Universal Feature License Provisioning System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing feature licensing systems are often custom-designed for specific product lines, leading to increased costs in development, deployment, and support, and users face confusion with multiple systems for different manufacturers, necessitating a generic system that can support various product lines and integrate with device manufacturing processes.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a Central License Server, License Personalization Server, Device Programming Station, and Hardware Security Module for secure and flexible feature license provisioning, enabling the creation and delivery of personalized licenses during device manufacturing, with features like secure key management and redundant deployment for scalability and availability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If custom-designed feature licensing systems are built for each product line, then each system can be optimized for specific product requirements, but development costs, deployment costs, and support costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal feature licensing system that can serve multiple product lines through a common architecture. The system uses configurable product line definitions and shared licensing components that can be adapted to different products without requiring separate custom systems, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the licensing functionality into modular components including product line configurations, feature definitions, and licensing operations. This segmentation allows the universal system to handle different product lines through configurable parameters rather than requiring separate monolithic systems for each product.
2Adaptability or versatility
If custom-designed feature licensing systems are built for each product line, then specific product requirements can be met, but repeated development and maintenance efforts increase costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal licensing system that can be reused across multiple product lines, eliminating the need for repeated development efforts. The system maintains adaptability through configurable product line definitions and feature sets, allowing a single system to serve multiple products with different requirements without requiring separate custom implementations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses templates and configurations that can be copied and adapted for different product lines. Once a licensing system is established for one product line, the same framework can be replicated for other products by configuring different feature sets and parameters, significantly reducing development resources required.
3Adaptability or versatility
If users have products from multiple manufacturers with different feature licensing systems, then product variety is available, but user confusion increases and training requirements rise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal feature licensing system that provides consistent user interfaces and operational processes across products from different manufacturers. The system achieves this through standardized licensing operations and unified user interactions while still supporting diverse product lines, thereby reducing user confusion and training requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies homogeneous interface designs and operational procedures across all product lines. By standardizing how users interact with feature licensing regardless of manufacturer or product type, the system maintains ease of operation while supporting manufacturer diversity through the underlying universal architecture.
4Device complexity
If a generic feature licensing system is used to support multiple product lines, then development and support costs are reduced, but integration with specific device manufacturing processes becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by allowing manufacturer-specific customizations at the product line level within the universal system. Each manufacturer can configure their specific manufacturing process integrations and device-specific parameters while using the common universal licensing framework, thereby simplifying overall system architecture while maintaining ease of manufacturing integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the integration points into standardized interfaces that can be independently configured for different manufacturers. This segmentation allows each manufacturer to integrate their specific device manufacturing processes through defined connection points without affecting the core universal licensing system, balancing architectural simplicity with manufacturing flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a manufacturing process and feature licensing system for provisioning personalized (device-unique) licenses to devices, with the following characteristics. The system is secure in that it uses a secure key wrapping mechanism to deliver the LSK to LPS. Another feature is that various network communication links are secured using standard security protocol. Further, application messages, license templates, licenses are digitally signed. The system is also flexible because it is configured to allow multiple manufacturers and to allow various feature configurations via the use of License Template. The system is also scalable, as it is possible to use multiple LPS hosts to serve multiple programming stations. The system is available in that the delegation of license signing capability from CLS to LPS eliminates the dependency on unreliable Internet connections. Redundant LPS hosts provide high level of availability required for high volume license provisioning.