License Validity Management via External Time Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses lack effective management of license validity periods, leading to unauthorized use due to discrepancies between the managed and actual valid periods, especially when the internal clock is tampered with or in offline environments.
Innovation Solution
An information processing apparatus that acquires a license with a valid period, communicates with an external server for reliable time information, and controls the license installation based on this information, ensuring proper validity management for both expiration-date-designated and valid-days-designated licenses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the image forming apparatus manages the remaining valid period using its internal clock, then the application can be used conveniently without external time synchronization, but unauthorized changes to the internal clock result in discrepancy between the managed valid period and the actual valid period
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an external server as an intermediary to provide authoritative time information. The image forming apparatus communicates with this server to obtain accurate current time and license validity period information, which then serves as the basis for determining whether to allow application execution. This intermediary mechanism resolves the contradiction by providing a trusted time source that maintains both accuracy (reliability) and allows offline operation after initial synchronization (ease of operation).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary time synchronization by having the image forming apparatus communicate with the external server before license validation. The apparatus preliminarily obtains the authoritative current time and calculates the validity period in advance, storing this information locally. This preliminary action ensures that even when operating offline later, the apparatus has pre-acquired accurate time information, thus maintaining both reliability of validity management and ease of operation during offline periods.
2Reliability
If the system requires communication with an external server for time synchronization, then accurate license validity management is achieved, but the system cannot function in offline environments
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary time synchronization and license validity calculation when connected to the external server, storing the authoritative time information and calculated validity period locally in the image forming apparatus. This preliminary action enables the apparatus to maintain accurate license validity management (reliability) while operating offline later, as it has pre-acquired the necessary time reference information, thus achieving adaptability to offline environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The external server acts as an intermediary that provides authoritative time information during online periods, which the apparatus then uses as a local reference for offline operation. This intermediary mechanism allows the system to achieve both accurate validity management (when server is available) and offline capability (when server is unavailable), as the apparatus can continue using the previously obtained time information as its reference.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the internal clock is used for license validity management, then the system operates independently without external dependencies, but unauthorized clock changes lead to security vulnerabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an external server as a trusted intermediary that provides authoritative time information for license validity determination. Instead of relying solely on the potentially tampered internal clock, the system uses this intermediary's time reference (obtained during online periods) to establish the correct validity period. This resolves the security vulnerability by preventing unauthorized clock changes from affecting license validation, while the apparatus maintains operational independence during offline periods using the pre-obtained time reference.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary verification of time information against the external server's authoritative source before relying on the internal clock for license validation. By preemptively comparing and synchronizing time information when the server is available, the system creates a protective mechanism that counteracts potential future clock tampering attempts, thus preventing unauthorized use while maintaining operational independence.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus installs a license instructed to be installed when a reliable date has been successfully acquired from a server. When the reliable date fails to be acquired and the license instructed to be installed is a valid-days-designated license, the information forming apparatus installs the valid-days-designated license based on the image forming apparatus' built-in clock. When the reliable date fails to be acquired and the license instructed to be installed is an expiration-date-designated license, the information forming apparatus does not install the expiration-date-designated license.