Abstract: Methods and apparatus for accessing licensable items unique to a geographic area via a wireless device are provided. The method and apparatus may include obtaining access to licensable items available in a first location of the wireless device. The methods and apparatus may further include downloading a licensable item. The licensable item is associated with a license providing the wireless device with a right to distribute the licensable item. The methods and apparatus may also include leaving a virtual copy of the licensable item in a second location of the wireless device different from the first location using the right to distribute.

Abstract: A method of posting ephemeral posts is disclosed. The method starts with receiving, from a user of a social network, a request to post an ephemeral post, the request including an ephemeral variable associated with a threshold event. The ephemeral post is posted on behalf of the user. Then an occurrence of the threshold event is monitored. When the threshold event has not occurred, the post is allowed to be accessible to at least one viewer other than the user. When the threshold event has occurred, the post is blocked from being accessible by the at least one view other than the user.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for using a non-volatile storage device includes reading device identification information from the non-volatile storage device, application identification information corresponding to a content application related to a type of content to be protected or utilized among a plurality of content applications is acquired, usage identification information is generated using the device identification information and the application identification information, and protecting or utilizing content using the usage identification information.

Abstract: Described herein is a framework to monitor mobile application usage. In accordance with one aspect of the framework, sensor data from one or more sensors in a mobile computing device is received. Usage of one or more mobile applications implemented on the mobile computing device may be monitored based on such sensor data to generate monitoring results. A report may be generated based on the monitoring results.

Abstract: Systems and methods for configuring a virtual machine provided by a remote computing system based on the availability of one or more remote computing resources and respective corresponding prices of the one or more remote computing resources.

Abstract: Apparatus, techniques and systems for preventing illegal use of software and other digital files based on operations of a data storage device controller in a computer or computer system. For example, a method for preventing illegal use of software includes: configuring a computer to use a data storage device controller to control use of each digital file stored on one or more data storage devices; before a use of each digital file, operating the data storage device controller to access a storage device on which the digital file is stored to check whether the digital file meets a condition for use; and operating the data storage device controller to block use of the digital file when the condition is not met and to allow execution of the digital file when the condition is met. The digital file can be an application software or other digital documents.

Abstract: Techniques for execution-based license discovery and optimization. A method includes collecting execution information for one or more software processes on one or more servers in an operating system, mapping the collected execution information for the one or more software processes to one or more software products, determining usage of a software product in the operating system based on the mapping of the collected execution information for the one or more software processes to one or more software products, and identifying one or more software product license optimization opportunities based on a comparison of the determined usage of the software product in the operating system and an indication of all installations of the software product in the operating system.

Abstract: A microcomputer has a processing unit; a plurality of registers; a storage storing hardware initialization data that includes an initial value and a register address in which the initial value is set, the processing unit performing a process including: setting the initial value in a register having the register address based on the hardware initialization data; performing a functional capability limitation releasing processing to determine whether authentication data in an authentication register, which is selected in advance from the plurality of registers, is correct based on an authentication information for releasing limitations on a functional capability of a function, and to put a function corresponding to the authentication information into an executable state when the authentication data is correct; and executing the function which is put into the executable state to realize the functional capability of the executed function.

Abstract: A system and methods for digital content creation and upload through a managed website for providing network-based access to authorized users who pay for predetermined rights that allow for use of the content by the authorized user on a multiplicity of devices, without having to repurchase access to the same content.

Abstract: For managing license keys, a license key service module creates a license key service object of a license key service class. The license key service object includes a plurality of management operations including a get all license keys operation that acquires a license key for licensing services. A hosted license key service module creates a hosted license key service object of a hosted license key service class that includes the license key service object. A license key module creates a license key object of a license key class. The license key object includes the license key and employs the plurality of management operations. A management module manages the license key using the license key object, license key service object, and hosted license key service object.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program product for managing a service is disclosed. A computer system collects information about the use of a set of resources by the service. Responsive to receiving a request to verify information about the use of the set of resources by the service, the computer system generates a description of the use of the set of resources by the service using the information collected. The computer system then creates a response to the request using the generated description of the use of the set of resources by the service as proof of the validity of the information.

Abstract: The method and system are for playing digital contents protected by a DRM scheme, wherein the digital contents are stored in a server and downloaded or streamed to a user device. The approach includes executing a DRM application inside the user device implementing a proxy between the server and a native player of the user device, and connecting the DRM proxy application to the server, selecting a digital content to be downloaded and retrieving a corresponding remote playlist. Also, the approach includes transforming the remote playlist into a local playlist having a format readable from the native player and executing a plurality of local packets of the local playlist inside the native player.

