Selective License Return for Serial Number Reuse
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Solution Overview
Problem
In licensing systems where multiple licenses are associated with a single serial number, returning all licenses is required to reuse the serial number on another computer, leading to inefficiencies and unnecessary license returns.
Innovation Solution
Implement a system that allows licenses for different software versions and additional functions to be managed under a single serial number, enabling selective license return based on usage, with the licensing server releasing associations only when all associated licenses are returned.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If all licenses associated with a serial number are returned to reuse the serial number, then the serial number can be used on another computer, but unnecessary licenses are returned and efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and identifies only the specific license that needs to be returned (the one associated with the uninstalled software) rather than returning all licenses. The license management unit queries the license table to find the exact license entry matching the software to be uninstalled, and returns only that specific license, leaving other active licenses untouched.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the license management process by separating the return operation into specific identification and selective execution. Instead of treating all licenses as a single group, the system divides them into individual license entries in a license table, allowing precise targeting and return of only the relevant license while maintaining others.
2Device complexity
If multiple licenses are managed under a single serial number, then license management is simplified, but returning licenses becomes complex as all must be returned to reuse the serial number
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a license table as an intermediary data structure between the serial number and the actual license information. This license table stores detailed license entries including software identification, device information, and usage status, allowing the system to precisely identify and return only the specific license associated with the uninstalled software without affecting other licenses under the same serial number.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the license information into discrete, queryable entries in a license table, where each entry represents a specific software-license-device association. This segmentation enables the license management unit to independently manage and return individual licenses even when multiple licenses share the same serial number, simplifying the return operation.
Data Source
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AI summary
An information processing apparatus carries out license return at the same time as carrying out license activation and returns only a license that can bring about a beneficial effect by being returned according to a state of a held license. Further, if a plurality of licenses is associated with a single serial number, the information processing apparatus returns the plurality of licenses collectively.