In-Application Licensing Service for Mobile Device License Enforcement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current licensing models for mobile devices are inefficient in managing and enforcing the acquisition and licensing of additional application-related items, as they require the application to handle all aspects of purchase, billing, provisioning, and licensing enforcement, which can be cumbersome and limit user experience.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an in-application purchase service and a license agent service on the device to manage the acquisition and licensing of subordinate licensable items, allowing the device to execute a base application, initiate transactions with an application store, receive transaction receipts, and obtain licenses from a license server, thereby alleviating the application's burden and enabling seamless licensing enforcement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the application handles all aspects of purchase, billing, provisioning, and licensing enforcement, then the application has full control over the licensing process, but the application's workload increases and user experience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The licensing system is segmented into distinct components: the application layer handles user interaction and initiation, while a separate licensing service handles transaction processing, billing, and enforcement. This segmentation reduces application workload by offloading complex licensing operations to a dedicated service layer.
Solution Approach 2:
A licensing service acts as an intermediary between the application and the licensing infrastructure. This mediator handles the complex tasks of transaction management, billing, and license enforcement, thereby simplifying the application's role to merely initiating and receiving results, which improves ease of operation.
2Productivity
If the application manages all licensing aspects, then licensing control is centralized in the application, but the process becomes cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The licensing service performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing transaction frameworks, license templates, and enforcement rules. When an application needs licensing, the service can quickly instantiate and process transactions based on pre-configured parameters, significantly reducing processing time and improving productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The licensing service operates autonomously to handle transaction processing, billing calculations, and license generation without requiring continuous application intervention. This self-service capability accelerates licensing acquisition by eliminating manual or application-driven processing steps.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional licensing models are used, then the application bears the burden of licensing management, but revenue generation opportunities are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The licensing service provides universal functionality that can serve multiple applications and licensing scenarios through a single unified system. This multi-functional approach enables diverse revenue generation models (one-time purchases, subscriptions, in-app items) without requiring separate licensing management infrastructure for each application, thereby increasing adaptability while reducing individual application burden.
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and methods for licensing include executing a base application on a device, initiating a transaction with an application store to obtain access to a subordinate licensable item that is usable by the base application, receiving a transaction receipt corresponding to the transaction for the subordinate licensable item, and obtaining, from a license server, a subordinate license that corresponds to the subordinate licensable item. Additionally, the apparatus and methods may include storing a base license for a base application on a device, acquiring a subordinate license for a subordinate licensable item usable by the base application, receiving a request to execute the base application, enforcing, by a license agent service on the device, the base license with respect to executing the base application, and enforcing, by the base application, the subordinate license during execution of the base application.