Abstract: A license manager running on a central-management server interacts with a managed node to determine a quantity of licensable units associated with a combination of a central-management program and the selected managed node.

Abstract: A system for securely authenticating software Application Program Interfaces (APIs) includes a handshake protocol that enables promulgation of licensing rights controlling Intellectual Property (IP) to multiple Actors. The handshake is a Challenge-Response protocol that includes a Challenge issued by one Actor who controls IP rights to verify a second Actor has Licensed IP rights when the second Actor Response includes use of a function IPF1. The function e.g. IPF1 is provided through the IP licensing agreement. Other Actors who wish to use software that the first Actor provides will be encouraged to acquire rights to the IP License to obtain the function IPF1 for access. Subsequent Actors who have IP rights controlled by another function IPF2 can be pulled into the same IP Licensing system, or another IP License that becomes part of the same ecosystem with the system controlled using function IPF1.

Abstract: A storage stores content information for a trial version of an application program assigned identification information and content information for a product version; a license information acquisition unit acquires license information for the application program by referring to request information acknowledged by an input acknowledging unit; a determination unit determines whether the license information for the application program is stored in the memory by referring to the identification information; and a display processing unit generates a display screen using first content information until the determination unit determines that the license information is stored, and generates a display screen using second content information when the determination unit determines that the license information is stored.

Abstract: Methods and systems for allocating licenses to devices are provided. More particularly, the devices included in a system may each require a license having a release value that is equal to or greater than the release value of the device in order to be fully operational. Upon the unregistration of a device, the highest cost or value license that can be made available while maintaining proper registration of the remaining registered devices is freed. More particularly, the difference between the number of devices registered and the licenses used is calculated for each release value. A variance for each release value, beginning with the least cost or lowest release value license and working towards the highest cost or value license is then calculated. The highest cost license that can be released is equal to the license value for which the calculated variance is equal to zero.

Abstract: A content receiver comprises: an acceptance unit for accepting a designation of a recording medium to which contents are to be output; a license information acquiring unit for acquiring output license information describing the output requirements of the contents; and an output unit for outputting the contents to the designated recording medium. The output license information includes usage time limit information indicating the time limit of using the contents in an output destination. The output unit acquires the usage time limit information from the output license information for the contents, and sets the acquired usage time limit information to a management information storing area in the designated recording medium, thereby managing the time period of using the contents in the recording medium even if the copyright protection of the recording medium, which is an export destination, has a function to manage the time period of using the contents.

Abstract: Systems and methods for managing digital rights settings are provided. In some aspects, the systems and methods described include receiving user input including an order for obtaining access rights to a media asset. Control circuitry determines whether the media asset is associated with a first package of media assets. The control circuitry cross-references a database of user order history to determine whether the user has obtained access rights for each media asset in the first package of media assets. If the user has obtained access rights for each media asset in the first package of media assets, the control circuitry generates digital rights settings for each media asset in the first package of media assets to enable the user to create a mashup. The mashup includes portions of at least one media asset in the first package. The control circuitry generates a display based on the digital rights settings.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for updating players that run, display, or otherwise use electronically-stored content. Information is included in the content that not only indicates the player version needed to play the content, but also the existence of a newer player version. Content providing such an indication is termed “version-aware content” and allows a player to recognize that a newer player version exists. Version-aware content may be interpreted to provide a user with a message indicating that there is a newer version available. In another example, a player may automatically update based on the version-aware content's indication that a newer player exists. Content created to be compatible with older player versions can be created as version-aware content. Similarly, existing content can be modified to be version-aware content. In both cases, distribution of such content can encourage player updates and thus more rapid proliferation of a newer player version.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for verifying the compatibility among the software components used in the software solution using an auto-license compatibility verifier. Further, the present invention provides the method for enabling the auto-license compatibility verifier, a tool for automatically and dynamically mapping the licensing information of the software components which are used in the software solution with respect to the already stored licensing information which are stored in the database.

Abstract: A method is provided for network identification based on high entropy data on a network which are not easily guessed or obtained outside the network, which can prevent an attacker from “spoofing” the network. A component in a client computer connected to a network may obtain over the network a network data block including device identification information of a device controlling the network. Upon parsing the network data block, such high entropy data as unique device identifiers may be obtained from the device identification information. Depending on availability of the unique device identifiers and authentication history of the client computer, different combinations of the unique device identifiers and/or other identification information may be used to generate a unique network identifier such as a network signature. The component may provide the network signature to applications within the client computer.

