Method and system for enforcing floating licenses

US6502079B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Aprisma Management Technologies, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Scott Ball · Newmarket, US
• Joseph Greenwald · Madbury, US
• Bob Jones · Barrington, US
• Kyle Andrew Pause · Dover, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 8, 1997
• Grant date: Dec 31, 2002
• Expiry date: Dec 8, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06Q30/0283
• WIPO field: IT methods for management
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A floating license enforcement method and system which enables an authorized user to accumulate time-based usage credit while a software application is in use under a valid license. In the event of a license system fault, the application remains accessible to the user, while consuming the usage credit which was previously accumulated. This allows the user access to the application while the license system fault is being corrected. If the license system fault is corrected before all of the accumulated usage credit is consumed, the application remains accessible to the user under the valid license and resumes accumulating usage credit. Therefore, the invention allows the authorized user to consume its accrued usage credit to bridge the time between when a license system fault occurs and when the fault is corrected, thereby protecting the rights of the user. At the same time, the invention prevents excessive unauthorized use of the application, thereby protecting the rights of the software vendor.