Apparatus and method for licensing software on a network of computers
First Claim
1. In a network of computers comprising at least one computer executing at least one application programs, a method for licensing an application program that further increases network-wide protection against unauthorized execution of said application program, said method comprising the steps of:
- storing a first license token in a first database by a first license server, said first license token comprising licensing information of said application program and being stored in encrypted format;
retrieving said stored first license token for said application program by said first license server, said retrieval being requested of said first license server by a licensing routine of a licensing library for licensing said application program for execution;
verifying said licensing information stored in said retrieved first license token against licensing information maintained by said application program in conjunction with said licensing routine after said retrieved first license token has been decrypted by an application program specific license access module integrated with said application program;
licensing said application program for execution upon said verification by said licensing routine;
updating said retrieved first license token upon said licensing by said licensing routine; and
returning said updated first license token to said first license server for storage in said first database by said licensing routine after said updated first license token has been re-encrypted by said application program specific license module integrated with said application program.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides to the software application the verification and license check out functions which are normally performed by a license server of a network software license system. The encrypted license information is contained in a license token, and is sorted in the database controlled by the license server. In contrast to the prior art where the license server either grants or denies the request after verifying the user'"'"'s credentials, the license server in the preferred embodiment of the present invention finds the correct license token for the software application and transmits the license token to the licensing library. In application specific license access module attached to the application decodes the licensing token. Routines in the licensing library coupled to the software application verify the license information before checking out the license and updating the license token. The application specific license access module then encodes the updated license token before returning it to the license server. Thus, the impact of breaching the encryption/decryption of an application is limited to only one application. As a result, the present invention provides improved network-wide protection against unauthorized use of software applications in a network of computers.
988 Citations
28 Claims
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1. In a network of computers comprising at least one computer executing at least one application programs, a method for licensing an application program that further increases network-wide protection against unauthorized execution of said application program, said method comprising the steps of:
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storing a first license token in a first database by a first license server, said first license token comprising licensing information of said application program and being stored in encrypted format; retrieving said stored first license token for said application program by said first license server, said retrieval being requested of said first license server by a licensing routine of a licensing library for licensing said application program for execution; verifying said licensing information stored in said retrieved first license token against licensing information maintained by said application program in conjunction with said licensing routine after said retrieved first license token has been decrypted by an application program specific license access module integrated with said application program; licensing said application program for execution upon said verification by said licensing routine; updating said retrieved first license token upon said licensing by said licensing routine; and returning said updated first license token to said first license server for storage in said first database by said licensing routine after said updated first license token has been re-encrypted by said application program specific license module integrated with said application program. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. In a network of computers comprising at least one computer executing at least one application program, an apparatus for licensing an application program that increases network-wide protection against unauthorized execution of said application program, said apparatus comprising:
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first database means comprising a first database for storing a first license token, said first license token comprising licensing information of said application program and being stored in encrypted format; first license server means coupled to said first computer and said first database means comprising a first license server for storing said first license token into said first database and for retrieving said stored first license token from said first database; a licensing library comprising a licensing routine for requesting said first license server to retrieve said first license token for said application program, verifying said licensing information stored in said retrieved first license token against licensing information maintained by said application program after said retrieved first license token has been decrypted by said application program, licensing said application program for execution upon said verification, updating said retrieved first license token upon said licensing, and returning said updated first license token to said first license server for storage in said first database after said updated first license token has been re-encrypted by said application program, said licensing library including said licensing routine being executed by said computer; and a license access module specific for said application program and integrated with said application program for decrypting said retrieved first license token and re-encrypting said updated first license token, said license access module being executed by said computer. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification