JP3047837B2 - Software use right management method and method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and a method for managing the right to use software, and more particularly to a method and a method for managing a right to use software installed in a client in a client-server system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, this type of software use right management system is used for managing the use right of software used on a network.

[0003] As an example of a conventional software use right management method, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-200492 discloses a system of a server-client configuration, in which software installed and used in individual clients is used simultaneously. There has been proposed a configuration of a software usage right management system on a network which can automatically manage the software. In this method, the server manages the number of software programs executed simultaneously by the client, and the client requests the server to do so when executing the software.
Based on the response, whether to activate the software is determined. When the server receives a request to start the software from the client, the server acquires the number of licenses (licenses) of the software remaining at that time, and if the number of users (number of executions) at this time is less than that, It allows the execution of software on the client.

[0004]

However, the above-mentioned conventional use right management method has a problem that a client needs to be connected to a server when executing software.

[0005] The reason is that the client determines whether or not the installed software can be used by notifying the server of a start request when the software is started and obtaining the response from the server when starting the software. It depends.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a software use right management system which enables software use right management by a server even when a client is disconnected from a network. And a method .

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the use right management method of the present invention is such that when software is introduced into a client, the use right is confirmed by a server. is there.

[0008] The software usage right management method of the present invention comprises:
In software entitlement management how in a system and a server device and one or more client devices, which are networked, upon introduction software to (a) before SL client device, the client device
To request the issuance of the license authentication key to the server device, (b) the server apparatus in advance Licensed minutes entitlement
Usage right authentication that stores authentication keys and their usage status in a tabular format
Unused license authentication key with reference to the key table storage means
Is issued to the client device, and (c) the client device obtains the software use right authentication key from the server device ,
Use right authentication key for use right authentication of the client device
The software is stored in a key storage unit, and the software is installed. (D) The client device executes the installed software by executing the installed software .
The use stored in the license authentication key storage means
To determine whether its execution by certifying the authority authentication key, and controls the activation / interruption of the software on the basis of the determination result, introduced in (e) the client device software
Is deleted in the use right authentication key storage means.
Delete the usage right authentication key
Requesting the device to return a use right authentication key , and (f) the server device
Upon receiving a request to return the use right authentication key,
Refer to the key table storage means and return the use right authentication
The use right authentication key is
Notifies the take-off, (g) the client device, before the said server device
When the notice of receipt of the right to use
From the use right authentication key storage means of the client device.
Delete the authentication key and complete the software removal ,
It is characterized by the following.

[0009] The software usage right management method of the present invention comprises:
In a software usage right management system in a system in which a server device and one or more client devices are connected to a network , the client device transmits a usage right authentication key to the server device when introducing software to the client device. Requesting issuance, and using the license for use right authentication issued from the server device,
A software introduction unit that controls the software installation by storing the license in the use right authentication key storage unit of the client device; and executing the software installed in the client device, the use right authentication key of the client device. Authenticating the right-of-use authentication key stored in the storage means, based on the result, executing the software, and executing the right-of-use authentication key when deleting the software installed in the client device. deletes the license authentication key stored in the storage means, said and a software removal means to return the license authentication key to the server apparatus, the server apparatus, license authentication from the client device in response to a request issued for use key and return, pre licensed minutes license authentication key and its use form The features and the license authentication key table storage unit that stores, that the was Bei, and software license management means for managing the license authentication key table storage means in tabular form.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a server machine (2 in FIG. 1) and one or more client machines (3 in FIG. 1) are connected to a network (1 in FIG. 1).
In the software usage right management method in a client server system connected to a client machine, the client machine requests the server machine to issue a usage right authentication key when installing the software, and also issues a usage right authentication key issued from the server machine. A key is stored in a key storage unit for use right authentication (34 in FIG. 1) of the client machine, and a software introduction unit (31 in FIG. 1) for controlling so as to install software is provided. When the software is executed, the use right authentication key stored in the use right authentication key storage means (34 in FIG. 1) of the client machine is authenticated, and based on the result, the software execution for executing the software is executed. (32 in FIG. 1).

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the client machine deletes the use right authentication key stored in the use right authentication key storage means when deleting the software installed in the client machine. In addition, the server machine is provided with software deleting means (33 in FIG. 1) for returning the use right authentication key.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in accordance with a request for issuing and returning a use right authentication key from a client machine, the server machine transmits a predetermined number of use right authentication keys for use. A software use right management unit (21 in FIG. 1) for managing a use right authentication key table storage unit (22 in FIG. 1) for storing keys is provided.

According to the software use right management method according to the embodiment of the present invention, when executing the software installed in the client, it is not necessary to access the server, so the client needs to be connected to the network. Not even.

[0014]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the present embodiment includes a server machine 2, a client machine 3, and a network 1 to which these are connected.

The server machine 2 includes a software use right management unit 21 and a use right authentication key storage unit 22. The software use right authentication key table storage unit 22 stores, as a table, use right authentication keys of the number of use rights granted in advance and information indicating the state of use.

