Virtual License Document Automation for EULA Compliance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current processes for accessing material subject to end-user license agreements (EULAs) are inefficient, requiring manual review by legal representatives, which can take hours or days, leading to delays and costs for companies due to the need for manual processing and approval.

Innovation Solution

The development of a system that creates a virtual license document by identifying and inserting licensing clauses and metadata into a markup document, using predefined rules and keywords to automate the process of determining EULA acceptability and generating virtual license documents.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual review by legal representative is used to approve EULA access, then licensing accuracy and legal compliance are ensured, but processing time increases significantly and productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelicensing compliance accuracyVSAvoidaccess approval speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a virtual license document as an intermediary between the EULA terms and the access approval process. This virtual document captures and structures the licensing clauses, serving as a machine-processable representation that bridges legal requirements and automated decision-making, thereby maintaining compliance accuracy while enabling faster processing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the manual mechanical review process with an automated system that uses markup language processing and algorithmic evaluation. The virtual license document in markup format allows computational analysis of licensing terms, substituting human legal review with automated processing that maintains accuracy while dramatically improving speed

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Measurement precision

If manual EULA review process is used, then detailed legal analysis can be performed, but time to market for products increases due to hours or days of processing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelegal clause analysis depthVSAvoidtime to market
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary action by pre-structuring and capturing licensing clauses in a standardized virtual license document format before the actual access approval process. This preparation work organizes the legal information in advance using markup language, enabling rapid automated processing during the approval stage without sacrificing analysis depth

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a simplified copy or representation of the EULA terms in the virtual license document using markup language. This copy captures the essential licensing clauses and metadata in a structured format that is easier and faster to process computationally while retaining the legal meaning and analysis capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Reliability

If comprehensive legal review is conducted for each EULA access request, then licensing accuracy is maintained, but resource consumption and operational costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelicense term interpretation accuracyVSAvoidlegal review resource consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements self-service by enabling the virtual license document to serve its own purpose of automated evaluation. The structured markup format and embedded metadata allow the system to automatically assess licensing compliance without requiring external legal review resources for routine decisions, reducing resource consumption while maintaining accuracy through algorithmic consistency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS8160964B2Virtual license documents
Publication Date: 2012.04.17 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION
  • US8160964B2 patent drawing
  • US8160964B2 patent drawing
  • US8160964B2 patent drawing

AI summary

Exemplary methods, systems, and products are described for creating a virtual license document for material subject to an end-user license agreement (‘EULA’). Embodiments include identifying a licensing clause for the virtual license document; creating metadata describing the licensing clause; and inserting in a markup document the licensing clause and the metadata describing the clause. Identifying a licensing clause for the virtual license document may be carried out by identifying a known licensing clause in an existing end-user license agreement (‘EULA’) in dependence upon licensing clause identification rules. Identifying a known clause in an existing end-user license agreement (‘EULA’) in dependence upon clause identification rules may be carried out by identifying keywords in the existing end-user license agreement (‘EULA’) predetermined to be associated with a known clause in end-user license agreements; and identifying the known licensing clause in dependence upon the keywords.