Network monitoring system for tracking, billing and recovering licenses
DCFirst Claim
1. A network monitoring system comprising:
- a computer including processing means for executing a multi-tasking operating system which is capable of running a plurality of user applications each of which being associated with an active or an inactive window, wherein one of said user applications is provided by at least one of a server and a service and is subject to a license restriction,wherein when said one of said user applications is associated with said active window, said user application is executed by said processing means;
display means, coupled to said processing means, for displaying a user interface of said operating system; and
user prompting means, run by said processing means and said display means and associated with said one of said user applications, for prompting a user when said one of said user applications has been associated with an inactive window for a period greater than a first predetermined period.
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Abstract
A network monitoring system operates on a computer including processor for running a multi-tasking operating system capable of having active and inactive windows. The computer is connected to a server or a service which provides access to a user application subject to a license restriction. When the user application is associated with the active window, the user application is executed by the processor. A license recovering system includes a display coupled to the processor for displaying a user interface of the operating system. A user prompting device, run by the processor, the display and associated with an inactive window, prompts a user when the the inactive window has been inactive for a period greater than a first predetermined period. A closing device closes the user application when the inactive window has been inactive for a period greater than a second predetermined period. The network monitoring system also includes a real-time billing system for billing the computer user for access time to the user application subject to the license restriction to alleviate problems occurring in shared license pools on a network. The network monitoring system also includes a user priority system which defines user priorities for the application shared on the network. The priority system closes a current user accessing the user application if the priority of a new user requesting access is greater than the priority of the current user or if the application of the current user is idle.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A network monitoring system comprising:
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a computer including processing means for executing a multi-tasking operating system which is capable of running a plurality of user applications each of which being associated with an active or an inactive window, wherein one of said user applications is provided by at least one of a server and a service and is subject to a license restriction, wherein when said one of said user applications is associated with said active window, said user application is executed by said processing means; display means, coupled to said processing means, for displaying a user interface of said operating system; and user prompting means, run by said processing means and said display means and associated with said one of said user applications, for prompting a user when said one of said user applications has been associated with an inactive window for a period greater than a first predetermined period. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A priority system for granting and denying access to a user application subject to a license restriction comprising:
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a plurality of computers each including a processing means for executing a multi-tasking operating system capable of having active and inactive windows, said computer being connected to at least one of a server and a service which provides access to a user application subject to a license restriction, wherein said user application is associated with one of said active and inactive windows, and wherein when said user application is associated with said active window, said user application is executed by said processing means; network monitor means, coupled to said plurality of computers, for providing a first predetermined number of users access to said user application; storing means, associated with said network monitor means, for storing a user identity and user priority for each of said first predetermined number of users; and comparing means, associated with said network monitor means and said storing means, for comparing a user priority of a new user requesting access to said user application to said user priorities stored in said storing means when said first predetermined number of users are currently accessing said user application. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A license monitoring and recovering system comprising:
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a computer including processing means for executing a multi-tasking operating system which is capable of running a plurality of user applications each of which being associated with an active or an inactive window, wherein one of said user applications is provided by at least one of a server and a service and is subject to a license restriction, and wherein when said one of said user applications is associated with said active window, said one of said user applications is executed by said processing means; display means, coupled to said processing means, for displaying a user interface of said operating system; and closing means, run by said processing means and associated with said user application, for closing said one of said user application when said one of said user applications has been associated with an inactive window for a period greater than a first predetermined period. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A method of monitoring and recovering licenses comprising the steps of:
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executing a multi-tasking operating system on a computer which is capable of running a plurality of user applications each of which being associated with an active or an inactive window; providing one of said user applications using at least one of a server and a service, wherein said one of said user applications is subject to a license restriction; executing said one of said user applications with a processor associated with said computer when said user application is associated with said active window; displaying a user interface of said operating system; and prompting a user when said one of user applications has been associated with an inactive window for a period greater than a first predetermined period. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. In a computer including a processing means for running a multi-tasking operating system capable of having active and inactive windows, said computer being connected to at least one of a server and a service which provides access to a user application subject to a license restriction, wherein said user application is associated with one of said active and inactive windows, and wherein when said user application is associated with said active window, said user application is executed by said processing means, a method of granting and denying access to said user application based upon user priority comprising the steps of:
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providing a first predetermined number of users access to said user application subject to said license restriction; storing a user identity and a user priority for each of said first predetermined number of users; and comparing a user priority of a new user requesting access to said user application to said user priorities stored in said storing means when said first predetermined number of users are currently accessing said user application. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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28. A method of monitoring and recovering licenses comprising the steps of:
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executing a multi-tasking operating system on a computer which is capable of running a plurality of user applications each of which being associated with an active or an inactive window; providing one of said user applications using at least one of a server and a service, wherein said one of said user applications is subject to a license restriction; executing said one of said user applications with a processor associated with said computer when said user application is associated with said active window; displaying a user interface of said operating system; and closing said one of said user applications when said one of said user applications has been associated with an inactive window for a period greater than a first predetermined period. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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Specification