JP2002091595A - License management method and license management system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] To prevent unauthorized use after a user acquires a license, and calculate a license fee according to the use situation. SOLUTION: Software provider processing device 102, user system processing device 103, and license management device 10
4 are interconnected by a network 101. The license management device 104 assigns individually identifiable identification codes to the software products, identifies the products running on the user system, automatically generates a license management information list for which the software provider has determined consistency, and performs license management. .

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a license management method and a license management system, and more particularly, to a license management method and a license management system for managing licenses of software products.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional technique related to license management, for example, a technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-185444 is known. This prior art manages software products and licenses separately,
The management is performed so that a user who has purchased a software product from an authorized dealer can use the software product only after obtaining a license.

As another conventional technique, for example, a technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 6-223040 is known. In this prior art, a user needs to create a permission list in order to manage a license of a software product, and license management is not performed unless a permission list is created.

[0004]

The former prior art described above has a problem in that the number of sales and installations is managed with respect to license management, and the use after sales and installation cannot be managed. I have. Further, in the latter conventional technique, since the license information is registered by the user, it takes time and effort for the user, and there is a problem that incorrect license information may be registered or registration may be omitted. .

[0005] An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art and to automatically create a license management list.
Prevent unauthorized use after a user has obtained a license,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a license management method and a license management system capable of calculating a license fee according to a use situation.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided a license management method for managing a license of a software product, the method comprising: providing and managing identification information for individually identifying software; Managing license agreement information using, managing software identification information present in the user system, and a license management list for managing software licenses based on the license agreement information and the identification information. And determining the identification information and the license management list in addition to the step, and finding unauthorized software, or determining the identification information and the license management list And deter software abuse Step or based on the version information included in the identification information is achieved by further comprising a step of notifying the new version of the software to the user.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of a license management method and a license management system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a license management system according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a software provider processing device, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a user system processing device. FIG. 4
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an identification code license management device as an identification information center. 1 to 4,
101 is a public line network, 102 is a software provider processing device, 103 is a user system processing device, 104 is an identification code license management device, 201, 301, 401 are authentication units, 202 and 302 are input units, and 203 is an identification code assignment. Request section, 204, license contract section, 205, 30
3 is a display unit, 206, 308, and 409 are transmission / reception units, 20
7 is a license contract storage unit, 304 is an inventory collection unit, 305 is a license request unit, 306 is a start / end detection unit, 307 is a start permission / inhibition unit, 402 is a user information storage unit, and 403 is a request determination processing selection unit. , 404 is a storage processing unit, 405 is an identification code software information storage unit,
06 is a take-out processing unit, and 407 is a license information storage unit.

As shown in FIG. 1, a license management system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes one or a plurality of software provider processing units 102, a plurality of user system processing units 103, and an identification code license management unit 10.
4 are connected to the public network 101 so that information can be exchanged between the devices.

The software provider processing device 102 is a processing device provided for a software developer that is a software provider, a company entrusted to sell the software, or a company that acts as a sales agent, as shown in FIG. ,
Authentication unit 201, input unit 202, identification code assignment requesting unit 203, license contracting unit 204, display unit 205
And a transmission / reception unit 206.

In the above description, the authentication unit 201 authenticates that it is a valid software provider registered in the identification code license management device 104. The input unit 202
It can be used after authentication by the authentication unit. As a result, the software provider processing device 102 can perform a request for assigning an identification code and a process of a license contract. The information output from the license contract unit 204 by the processing described later is stored in the license contract information storage unit 207.
Is stored in Information output from the identification code assignment requesting unit 203 and the license contracting unit 204 is sent to the transmitting / receiving unit 206, and the transmitting / receiving unit 206 sends the information to the public network 101.
Is transmitted to the identification code license management device 104 via The transmission / reception unit 206 sends the information to the display unit 205 when receiving the information from the public network 101. Also, the transmission / reception unit 206
Receives the information from the public line network 101 and, if it is a license change list, sends the information to the license contracting unit 204. The license contracting unit 204 determines the received license change list, and sends the result to the transmitting / receiving unit 206. The transmission / reception unit 206 transmits the result described above to the identification code license management apparatus 10 via the public line network 101.
Send to 4.

The processing system 103 of the user system is provided in a user system (not shown) that uses software owned by the user, monitors the status of the user system,
It performs processing such as reporting to the identification code license management device 104 or requesting a license change. As shown in FIG. 3, an authentication unit 301 and an input unit 302 are provided.
, Display unit 303, inventory collection unit 304, license change request unit 305, start / end detection unit 306
, An activation permission / inhibition unit 307, and a transmission / reception unit 308.

In the above, the authentication unit 301 authenticates that the user is a valid user registered in the identification code license management device 104. The input unit 302 includes an authentication unit 301
It can be used after authentication is performed. As a result, the user system processing device 103 can make a request such as a license change. License change request unit 30
The information output from 5 is transmitted to the transmission / reception unit 308 and transmitted to the identification code license management device 104 via the public line network 101. Also, a start / end detection unit 306
Detects the start / end of the software in the user system. The information detected as a result is transmitted to the transmission / reception unit 308 and encrypted, and then transmitted to the identification code license management device 104 via the public network 101.

The inventory collection unit 304 collects software inventory information in the user system and sends it to the transmission / reception unit 308. The transmission / reception unit 308 transmits the collected inventory information to the identification code license management device 104 via the public network 101. In addition, the transmitting and receiving unit 3
08 is a unit for receiving information from the public network 101 and displaying
Send to 03. Here, the inventory information refers to hardware property information (computer name, CPU type,
CPU performance, memory capacity, hard disk capacity, hard disk usage, host name, etc., information on software installed on the client computer (file name, company name, product name, version, size, creation date, identification code, etc.), Other information about the client computer (installation location, administrator name, administrator affiliation, user name, user affiliation, etc.). Further, the transmission / reception unit 308 receives information from the public line network 101,
If the information is software activation permission / inhibition, the information is sent to the activation permission / inhibition unit 307.

The identification code license management device 104
As shown in FIG. 4, an authentication unit 401, a user information storage unit 402, a request determination processing selection unit 403, and a storage processing unit 4
04, an identification code software information storage unit 405,
Extraction processing unit 406 and license information storage unit 407
, An information processing unit 408, and a transmission / reception unit 409.

In the above, the transmission / reception unit 409 receives information from the public network 101 and sends it to the authentication unit 401, or transmits information sent from the information processing unit 406 to the user system processing unit 103 via the public network 101. Alternatively, the data is transmitted to the software provider processing device 102. Authentication unit 4
01 extracts authentication information from the information received by the transmission / reception unit 409 and authenticates that the user is a user registered in the user information storage unit 402. If the authentication fails as a result of the authentication, the received information is discarded. Alternatively, the authentication unit 401 transmits the authentication error message to the transmission / reception unit 409.
To the user system processing device 103 or the software provider processing device 102 via the public line network 101.
To be sent.

The request judging process selecting unit 403 judges a process from the authenticated information, and sends the information to the storage processing unit 404 or the retrieval processing unit 406. If the process is a process for storing information, the storage processing unit 404 stores software information in the identification code software information storage unit 405 and stores software license information for each user in the license information storage unit 407. If the process is a process of extracting information, the extraction processing unit 406 sends license information on the specified software product of the specified user from the license information storage unit 407 to the extraction information processing unit 408. Also, the removal processing unit 406
Extracts the software information about the specified software product from the specified software provider from the identification code software information storage unit 405 and sends it to the information processing unit 408.

The information processing unit 408 includes the extraction processing unit 40
6 is processed into a designated format and sent to the transmission / reception unit 409. As the specified format, FIG. 17, FIG.
8 shows various lists as described later. The information sent to the transmitting / receiving unit 409 is the public network 1
01 to the user system processing device 103 or the software providing source processing device 102.

As can be seen from the above description, the identification code license management device 104 manages the identification code and the license. In the present invention, these functions are divided and configured as separate devices. These may be connected to a network so that information can be mutually exchanged. In this case, the device that manages the identification code may have a configuration excluding the license information storage unit 407 in FIG. 4, and the device that manages the license stores the identification code software information storage unit 405 in FIG. The configuration may be omitted.

As described above, information between the devices constituting the system according to the embodiment of the present invention is transmitted and received from the transmission / reception unit of each device via the public line network 101. After being encrypted, the data may be transmitted through the public network 101, and may be decrypted by the transmission / reception unit of each device upon reception. In addition, in the example described above, each device is connected via a public line network, but may be a connection via a dedicated line, a wireless connection, or the like.

FIG. 5 shows an identification code license management device 10.
4 is a flowchart for explaining a processing procedure relating to identification code addition registration in No. 4, which will be described below.

The software provider processor 102 assigns an identifiable code number to the software.
The product information of the software and the identification code number assignment request are transmitted to the identification code license management device 104.

