JP2005284943A - Software use expiration date management system and software use expiration date management program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To impart time grace for repurchase of target software to a user to allow the user to perform a repurchase procedure, and to secure security related to an expiration date of the target software to prevent unauthorized use of the software. <P>SOLUTION: This software use expiration date management system has: a use expiration date setting means 2 inputted with an expiration date key including data wherein information about a date of an expiration date key input deadline of the target software 8 and a use expiration date is encrypted, decrypting the encrypted data to find the date of the expiration date key input deadline of the target software and the use expiration date, deciding validity of an expiration date key on the basis of the date of the expiration date key input deadline, and setting the use expiration date; a message display control means 5 performing control such that a message related to expiration according to the set use expiration date is displayed; and a message display means 6 displaying the message of the expiration by the control of the message display control means 5. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a software expiration date management system and a software expiration date management program, and more particularly to a software expiration date management system and a software expiration date management program for managing the expiration date of software sold or leased with an expiration date. .

  In general, software license rights are generally semi-permanent and some are set to limit the trial period before purchase, but in principle, software is sold out.

  However, since some software is expensive, a method for selling a right to use software with a limited period of use has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  In the conventional method according to Patent Document 1, if the user does not repurchase the usage right before the expiration date, the software management software installed in the user terminal controls and uses the target software. The expiration date is managed by making it impossible.

JP 2002-318629 A

  In the conventional method according to Patent Document 1 described above, an alarm is issued one week ago, and the software cannot be used as soon as the expiration date has passed, so there is only a grace period before the repurchase procedure. For users who are unfamiliar with how to re-purchase or who are too busy to re-purchase due to the sudden expiration of the expiration date, even though it is a week, Had the problem of being very inconvenient.

  In addition, in the conventional method described in Patent Document 1 described above, no consideration is given to ensuring security for preventing unauthorized use related to the expiration date, and software management software that manages software expiration is installed on the user terminal. Therefore, there is a problem that a malicious user is likely to illegally use the software by altering the expiration date of the software using the software management software.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve such a problem, and gives the user time to re-purchase, allows the user to perform the re-purchase procedure without burden, and provides security related to the expiration date. An object is to obtain a software expiration date management system and an expiration date management program for securing and preventing unauthorized use of software.

  The present invention is a software expiration date management system for managing the expiration date of the target software, and includes a data including encrypted data of the expiration date key input expiration date and the expiration date of the target software. An expiration date key input means for inputting an expiration date key; an expiration date calculation means for decrypting the encrypted data of the expiration date key to obtain an expiration date input date and an expiration date of the target software; Determining means for determining validity of the expiration date key based on the expiration date input date, and the use obtained from the expiration date key when the determination means determines that the validity key is valid Expiration date setting means for setting an expiration date using the expiration date, and according to the expiration date based on the set expiration date A software usage expiration management system comprising: message display control means for controlling to display a message regarding expiration; and display means for displaying the expiration message under the control of the message display control means. is there.

  The present invention is a software expiration date management system for managing the expiration date of the target software, and includes a data including encrypted data of the expiration date key input expiration date and the expiration date of the target software. An expiration date key input means for inputting an expiration date key; an expiration date calculation means for decrypting the encrypted data of the expiration date key to obtain an expiration date input date and an expiration date of the target software; Determining means for determining validity of the expiration date key based on the expiration date input date, and the use obtained from the expiration date key when the determination means determines that the validity key is valid Expiration date setting means for setting an expiration date using the expiration date, and according to the expiration date based on the set expiration date A software usage expiration management system comprising: message display control means for controlling to display a message regarding expiration; and display means for displaying the expiration message under the control of the message display control means. Therefore, it is possible to give the user time to re-purchase the user, so that the user can perform the re-purchase procedure without burden, and to secure the security regarding the expiration date, thereby preventing unauthorized use of the software.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
In the software expiration date management system of the present embodiment, it is assumed that the software expiration date is managed by the expiration date key. The expiration date key includes data obtained by encrypting the “date of expiration date key entry date and date of use” of the target software, and the date of expiration date key entry date is determined from the use start date of the software. For example, assuming that the expiration date key entry deadline is 5 days after the use start date, and the use start date is March 22, 2004, the expiration date key entry deadline date is March 27, 2004. Become.
Further, if the use start date is March 22, 2004, and the expiration date key entry deadline date is the same day as the use start date, the expiration date key entry deadline date is the same date as the use start date, March 22, 2004. It will be a day. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of user terminals constituting a software expiration date management system 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the software expiration date management system 100 includes an input unit 1 including a keyboard and a mouse for inputting data from the outside, an expiration date setting unit 2, and an expiration date management unit 3. ing. The expiration date setting means 2 receives an expiration date key including data obtained by encrypting the expiration date and the expiration date of the target software 8 via the input means 1, and stores the encrypted data. Decryption is performed to obtain the expiration date and the expiration date of the target software 8 and the expiration date is set after determining the validity of the expiration date key based on the expiration date. The expiration date management unit 3 manages the expiration date based on the clock 4 built in the user terminal 1. Further, the software expiration date management system 100 includes a message display control means 5 for controlling to display an expired message in each period before and after the expiration date based on the set expiration date, and message display control. Under the control of the means 5, there is a message display means 6 for displaying an expired message for each period, and a message for prompting a procedure for continuous use of the target software 8 or a warning notifying that the expiration date has already expired. Displays a message such as a message. Further, the software expiration date management system 100 has software usage stop means 7, so that the procedure for continuous use is not taken even if a predetermined period elapses after the expiration date despite the above warning message. If the software is used, the use of the target software 8 is stopped. In addition, it has a system master 9 and stores system settings for controlling the entire system. The expiration date of the target software 8 is also stored in the system master 9.

  The operation will be described. First, the expiration date setting operation by the expiration date setting means 2 will be described. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation. As shown in FIG. 2, after the target software 8 is installed in the user terminal 1 (step S1), an expiration date setting screen is opened (step S2). For example, the screen opens a system expiration date setting screen as shown in FIG. 3 as a window. In this manner, the expiration date key is input into the expiration date key input field composed of the text box displayed on the system expiration date setting screen opened in step S2 (step S3). This expiration date key is given to the user from the sales company when the target software 8 is purchased. The expiration date key is composed of a character string composed of a combination of alphanumeric characters of 5 digits, 4 digits, 5 digits, etc., separated by a hyphen, for example, “83230-3BA0-1FC45”. Yes. It should be noted that the expiration date key includes encrypted information on the expiration date input date and the expiration date of the target software 8. Next, the input expiration date key is decrypted by processing by a predetermined calculation to obtain the expiration date input date and the expiration date of the target software 8 (step S4). Next, the date of the expiration date key input time limit obtained by the calculation is compared with the current date of the user terminal 1 to check whether the date of the expiration date key input time limit is after the current date. Thus, it is determined whether or not it is a valid expiration date key (step S5). As a result of the determination in step S5, if the expiration date key is valid, the process proceeds to step S6, and the expiration date obtained in step S4 is set in the system master 9 of the user terminal 1 (step S6). . On the other hand, if the result of the determination in step S5 is that the expiration date key is not valid, the process proceeds to step S7 and a message notifying that the expiration date key is not valid (for example, “after confirming the expiration date key, Please input again. ") Is displayed and the process is terminated (step S7).

  Next, the message display operation by the expiration date management means 3, the message display control means 5, and the message display means 6 will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation.

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, a different message is displayed for each of the three periods of the announcement period, the alarm period, and the complaint period. The announcement period is a predetermined period (X period) before the expiration date, and is a period for displaying a message prompting the procedure for continuous use. The alarm period is a predetermined period (Y period) after the expiration date, and is a period for displaying a warning message that the expiration date has expired. Further, the claim period is a period (Z period) from the date of the last day of the alarm period until a new expiration date key is input. This is the period when use is suspended.
If the use start date is March 22, 2004 and the validity period is six years, the expiration date is March 21, 2010. If the X period is 1 month and the Y period is 2 months, the announcement period is February 22, 2010 to March 21, 2010, the alarm period is March 22, 2010 to May 21, 2010, the claim period Is a period from May 22, 2010 until a new expiration date key is input.

  First, the expiration date management means 3 checks the expiration date based on the expiration date stored in the system master 9 and the current date of the system by the clock 4 (step S20). The timing for checking the expiration date may be, for example, when the user logs in to the system.

  If it is determined in step S20 that the current date of the system is within the range from the X period when the expiration date expires to the expiration date, it is determined that it is an announcement period, and the message display control means 5 It notifies that it is an announcement period. Thereby, the message display means 6 displays the message of the announcement period on the screen under the control of the message display control means 5 (step S21). A display example of the screen is shown in FIG. An example of the announcement period message is: “This product's license expiration date is XX year △△ month □□ day. Your product will expire in @@@ day. If you want to continue using it, please follow the procedure for continuous use. "

  If it is determined in step S20 that the current date of the system is within the range from the date of the expiration date to the Y period, it is determined that it is an alarm period, and the message display control means 5 is Notify that it is an alarm period. Thereby, the message display means 6 displays the message of the alarm period on the screen under the control of the message display control means 5 (step S22). An example of the alarm period message is: “This product is licensed for XX year △△ month □□ days. The product you are using has already expired. Please display the message as follows.

