Systems and Methods for Providing Conditional Authorization to Operate Licensed Software
First Claim
1. A system for granting one or more client devices conditional authorization to operate licensed software, the system comprising:
- a network interface disposed to receive a license identifier for the software and a device fingerprint that uniquely identifies the client device seeking authorization to operate the software a memory holding program instructions operable for;
determining whether granting an authorization to the client device to operate the software would exceed a license limit;
sending, in response to determining that the license limit would not be exceeded, a first unlock key to the client device; and
sending, in response to determining that the license limit would be exceeded, a second unlock key to the client device and ad instructions to display one or more advertisements in connection with the operation of the software at the client device; and
a processor, in communication with the network interface and the memory, the processor configured for operating the program instructions.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for providing conditional authorization to a plurality of client devices to operate licensed software. A client computer generates and sends a device fingerprint and a license identifier to a license server. The device fingerprint uniquely identifies the client device based on user and non-user configurable parameters relating to the client device. The license server determines if authorization of the licensed software for installation or use at the client software would exceed a limit associated with the license. If authorization would not exceed the limit, the license server sends an unlock key to authorize the client device to install or operate the software. If authorization would exceed the limit, the license server sends an unlock key and ad instructions operable to authorize the client device to install or use the software only in connection with the display of advertisements provided by an ad server.
68 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for granting one or more client devices conditional authorization to operate licensed software, the system comprising:
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a network interface disposed to receive a license identifier for the software and a device fingerprint that uniquely identifies the client device seeking authorization to operate the software a memory holding program instructions operable for; determining whether granting an authorization to the client device to operate the software would exceed a license limit; sending, in response to determining that the license limit would not be exceeded, a first unlock key to the client device; and sending, in response to determining that the license limit would be exceeded, a second unlock key to the client device and ad instructions to display one or more advertisements in connection with the operation of the software at the client device; and a processor, in communication with the network interface and the memory, the processor configured for operating the program instructions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for granting one or more client devices conditional authorization to operate licensed software, the method comprising:
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receiving, at a server, a license identifier for the software and a device fingerprint that uniquely identifies a client device seeking authorization to operate the software; determining whether granting authorization to the client device to operate the software would exceed a license limit; sending, in response to determining that granting authorization to the client device would not exceed the license limit, a first unlock key to the client device; and sending, in response to determining that granting authorization to the client device would exceed the license limit, a second unlock key to the client device and ad instructions to display one or more advertisements in connection with the operation of the software at the client device. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for receiving, at a client device, conditional authorization to operate licensed software, the method comprising:
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generating a device fingerprint that uniquely identifies the client device; obtaining a license identifier associated with the licensed software; transmitting the device fingerprint and the license identifier to a license server; and receiving either one of a first or second unlock key in connection with the operation of the software at the client device; wherein the first unlock key allows the client device to operate the licensed software without displaying advertisements; and wherein the second unlock key allows the client device to operate the licensed software only in connection with the display of advertisements. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification