APPARATUS AND METHOD OF MANAGING A LICENSABLE ITEM
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of operating an apparatus that is configured to manage a licensable item, comprising:
- accessing a licensing policy related to whether an action is permitted to be taken with the licensable item, wherein the licensing policy corresponds to a client version of a license for the licensable item that is maintained on the apparatus and is configured to be synchronized with a server version of the license for the licensable item that is maintained on a server;
making a determination, by a license agent, to act to enforce the licensing policy or to first attempt to communicate, by the apparatus, with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license before acting to enforce the licensing policy for the action;
attempting to communicate, by the apparatus, with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license before acting to enforce the licensing policy for the action in response to the determination to first attempt to communicate with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license before acting to enforce the licensing policy for the action, wherein synchronization of the client and server versions of the license produces a synchronized client version of the license by updating the client version of the license to include one or more changes made to one or more licensing policies in the server version of the license that occurred after a previous synchronization of the client version of the license with the server version of the license; and
enforcing the licensing policy for the action by permitting or blocking the action based on the synchronized client version of the license if the attempt to communicate by the apparatus with the server is successful, or by permitting or blocking the action based on the non-synchronized version of the license if the attempt to communicate by the apparatus with the server is unsuccessful or where the license agent determines to enforce the licensing policy for the action without first attempting to communicate with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method of managing a licensable item includes accessing a licensing policy related to managing a licensable item, and a license agent making a determination to act to enforce the licensing policy or to first communicate with a server before acting to enforce the licensing policy. Further, the apparatus and method include enforcing the licensing policy in accordance with the determination to act to enforce the licensing policy or to first communicate with a server before acting.
25 Citations
41 Claims
-
1. A method of operating an apparatus that is configured to manage a licensable item, comprising:
-
accessing a licensing policy related to whether an action is permitted to be taken with the licensable item, wherein the licensing policy corresponds to a client version of a license for the licensable item that is maintained on the apparatus and is configured to be synchronized with a server version of the license for the licensable item that is maintained on a server; making a determination, by a license agent, to act to enforce the licensing policy or to first attempt to communicate, by the apparatus, with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license before acting to enforce the licensing policy for the action; attempting to communicate, by the apparatus, with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license before acting to enforce the licensing policy for the action in response to the determination to first attempt to communicate with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license before acting to enforce the licensing policy for the action, wherein synchronization of the client and server versions of the license produces a synchronized client version of the license by updating the client version of the license to include one or more changes made to one or more licensing policies in the server version of the license that occurred after a previous synchronization of the client version of the license with the server version of the license; and enforcing the licensing policy for the action by permitting or blocking the action based on the synchronized client version of the license if the attempt to communicate by the apparatus with the server is successful, or by permitting or blocking the action based on the non-synchronized version of the license if the attempt to communicate by the apparatus with the server is unsuccessful or where the license agent determines to enforce the licensing policy for the action without first attempting to communicate with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. An apparatus for managing a licensable item, comprising:
-
at least one processing circuit configured to; access a licensing policy related to whether an action is permitted to be taken with the licensable item, wherein the licensing policy corresponds to a client version of a license for the licensable item that is maintained on the apparatus and is configured to be synchronized with a server version of the license for the licensable item that is maintained on a server; make a determination to act to enforce the licensing policy or to first attempt to communicate with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license before acting to enforce the licensing policy for the action; attempt to communicate with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license before acting to enforce the licensing policy for the action in response to the determination to first attempt to communicate with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license before acting to enforce the licensing policy for the action, wherein synchronization of the client and server versions of the license produces a synchronized client version of the license by updating the client version of the license to include one or more changes made to one or more licensing policies in the server version of the license that occurred after a previous synchronization of the client version of the license with the server version of the license; and enforce the licensing policy for the action by permitting or blocking the action based on the synchronized client version of the license if the attempt to communicate by the apparatus with the server is successful, or by permitting or blocking the action based on the non-synchronized version of the license if the attempt to communicate by the apparatus with the server is unsuccessful or where the license agent determines to enforce the licensing policy for the action without first attempting to communicate with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license.