  If it is determined in step S20 that the current date of the system is the Z period, it is determined that it is a complaint period, and the message display control means 5 is notified of the complaint period. Thereby, under the control of the message display control means 5, the message display means 6 displays a message of the complaint period on the screen (step S23) and performs a use stop process so that some functions of the target software 8 cannot be used. It performs (step S24). An example of a message for the claim period is: “This product is licensed for XX year △△ month □□ days. The product you are using has already expired. Please display the message as follows.

  As shown in the example of FIG. 6, a display setting change button is provided in the message display window, and when the user clicks this, a window that can change the display setting is displayed. . As a result, the selection of whether or not to display, the change of the length of each period, and the number of times of display are also displayed each time, for example, only once at login or each time the general menu screen is opened. If the user can make various selections such as making it possible, it is possible to prevent the user from being bothered more than necessary to display the message. The message display control means 5 displays a message according to the display settings set / changed in this way.

  When the complaint period is reached, the software use stopping means 7 stops the use of the target software 8, but whether to stop all functions or stop some functions is arbitrarily configured and set. can do. Further, by the continuation procedure, the software use stop means 7 cancels the use stop and the target software 8 can function. The continuation procedure means that the user gives a new expiration date key from the sales company and inputs it. When a new expiration date key is input, the process shown in FIG. 2 is performed, and the new expiration date key is stored in the system master 9 and can be used continuously.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the message for the announcement period is displayed before the expiration date is used, and the continued use is permitted while displaying the message for the alarm period after the expiration date. Therefore, the user can be given time for the procedure for continuous use, and the user can carry out the procedure without burden. In addition, since the expiration date is set for the user terminal 1 using the encrypted expiration date key, tampering of the expiration date is prevented, security is ensured, and the target software 8 is illegal. Use can be prevented.

Further, in the present embodiment, the expiration date key includes the information of the expiration date input date and the expiration date of the target software 8 in encrypted form, and the expiration date is determined by the expiration date key. Since the configuration is set, for example, the expiration date can be flexibly set between the user and the sales company in accordance with a trial use or a lease contract, which is convenient. Furthermore, the issuance method of the expiration date key uses a method of generating from a predetermined logic held by the sales company (not disclosed), so that security can be ensured.
Furthermore, the date of the expiration date key input deadline can be arbitrarily determined from the use start date (delivery date). If the expiration date key entry deadline date is the same as the use start date, unauthorized use such as setting one expiration date key to multiple user terminals can be prevented as much as possible, and the expiration date key entry deadline date If it is after a certain period from the start date of use, it is possible to consider a grace period for setting.

  In the present embodiment, since the user can change the message display setting, the message display can be flexibly operated according to the user's taste. Further, since the message can be displayed and can be used for a predetermined period after the expiration date, it is possible to flexibly operate the complaint period and the suspension of software use.

  In addition, since the user is prompted to perform the procedure for continuous use by displaying a message, it is possible to notify the license and to promote sales. In addition, the expiration date of use is clarified by the message, and the expiration date of the software license is clarified. Further, when the display setting is a default value, a message is displayed every time the menu is displayed. Therefore, the display content and display frequency can be sufficiently recognized by the user, and sales promotion can be executed repeatedly.

  In addition, since the software can be used only for a predetermined period after the expiration date, even if there is no procedure for continuous use, although there is a time lag between the predetermined period, the software license right is strictly Close operation becomes possible. In addition, by encouraging the continuation of the license agreement, it is possible to expect a virtuous cycle process in which the software cost is appropriately evaluated based on the amount of software used and the functions of the software are expanded.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
In the first embodiment described above, an example in which the user can change the message display setting has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a sales company can remotely connect a telephone line or a communication network such as the Internet. The message display setting may be changed.

  Thereby, it can operate on behalf of the user unfamiliar with operation, and the convenience improves. Further, it is possible to change message display settings such as the length of a message display period for various reasons of the sales company.

Embodiment 3 FIG.
In the present embodiment, a method of notifying the expiration date key from the sales company to the user will be described. For example, there are the following three methods.

