System and method for software usage discovery
US8473607B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 2, 2009 |
| Grant date | Jun 25, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 16, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F2201/865
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method of obtaining information about usage of application executable files and associated software program in a network of computers or on an individual computer is provided. The method involves collecting information about last use of software programs, and associated executable files, on a computer or a set of managed computers from various resources on the computers. The information that is collected includes file name, directory, date and time the executable was last started, a security identifier of the last user, the method of last use, whether the executable was found to be running at the time it was found, and whether the executable is registered to run as a service. From this information, a list is generated regarding software items, and the list is merged such that a given executable has a single software item on the list. Reports are produced detailing information about one or more software items on the list. The reports may be displayed in a graphic user interface designed for that purpose.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.