(1) Identification code license management device 10
4 receives the above-described software product information and the identification code number assignment request sent from the software provider processing apparatus 102, and determines whether or not the same product information has been registered in the identification code database (step 50).
1, 502).

(2) If it is determined in step 502 that the same information as the product information of the software is already registered, the identification code is not assigned and an error message indicating that the same product information has been registered is output to the software. The data is transmitted to the provider processing device 102 (step 503).

(3) If the product information of the software is not registered in step 502, a new identification code number is assigned to the software, and the software information and the assigned identification code number are assigned to the identification code software. The identification information database stored in the information storage unit 405 is rewritten (step 504).

(4) Identification code license management device 10
4 transmits the assigned identification code to the requesting software provider processing apparatus 102. The format of the identification code is as shown in FIG. 22, which will be described later (step 505).

FIG. 6 shows an identification code license management device 10.
4 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure for receiving the inventory collection information of the user system and notifying the software provider of the license management status, which will be described below.

(1) Identification code license management device 10
Reference numeral 4 denotes inventory information collected by the inventory collection unit 304 of the user system processing device 103 periodically or when specified by the identification code license management device 104 or when specified by the user, and transmitted to the identification code license management device 104. The inventory information is received (step 601).

(2) The information of the software is extracted from the inventory information, and it is determined whether or not the information matches the information of the software of the user stored in the license information storage unit 407. The license information consistency check list of the user is sent to the software provider (steps 602 and 603).

(3) If no match is obtained in the determination in step 602, it is determined whether the software is already registered as a license for the user. If the software is already registered, the registration information of the license information of the software and the current state are registered. Is sent to the software provider processing apparatus 102 (step 60).
4, 605).

(4) If it is determined in step 604 that the license is not registered, the identification code of the software is extracted from the inventory collection information to identify the software, and the extracted identification code is stored in the identification code software information storage unit 405. Search (steps 606 and 60)
7).

(5) Thereafter, the identification code software information storage unit 405 is searched to identify the software, and a list of unregistered products is sent to the software providing processing unit 102 of the software (steps 608 and 60).
9).

FIG. 7 shows the software provider processing unit 102.
Is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure for determining consistency of license registration and requesting update of license information, which will be described below.

(1) Software provider processing unit 102
Receives the license difference status list of the software of the user or the list of unregistered products from the identification code license management apparatus 104 in the processing of the above-mentioned step 605 or 609 (step 701).

(2) The license contracting unit 204 compares the received information with the license contract information of the user's software in the license contract information storage unit 207, and determines whether or not the license has been obtained (whether the fee has been received or the user has registered). Is determined (step 702).

(3) If it is determined in step 702 that the license has been registered, that is, if the difference information is correct, a request for rewriting the license information of the software of the user is transmitted to the identification code license management device 104. As a result, the information in the license information storage unit 407 of the identification code license management device 104 is updated (step 703).

(4) If it is determined in step 702 that the license has not been registered, that is, if it is determined that the fee has not been paid or the user has not been registered, the identification code license management apparatus 104 stores the user's license in the identification code license management apparatus 104. Send software registration error, unregistered message. In this case, the identification code license management device 1
The information in the license information storage unit 407 of No. 04 is not updated (step 704).

FIG. 8 shows an identification code license management device 10.
4 is a flowchart for explaining a processing procedure for determining whether or not the software can be used in the user system, which will be described below.

(1) Identification code license management device 10
4 receives the activation information of the software of the user from the user system processing device 103, searches the license information storage unit 407 and determines whether or not the user has a license and the number of licenses (steps 801 and 80).
2).

(2) If it is determined in step 802 that there is a license, 1 is added to the number of licenses of the software of the user in the license information storage unit 407, and
This is written in the license information storage unit 407 (step 803).

(3) A history log file of the processing, which is information such as the date and time, the user ID, the user, the software identification code, the start request, and the transmission of the start permission, is stored in the license information storage unit 407, Information that permits the user to start the software is transmitted to the user system processing device 103 (steps 804 and 805).

(4) If it is determined in step 802 that there is no license, a process history log file that is information such as the date and time, the user ID, the user, its software identification code, a start request, and transmission of start suppression is stored. , Stored in the license information storage unit 407, and information for inhibiting the user from starting the software.
(Steps 806 and 807).

FIG. 9 shows the identification code license management device 1 when the use of the software in the user system is completed.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining a processing procedure at 04, which will be described below.

