Software License Borrowing for Intermittent Connectivity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing software license management systems are inefficient in mobile computing scenarios and intermittently connected environments, as they require continuous communication between license providers and consumers, making it difficult to ensure genuine entitlement and accurate license availability.
Innovation Solution
A software license management system with a license borrowing mechanism and an executive logic layer that includes fault tolerance and service licensing rules, allowing temporary license borrowing during network interruptions and adaptive mode switching based on network performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a dedicated license server is used to manage software licenses, then license distribution and control can be centralized, but the system becomes inefficient in mobile computing scenarios and intermittently connected environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the license management system into multiple independent license servers distributed across different locations. Each license server can independently serve license requests, eliminating the single-point dependency of dedicated license servers while maintaining centralized administrative capabilities through coordinated operation of multiple servers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimension of spatial distribution by deploying license servers across multiple geographic locations and network environments. This transforms the traditional single-location dedicated license server model into a multi-dimensional distributed architecture that can serve clients in various connectivity scenarios including mobile and intermittently connected environments.
2Reliability
If continuous communication between license provider and consumer is required to ensure genuine entitlement, then license authenticity can be verified, but the system cannot function in disconnected or intermittently connected modes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having license servers pre-validate license entitlements and cache authorization information before disconnection occurs. This allows the system to verify genuine entitlement in advance, storing the verification results locally so that license consumers can continue to operate with validated licenses even when network connectivity is interrupted.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary caching mechanism that stores license validation information and entitlement data. This intermediary layer decouples the real-time communication requirement between license provider and consumer, allowing the system to maintain reliability of entitlement verification while enabling offline operation by serving cached validation data when network connectivity is unavailable.
3Adaptability or versatility
If short-term or dedicated entitlement is provided for mobile use, then mobile computing scenarios can be supported, but additional fees are required and license management becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universality by designing a distributed license server system that can serve multiple functions and scenarios through the same infrastructure. The system can handle both traditional continuous-connectivity license management and mobile/intermittent-connectivity scenarios using the same license servers and protocols, eliminating the need for separate short-term entitlement systems and reducing overall complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A software license management system for a computer network is disclosed that is capable of operating in a disconnected or intermittently connected mode. The system is capable of borrowing software licenses from computer nodes (100, 200, 300) in one of three modes. The three modes include a fault tolerance mode, a service licensing mode, and a normal online mode. When network instability occurs, an executive logic layer software module (740) consults a set of rules to determine whether to automatically initiate short term software license borrowing using the fault tolerance mode or using the service licensing mode. The automatic short term software license borrowing continues as long as needed and then the normal online mode of software license borrowing is resumed.