configurable parameters of the given device.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the device identity is generated by utilizing a cryptographic hash function on the at least one user-configurable and the at least one non-user-configurable parameters of the given device.

22. A method for adjusting a license for a digital product over time, the license comprising at least one allowed copy count corresponding to a maximum number of devices authorized for use with the digital product, comprising:

receiving a request for authorization to use the digital product on a given device;

verifying that a license data associated with the digital product is valid based at least in part on a device identity associated with the given device;

in response to the device identity already being on a record, allowing the digital product to be used on the given device;

in response to the device identity not being on the record, setting the allowed copy count to a first upper limit for a first time period;

calculating a device count corresponding to total number of devices already authorized for use with the digital product; and

when the calculated device count is less than the first upper limit, allowing the digital product to be used on the given device.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

in response to the device identity not being on the record, after the first time period has expired, setting the allowed copy count to a second upper limit for a second time period;

recalculating the device count; and

when the recalculated device count is less than the second upper limit, allowing the digital product to be used on the given device.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

in response to the device identity not being on the record, after the second time period has expired, setting the allowed copy count to a third upper limit;

recalculating the device count; and

when the recalculated device count is less than the third upper limit, allowing the digital product to be used on the given device.

25. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

code for causing a computer to receive a request for authorization to use the digital product;

code for causing a computer to verify that a license data associated with the digital product is valid based at least in part on a device identity associated with the computer;

code for causing a computer to, in response to the device identity already being on a record, allow the digital product to be used on the computer;

code for causing a computer to, in response to the device identity not being on the record, set the allowed copy count to a first upper limit for a first time period after an initial authorization of the digital product;

code for causing a computer to calculate a device count corresponding to total number of devices already authorized for use with the digital product; and

code for causing a computer to, when the calculated device count is less than the first upper limit, allowing the digital product to be used on the computer.