Method and system for creating license management in software applications

• US 8,620,817 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2006
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flexera Software LLC
• Original Assignee: Flexera Software LLC
• Inventors: Tabet, Marwan
• Primary Examiner(s): OBEID, MAMON A
• Application Number:
  US11/531,962
• Publication Number:
  US 20080071689A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,665 Days
• Field of Search: 705/50, 705/51, 705/59, 726 26- 30, 717168-178
• US Class Current: 705/59
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/105 Arrangements for software license management or administration, e.g. for managing licenses at corporate level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment

Abstract

A method and system for creating license management in software applications are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving an installer package associated with a software application to be run on a computer, the installer package not including license administration functionality. One or more executable files are extracted from the installer package. One or more license-enabled executable files are generated with the one or more executable files and a license wrapper. A new installer package is created with the one or more license-enabled executable files, the new installer package supporting the license administration functionality.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, from a vendor, an installer package associated with a software application to be installed on a client computer, the installer package not including license administration functionality, wherein the license administration functionality includes tracking usage of the software application, and enforcing license limits of the software application;

extracting one or more executable files from the installer package and creating a new installer package wherein creating a new installer package comprises;

generating one or more license-enabled executable files with the one or more extracted executable files and a license wrapper;

adding license server location for each license-enabled executable file to the new installer package; and

packaging the one or more license enabled executable files into the new installer package, the new installer package supporting the license administration functionality; and

executing the new installer package on the client computer to install the software application on the client computer and permit managing of software licensing rights of said software application by obtaining the location of the license server from the new installer package, contacting the license server, and obtaining a license for the software application.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising linking the one or more license-enabled executable files to entries in a server location file.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising generating a license file associated with the new installer package for use on a license server.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, the license administration functionality further including enabling overdraft licenses, enabling application usage when the license server is unavailable, and setting a license expiration date.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the installer package is a Microsoft installer file.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

renaming the one or more executable files; and

encrypting the one or more executable files.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising installing the software package on a client using the new installer package.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, further comprising retrieving a license file from a license server, wherein the license file is used for license administration functionality.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions, said plurality of instructions when executed by a computer, cause said computer to perform:

receiving, from a vendor, an installer package associated with a software application to be installed on a client computer, the installer package not including license administration functionality, wherein the license administration functionality includes tracking usage of the software application and enforcing license limits of the software application;

extracting one or more executable files from the installer package and creating a new installer package wherein creating a new installer package comprises;

generating one or more license-enabled executable files with the one or more extracted executable files and a license wrapper;

adding license server location for each license-enabled executable file to the new installer package; and

packaging the one or more license-enabled executable files into the new installer package, the new installer package supporting the license administration functionality; and

executing the new installer package on the client computer to install the software application on the client computer and permit managing of software licensing rights of said software application by obtaining the location of the license server from the new installer package, contacting the license server, and obtaining a license for the software application.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the plurality of instructions cause the computer to perform linking the one or more license-enabled executable files to entries in a server location file.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the plurality of instructions cause the computer to perform generating a license file associated with the new installer package for use on a license server.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the license administration functionality further includes enabling overdraft licenses, enabling application usage when the license server is unavailable, and setting a license expiration date.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the installer package is a Microsoft installer file.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the plurality of instructions cause the computer to perform:

renaming the one or more executable files; and

encrypting the one or more executable files.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the plurality of instructions cause the computer to perform installing the software package on a client using the new installer package.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the plurality of instructions cause the computer to perform retrieving a license file from a license server, wherein the license file is used for the license administration functionality.

17. A system, comprising:

a license server in communication with a network; and

a client computer in communication with the network, the client computer configured to receive an installer package from a vendor, said installer package associated with a software application to be installed on the client computer, the installer package not including license administration functionality, wherein the license administration functionality includes tracking usage of the software application, and enforcing license limits of the software application;

extracting one or more executable files from the installer package and creating a new installer package, wherein creating a new installer package comprises;

generating one or more license-enabled executable files with the one or more extracted executable files and a license wrapper;

adding license server location for each license-enabled executable file to the new installer package; and

packaging the one or more license-enabled executable files into the new installer package, the new installer package supporting the license administration functionality; and

executing the new installer package on the client computer to install the software application on the client computer and permit managing of software licensing rights of said software application by obtaining the location of the license server from the new installer package, contacting the license server, and obtaining a license for the software application.