Encrypted Library Packaging for Software Usage Tracking and Billing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing software development systems struggle with managing the use of software components outside the control of the provider, leading to potential unauthorized use and lack of efficient fee management.
Innovation Solution
A software use system that includes a storage unit for libraries and a package generation mechanism using public-key encryption to manage and distribute libraries with use conditions, enabling secure and fee-based usage by software development devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If software components are distributed without encryption and use management information, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to unauthorized use and lack of fee management
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-embedding use management information and encryption mechanisms into software components before distribution. The package generation unit adds identification information, use condition information, and encrypts the software component with a public key in advance, so that usage tracking and fee management are automatically enabled without requiring additional control measures at distribution time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary management server that acts as a mediator between the software component provider and the software development device. The management server stores use management information, verifies usage through decryption with private keys, and handles fee collection, thereby enabling reliable use management without requiring direct control over the distributed software components.
2Reliability
If encryption and use management information are added to software components, then reliability of use management is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a standardized package structure that integrates multiple functions into a unified format. The package simultaneously contains the software component, use management information, encryption data, and identification information, allowing a single distribution mechanism to handle security, tracking, and fee management without requiring separate complex systems for each function.
3Reliability
If use management information is tracked and monitored, then reliability of fee management is improved, but loss of time increases due to verification processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-computing and embedding digital signatures and encryption data during package generation. The verification process only requires decrypting with a private key and checking the pre-computed signature, rather than performing complex verification calculations in real-time, thereby minimizing the time loss during usage verification while maintaining fee management reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A software use system includes a storage unit storing one or a plurality of libraries. A package providing unit generates, in response to a request from a software development device, a package with use management information added to a requested library and encrypting the generated package with a public key of the software development device. The package is provided to the software development device. The use management information includes identification information for specifying the software development device. The software development device decrypts the encrypted package with a private key, and after that, provides an environment for developing an application by using the package.