JP2008085477A - Software license management system for key telephone system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily, finely and surely manage software license in a key telephone system. <P>SOLUTION: A license management part 145 collates a serial number included in inputted license information with a serial number written in an FROM 16, beforehand. A data management part 146 stores the license information, whose serial number matches by collation in the license management part 145 as a license for execution. When the collated result in the license management part 145 is a match, a license execution part 147 activates telephone function processing, corresponding to a license kind included in the license information. A telephone function execution part 148 executes telephone functions activated by the license executing part 147. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a software license management system for a button telephone device, and more particularly, to a software license management system for a button telephone device which can easily, finely and reliably manage software in the button telephone device.

  Conventionally, a key telephone apparatus is mainly composed of hardware, and software for controlling the hardware is preinstalled in the apparatus. A variety of key telephone devices with various functions are provided by the manufacturer for each function, but these button telephone devices can be used to operate or deactivate the software for each function. I do not have a mechanism to do. Therefore, normally, when the key telephone apparatus is started up, all the software (a group of programs for operating each processing module) installed therein operates.

  The button telephone device has been multi-functionalized such as having functions of line hold, busy display, and extension inter-communication, and it is expected that multi-functionality and high functionality will be further developed in the future. Along with this, the importance of software increases, and the burden of development effort and cost increases.

  Some users do not need all the functions of the key telephone device, and some of the users are sufficient. It is sufficient for the user to operate only software that executes a function that satisfies his / her requirements. On the other hand, from the viewpoint of the manufacturer, it is preferable to incorporate a mechanism capable of managing software by function and limiting its use from the viewpoint of software development effort and cost burden, and differentiation of various key telephone devices.

  In order to manage the software in the key telephone device for each function, the software is divided into functions corresponding to the key telephone device, and a license issuing server and a license management server are prepared and licenses are issued and managed for each function. It is possible.

  FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a software license management system assumed in this case. The license issuing server 3 issues a license (distribution license) for each function of the key telephone device 1. Here, for example, if the license for the function A of the key telephone device 1 is issued, the data setting device 2 inputs the function A license information (license information) issued by the license issuing server 3 to the key telephone device 1. . The button telephone device 1 establishes a session with the license management server 4 and sends the license information input from the data setting device 2 to the license management server 4.

  The license management server 4 collates the license information sent from the key telephone device 1 and returns the collation result to the key telephone device 1. As a result of the verification in the license management server 4, if it is authenticated that the user has authority to use the software for the function A of the key telephone device 1, the key telephone device 1 moves the software that realizes the function A. Can do.

  According to this method, each time the software for realizing the function A is activated in the key telephone device 1, a session is established with the license management server 4 and the normality of the license is confirmed through the communication path. It is necessary to confirm the usage rights.

In Patent Document 1, a license key generated from a license key issuing unit based on a MAC address or an IP address of a network card is stored in advance in order to enable license authentication at a stand-alone timing other than the time of installation. A software license authentication system that verifies the MAC address or IP address of a network card at the time of activation is described.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-6404

  However, if a license management server that manages software licenses is prepared and license management is performed, if any problem occurs in the communication path for establishing a session, the validity of the software use authority cannot be confirmed. There is a problem that the software cannot be started. In addition, even if a problem occurs in the license management server that performs license authentication, even if the license itself is correct, it is not possible to confirm the validity of the right to use the software, and the software may be started. There is a problem that it becomes impossible.

  In addition, even if the license has already been authenticated, if the key telephone device goes down for some reason, each time the system is restarted, a session is established with the license issuing server and license management server each time license information is issued. There is a problem that it takes time and effort to receive and authenticate the license again.

  In the software license authentication system of Patent Document 1, license authentication is performed using a MAC address or an IP address. Since the MAC address and the IP address can be arbitrarily set and distributed independently, license authentication using them as a license authentication key has a problem in terms of reliability. In addition, when software is individually developed for various functions in the system and configured as a group of programs for operating each processing module, fine license management is desired for each function.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a software license management system for a button telephone device that solves the above-described problems and makes it possible to easily and finely manage the software license in the button telephone device.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides a license management unit that collates a serial number included in input license information with a serial number previously written in a button telephone device, and a verification in the license management unit. According to the result, a data management unit that stores license information including a serial number that matches a serial number previously written in the key telephone device as execution license information, and corresponds to a license type included in the execution license information A first feature is that a license execution unit that activates the telephone function processing software and a telephone function execution unit that executes the telephone function processing software activated by the license execution unit are provided.

