Software component and software component management system

• US 7,934,196 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2006
• Issued: 04/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Ikeda, Nobuyuki, Takahashi, Yoshihiro, Jin, Katsumasa, Toya, Hirotaka
• Primary Examiner(s): DENG, ANNA CHEN
• Application Number:
  US11/468,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20070130562A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,701 Days
• Field of Search: 717/120
• US Class Current: 717/120
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44536 Selecting among different versions

Abstract

A software component, which enables a computer to execute processing, is delivered from a management department and includes at least one software module executable by the computer; a first software subcomponent configured to transmit a component identifying information for identifying the software component, to a software component managing server when the software module is executed; and a second software subcomponent configured to transmit a device identifying information for identifying the computer on which the software component is executed, to the software component managing server when the software module is executed.

Claims

1. A software component stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the software component comprising:

at least one software module executable by a computer, the software module being delivered from a management department under a contract between the management department and a user of the software module, and the computer being located on the side of the user;

a first software subcomponent configured to transmit component identifying information for identifying the software component to a software component managing server when the software module is executed, the software component managing server being located in the management department, wherein the component identifying information includes service contract information for the software component, and wherein the service contract information includes at least one of information about a user who can use the software component, information about a device on which the software component can be used, and a time period during which the software component can be used; and

a second software subcomponent configured to transmit device identifying information for identifying the computer on which the software component is executed, to the software component managing server when the software module is executed, wherein the device identifying information includes at least one of an IP address and an MAC address of the computer,

wherein the component identifying information and the device identifying information transmitted from the computer are recorded or displayed by the software component managing server to verify whether the software module is executed in the computer, which is agreed to be used under the contract.

2. The software component according to claim 1, wherein the component identifying information comprises at least one of a name, an identification number, and version information of the software component.

3. The software component according to claim 1, wherein the first software subcomponent transmits the component identifying information to the second software subcomponent, and the second software subcomponent transmits the received component identifying information and the device identifying information to the software component managing server.

4. The software component according to claim 1, wherein the first software subcomponent is started by hooking means of the software module, and the second software subcomponent is started by the first software subcomponent.

5. The software component according to claim 1, wherein the software component delivered from a management department is in the form of binary data.

6. A software component management system comprising:

a terminal configured to develop an application software program by incorporating a software component delivered from a management department under a contract between the management department and a user of the software component or to use the developed application software program under the contract, the terminal being located on the side of the user; and

a software component managing server connected via a telecommunication line to the terminal and configured to receive at least component identifying information for identifying the software component and device identifying information for identifying the terminal, the software component managing server being located in the management department,

wherein the software component includes;

at least one software module executable by the terminal;

a first software subcomponent configured to transmit the component identifying information for identifying the software component to the software component managing server when the software module is executed, wherein the component identifying information includes service contract information for the software component, and wherein the service contract information includes at least one of information about a user who can use the software component, information about a device on which the software component can be used, and a time period during which the software component can be used; and

a second software subcomponent configured to transmit the device identifying information for identifying the terminal on which the software component is executed, to the software component managing server when the software module is executed, wherein the device identifying information includes at least one of an IP address and an MAC address of the component utilizing terminal,

wherein the component identifying information and the device identifying information transmitted from the terminal are recorded or displayed by the software component managing server to verify whether the software module is executed in the terminal, which is agreed to be used under the contract.

7. The software component management system according to claim 6, wherein the component identifying information comprises at least one of a name, an identification number, and version information of the software component.

8. The software component management system according to claim 6, wherein the first software subcomponent transmits the component identifying information to the second software subcomponent, and the second software subcomponent transmits the received component identifying information and the device identifying information to the software component managing server.

9. The software component management system according to claim 6, wherein the first software subcomponent is started by hooking means of the software module, and the second software subcomponent is started by the first software subcomponent.

10. The software component management system according to claim 6, wherein the software component delivered from the management department is in the form of binary data.