(1) Identification code license management device 10
4 receives the end information of the software of the user from the user system processing device 103, subtracts 1 from the number of licenses of the software of the user in the license information storage unit 407, and writes the result in the license information storage unit 407. (Steps 901 and 902).

(2) The history log file of the process, which is information such as the date and time, the user ID, the user, the software identification code, the end notification, and the transmission of the start suppression, is stored in the license information storage unit 407 (step 903). .

FIG. 10 shows an identification code license management device 1.
04 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure for notifying the user of the presence or absence of an upgraded product from the user inventory information, which will be described below.

(1) Identification code license management device 10
4 receives the system inventory collection information of the user from the user system processing device 103 and extracts an identification code from the received inventory collection information (steps 1001 and 1002).

(2) Based on the extracted identification code, the identification code software information storage unit 405 is searched to determine whether there is an upgraded product (step 100).
3, 1004).

(3) If it is determined in step 1004 that there is an upgraded product, information such as a list and price of software that can be upgraded and other information such as a software price that the user can purchase at a preferential price are provided to the user. (Step 1005).

(4) If it is determined in step 1004 that there is no version-up product, there is no product that can be upgraded, that is, information that the product used in the user system is the latest version, and other information. A list of software that the user can purchase at the preferential price and information such as the price are sent to the user system processing device 103 of the user (step 1006).

By executing the above-mentioned flow shown in FIG. 10, the software suitable for the user is obtained from the inventory collection information of the user and the information on the user system (used software and usage status) stored in the license information storage unit 407. Can be advertised.

FIG. 11 shows an identification code license management device 1.
04 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure for receiving a software purchase request from a user and notifying the software purchase request to the software provider processing apparatus 102, which will be described below.

(1) The user performs the above-described step 100
5, the user system processing unit 103 transmits a request for version upgrade, software purchase, or a new software purchase request to the identification code license management device 104 by looking at the list sent in step 1006.
The identification code license management device 104 receives a software purchase request from the user system processing device 103 (step 1101).

(2) Identification code license management device 10
4 retrieves the software requested to be purchased from the information in the identification code software information storage unit 405, and recognizes the requested software and the software provider (steps 1102 and 1103).

(3) If the requested software and the software provider can be recognized in step 1103, the license information storage unit 407 is searched to compare the software owned by the user with the purchase request software. Then, it is determined whether the purchase request is a new software purchase or a version upgrade request (step 1104).

(4) If the request in step 1104 is a new software purchase request, the purchase request and the request source user information are transmitted to the software provider software provider processing device 102 (step 110).
5).

(5) If it is determined in step 1104 that the request is a version upgrade request, the information in the license information storage unit 407 is searched to determine the number of permitted licenses, and the purchase request, requesting user information, and permitted license are obtained. The number is transmitted to the software provider processing apparatus 102 (steps 1106 and 1107).

(6) If the requested software and the software provider cannot be recognized in step 1103, a message indicating a purchase item error (not handled) is sent to the user system processing device 103 of the user. It is sent (step 1108).

FIG. 12 is a flowchart for explaining a processing procedure in the user system processing device 103 at the time of product purchase. This will be described below.

(1) The software provider processing device 10 requested to purchase by the processing of step 1107 described above.
2 sends the software, the user system processing device 103 receives the software from the software provider processing device 102. In the receiving method, the software provider transmits the software to the user system processing device, and the user downloads the software, or may deliver the software by mail, home delivery, or the like (step 120).
1).

(2) The user installs the received software in the user system or upgrades the version to check the operation (step 120).
2).

(3) The user pays a fee to the software provider and registers the user.

When a fee is paid between the software provider and the user who uses the software, and the user registration is completed and the user contract is concluded, the license contract information storage unit 207 of the software provider processing apparatus 102 is updated ( Step 1203).

After detecting the new software in the user system after the above-described processing, the identification code license management apparatus 104 determines whether the software provider processing apparatus 102 of the software has a license agreement or not. If it is determined that the license is correct, the range of the license contract is written to the license information storage unit 407, and the user system restricts the activation of the software so as to use the software within the range of the license contract. Use of software,
Suppress startup of unregistered product software.

FIG. 13 shows an identification code license management device 1.
Reference numeral 04 denotes a flowchart for explaining a processing procedure for calculating a license fee in response to a request from the software provider processing apparatus 102, which will be described below.

(1) Identification code license management device 10
4 receives a license fee calculation request from the software provider processing apparatus 102 and receives information such as a product name, a user name, and a period (steps 1301 and 130).
2).