  In addition, according to the present invention, when the key telephone apparatus is started up, the license management unit uses the serial number included in the execution license information stored in the data management unit and the serial number previously written in the system. The license execution unit activates the telephone function processing software corresponding to the license type included in the execution license information including the serial number that matches the serial number previously written in the button telephone device, and The telephone function execution unit has a second feature in that the telephone function processing software activated by the license execution unit is executed.

  Further, according to the present invention, the license information includes license expiration date information, and the license execution unit determines whether the license information is expired based on the license expiration date information, and the expired license information. The third feature is that the telephone function processing software based on the above is deactivated.

  Furthermore, the present invention has a fourth feature in that the serial number is a serial number assigned to the main board of the key telephone device.

  According to the present invention, the key telephone device itself has a server function for authenticating and managing a software license for each function in the system, and performs license management for each function of the key telephone device. Software licenses can be managed without establishing a session between the license issuing server and the license management server, and fine license management for each function can be realized.

  In addition, since the license information once captured is stored inside the key telephone device, the license can be managed only within the key telephone device without communicating with the license management server. There is no need to receive license authentication, and the user can fully use the functions required by the user without being aware of the license.

  In addition, when the license information has an expiration date, the right to use the software can be given only within the expiration date, so that detailed management of the license becomes easy.

  Furthermore, the reliability of license authentication can be improved by using the serial number attached to the main board of the key telephone apparatus as an authentication key. In addition, when the main board is replaced, the right to use the software is not given, so that unauthorized license acquisition can be prevented.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of a key telephone apparatus to which the present invention is applied. The key telephone apparatus 1 of this example includes an office line unit 11 that accommodates office lines, an extension system unit 12 that accommodates extensions, and a main unit 13 mounted on a main board. The main board has a serial number uniquely assigned to each button telephone device.

  The main unit 13 is an operating system (OS) 14 that controls the entire apparatus, a driver group 15 that controls connection of a voice communication path, various program groups 16 that include a program that controls a voice call state, and cannot be rewritten in an operating state. A flash ROM (FROM) 17 for storing information, an interface (I / F (1)) 18 with the station system unit 11 and the extension system unit 12, an interface (I / F (2), (3 )) 18 and 19 are included. The interface 18 is an Ethernet (registered trademark) interface, and the interface 19 is an RS-232C interface.

  The data setting device 2 is a device for setting data of various functions and services in the key telephone device 1, has an interface similar to the interfaces 18 and 19, and is connected to the interfaces 18 and 19. The data setting device 2 has the same hardware configuration as a personal computer (PC), but is equipped with application software (data setting tool) for setting data of the key telephone device 1. That is, the data setting device 2 has an OS 20, various drivers 21, various applications 22, and a data setting tool 23. Data transmission / reception between the key telephone device 1 and the data setting device 2 is performed via the interfaces 18 and 19.

  FIG. 2 is a detailed explanatory diagram of the various program groups 14, and here, only functional units related to license management are extracted and shown. The various program group 14 includes a maintenance block 140, a common control block 141, a data management block 142, and a call control block 143.

  The maintenance block 140 is a functional unit serving as an interface with the outside, and a data receiving unit 144 that receives license information transmitted from the data setting device 2 is incorporated therein. The common control block 141 is a functional unit that controls the overall control of the key telephone device 1, and a license management unit 145 that controls the overall license management is incorporated therein. The data management block 142 is a functional unit that manages various data, and a data management unit 146 that manages input license information is incorporated therein.

  The call control block 143 is a functional unit that controls the voice service of the key telephone device 1, and includes a license execution unit 147 for activating software in accordance with a license, and a telephone corresponding to the activated software. The telephone function execution unit 148 for executing the function and the timer management unit 149 for controlling the expiration date of the license are incorporated.

  In the present invention, first, a license is issued from the license issuing server, and information on the issued license (license information) is input to the key telephone device 1. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the concept of license information input to the key telephone device 1. The license issuing server 3 has an interface for connecting to a mail transmission / reception and a printer, and has the same hardware configuration as a personal computer (PC).

  The license issuing server 3 includes an OS 30, various drivers 31, various applications 32, and an encryption tool 33, and issues a software license, that is, a license necessary for the key telephone apparatus 1 to execute the software. . The license can be issued by e-mail, FAX, or mailed in a document.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the license issuing operation in the license issuing server 3. First, information required for a license (license information) is input to the license issuing server 3. The license information includes authentication information and a license type, and can include, for example, the number of licenses and term information.

