TOKEN LICENSING MAPPING COSTS TO ENABLED SOFTWARE TOOL FEATURES

• US 20110093371A1
• Filed: 10/19/2009
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: GODDIN, WILLIAM, COL, CATHERINE G., ZETIE, CARL P., CLEMM, GEOFFREY M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,589,264 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/34
• 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: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A request to activate a software tool can be received, where activation requires a quantity of tokens of a token license model. An entity, project, user-set, user, or combination thereof corresponding to the request can be ascertained. A feature-set to be enabled can be determined by querying preexisting indexed records. The preexisting indexed records can associate different feature-sets to different entities, projects, user-sets, users, or combinations thereof. A token cost can be computed for activating the software tool with the feature-set enabled for the request. Token costs for utilizing the software tool can vary depending upon the enabled feature-set. The computed token cost can be the quantity of tokens required to activate the software tool responsive to the request.

Claims

1. A system using tokens to license computer program products comprising:

a plurality of computer program products digitally encoded in at least one storage medium, each comprising a plurality of selectively activate-able features;

a data store comprising records relating different user-sets, specific ones of the computer program products, and feature-sets, to one another, wherein each feature-set defines which of said selectively activate-able features of the related computer program products are activated when provided to the related user-set; and

a token cost calculator, which is a computer program product digitally encoded in a storage medium, operable to determine a token cost for users of said different user-sets to utilize each of said computer program products with each of said feature-sets activated, wherein different token costs are determined by the token cost calculator for use of the same computer program product depending upon which feature-set is activated when the computer program product is utilized.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a token handler, which is a computer program product digitally encoded in a storage medium, comprising logic needed to configure the indexed records of the data store that associate user-sets with feature-sets; and

a feature-configuration user interface implemented in a computer program product digitally encoded in a computer program product that is executable by a processor, wherein said feature-configuration user interface presents a set of features enabled for one of said computer program products based upon content of indexed records of said data store, presents a token cost incurred for said set of features, and comprises an editing option to change said set of features, which results in a corresponding change in said token cost.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a token manager, which comprises a processor executing a computer program product digitally encoded in a storage medium, operable to receive a request to utilize one of said plurality of computer program products, to determine a user making the request, to determine from indexed records of the data store and from the determined user a user-set, and to determine from the user-set, a feature-set to be activated responsive to the request.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a token pool of a plurality of tokens purchased by an entity for use of said computer program products, said plurality of tokens being digitally encoded in a storage medium;

a pool handler, which is a computer program product digitally encoded in a storage medium, operable to manage and permit authorized administrators to configure specifics of how tokens of said token pool are able to be utilized by said user-sets, wherein said pool handler imposes a configurable constraint on a maximum-user-set amount of tokens available to at least one of the different user-sets, which said maximum-user-set value is a configurable value less than a quantity of tokens available to the entity.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the user-sets is a set of one user, wherein said user-set specific features-sets are user specific feature-sets defined for each of said computer program products that a given user is authorized to access, and wherein each computer program product is a software tool.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the computer program products is a software tool, wherein each software tool is a computer program product that consumes a quantity of said tokens when utilized and that automates an aspect of the software development process, wherein said software tool comprises one of a code editor, a compiler, a debugger, a testing program, a change management program, and a software configuration program.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the user-sets is a set of a plurality of users associated with a project, wherein a plurality of persistent data objects associated with the project are stored in a storage medium, said system further comprising:

a token manager, which comprises a processor executing a computer program product digitally encoded in a storage medium, operable to receive a request to utilize one of said plurality of computer program products, wherein said received request specifies one of the persistent data objects associated with the project, to determine the project associated with the requested persistent data object from the indexed records of the data store, to determine a user-set associated with the project, and to determine from the user-set a feature-set to be activated responsive to receipt of the request.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein each selectively activate-able features of the computer program products are features that have an active state and a non-activated state, where placing a selectively activate-able feature in the active state consumes a quantity of tokens.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein an activated state of one of said selectively activate-able features permits a user to access or utilize that feature, and wherein a non activated state of one of said selectively activate-able features is a state where a user is not permitted to access or utilize that feature.