(2) Next, the identification code license management device 104 searches the log of the license information storage unit 407 for the software of the user, and totals the usage time and the number of licenses of the software of the user in the corresponding period. (Steps 1303 and 1304).

(3) The license fee of the user's software for the corresponding period is calculated from the tally result, and the license fee information is transmitted to the software provider processing device 102 (steps 1305 and 1306).

FIG. 14 shows an identification code license management device 1.
14 is a diagram illustrating an example of a format of identification code software information stored in an identification code software information storage unit 405 of FIG.

The identification code software information includes an identification code 1401 assigned to each piece of software, which is an ID for identifying the software, a software product name 1402, and an executable file name 1403.
One version is assigned to each of the version 1404, the presence or absence of a version upgrade (presence or absence of a successor product) 1405, the (identification code) 1406 of the version upgrade product, and an individual software provider that is an ID for identifying the software provider. The information includes a software provider ID 1407, a price 1408 of the software, and a software information creation date 1409. In addition, it is possible to set an identification code of a product that can be purchased at a preferential price or a related product.

FIG. 15 shows an identification code license management device 1.
14 is a diagram illustrating an example of a format of license information stored in a license information storage unit 407 of FIG.

The license information includes a user system ID 1501 assigned to each user system, which is an ID for identifying the user system, and a user name 1502 indicating the name of a company, school, or the like by the name of the user.
, An identification code 1503 of the software, a product name 1504 of the software, a version 1505 of the software, and an allowable license number 1 which is the maximum number of software that can be simultaneously operated on the user system.
506, available time 1507 for permitting use of the software in the user system, available days 1508 for permitting use of the software in the user system, and available time for permitting use of the software in the user system 1509 and the number of licenses in use of the software in the user system 1510
And each piece of information. Further, the license information can also store a use start date and time, a use end date and time, and the like. Further, in the illustrated example, the allowable number of licenses of the software of the user and the number of licenses currently used are stored, and the software operation status is stored. In addition, the license information can set the relationship between the number of used licenses and the number of allowable licenses. It can also be set so that the use is restricted by the user, the restriction on the continuous use time, or the like.

FIG. 16 shows the software provider processing unit 10.
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a format of license contract information stored in a second license contract storage unit 207.

The license contract information includes an ID 1601 of the user system, a user name 1602 indicating the name of a company, a school or the like by the user name, an identification code 1603 of the software, and a product name 160 of the software.
4, the software version 1605, the number of permitted licenses 1606 of the software permitted to the user, the user license contract date 1607 with the user, the user license contract number 1608 with the user, and the user The information includes a user address 1609, which is the location of the system, and a user telephone number 1610, which is a contact for the user system.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a display example of a list notified to the user system in the processing of steps 1005 and 1006 in the flow described with reference to FIG.

The information notified to the user system in steps 1005 and 1006 includes the latest version and the version to the latest version when the version of the product installed in the user system is later than the used version. It is a list of up price and the like. Further, in addition to such a list, a software maintenance report which is a report of the content of the version upgrade and a license report which is a report for advising the user of an excess or deficiency in the number of licenses can be transmitted to the user.

In the illustrated software maintenance report, a brief introduction of the functions of the upgraded product is provided.
The homepage address that gives details is notified. In the license report, the number of licenses obtained from the license log can be advised. In the illustrated example, the number of licenses of the product name AAAAA is insufficient, and the number of licenses should be increased. And that the number of licenses for the product name BBBBB is excessive and how many licenses can be reduced.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a display example of a list notified to the software provider processing device in the processing of steps 603, 605, and 609 in the flow described with reference to FIG.

The illustrated list shows the identification license management device 104 for software existing in the user system.
Is a list of the result of comparison with the information of the software of the user stored in the license information storage unit 407, a list of confirmation completion, a list of the number of licenses which is too much or less than the number of licenses, and a list of unregistered products. Includes lists etc. For software for which license information is not stored in the license information storage unit 407, a report can be transmitted to confirm the license contract contents (whether or not there is a user registration, payment of a fee, and the number of allowable licenses). In the illustrated example, in the report, the number of licenses that are insufficient for the excess or deficiency of the number of licenses is listed, the license is urged, and the reduction is urged.

As described above, since the identification code license management device 104 can perform software product license management and version upgrade and product guidance according to each user's environment, the software provider can manage the license according to the management fee and sales. You can receive a commission.

The software provider can continue to prevent unauthorized use of the software after sales and user registration.

