KR20010096283A - Refill-ware system and method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A system for lending commercial software through internet and a method for the same are provided to prevent a commercial software from being copied freely by performing a settlement process after downloading a commercial software. CONSTITUTION: A first process transmits a commercial software and a setup program from a software database of a server to a user client according to the request from the user client. A second process transmits user information to the server for a settlement of a term of payment for the commercial software, and stores the user information at a user information database. A third process grants an appointed use term to the user client according to the request of the user, and stores the information at a date information database.

Description

Commercial software rental system and method using internet {Refill-ware system and method

The present invention relates to a software rental system and a rental method using the Internet. More specifically, after downloading the commercial software using the Internet, the software that allows the use of the commercial software after paying a fee for a specified period or hour It relates to a rental system and a rental method.

Conventional methods of renting commercial software are roughly divided into the following three types.

① For example, how to contract and lease an ERP system on an annual basis.

② For example, you can connect to the Internet like a network PC and use the software embedded in the server online.

③ Method of restricting the loan to use for a certain period of time, for example, 6 months or 1 year after downloading the commercial program

However, the conventional loan method of commercial software as described above had the following problems.

In the case of the above method 1, the cost of using the program is expensive (usually tens of millions of won per year), and there is a problem that it is not suitable for package software.

In case of the method of ② above, since the user's computer and server are always connected through the Internet, that is, they are used online, it is difficult for the modem user to bear the communication cost and the psychological burden of maintaining the online state there was.

In the case of the above method 3, there is a problem that there is a lot of illegal copying and distribution because there is no way to prevent the illegal copying of the downloaded commercial software.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems, and to provide a commercial software rental system and method that prevents illegal copying without downloading the commercial software, the online process through the payment process.

1 is a diagram showing a network configuration of a software rental system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a software rental system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a flowchart showing a process of a software rental method by a software rental system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a diagram showing the type of database and each field configuration of the software rental system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

<Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

1, 4: server 2, 3: user client

5: Program Database 6: User Information Database

7: System Information Database 8: Payment Payment Database

9: date information database 10: control unit

11 memory 12 input / output interface

In order to achieve the above object, a commercial software rental system according to an embodiment of the present invention:

Clients for users who can access the software rental server via the Internet:

A software database for storing commercial software for download to said user client; A user information database for storing information about a plurality of users input from the user client; A billing information database for storing billing information of each user; A date information database for storing information on the date on which the commercial software was downloaded from the software database to the respective client for the user and renewal of the usage period; A system information database for storing system information of the client for each user; And a control unit for transmitting the commercial software stored in the software database to the client for each user according to a request of the client for each user, and granting a period of use of the commercial software for a predetermined period according to a request from the client for each user. Characterized in that consisting of a server configured to.

In addition, in order to achieve the above object, the rental method of commercial software according to an embodiment of the present invention:

Transmitting the commercial software and the setting program from the server's software database to the user client according to a request from the user client;

Transmitting user information to a server in order to pay a predetermined period of time for the commercial software, and the server storing the information in a user information and a date information database;

In response to the user's request, the server gives a predetermined period of use to the client for the user, characterized in that it comprises a step of storing the information in a date information database.

(Example)

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, it will be described a preferred embodiment of a commercial software rental system and a rental method according to the present invention.

1 shows a configuration of a software rental system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the drawing, reference numeral 1 denotes a server of a commercial software rental system through the Internet, numerals 2 and 3 denote clients of individual or group users, and numeral 4 denotes a renewal of the usage period of commercial software. It is the server of the software distributor in charge of

The servers 1 and 4 can be connected to each user's clients 2 and 3 via the Internet, and each client has a built-in general-purpose web browser, and the software can be accessed through the homepage of a commercial software rental service server. It will be rented.

2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a software rental system according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the server 1 has a plurality of databases.

Among the databases, the software database costs as much as the regular use software and the use time when the client client requests the download of commercial software to be used for a certain period of time, for example, 6 months or a year for a flat fee. It stores a number of part-time software that pays for the payment.

The user information database stores information such as name, social security number, address, telephone number, identification number (ID), and password as personal information of a plurality of users who have downloaded commercial software.

The payment information database includes information on how the user pays the price, such as a credit card, giro deposit or bank transfer, and the type of card, card number, period of use, etc. The cumulative amount of the renewal period and the bonus score will be saved.

The date information database checks the date when a large number of users download the commercial software, the available date or time for each client for each user, the date and time of the last renewal of the usage period, and the final update status on the server side. Information on the date and the like at the time of renewal due to an accident described later is stored.

In addition, the system information database stores system information on the system specification of each user client, the type of encryption algorithm, and the like.

On the other hand, the control unit of the server 1 has a memory and an input / output interface, and transmits the commercial software stored in the software database to the client for each user at the request of the client for each user, and transmits information of each user. Record or read in the database, record or read the payment information of each user in the payment database, and record date information, etc., when the commercial software is first downloaded and updated from the server 1 to the client for the user in the date information database. If necessary, the software can be used to update the usage period of commercial software at the request of the client for each user.

Hereinafter, a method for renting commercial software using the Internet according to the present invention configured as described above will be described in detail.

First, the user accesses the homepage of a commercial software rental service provider using his clients (2) and (3), and selects whether to download commercial software or to request a program use update to be described later ( S101). When you download commercial software for the first time, you can select the software you want to rent from the list of software rental items and use it for a fixed amount of time that you use for 6 months or 1 year, or pay for the usage time. Select whether or not to zero and requests the server 1 to download (S102).

