Software Purchase Validation Agent for Smart Device License Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

In managing software installations on smart devices, the challenge lies in accurately determining the propriety of purchase requests when purchase conditions such as price or licensing architecture change, as these conditions may differ between the property management apparatus and the application store.

Innovation Solution

A property management system that includes a management apparatus and an agent, where the agent acquires and collates purchase condition information from the application store, ensuring that download requests are validated against both the initial purchase propriety information and current conditions, thereby preventing installations that do not meet the managed purchase conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the agent determines purchase propriety based on initial purchase propriety information from the property management apparatus, then the software installation can be controlled according to license management policies, but the purchase condition information (such as price or licensing architecture) may change between the property management apparatus and the application store, leading to inaccurate determination of purchase propriety

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of purchase propriety determinationVSAvoiddifference in purchase condition information between management apparatus and store

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The agent performs preliminary acquisition of purchase condition information from the application store before determining purchase propriety. This preliminary action ensures that the determination is based on current, accurate pricing and licensing information from the store, rather than relying solely on potentially outdated information from the property management apparatus.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements a feedback mechanism where the agent compares purchase condition information obtained from the application store with purchase propriety information from the property management apparatus. This feedback loop allows the agent to identify discrepancies and make accurate determinations about whether the purchase request should be permitted.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Productivity

If the agent allows download based on purchase propriety information without verifying current purchase conditions, then the download process is simple and fast, but installations may exceed budget due to price fluctuations or licensing changes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedownload speedVSAvoidbudget control accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The agent performs preliminary verification of purchase condition information from the application store before initiating the download process. This preliminary check ensures that the download only proceeds if the current store conditions match the approved purchase propriety information, preventing budget overruns while minimizing delay to the download process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The agent acts as an intermediary between the property management apparatus and the application store, verifying that purchase conditions align before permitting downloads. This intermediary role ensures budget control is maintained without significantly impacting download speed, as the verification process is integrated into the download initiation flow.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If the agent strictly validates purchase requests against purchase condition information, then budget and license compliance is ensured, but the complexity of the purchase determination process increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelicense complianceVSAvoidpurchase determination process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The verification of purchase condition information is extracted as a distinct, modular step in the purchase determination process. The agent separates the acquisition of purchase condition information from the application store into its own functional block, making the overall process more manageable and easier to implement without significantly increasing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The agent is designed as a multi-functional component that handles both acquiring purchase condition information from the application store and determining purchase propriety based on that information. By consolidating these functions in a single agent rather than requiring separate systems, the solution maintains license compliance without proportionally increasing system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS10181150B2Method, apparatus, and medium

Publication Date: 2019.01.15 FUJITSU LTD

AI summary

An apparatus includes a processor configured to execute a process including: acquiring purchase propriety information and purchase condition information of software by unit of an account or a device before receiving a purchase request of the software, determining propriety of the purchase request based on the acquired purchase propriety information and purchase condition information when the purchase request of the software is received, and transmitting the purchase request when the purchase request is determined to be valid.