Access Token Feature Activation for Software Licensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional digital licensing systems are complex, costly, and prone to piracy, with difficulties in quickly rolling out software products and managing software features due to the need for separate licenses, license servers, and extensive DRM schemes.
Innovation Solution
The system embeds feature data in access tokens to activate software product features on client devices, eliminating the need for separate licenses and license servers by using a master feature registry and generating a feature set ID that is embedded in the access token, allowing the client device to activate permitted features.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional licensing systems use separate licenses and license servers with complex DRM schemes, then software product security is improved, but system complexity and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the license server, license validation logic, and feature management into a single integrated system. The server generates tokens that contain embedded feature data, eliminating the need for separate license files and multiple validation steps. This consolidation reduces system complexity while maintaining security through centralized control.
Solution Approach 2:
The licensing system is designed to universally manage multiple software products and feature sets through a single token-based mechanism. The server can issue tokens for different products and feature combinations, and the client device can validate and activate various features using the same token validation process, reducing the need for product-specific licensing code.
2Reliability
If conventional licensing systems implement comprehensive DRM schemes, then piracy protection is improved, but ease of operation and rollout speed deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex DRM validation logic from the client device and relocates it to the server. The server generates tokens that encapsulate all necessary feature authorization data, which the client device can validate locally without needing to implement complex DRM schemes. This extraction maintains piracy protection while dramatically simplifying client-side operations and enabling faster product rollout.
Solution Approach 2:
The server performs preliminary validation and feature authorization before issuing tokens. All security checks and feature permissions are predetermined and embedded in the token during generation. The client device simply validates the token without needing to perform complex real-time DRM checks, enabling rapid deployment while maintaining security.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional licensing systems use separate licenses stored locally, then feature management capability is improved, but device complexity and storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of storing complex license files locally, the system creates simplified token copies that contain only the essential feature authorization data needed for validation. The server generates these token copies and distributes them to client devices, which store and present them for validation. This copying approach maintains feature management capability while reducing local storage requirements and device complexity.
4Reliability
If conventional licensing systems require license server communication for activation, then security control is improved, but processing time and operational efficiency worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The server performs all security validation and feature authorization in advance when generating the token. The token contains pre-validated authorization data that the client device can verify locally without requiring real-time server communication during activation. This preliminary action maintains security control while dramatically reducing activation time.
Solution Approach 2:
The licensing process is segmented into server-side token generation (where security validation occurs) and client-side token validation (where activation occurs). This segmentation allows security-critical operations to be performed on the server while enabling fast local validation on the client device, reducing overall processing time while maintaining security control.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are disclosed for activating features of software products at a client device utilizing a features set ID embedded in an access token. In particular, in one or more embodiments, the disclosed systems and methods provide a master feature registry to a client device in conjunction with downloading a software product. Moreover, upon authenticating a user of the client device, the disclosed systems and methods generate a feature set ID indicating the software products the user is permitted to access. The disclosed systems and methods embed the generated feature set ID into an access token and send the access token to the client device. The client device can utilize the embedded feature set ID in conjunction with the master feature registry to identify authorized features. Moreover, the client device can activate the authorized features in relation to the software product.