The server 1, which has been requested to download from the user clients 2 and 3, is a main program (hereinafter referred to as "main.exe file") which is a commercial software requested by the user among regular use programs or part-time use programs stored in a program database. Setup program (hereinafter referred to as "setup.exe file") that includes an auxiliary program (hereinafter referred to as "refill.exe file") that controls usage time, communication with the server 2, and the like. ) Is transmitted to the user clients 2 and 3 (S103).

When the transferred setting program is executed, a refill.exe file is generated in the client 2 and 3 together with the main.exe file, and a refill bar is formed on the monitor screen of the client. In case of regular use system, the scale decreases little by little as the date passes. In case of the use time system, the scale decreases little by little depending on the usage time of the main program. Since the refill bar is empty when it is first downloaded, it is impossible to use the main program (main.exe file) even if the setup.exe file is copied and installed on another computer.

Now, a user who wants to use the main program can use the client (2), (3) to connect with the server (1) of the commercial software rental system or the server (4) of the software distributor responsible for renewing the usage period of the commercial software. Request that the refill bar to be full (S104).

Servers 1 and 4 that have received the renewal request to fill the refill bar allow the user to select a desired usage time and type (S105).

After that, the payment for the program rental is paid. Payment can be made by means of account transfer, payment by Giro, online transfer by phone or credit card.In case of payment by credit card, information such as credit card type, card number and available date Also to enter (S106). Such payment information is entered into the payment information database of the server 1, and if necessary, the user's right to update the user by considering the user's help other than cash, such as an advertisement click or statistical investigation cooperation, is considered as payment. You can also grant.

After the payment is completed, the user's personal information, ID, password, etc. are input and stored into the user information database of the server 1 (S107).

The server (1), (4) can use the main.exe file, which is the main program by storing the user information, and transmits the available period of time as desired by the user to the user client (2), (3), The update data is transmitted so that the refill bar is in a charged state (S108).

As a characteristic part of the present invention, the following describes whether illegal copying of a downloaded program can be prevented without the user staying online.

First, the first method is to connect to the server only when updating and do not need to connect until the end of the period. The server fills the refill bar with the client and creates a unique directory on the client's hard disk. It also encrypts and writes to various parts of the Windows registry, making it impossible to copy your main.exe or refill.exe files to other computers. Also, if you copy these files to your computer and the refill.exe file is restored when the refill bar is almost empty, the current state of the refill bar is recorded with passwords in various places such as the system registry. It is not possible to use it. For reference, if the server finds all the parts recorded on the client and completely duplicates them, illegal copying is possible, so it is not a complete prevention of illegal copying, but it is very difficult for the general public.

The second method is to completely prevent piracy, but the user does not use it online, but after the update, he connects to the server every time he starts using the software so that he can start it with permission. The reason that the server may permit the license is that when updating, the user's unique characteristics and status (IP address, system characteristics) are recorded in the server's system information database, and the license is separated from other illegally copied computers. Once a user is authorized, they can work offline. In this case, the procedure such as recording in a complicated password or registry is omitted as in the first method, but only a certain period of time (3 months, 6 months, etc.) is given to the main program (main.exe) itself, and the period of use gradually increases. To reduce. Therefore, permission must be obtained from the server at the beginning of each use, and user status is recorded on the server at that time, making it impossible to replicate to other computers or own computers.

When the user uses the main.exe file, which is the main program, the refill.exe file is automatically activated to reduce the usage time and update the refill bar. In this case, if the user selects the usage time, the user decreases the time by 1 minute or 30 seconds using a timer on the client's system, and if the user selects the regular usage, the user updates the first updated time. Prevent attempts to change the date of the system.

Whether the regular use time or the use time, when the contracted use time has elapsed, the user requests an update to the servers (1) and (4), and renews the use period again through the above process.

If you are not trying to make an illegal copy and you need to reinstall the software because of an accident on your computer, you may consider updating it for free but limiting the number of free renewals. It is also possible to employ a method of updating the remaining time by limiting the time that is expected to be used on a daily basis with reference to the date that has elapsed after the update.

As described above, according to the commercial software rental system and the rental method using the Internet according to the present invention, as in the conventional software rental method, a problem that the user's computer and the server is always used only when connected through the Internet And, there is an effect that can solve the problem that can not prevent the illegal copying of commercial software.

Claims (2)

Clients for users who can access the software rental server via the Internet: A software database for storing commercial software for download to said user client; A user information database for storing information about a plurality of users input from the user client; A billing information database for storing billing information of each user; A date information database for storing information on the date on which the commercial software was downloaded from the software database to the respective client for the user and renewal of the usage period; A system information database for storing system information of the client for each user; And a control unit for transmitting the commercial software stored in the software database to the client for each user according to a request of the client for each user, and granting a period of use of the commercial software for a predetermined period according to a request from the client for each user. Commercial software rental system using the Internet, characterized in that consisting of a server configured to. Transmitting the commercial software and the setting program from the server's software database to the user client according to a request from the user client; Transmitting user information to a server in order to pay a predetermined period of time for the commercial software, and the server storing the information in a user information and a date information database; And a server providing a predetermined period of use to the client for the user according to the user's request, and storing the information in a date information database.