Further, in the user system, it is possible to prevent a software use license from being violated and to reduce an excessive license, and to receive information such as maintenance of a software version and guidance of a product suitable for an environment. it can.

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a display example of a log file written in steps 804, 806, and 903 of the flow described with reference to FIGS.

The log file records who has used what software from what time to what time, or whether or not use has been suppressed due to lack of license, and the like. I understand.
By using such a log file, for example, when the continuous use of the software of the user is limited to one hour, a message to stop the use of the software is given to the user one hour after the start permission time. Can also be sent.

FIG. 20 is a diagram showing an example of the format of a software execution file. The software execution file has an area 2001 for storing an identification code at the beginning of the execution data.
And an execution data area 2002.

FIG. 21 is a diagram showing an example of the format of software inventory information collected by the inventory collection unit 304 of the user system processing device 103.

The software inventory information includes an identification code 2101 of the software, an executable file name 2102 of the software, a file size 2103 of the software, a machine 2104 where the software is installed, a directory 2105 where the software is installed, and , User ID 2106. This inventory information can be obtained by collecting an execution file name, a file size, and the like by a known inventory information collection method. Further, the identification code can be obtained by collecting the identification codes in the identification code area located at the head of the file. Therefore, in step 606 in the flow of FIG. 6 and step 1002 in the flow of FIG. 10 described above, the identification code in the identification code area located at the top of the software inventory information is extracted.

FIG. 22 is a diagram showing an example of the format of the identification code. The identification code includes a country code 2201, a software provider code 2202, a product code 2203, a version code 2204, and a check code 2205.
And each piece of information.

[0089]

As described above, according to the present invention, unauthorized use of software is continuously prevented even after software sales and user registration, and the license management list is automatically updated according to a change in the user environment. be able to.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a license management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a software provider processing apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a user system processing device.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an identification code license management device that is an identification information center.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure for registration of an identification code in the identification code license management device.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure in which an identification code license management device receives inventory collection information of a user system and notifies a software provider of a license management status.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure in which a software provider processing apparatus determines consistency of license registration and requests update of license information.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure in which the identification code license management device determines whether software can be used in a user system.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure in the identification code license management device when the use of the software in the user system is completed.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure in which an identification code license management device notifies a user of the presence or absence of an upgraded product from user inventory information.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure in which an identification code license management apparatus receives a software purchase request from a user and notifies the software supply source processing apparatus of the request;

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure in a user system processing device when a product is purchased.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure in which an identification code license management device calculates a license fee in response to a request from a software provider processing device.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example of a format of identification code software information stored in an identification code software information storage unit of the identification code license management device.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of a format of license information stored in a license information storage unit of the identification code license management device.

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating an example of a format of license contract information stored in a license contract storage unit 207 of the software provider processing apparatus 102.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a display example of a list notified to the user system.

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating a display example of a list notified to a software provider processing apparatus.

FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating a display example of a log file.

FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating an example of a format of a software execution file.

FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating a format example of software inventory information.

FIG. 22 is a diagram illustrating a format example of an identification code.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 101 public line network 102 software provider processing device 103 user system processing device 104 identification code license management device 201, 301, 401 authentication unit 202, 302 input unit 203 identification code assignment request unit 204 license contract unit 205, 303 display unit 206, 308, 409 transmission / reception unit 207 license contract storage unit 304 inventory collection unit 305 license request unit 306 activation / termination detection unit 307 activation permission / suppression unit 402 user information storage unit 403 request determination processing selection unit 404 storage processing unit 405 identification code software Information storage unit 406 Extraction processing unit 407 License information storage unit

Claims (5)

[Claims] In a license management method for managing a license of a software product, a step of assigning and managing identification information for individually identifying software; a step of managing license contract information for using software; A license managing step of managing identification information of software existing in the system; and a license management list for managing a software license based on the license contract information and the identification information. Management method. 2. The method further comprises the step of judging the identification information and the license management list to find unauthorized software, or the step of judging the identification information and the license management list and suppressing unauthorized use of the software. The license management method according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The license management method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of notifying a user of a new version of the software based on version information included in the identification information. 4. The software management method according to claim 3, further comprising a step of receiving a request for purchase of a new version from a user, obtaining an allowable number of licenses from the license management list, and notifying a software provider. . 5. A license management system for managing licenses of software products, a means for assigning and managing identification information for individually identifying software, a means for managing license contract information for using software, and a user. A license comprising: means for managing identification information of software existing in a system; and means for creating a license management list for managing software licenses based on the license contract information and the identification information. Management system.