(1) A user contacts a telephone from a person in charge of a sales company with an expiration date key.
(2) Mail the expiration date key printed on paper or the electronic data of the expiration date key stored in a storage medium such as a CD-ROM.
(3) When an e-mail without a text (empty e-mail) is sent to the sales company's Web site by a mobile phone or the like, an expiration date key is sent as a reply e-mail.

  Note that according to the method stored in the CD-ROM in the method (2) above, the user terminal can read the expiration date key from the CD-ROM, so that it is ensured that no user input error occurs. The correct expiration date key can be entered.

  Similarly, according to the method (3) above, if the expiration date key is read directly from the mobile phone that has received the reply mail, wirelessly or by wire, it is ensured that no user input error occurs. The correct expiration date key can be entered.

Embodiment 3 FIG.
In the present embodiment, a method for preventing unauthorized use intended for continuous use of two devices in a continuous procedure for one device by causing the two user terminals to input the same expiration date key. Will be described.

  When the sales company sells the target software 8 for the first time, an ID is assigned to each user terminal in advance. As a method of giving, when selling the user terminal together with the target software 8, it is stored in the internal disk of the user terminal. On the other hand, when selling only the target software 8, the ID is stored in the storage medium storing the target software 8 and is automatically written to the internal disk of the user terminal when the target software 8 is installed. Just program it.

  In this way, an ID is assigned to each user terminal, and information on the ID is included in the expiration date key. If the ID is also checked when the expiration date key is set, unauthorized use intended to continue the use of two units can be prevented by the continuous procedure for one unit.

It is the block diagram which showed the structure of the software expiration date management system which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is the flowchart which showed operation | movement of the software expiration date management system which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which showed the example of a screen display in the software expiration date management system which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is the flowchart which showed operation | movement of the software expiration date management system which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which showed an example of the message display period in the software use time limit management system which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which showed the example of a screen display in the software expiration date management system which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  1 input means, 2 expiration date setting means, 3 expiration date management means, 4 clock, 5 message display control means, 6 message display means, 7 software use stop means, 8 target software, 9 system master, 100 software expiration date management system .

Claims (6)

A software expiration date management system for managing the expiration date of the target software,
An expiration date key input means for inputting an expiration date key including data obtained by encrypting information on an expiration date input date and an expiration date of the target software;
An expiration date calculating means for decrypting the encrypted data of the expiration date key to obtain an expiration date input date and an expiration date of the target software;
Determination means for determining the validity of the expiration date key based on the expiration date key input date;
An expiration date setting means for setting an expiration date using the date of the expiration date obtained from the expiration date key when it is determined to be valid by the determination means;
Based on the set expiration date, message display control means for controlling to display a message related to expiration according to the expiration date;
A software expiration date management system comprising: display means for displaying the expired message under the control of the message display control means. The message display control means includes
Displaying a first message prompting a procedure for continuous use of the target software in an announcement period from a time before the expiration date (first predetermined period) to the expiration date;
In the alarm period from the day after the expiration date to the time when the predetermined period (second predetermined period) has elapsed, a warning message indicating that the expiration date has been exceeded is displayed.
2. The software expiration date management system according to claim 1, wherein a message indicating suspension of use of the target software is displayed in a claim period after the second predetermined period has elapsed.   3. The software expiration date management system according to claim 1, further comprising a usage stop unit that stops the use of the target software when the second predetermined period has elapsed. 4. A software expiration date management program for managing the expiration date of the target software,
An expiration date key input step in which an expiration date key including data obtained by encrypting information on the expiration date and the expiration date of the target software is input;
Expiration date calculation step of decrypting the encrypted data of the expiration date key to obtain the expiration date input date and expiration date of the target software;
A determination step of determining validity of the expiration date key based on the expiration date key input expiration date;
An expiration date setting step for setting an expiration date using the expiration date determined from the expiration date key when it is determined to be valid in the determination step;
A message display control step for controlling to display an expired message according to the expiration date, based on the set expiration date;
A software expiration date management program for causing a computer to execute a display step of displaying the expired message under the control of the message display control step. The message display control step includes:
Displaying a first message prompting a procedure for continuous use of the target software in an announcement period from a time before the expiration date (first predetermined period) to the expiration date;
In the alarm period from the day after the expiration date to the time when the predetermined period (second predetermined period) has elapsed, a warning message indicating that the expiration date has been exceeded is displayed.
5. The software expiration date management program according to claim 4, wherein a message indicating suspension of use of the target software is displayed in a claim period after the second predetermined period has elapsed. 6. The software expiration date management program according to claim 4 or 5, further causing a computer to execute a use stop step of stopping the use of the target software when the second predetermined period has elapsed.

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