Method and apparatus for preventing unauthorized use of software
First Claim
1. A license information issuing server for issuing license information to a user terminal for installing software in apparatuses that communicate with the user terminal, comprising:
- a storage unit that stores, associated with license access information corresponding to a software, a license count number designating a limit of the number of apparatuses in which the software is permitted to be installed;
a first transmission unit that, upon receiving an access request via a network from the user terminal for license information, transmits to the user terminal first display data for displaying on a display unit of the user terminal a first input area for the user to input license access information of a software to be installed;
a first reception unit that receives license access information input by the user in the first input area;
a determination unit that, upon receiving from the user terminal license access information input by the user in the first input area, determines, based on the license count number designating the limit of the number of the apparatuses in which the software associated with the received license access information can be installed, a number of second input areas for a user to input identification information identifying each of the apparatuses in which the software is to be installed;
a second transmission unit that transmits, to the user terminal, second display data for displaying on the display unit of the user terminal the determined number of the second input areas for the user to input the identification information of the apparatuses in which the software is to be installed;
a second reception unit that receives from the user terminal a plurality of pieces of identification information of the apparatuses input by the user in the second input areas; and
a license information issuing unit that issues license information to the user terminal for permitting installation of the software to each of the apparatuses corresponding to the plurality of pieces of identification information received by said second reception unit.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A server transmits, to clients, display data for displaying a plurality of input areas for pieces of identification information which identify apparatuses in which software is to be installed. The server receives the plurality of pieces of identification information input to the input areas. The server then issues, to the clients, license information for permitting installation of the software to the apparatuses corresponding to the pieces of received identification information. This makes it possible to efficiently issue license information of software.
43 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A license information issuing server for issuing license information to a user terminal for installing software in apparatuses that communicate with the user terminal, comprising:
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a storage unit that stores, associated with license access information corresponding to a software, a license count number designating a limit of the number of apparatuses in which the software is permitted to be installed; a first transmission unit that, upon receiving an access request via a network from the user terminal for license information, transmits to the user terminal first display data for displaying on a display unit of the user terminal a first input area for the user to input license access information of a software to be installed; a first reception unit that receives license access information input by the user in the first input area; a determination unit that, upon receiving from the user terminal license access information input by the user in the first input area, determines, based on the license count number designating the limit of the number of the apparatuses in which the software associated with the received license access information can be installed, a number of second input areas for a user to input identification information identifying each of the apparatuses in which the software is to be installed; a second transmission unit that transmits, to the user terminal, second display data for displaying on the display unit of the user terminal the determined number of the second input areas for the user to input the identification information of the apparatuses in which the software is to be installed; a second reception unit that receives from the user terminal a plurality of pieces of identification information of the apparatuses input by the user in the second input areas; and a license information issuing unit that issues license information to the user terminal for permitting installation of the software to each of the apparatuses corresponding to the plurality of pieces of identification information received by said second reception unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An information processing method for a license information issuing server for issuing license information to a user terminal for permitting installation of software in apparatuses that communicate with the user terminal, comprising:
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a storage step of storing, in a storage unit, in association with license access information corresponding to a software, a license count number designating a limit of the number of apparatuses in which the software is permitted to be installed; a first transmission step of, upon receiving an access request via a network from the user terminal for license information, transmitting to the user terminal first display data for displaying on a display unit of the user terminal a first input area for the user to license access information of a software to be installed; a first reception step of receiving license access information input by the user in the first input area of the first display data; a determination step of, upon receiving from the user terminal the license access information input by the user in the first input area, determining, based on the license count number designating the limit of the number of the apparatuses in which the software associated with the received license access information can be installed, a number of second input areas for a user to input identification information identifying each of the apparatuses in which the software is to be installed; a second transmission step of transmitting, to the user terminal, second display data for displaying on the display unit of the user terminal the determined number of second input areas for the user to input the identification information of the apparatuses in which the software is to be installed; a second reception step of receiving from the user terminal a plurality of pieces of identification information of the apparatuses input by the user to the second input areas of the second display data; and a license information issuing step of issuing license information to the user terminal for permitting installation of the software to each of the apparatuses corresponding to the plurality of pieces of identification information received in the second reception step. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer readable storage medium on which is stored a program for causing a license information issuing server to execute a method for issuing license information to a user terminal for permitting installation of software in apparatuses that communicate with the user terminal, the method comprising:
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a storage step of storing, in a storage unit, associated with license access information corresponding to a software, a license count number designating a limit of the number of apparatuses in which the software is permitted to be installed; a first transmission step of, upon receiving an access request via a network from the user terminal for license information, transmitting to the user terminal first display data for displaying on a display unit of the user terminal a first input area for the user to input license access information of a software to be installed; a first reception step of receiving license access information input by the user in the first input area of the first display data; a determination step of, upon receiving from the user terminal the license access information input by the user in the first input area, determining, based on the license count number designating the limit of the number of the apparatuses in which the software associated with the received license access information can be installed, a number of second input areas for the user to input identification information identifying each of the apparatuses in which the software is to be installed; a second transmission step of transmitting, to the user terminal, second display data for displaying on the display unit of the user terminal the determined number of second input areas for the user to input the identification information of the apparatuses in which the software is to be installed; a second reception step of receiving from the user terminal a plurality of pieces of identification information of the apparatuses input by the user to the second input areas of the second display data; and a license information issuing step of issuing license information to the user terminal for permitting installation of the software to each of the apparatuses corresponding to the plurality of pieces of identification information received in the second reception step. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification