JPH10312276A - Software distribution management device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the non-permitted use of distribution software and to realize efficient user management by collating input data with a registered ciphering user data table so as to judge them and transmitting the judged result to a client terminal. SOLUTION: The client part 9 of a software distribution management device is down-loaded on the client terminal and it is stored in an auxiliary storage part 2. The client part 10 is loaded on the main storage part from the auxiliary storage part 2 and user data of ID and a password, which are previously registered to a software distributor, is inputted from a key input part 5. The client part 9 ciphers input data and transmits it to a host server from a communication control part 3. The host server receives it in a communication control part 14, transfers it to the server part 20 of the software distribution management device, collates it with the registered ciphering user data table so as to judge them. The judged result is transmitted from the communication control part 14 to the client terminal. Thus, the user can use utility software on the client terminal.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a software distribution management device for distributing utility software or the like to a specific user on a network server and for grasping the user's system use status.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to prevent unauthorized use of distributed software by assigning different IDs and passwords to specific users registered as users in software distribution on a network such as the Internet, and to ascertain the download status of each user. Required some form of building a host server on the network as shown in FIG.

[0003]

However, in order to build and operate a host server on a network, it is necessary to solve technical problems such as operating costs and CGI.
It can be said that distribution of utility software and the like using user management technology such as prevention of unauthorized use on the Internet and grasping the download status of each user was difficult. Therefore, the problem to be solved by the present invention is that if the Internet is used without constructing a host server by itself, simply renting one storage area of the homepage server device will easily prevent unauthorized use on the Internet, and download situation for each user An object of the present invention is to provide a system device that enables distribution of utility software or the like using a user management technique such as grasping.

[0004]

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems by a computer system. The computer system is a device that manages distribution of utility software and the like by renting a storage area of a host computer such as the Internet. It comprises a server unit (20 in FIG. 1) used on the host server. In the client section, means for inputting data and encrypting the data, means for transmitting the encrypted data to the host server, means for receiving the judgment result data of the transmission data from the host server, and receiving the judgment result data from the receiving means The processing is terminated here, or means for starting an e-mail program and inputting and transmitting data to an arbitrary address, and means for calling another program to be executed. The server unit includes: means for receiving the encrypted data from the client terminal; means for receiving the data from the receiving means for collation determination, passing the determination result to the transmitting means; and transmitting means for transmitting the determination result data to the client terminal.

[0005]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A software distribution management device according to the present invention compiles a utility program or the like to be distributed by a distributor at the time of development and distributes it as one utility software. FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a software distribution management device of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a process chart of the device, and FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a process executed by the device. In FIG. 1, a user accesses a host server on a network such as the Internet from a client terminal through a communication control unit (3) such as a modem and a communication control device, and connects a client unit (9) of the software distribution management device of the present invention. It is downloaded to the client terminal and stored in the auxiliary storage unit (2).
Then, the client unit (1) is stored in the auxiliary storage unit (2).
0) is loaded into the main storage unit (6), and user data such as an ID and a password registered in advance with the software distributor is input from the key input unit (5). The client unit (9) of the present invention encrypts the input data,
The communication control unit (3) transmits the data to the host server. The host server receives this in the communication control unit (14), passes it to the server unit (20) of the software distribution management device of the present invention, and performs collation determination with the registered encrypted user data table (7 in FIG. 4). This determination result is transmitted from the communication control unit (14) to the client terminal. The user again receives the determination result data in the communication control unit (3) of the client terminal, passes it to the client unit (9), and determines the determination result data sent from the server unit (11 in FIG. 4). In this way, the processing of the present apparatus is terminated here, or if it is determined that the user, the client unit (9) loads the e-mail software (11) from the auxiliary storage unit (2) to the main storage unit (6). Then, the client unit (9) controls the e-mail software (11) to transmit the data encrypted by the user based on the data input by the user to an arbitrary e-mail address automatically. By this transmission process, the software distributor who has received the e-mail can search for the registered user from the transmitted encrypted data and grasp the number of downloads of the user. Next, the client unit (9) performs a call process of a utility program or the like compiled by the distributor together with the present apparatus, so that the user can use the utility software on the client terminal. Become.

[0006]

According to the present invention, different IDs and passwords are assigned to specific users by user data collation determination processing between the software distribution management device client unit (9 in FIG. 1) and the software distribution management device server unit (20 in FIG. 1). Can be issued to prevent unauthorized use of distribution software. Then, by automating the e-mail distribution process, the user can be identified and the number of downloads of the user can be known, so that efficient user management can be performed. That is, with the software distribution management device of the present invention, a client server system can be constructed cheaply and easily by simply renting a storage area of a host computer such as the Internet and distributing the software with the software distribution management device therefrom. It is.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a software distribution management device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of a conventional technique.

FIG. 3 is a process chart of the software distribution management device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the software distribution management device of the present invention.

[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] May 13, 1997

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0005

[Correction method] Added

[Correction contents]

[0005]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In addition to the conventional vertical client (request) / server (provide) type processing which is remarkable in the conventional Internet if transmission / reception is added, the client and server of the software distribution management apparatus of the present invention use a horizontal client. (Provision) / server (request) type processing can also be applied.

Claims (1)

[Claims] An apparatus for managing distribution of software on a network host server, the client section being used on a client terminal (9 in FIG. 1) and the server section being used on a host server (20 in FIG. 1). Consisting of In the client section, means for inputting data and encrypting the data, means for transmitting the encrypted data to the host server, means for receiving the judgment result data of the transmission data from the host server, and receiving the judgment result data from the receiving means Or end the processing here, or start the E-mail program and input data to an arbitrary address and transmit it, and call another program to be executed. The server unit includes means for receiving the encrypted data from the client terminal, means for receiving the data from the receiving means, collating and determining the result, passing the determination result to the transmitting means, and transmitting means for transmitting the determination result data to the client terminal. An apparatus for software distribution management comprising the above client unit and server unit.