Method and system for managing software licenses

• US 20030172035A1
• Filed: 03/08/2002
• Published: 09/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pace Anti-Piracy, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pace Anti-Piracy, Inc.
• Inventors: Cronce, Paul A., Kirk, Andrew A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,483,860 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/59
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A method and system for managing licenses over a network is disclosed. The method and system include establishing a user account on a server coupled to the network from a user computer, and allowing the user to upload licenses used by the computer to the server. The server then associates the uploaded licenses with the user account, and allows the user to log into the user account to review the account and associated uploaded licenses. The user may also retrieve the licenses for download to the user computer in the case of a lost or damaged license.

Claims

1. A method for providing a license management system over a network, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) establishing a user account on a server coupled to the network;

(b) allowing the user to upload licenses used by a user computer to the server;

(c) associating the uploaded licenses with the user account;

(d) allowing the user to log into the user account and review the account and associated licenses; and

(e) allowing the user to retrieve and download the licenses to the user computer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein step (a) further includes the step of associating a financial transaction with the establishment of the user account, where one setup payment is received.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein step (a) further includes the step of associating a financial transaction with the establishment of the user account, where payments received are recurring based on time periods.

4. The method of claim 1 further including the step of transferring licenses in formatted documents.

5. The method of claim 4 further including the step of formatting the documents using a proposed signed XML document standard.

6. The method of claim 1 further including the step of establishing a software publisher account on the server, including licensed product information, and associating licenses from user accounts with the related licensed product information in the publisher account.

7. The method of claim 6 further including the step of receiving a setup payment from the publisher for setting up the publisher account setup process.

8. The method of claim 6 further including the step of allowing the publisher to service the user by accessing and manipulating the licenses information associated with the publisher products in the user account.

9. The method of claim 8 further including the step of receiving a payment from the publisher for each user license manipulation on the server.

10. The method of claim 6 further including the step of allowing the software publisher to transfer additional licenses to the user for any of the publisher'"'"'s licensed products, and associating a financial transaction with the transfer.

11. The method of claim 10 further including the step of transferring a portion of the funds collected for transferred licenses information to the web application owner.

12. The method of claim 6 further including the step of storing business rules with the software publisher account, and allowing user licenses information to be modified according to the business rules associated with the licensed software.

13. The method of claim 1 further including the step of allowing a user to transfer licenses information to another user account.

14. The method of claim 13 further including the step of specifying a time period for the transfer, thus allowing a temporary transfer of licenses information.

15. The method of claim 1 further including the step of searching an external security device connected to the user'"'"'s computer for software licenses information.

16. The method of claim 15 further including the step of replacing the licenses information accessed on the user'"'"'s computer or the external security device to time-limited licenses, requiring the user to connect with the server on a regular basis to receive updated license information to maintain licensed use of the software products.

17. A method for software license management on a network using a web application, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) accepting user registration information, and setting up a user account;

(b) sending a formatted command to a user'"'"'s computer to locate and software licenses accessible used by the user'"'"'s computer;

(c) receiving a formatted response including licenses information from the user'"'"'s computer;

(d) storing the received formatted licenses information in association with the user'"'"'s account;

(e) allowing the user to log into his the user account and review the stored licenses information; and

(f) allowing the user to retrieve the licenses information for downloading to the user'"'"'s computer.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein step (a) further includes the step of downloading a helper application during the user registration process for the purpose of accepting and executing the formatted commands and to transmit the formatted results back to the web application.

19. The method of claim 18 further including the step of formatting the documents using a proposed signed XML document standard.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein step (a) further includes the step of associating a financial transaction with the user registration process, where one setup payment is received.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein step (a) further includes the step of associating a financial transaction with the user registration process, where payments received are recurring based on time periods.

22. The method of claim 17 further including the step of transferring command and response information in formatted documents.

23. The method of claim 22 further including the step of formatting the documents using a proposed signed XML document standard.

