Dynamic selection of authorization processes

• US 9,158,900 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2013
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Akselrod, Gregory, Xie, Tianyu, Kurtzebom, Scott, Hardy, Gordon, Garg, Sanjay, Shurtz, Chad, Li, Karvell, Donner, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Gergiso, Techane
• Application Number:
  US14/043,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20140068783A1
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• Field of Search: 726/26, 705/59
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 21/1073 Conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/12 Protecting executable software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/121 Restricting unauthorised execution of programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/128 involving web programs, i.e. using technology especially used in internet, generally interacting with a web browser, e.g. hypertext markup language [HTML], applets, java

Abstract

Systems, methods, and software are disclosed herein for licensing applications using a preferred authorization process dynamically identified based on conditions associated with an initiation of an application. Authorization is then attempted using the preferred authorization process. In some examples, the preferred authorization process is selected from at least a keyless authorization process and a key-based authorization process.

Claims

1. A method for licensing applications, the method comprising:

identifying conditions associated with an initiation of an application comprising a roaming status of the application and an installation status of the key-based authorization process;

selecting, based on the conditions, a preferred authorization process from at least a key-based authorization process and a keyless authorization process with which to authorize the application;

attempting to authorize the application using the preferred authorization process; and

monitoring for a change in the conditions associated with the application, and responsive to detecting the change in the conditions, attempting to authorize the application using another authorization process different from the preferred authorization process.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the keyless authorization process is selected as the preferred authorization process when the roaming status is roaming, and wherein the keyless authorization process is selected as the preferred authorization process when the installation status is incomplete.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the roaming status is roaming when the application is provided in a streaming form.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising performing the keyless authorization process during installation of the key-based authorization process.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising, to implement the keyless authorization process, transferring an authorization request with credentials for delivery to an authorization server and, in response, receiving an authorization response that provides temporary access to the application.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the credentials comprise at least one of an identity of a user and a token provided during installation of the application.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the conditions further comprise an availability of a server associated with the key-based authorization process.

8. One or more computer readable storage device having stored thereon program instructions for licensing applications that, when executed by a processing system, direct the processing system to:

identify conditions associated with an initiation of an application;

select, based on the conditions, a preferred authorization process from a plurality of authorization processes with which to authorize the application; and

initiate an attempt to authorize the application using the preferred authorization process;

wherein a first authorization process of the plurality of authorization processes is selected as the preferred authorization process when the environment within which the application is executed is a roaming environment and when the status of a second authorization process of the plurality of authorization processes indicates that the second authorization process is unavailable.

9. The one or more computer readable storage device of claim 8 wherein the environment within which the application is executed is a roaming environment, wherein the conditions associated with the application comprise an environment within which the application is executed and a status of each of the plurality of authorization processes.

10. The one or more computer readable storage device of claim 8 wherein a first authorization process of the plurality of authorization processes is selected as the preferred authorization process when the environment within which the application is executed is a roaming environment.

11. The one or more computer readable storage device of claim 8 wherein the program instructions direct the processing system to proceed with the second authorization process when the second authorization process becomes available.

12. The one or more computer readable storage device of claim 8 wherein the program instructions, when executed by the processing system to implement the preferred authorization process, further direct the processing system to initiate a transfer of an authorization request with credentials for delivery to an authorization server requesting the authorization server to provide temporary access to the application.

13. The one or more computer readable storage device of claim 8 wherein the program instructions, when executed by the processing system upon selection of the preferred authorization process, further direct the processing system to monitor for a change in the conditions associated with the application and, responsive to detecting the change in the conditions, initiate an attempt to authorize the application using another authorization process different from the preferred authorization process.

14. The one or more computer readable storage device of claim 8 wherein the plurality of authorization processes comprises a keyless authorization process and a key-based authorization process.

15. An apparatus comprising:

one or more computer readable storage device;

program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage device for licensing applications; and

a processing system operatively coupled with the one or more computer readable storage device that, when executing the program instructions, is directed to at least;

identify an environment within which an application is initiated;

when the environment is a roaming environment, initiate a roaming attempt to authorize the application based on an identity of a user associated with the application;

when the environment is not the roaming environment, initiate a key-based attempt to authorize the application based on a key associated with the application when a key-based process that performs the key attempt is available;

when the key-based process is not available, initiate a keyless attempt to authorize the application based on the identity of the user associated with the application; and

when the key-based process becomes available after having initiated the keyless attempt, initiate another key-based attempt to authorize the application.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the environment is the roaming environment when the application is streamed from an application server.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the environment is not the roaming environment when the application is not streamed from an application server during installation of the application.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the application includes a key-based authorization process that performs the key-based attempt to authorize the application, and wherein the keyless attempt to authorize the application occurs prior to installation of the key-based authorization process.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the application includes a keyless authorization process that performs the keyless attempt to authorize the application and performs the roaming attempt to authorize the application.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the keyless authorization process uses the identity of the user and a token provided during the installation of the application to authorize the application and does not use the key.