Securing feature activation in a telecommunication system

• US 6,513,121 B1
• Filed: 07/20/1999
• Issued: 01/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Technology Corporation Miami Lakes FLA US
• Inventors: Serkowski, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E.
• Application Number:
  US09/357,679
• Time in Patent Office: 1,288 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/312, 709/229, 710/200, 705/59, 714/39, 717/1, 717/3, 717/4, 717/11, 713/200, 713/201
• US Class Current: 726/29
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/101 by binding digital rights to specific entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for commerce, e.g. marketing, shopping, billing, auctions or e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

Periodically sending by a telecommunication controlled application an encrypted message to a licensed server to request permission to run and to obtain a list of permitted features. The license server application is executing on the same processor as the controlled application. Also resident on the same system is a license file which contains a list of applications that are permitted to run, the version number of the permitted applications and a list of permitted features. The license server is responsive to the encrypted message from the controlled application to read and decrypt the license file, read the serial number of the processor controlling the telecommunications system, compare the serial number obtained from the processor with the serial number stored in the license file. If there is a mis-match, no license is granted to the control applications and it will not be allowed to run. If the serial numbers match, then a comparison is made between the version number received from the application and the corresponding version number associated with the application in the license file. If the version number mismatches, an encrypted message is sent to the application denying it permission to run. If the version number matches, an encrypted message is sent to the application granting it permission to run and listing the permitted features. To decrypt the license file, the license server utilizes a key that is assigned to the license server either globally or on a per system basis.

Claims

1. A method for protecting actuation of a plurality of features and a plurality of controlled applications, comprising the steps of:

sending a first message to a license server, by one of the plurality of controlled applications, requesting permission to continue execution and identification of ones of the plurality of features that are to be provide by the one of the plurality of controlled applications;

obtaining, by the license server, a first serial number of a processor on which both the license server and the one of the plurality of controlled applications are executing;

accessing, by the license server, a license file to obtain a second serial number of a processor on which the one of the plurality of controlled applications is allowed to execute and identification of an allowed set of the plurality of features that the one of the plurality of controlled applications is to provide;

comparing, by the license server, the first serial number with second serial number;

transmitting, by the license server, a second message to the one of the plurality of controlled applications indicating that the one of the plurality of controlled applications can continue execution and including identification of the allowed set of the plurality of features upon the first serial number and second serial number being equal;

continuing excution, by the one of plurality of the controlled applications, in response to the second message; and

providing the allowed set of the plurality of features in response to the second message by the one of the plurality of controlled applications.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of sending comprises the step of including a first version number of the one of the plurality of controlled applications in the first message;

the step of accessing comprises the step of reading a second version number from the license file of a set of the plurality of controlled applications that are allowed to execute on the processor defined by the first serial number;

the step of comparing further compares the first version number with the second version number; and

the step of transmitting further transmits the second message upon upon the first serial number and second serial number being equal and the first version number and the second version number being equal.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the license file is encrypted and the step of accessing further comprises the step of decrypting the license file.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the first message is encrypted and the step of obtaining further comprises the step of decrypting the first message.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the first and second messages are communicated via an operating system.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the second message is encrypted and the step of continuing excution comprises the step of decrypting the second message.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the first and second messages are communicated via an operating system.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of transmitting further transmits a third message to the one of the plurality of controlled applications indicating that the one of the plurality of controlled applications should cease execution upon the first serial number and second serial number not being equal.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprises the step of ceasing execution, by the one of the plurality of controlled applications, upon receipt of the third message.

10. An apparatus for protecting actuation of a plurality of features and a plurality of controlled applications, comprising:

one of the plurality of controlled applications sending a first message to a license server requesting permission to continue execution and identification of ones of the plurality of features that are to be provide by the one of the plurality of controlled applications;

the license server obtaining a first serial number of a processor on which both the license server and the one of the plurality of controlled applications are executing;

the license server further accessing a license file to obtain a second serial number of a processor on which the one of the plurality of controlled applications is allowed to execute and identification of an allowed set of the plurality of features that the one of the plurality of controlled applications is to provide;

the license server further comparing the first serial number with second serial number;

the license server further transmitting a second message to the one of the plurality of controlled applications indicating that the one of the plurality of controlled applications can continue execution and including identification of the allowed set of the plurality of features upon the first serial number and second serial number being equal;

the one of plurality of the controlled applications further continuing execution in response to the second message; and

the one of the plurality of controlled applications further providing the allowed set of the plurality of features in response to the second message.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the one of the plurality of controlled applications further including a first version number of the one of the plurality of controlled applications in the first message;

the license server further reading a second version number from the license file of a set of the plurality of controlled applications that are allowed to execute on the processor defined by the first serial number;

the license server further compares the first version number with the second version number; and

the license server further transmits the second message upon the first serial number and second serial number being equal and the first version number and the second version number being equal.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the license server further transmits a third message to the one of the plurality of controlled applications indicating that the one of the plurality of controlled applications should cease executing upon the first serial number and second serial number not being equal.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the one of the plurality of controlled applications further ceasing execution upon receipt of the third message.