  The authentication information is information for authenticating the validity of the license. The serial number of the main board is written in the FROM 16, and this serial number can be used as authentication information. The license type is information indicating which function of the various functions of the key telephone apparatus 1 is to be licensed. The number of licenses is information representing the quantity of licenses, and the term information is information representing the expiration date of the license.

  The license issuing server 3 encrypts the input license information with the encryption tool 34 (S40) and issues a license (license key). The encryption key A is used for encryption at this time. This encryption ensures confidentiality until license information is input to the key telephone device 1.

  License information from the license issuing server 3 is input to the key telephone device 1 via the data setting device 2 and decrypted. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the license information decrypting operation in the key telephone apparatus 1. The original license information is generated by decrypting the license information using the encryption key A (S50). It is assumed that the information on the encryption key A is not transmitted / received via the network, and the license issuing server 3 and the key telephone apparatus 1 each have the same key information stand-alone.

  FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram of the key telephone apparatus showing a portion particularly related to the present invention, and FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation when inputting license information.

  The data receiving unit 144 of the key telephone device 1 receives (S71) the license information (distribution license) input from the data setting device 2 (S70) and inputs it to the license management unit 145. The license decryption process of the license management unit 145 decrypts the input license information (S72) (see FIG. 5). The serial number (authentication information) included in the decrypted license information is input to the license verification process. Further, the serial number of the key telephone apparatus 1 written in the FROM 16 is read (S73) and input to the license verification process.

  In the license verification process, the serial number read from the FROM 16 is compared with the serial number in the decrypted license information (S74). Thus, by performing authentication using the serial number in the system of the key telephone apparatus 1, it is not necessary to perform authentication by establishing a session with the license management server.

  If the serial number included in the input license information does not match the serial number read from the FROM 16 as a result of the license verification process, the license verification result is NG (S75), and the process related to the license ends.

  If the serial number included in the input license information matches the serial number read from the FROM 16 as a result of the license verification process, the license verification is OK (S76). The license information that is OK is notified to the data management unit 146. The data management unit 146 registers the notified license information as an execution license in the database (S77). Note that the execution license registered in the database is preferably kept encrypted from the point of confidentiality.

  The execution license registered in the database of the data management unit 146 is read and can be reused every time the system is started up. When the license information is input many times, the data management unit 146 registers the execution licenses in the database in descending order.

  The license information that is OK is passed to the license execution unit 147. The license execution unit 147 checks whether the license has an expiration date in the expiration date check process (S78). Here, if the license is a license with an expiration date, the license information is notified to the timer management unit 149. The timer management unit 149 registers the expiration date together with each license in the timer management unit 149 (S79). The timer management unit 149 can register a plurality of licenses.

  Next, the activation process of the license that is OK is performed. That is, the license execution unit 147 checks the license type of the license information in order to activate the telephone function process corresponding to the license type of the license information (S80). Here, if the license type is N, the corresponding telephone function processing N of the telephone function execution unit 148 is called and activated (S81), and the telephone function processing N or service is started (allowed). As a result, the user can execute telephone function processing corresponding to the license.

  When the user does not use the key telephone device or when there is a system failure, it is necessary to restart the key telephone device. According to the present invention, even in such a case, the key telephone apparatus can be used under the license use permission without inquiring the license issuing server 3 again. The operation in that case will be described below.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation at the time of starting up the key telephone device. When the key telephone apparatus 1 is started up in the system start-up process 60 (see FIG. 6) (S82), first, the execution licenses registered in the database of the data management unit 146 are read out in descending order (S83) and executed. The license for use is transferred to the license decryption process of the license management unit 145.

  In the license decryption process (see FIG. 5), the execution license information read from the database is decrypted (S84). The serial number included in the decrypted license information is input to the license verification process. Further, the serial number of the key telephone device 1 written in the FROM 16 is read (S85) and input to the license verification process. In the license verification process, the serial number read from the FROM 16 is compared with the serial number included in the decrypted license information (S86).

  If the serial number included in the decrypted license information does not match the serial number read from the FROM 16 as a result of the license verification process, it is checked whether the execution license information still remains in the database (S87). If it remains, the process returns to S83 to repeat the process, but if it does not remain, the process related to the license ends.