10. A method for incurring varying token costs for activating software tools depending upon enabled feature-sets comprising:

receiving a request to activate a software tool, where activation requires a quantity of tokens of a token license model;

ascertaining an entity, project, user-set, user, or combination thereof corresponding to the request;

determining by querying preexisting indexed records, a feature-set to enable for the software tool for the request, wherein said preexisting indexed records associate different feature-sets to different entities, projects, user-sets, users, or combinations thereof; and

computing a token cost for activating the software tool with the feature-set enabled for the request, wherein token costs for utilizing the software tool varies depending upon the enabled feature-set, wherein said computed token cost is the quantity of tokens required to activate the software tool responsive to the request.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

examining an available quantity of tokens in a previously established token pool; and

when the available quantity of tokens in the token pool exceeds or is equal to the computed token cost,

removing the computed cost of tokens from the token pool;

conveying the removed tokens to a computing device executing the software tool of the request; and

activating the software tool utilizing the conveyed tokens.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

examining an available quantity of tokens in a previously established token pool; and

when the available quantity of tokens in the token pool is less than the computed token cost, firing an message or error event that indicates the request is unable to be satisfied due to an insufficient quantity of available tokens being present in the token pool.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein one of the parameters of the request is for a persistent data object, said method further comprising:

querying a data store of records to determine a project indexed against the persistent data object;

querying the preexisting indexed records by the determined project to determine a project specific feature-set, wherein said pre-existing indexed records associated a plurality of different feature-sets for the software tool, wherein the different feature-sets are indexed against different projects; and

computing the token cost for activating the software tool with the project specific feature-set.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining from the request, a user identity of a user who submitted the request;

querying the preexisting indexed records by the determined user identity to determine a user specific feature-set, wherein said pre-existing indexed records associated a plurality of different feature-sets for the software tool, wherein the different feature-sets are indexed against different projects; and

computing the token cost for activating the software tool with the user specific feature set.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein said software tool comprises a plurality of sub-tools, wherein activation of each sub-tool requires a quantity of tokens of a token license model, said method further comprising:

determining that one of said plurality of sub-tools has already been activated by a requisite quantity of tokens computed for said one sub-tool; and

discounting the token costs for activating the software tool with the feature-set enabled for the request by the cost of said one sub-tool.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a configuration change from an authorized administrator, wherein said configuration change alters a feature-set to enable for the software tool;

responsive to the configuration change, adjusting the preexisting indexed records for the altered feature-set;

after the configuration change is processed to adjust the preexisting indexed records, receiving a subsequent request to activate the software tool from a requester from whom the received request was received, wherein the received request was received before the configuration change was received;

determining by querying preexisting indexed records, an adjusted feature-set to enable for the software tool for the subsequent request; and

computing a subsequent token cost for activating the software tool with the adjusted feature-set enabled for the subsequent request, wherein said computed subsequent token cost is the quantity of tokens required to activate the software tool responsive to the subsequent request, said subsequent token cost being a different token cost than the token cost computed for the received request that was received before the configuration change was received.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

purchasing a quantity of tokens for a token pool, wherein at a time of the purchasing, the indexed records are not configured for a purchaser or for any users having access to the token pool; and

a significant time, which is greater than one day, after purchasing the quantity of tokens, changing content of the indexed records so that the changed indexed records comprise the data of the preexisting indexed records;

after changing content of the indexed records, receiving the request;

examining an available quantity of tokens in a previously established token pool;

when the available quantity of tokens in the token pool exceeds or is equal to the computed token cost,

removing the computed cost of tokens from the token pool;

conveying the removed tokens to a computing device executing the software tool of the request; and

activating the software tool utilizing the conveyed tokens.

18. A computer program product for incurring varying token costs for activating software tools depending upon enabled feature-sets comprising:

a computer readable storage medium that is a physical storage medium having computer usable program code embodied therewith, the computer usable program code comprising;

computer usable program code operable to receive a request to activate a software tool, where activation requires a quantity of tokens of a token license model;

computer usable program code operable to ascertain an entity, project, user-set, user, or combination thereof corresponding to the request;

computer usable program code operable to determine by querying preexisting indexed records, a feature-set to enable for the software tool for the request, wherein said preexisting indexed records associate different feature-sets to different entities, projects, user-sets, users, or combinations thereof; and

computer usable program code operable to compute a token cost for activating the software tool with the feature-set enabled for the request, wherein token costs for utilizing the software tool varies depending upon the enabled feature-set, wherein said computed token cost is the quantity of tokens required to activate the software tool responsive to the request.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, the computer usable program code comprising:

computer usable program code operable to examine an available quantity of tokens in a previously established token pool; and

computer usable program code configured, when the available quantity of tokens in the token pool exceeds or is equal to the computed token cost,

to remove the computed cost of tokens from the token pool;

to convey the removed tokens to a computing device executing the software tool of the request; and

to activate the software tool utilizing the conveyed tokens.

computer usable program code configured, when the available quantity of tokens in the token pool is less than the computed token cost, to fire an message or error event that indicates the request is unable to be satisfied due to an insufficient quantity of available tokens being present in the token pool.

20. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein one of the parameters of the request is for a persistent data object, said the computer usable program code comprising:

computer usable program code operable to query a data store of records to determine a project indexed against the persistent data object;

computer usable program code operable to query the preexisting indexed records by the determined project to determine a project specific feature-set, wherein said pre-existing indexed records associated a plurality of different feature-sets for the software tool, wherein the different feature-sets are indexed against different projects; and

computer usable program code operable to compute the token cost for activating the software tool with the project specific feature-set.

21. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein said software tool comprises a plurality of sub-tools, wherein activation of each sub-tool requires a quantity of tokens of a token license model, the computer usable program code comprising:

computer usable program code operable to determine that one of said plurality of sub-tools has already been activated by a requisite quantity of tokens computed for said one sub-tool; and

computer usable program code operable to discount the token costs for activating the software tool with the feature-set enabled for the request by the cost of said one sub-tool.

22. A user interface for configuring feature-sets of a software tool having variable token cost per feature-set comprising:

a user-set selection element comprising at least one of a project selection element and a user selection element, wherein said user-set selection element determines a group of one or more users for whom settings established through the user interface applies;

a plurality of feature configuration elements, each feature configuration element having a user configurable parameter corresponding to a specific one of a plurality of features of said software tool;

a plurality of token cost presentation elements, each corresponding to one of the feature configuration elements, wherein each of the token cost presentation elements presents a cost in tokens incurred for the corresponding feature assuming said user configurable parameter is established for the corresponding feature; and

an apply element, which is a user selectable interface element to accept the features with the values presented in the feature configuration elements for the software tool.

23. The user interface of claim 22, wherein said user interface is a graphical user interface, and wherein each of said token cost presentation elements are output only elements that automatically present integer values in tokens responsive to a change in the user configurable parameter of the corresponding feature configuration element.

24. The user interface of claim 22, wherein said plurality of features having a corresponding feature configuration element comprise at least two features selected from a group consisting of a feature for a maximum number of concurrent users, a feature for a number of available integrated tools, a feature for operational guidance, and a feature for data customizations, wherein the user configurable parameter for the maximum number of concurrent users is a positive integer, wherein the user configurable parameter for the number of available integrated tools is a non-negative integer, wherein the user configurable parameter for operational guidance is a Boolean value, and wherein the user configurable parameter for data customizations is a Boolean value.

25. The user interface of claim 22, further comprising:

a total cost element for automatically presenting a total cost for utilizing said software tool given a set of features having said user configurable parameters as specified within the plurality of feature configuration elements; and

a pool quantity element for automatically presenting a total quantity of tokens available for utilizing said software tool.

26. The user interface of claim 22, wherein said user interface is a Web interface linked to a license server.

27. The user interface of claim 22, wherein said user interface is the user interface of the software tool, said user interface comprising:

a popup window, which displays features of the software tool currently enabled and a total cost in tokens for utilizing the software tool with the currently enabled features.

28. A computing system for incurring varying token costs for activating software tools depending upon enabled feature-sets comprising:

a computing system comprising a combination of hardware and at least one computer program products, wherein said hardware comprises a storage medium for storing the computer program products and a processor for executing program code of the computer program products, wherein execution of the computer program products causes the data processing system to;

receive a request to activate a software tool, where activation requires a quantity of tokens of a token license model;

ascertain an entity, project, user-set, user, or combination thereof corresponding to the request;

determine by querying preexisting indexed records, a feature-set to enable for the software tool for the request, wherein said preexisting indexed records associate different feature-sets to different entities, projects, user-sets, users, or combinations thereof; and

compute a token cost for activating the software tool with the feature-set enabled for the request, wherein token costs for utilizing the software tool varies depending upon the enabled feature-set, wherein said computed token cost is the quantity of tokens required to activate the software tool responsive to the request.