-
-
21. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to manage a licensable item, the instructions comprising:
-
at least one instruction for causing the computer to access a licensing policy related to whether an action is permitted to be taken with the licensable item, wherein the licensing policy corresponds to a client version of a license for the licensable item that is maintained on the computer and is configured to be synchronized with a server version of the license for the licensable item that is maintained on a server; at least one instruction for causing the computer to make a determination, by a license agent, to act to enforce the licensing policy or to first attempt to communicate, by the apparatus, with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license before acting to enforce the licensing policy for the action; at least one instruction for causing the computer to attempt to communicate with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license before acting to enforce the licensing policy for the action in response to the determination to first attempt to communicate with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license before acting to enforce the licensing policy for the action, wherein synchronization of the client and server versions of the license produces a synchronized client version of the license by updating the client version of the license to include one or more changes made to one or more licensing policies in the server version of the license that occurred after a previous synchronization of the client version of the license with the server version of the license; and at least one instruction for causing the computer to enforce the licensing policy for the action by permitting or blocking the action based on the synchronized client version of the license if the attempt to communicate by the apparatus with the server is successful, or by permitting or blocking the action based on the non-synchronized version of the license if the attempt to communicate by the apparatus with the server is unsuccessful or where the license agent determines to enforce the licensing policy for the action without first attempting to communicate with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license.
-
-
22. An apparatus for managing a licensable item, comprising:
-
means for accessing a licensing policy related to whether an action is permitted to be taken with the licensable item, wherein the licensing policy corresponds to a client version of a license for the licensable item that is maintained on the apparatus and is configured to be synchronized with a server version of the license for the licensable item that is maintained on a server, means for making a determination, by a license agent, to act to enforce the licensing policy or to first attempt to communicate, by the apparatus, with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license before acting to enforce the licensing policy for the action; means for attempting to communicate with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license before acting to enforce the licensing policy for the action in response to the determination to first attempt to communicate with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license before acting to enforce the licensing policy for the action, wherein synchronization of the client and server versions of the license produces a synchronized client version of the license by updating the client version of the license to include one or more changes made to one or more licensing policies in the server version of the license that occurred after a previous synchronization of the client version of the license with the server version of the license; and means for enforcing the licensing policy for the action by permitting or blocking the action based on the synchronized client version of the license if the attempt to communicate by the apparatus with the server is successful, or by permitting or blocking the action based on the non-synchronized version of the license if the attempt to communicate by the apparatus with the server is unsuccessful or where the license agent determines to enforce the licensing policy for the action without first attempting to communicate with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license.
-
-
23. An apparatus for managing a licensable item, comprising:
-
a network interface circuit configured to communicate with a server; and a processor configured to execute a license agent for accessing a licensing policy related to whether an action is permitted to be taken with the licensable item, wherein the licensing policy corresponds to a client version of a license for the licensable item that is maintained on the apparatus and is configured to be synchronized with a server version of the license for the licensable item that is maintained on the server, making a determination, by a license agent, to act to enforce the licensing policy or to first attempt to communicate, by the apparatus, with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license before acting to enforce the licensing policy for the action;
attempting to communicate with the server via the network interface circuit in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license before acting to enforce the licensing policy for the action in response to the determination to first attempt to communicate with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license before acting to enforce the licensing policy for the action, wherein synchronization of the client and server versions of the license produces a synchronized client version of the license by updating the client version of the license to include one or more changes made to one or more licensing policies in the server version of the license that occurred after a previous synchronization of the client version of the license with the server version of the license, and to enforce the licensing policy for the action by permitting or blocking the action based on the synchronized client version of the license if the attempt to communicate by the apparatus with the server is successful, or by permitting or blocking the action based on the non-synchronized version of the license if the attempt to communicate by the apparatus with the server is unsuccessful or where the license agent determines to enforce the licensing policy for the action without first attempting to communicate with the server in order to synchronize the client and server versions of the license. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
-
Specification