24. The method of claim 17 further including the step of accepting software publisher registration information, including licensed product information, setting up a publisher account, and associating the licenses information from user accounts with the related licensed product information in the publisher account.

25. The method of claim 24 further including the step of receiving a setup payment from the publisher registration process.

26. The method of claim 24 further including the step of allowing the publisher to service the user by accessing and manipulating the licenses information associated with the publisher products in the user account.

27. The method of claim 26 further including the step of receiving a payment from the publisher for each user license manipulation on the server.

28. The method of claim 24 further including the step of allowing the software publisher to transfer additional licenses to the user for any of the publisher'"'"'s licensed products, and associating a financial transaction with the transfer.

29. The method of claim 28 further including the step of transferring a portion of the funds collected for transferred licenses information to the server owner.

30. The method of claim 24 further including the step of storing business rules with the software publisher account, and allowing user licenses information to be modified according to the business rules associated with the licensed software.

31. The method of claim 30 further including the step of specifying a business rule allowing the transfer of licenses information from one user to another.

32. The method of claim 31 further including the step of specifying a time period for the transfer, thus allowing a temporary transfer of licenses information.

33. The method of claim 17 further including the step of searching an external security device connected to the user'"'"'s computer for software licenses information.

34. The method of claim 33 further including the step of converting licenses found on the user'"'"'s computer or in an the external security device to time-limited licenses, requiring the user to make regular connections to the server to receive new licenses with extended expiration dates to maintain licensed use of the software products.

35. The method of claim 33 further including the step of maintaining security of licenses stored in the external security device connected to the user'"'"'s computer comprising the steps of:

(a) sending a command including a session key to the security device;

(b) receiving a challenge from the security device, encrypted by the security device using a private key and the session key;

(c) decrypting the challenge using the private key and the session key;

(d) formatting the challenge into a response with the desired changes in license status;

(e) encrypting the response using the private key and the session key, and

(f) transmitting the response to the security device, where the security device decrypts the response and updates the license authorization according to the response contents.

36. The method of claim 35 further including the step of receiving an encrypted receipt of the completed transaction from the security device, encrypted using the private key and the session key.

37. The method of claim 35 further including the step of using an external security device for with the web application to contain the private key and perform the decryption and encryption step.

38. The method of claim 31 further including the step of associating a financial transaction with the license transfer, where the license sender receives a first portion of the funds from the license recipient, and the web application owner receives a second portion.

39. The method of claim 38 further including the step of sharing the second portion of funds with the publisher of the software covered by the license.

40. The method of claim 32 further including the step of associating a financial transaction with the temporary license transfer, where the license sender receives a first portion of the funds from the license recipient, and the web application owner receives a second portion.

41. The method of claim 40 further including the step of sharing the second portion of funds with the publisher of the software covered by the license.

42. The method of claim 17 further includes the step of offering the user other related product licenses based on the contents of the user'"'"'s account and licenses already owned.

43. The method of claim 42 further includes the step of charging the publisher of the offered products a fee for presenting the offer to the user.

44. A method of securely backing up a license stored on a security device, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) sending a command including a session key to the security device;

(b) receiving a challenge from the security device, encrypted by the security device using a private key and the session key;

(c) decrypting the challenge using the private key and the session key;

(d) formatting the challenge into a response with the desired changes in license status;

(e) encrypting the response using the private key and the session key, and

(f) transmitting the response to the security device, where the security device decrypts the response and updates the license authorization according to the response contents.

45. The method of claim 44 further including the step of including in the transmitted response an expiration date for the license.

46. The method of claim 44 further including the step of including in the transmitted response an indication that the license cannot be moved.

47. The method of claim 44 further including the step of receiving an encrypted receipt of the completed transaction from the security device, encrypted using the private key and the session key.

48. The method of claim 44 further including the step of using an external security device for with the web application to contain the private key and perform the decryption and encryption step.