The client machine 3 includes a software introduction unit 31, a software execution unit 32, a software deletion unit 33, a use right authentication key storage unit 34,
It has.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are diagrams for explaining an operation sequence according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows an operation of introducing software in a client machine, and FIG. 3 shows an operation of deleting software in the client machine. It is a figure for explaining.

First, referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the introduction of software to a client machine in an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

When the software is introduced into the client machine 3, the software use right management means 21 of the server machine 2 responds to the use right authentication key issuance request from the client machine 3 (step S11). With reference to the table storage means 22 (step S12), if there is a use right authentication key whose state is "unused", the state of the corresponding use right authentication key in the use right authentication key table storage means 22 is changed to ""Use" (step S13), and issues a corresponding use right authentication key to the client machine 3 (step S14).

On the other hand, if there is no unused right-of-use authentication key in the right-of-use authentication key table storage means 22 of the server machine 2, the fact is notified to the client machine 3 (step S18). Client machine 3 that received this notification
Stops the installation of the software (step S1).
9).

The client machine 3 is connected to the server machine 2
When the usage right authentication key is obtained from (step S15),
The use right authentication key is stored in the use right authentication key storage means 34 of the client machine 3 (step S16), and the installation of the software is completed (step S17).

Next, with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, a description will be given of the deletion of software to a client machine in one embodiment of the present invention.

When the software is deleted from the client machine 3, the server machine 2 refers to the use right authentication key table storage means 22 in response to the use right authentication key return request from the client machine 3 (step S 21). (Step S22) After checking the use state of the returned use right authentication key, if there is no problem, the state of the returned use right authentication key is changed to "unused" (step S2).
3), the client machine 3 is notified of the receipt of the usage right authentication key (step S24).

On the other hand, if there is a problem in step S22, a notice of refusal of receipt is sent to the client machine 3 (step S28).

The client machine 3 is connected to the server machine 2
When the notification of the receipt of the use right authentication key is obtained from (step S25), the use right authentication key is deleted from the use right authentication key storage means 34 (step S26), and the software deletion is completed (step S27).

When the client machine 3 obtains the notice of receipt of the usage right authentication key from the server machine 2, it stops deleting the software (step S29).

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a processing flow of software execution on a client machine in one embodiment of the present invention. With reference to FIGS. 1 and 4, an operation of executing software in one embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

When executing the software installed in the client machine 3, the software execution means 32 of the client machine 3 authenticates the use right authentication key stored in the use right authentication key storage means 34. (Step S41), and if the validity is confirmed, the software is executed (Step S42). On the other hand, if the validity is not confirmed in step S41, the execution of the software is interrupted (step S43).

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention,
When the software executed on the client machine is executed, there is no need to access the server for authentication of the right to use the software.
As a result, software can be executed even in an environment where the client machine is disconnected from the network.

The reason is that, in the present invention, the authentication of the right to use the software is performed when the software is installed, so that access to the server machine can be limited only when the software is installed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of one embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 network 2 server machine 3 client machine

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A server device and one or more client devices and software entitlement management how in a system comprising a network connection, upon introduction software to (a) before SL client device, the client device the Requesting the server device to issue a use right authentication key, and (b) the server device uses a predetermined number of use rights
Usage right authentication that stores authentication keys and their usage status in a tabular format
Unused license authentication key with reference to the key table storage means
Is issued to the client device, and (c) the client device obtains the software use right authentication key from the server device ,
Use right authentication key for use right authentication of the client device
The software is stored in a key storage unit, and the software is installed. (D) The client device executes the installed software by executing the installed software .
The use stored in the license authentication key storage means
To determine whether its execution by certifying the authority authentication key, and controls the activation / interruption of the software on the basis of the determination result, introduced in (e) the client device software
Is deleted in the use right authentication key storage means.
Delete the usage right authentication key
Requesting the device to return a use right authentication key , and (f) the server device
Upon receiving a request to return the use right authentication key,
Refer to the key table storage means and return the use right authentication
The use right authentication key is
Notifies the take-off, (g) the client device, before the said server device
When the notice of receipt of the right to use
From the use right authentication key storage means of the client device.
Remove the authentication key to complete the removal of the software, the software entitlement management how, characterized in that. 2. A software use right management system in a system in which a server device and one or more client devices are connected to a network , wherein the client device uses the server device when introducing the software to the client device. Software for requesting issuance of a right authentication key and storing the usage right authentication key issued from the server device in the usage right authentication key storage means of the client device so as to install the software. Means, when executing the software installed in the client device, authenticates a use right authentication key stored in the use right authentication key storage unit of the client device, and executes based on the result. Software execution means to be executed, Upon deletion of the software, deletes the license authentication key stored in the license authentication key storage means, and software deletion means to return the license authentication key to the server apparatus, the
Wherein the server apparatus, wherein in response to a request from the license issuance and return of the authentication key from the client device, rated pre Licensed minutes license authentication key and the use condition in tabular form <br /> paid and license authentication key table storage means you, the right to use software entitlement management method that a software license management means for managing the authentication key table storage means, comprising the.