  If the serial number included in the decrypted license information matches the serial number read from the FROM 16 as a result of the license verification process, the license information is transferred to the license execution unit 147. The license execution unit 147 checks the license type of the license information in order to activate the telephone function process or service corresponding to the license type of the license information (S88). If the license type is N, the corresponding telephone function processing N or service of the telephone function execution unit 148 is called and activated (S89), and the telephone function N or service is started (allowed). As a result, the user can execute telephone function processing corresponding to the license.

  Next, it is checked whether or not the license information for execution still remains in the database (S90). If it remains, the process returns to S83 to repeat the process, but if it does not remain, the process related to the license ends. That is, when all the license information for execution registered in the database is read and the telephone function processing or service activation for them is completed, the processing related to the license is finished.

  As described above, when the system is restarted, the application of the corresponding telephone function can be executed by calling the execution license information stored in the database of the data management unit 146. The need to establish a session with the license management server can be eliminated.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a timer management operation for performing license expiration date management. In the timer management (S91), when the issued license has an expiration date, the license is granted only within the expiration date.

  For this purpose, it is periodically checked whether there is execution license information registered in the timer management unit 149 (S92), and if there is, it is checked whether it has expired (S93). When a plurality of license information with expiration dates are registered, this check is performed for all the execution license information registered in the timer management unit 149 (S94).

  If there is license information with an expiration date that has expired, call the telephone function processing N or service corresponding to the license type N of the license information to deactivate it (S95), and Stop (unacceptable). At the same time, the registration of the license information is deleted from the timer management unit 149 (S96), and the registration of the license information is deleted from the database of the data management unit 146. As a result, the user cannot use the telephone function processing or service corresponding to the license information that has expired.

  Next, it is checked whether or not the execution license information still remains in the timer management unit 149 (S97), and if it remains, the process returns to S92 and the same processing is repeated for the next execution license information. For example, the process returns to S91 and waits for the next processing cycle.

It is a block diagram which shows an example of the hardware constitutions of the button telephone apparatus with which this invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a detailed explanatory diagram of various program groups in FIG. 1. It is a block diagram which shows the concept of the license information input to a button telephone apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows the license issuing operation | movement in a license issuing server. It is a flowchart which shows the decoding operation | movement of the license in a button telephone apparatus. It is a functional block diagram of the key telephone apparatus which shows the part especially relevant to this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement at the time of license information input. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement at the time of starting of a button telephone apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows the timer management operation | movement which performs license expiration date management. It is a block diagram which shows a software license management system provided with a license issuing server and a license management server.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Button telephone apparatus, 2 ... Data setting apparatus, 3 ... License issuing server, 4 ... License management server, 10 ... Office line system unit, 11 ... Extension system unit, 12 ... Main unit, 17, 18, 19 ... I / F, 13, 20, 30 ... 0S, 14 ... Various program groups, 15, 21, 31 ... Various driver groups, 16. .. FROM, 22, 32 ... various applications, 23 ... data setting tool, 33 ... encryption tool, 60 ... system startup processing, 140 ... maintenance block, 141 ... common Control block, 142 ... Data management block, 143 ... Call control block, 144 ... Data receiving unit, 145 ... License management unit, 146 ... Data management unit, 147 ... License Nsu execution unit, 148 ... phone function execution unit, 149 ... timer management unit

Claims (4)

A license management unit for collating the serial number included in the input license information with the serial number previously written in the key telephone device;
A data management unit that stores license information including a serial number that matches a serial number previously written in the button telephone device as execution license information in accordance with the verification result in the license management unit;
A license execution unit for activating telephone function processing software corresponding to the license type included in the execution license information;
A software license management system for a button telephone device, comprising: a telephone function execution unit that executes telephone function processing software activated by the license execution unit. When the button telephone apparatus is started up, the license management unit compares the serial number included in the execution license information stored in the data management unit with the serial number previously written in the system, and executes the license. The unit activates the telephone function processing software corresponding to the license type included in the execution license information including the serial number that matches the serial number previously written in the button telephone device, and the telephone function execution unit includes: 2. A software license management system for a button telephone device according to claim 1, wherein the telephone function processing software activated by the license execution unit is executed. The license information includes license expiration date information, and the license execution unit determines whether the license information is expired based on the license expiration date information, and the telephone function processing software based on the expired license information The software license management system for a button telephone device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the software is deactivated. 4. The software license management system for a button telephone device according to claim 1, wherein the serial number is a serial number assigned to a main board of the button telephone device.

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