Abstract: A transcoding system (1) comprises a mobile communication device (2) that retrieves a web resource from a web server (6) using a mobile communication network (3) and the internet (4) via a transcoder (5). The transcoder (5) transcodes the web resource before delivering it to the mobile communication device (2). The process of transcoding the web page is carried out based on style sheet classes and/or meta tags in the web page. This allows a web site owner (7) to control the actions of the transcoder (5) in transcoding the web page.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to software license management and provide a method, system and computer program product for authorizing customer managed software installation. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for authorizing customer managed software installation based on entitlement records can be provided. The method can include in response to a request to transfer a registered software product from an existing platform to a new platform, validating both an entitlement record and also a maintenance record for the registered software product and transferring the registered software product to the new platform only if both the entitlement record and the maintenance record validate.

Abstract: A license management apparatus transfers license information from a transfer source device to a transfer destination device. The license information is required for enabling functions of a program package serving as an integrated product including a plurality of functions. The license management apparatus includes a management unit and a transfer unit. The management unit manages all or part of the plurality of functions as belonging to one group. After license information of functions included in the program package and managed by the management unit as belonging to the same group is acquired from the transfer source device, the transfer unit transfers license information of functions managed as belonging to the same group to the transfer destination device.

Abstract: Example embodiments disclosed herein relate to distributing updated execution information to a cluster of nodes. Licensing information about whether the nodes are licensed to receive the updated execution information is generated. The licensing information is validated. The validated licensing information is used to distribute the updated execution information to the nodes.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for executing an application constituted by one or more program modules, includes a license target identification information generating unit configured to generate license target identification information used for identifying which of the program modules are targets of license management, and to store the license target identification information in a storage device, wherein the license target identification information is generated based on one or more program module information items each being associated with one of the program modules to indicate whether the corresponding program module is a target of license management; and a license determination unit configured to determine, in response to an input of a usage request to use the application, whether a license is present, wherein the determination is made only for one or more of the program modules identified as being the targets of license management based on the license target identification information.

Abstract: A digital rights management license provides access to a decryption key that can be used to decrypt an encrypted digital content item. The digital rights management license also includes a policy that defines circumstances in which the decryption key is allowed to decrypt encrypted content data for the purpose of creating a persistently-unencrypted version of the content data.

Abstract: A software reconciliation engine utilizes a software rule-based catalog to produce accurate license reconciliation across a wide range of software configurations. A software offering may comprise software installables and corresponding constraints. Installed software and active hardware is discovered by a scanner, stored in an installed software database and active hardware database respectively and is mapped against entitled software offerings to determine whether the installed software is entitled to be installed on the hardware. The installed software has a base product attribute, a used-in-count attribute and a parent-child attribute that are used by the reconciliation engine to compare against the constraints to determine entitlement and report compliance.

Abstract: A system for controlling access rights of a software developer party with respect to artifacts having computer operated functions of a computer program includes an access control database which has policies that control access by a party to the artifacts in an application development environment. The system includes an application development environment having the artifacts. The system includes an access policy controller in communication with the access control database and the application development environment which implements the policies and controls access by the party to the artifacts being controlled. At least a first of the plurality of artifacts has a part being modifiable by the party and operative with all other artifacts of the plurality of artifacts after being modified.

Abstract: A registration part receives a product key of a program for performing a communication using a private key and a public key, and discrimination information of a computer using the program. The registration part registers in a management part, when an authentication of a license corresponding to the product key is completed in success, correspondence information between the product key and the discrimination information and other discrimination information regarding the correspondence information. A discrimination information sending part returns the other discrimination information to an electronic certificate issue apparatus. A checking part receives the other discrimination information and check whether the other discrimination information is registered in the management part.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention provides a system that enables financial services companies to manage and track information about a sales force. The system includes components for managing distributors information, for validating and tracking licenses and credentials, for creating customized contracts, and for maintaining compensation structures. The system allows for configuring compensations, providing financial services companies a toolkit for creating and modeling their complex commission schedules used to compensate their sales force. The system also provides modeling tools for agreements and contracts between a financial services company or provider and the distributors who sell products. The system has a multi-component architecture comprising multiple modules, multiple data processing engines, a backbone and multiple data sources. The processing modules carry out information processing using one or more data processing engines.

Abstract: Systems and articles of manufacture for execution-based license discovery and optimization include collecting execution information for one or more software processes on one or more servers in an operating system, mapping the collected execution information for the one or more software processes to one or more software products, determining usage of a software product in the operating system based on the mapping of the collected execution information for the one or more software processes to one or more software products, and identifying one or more software product license optimization opportunities based on a comparison of the determined usage of the software product in the operating system and an indication of all installations of the software product in the operating system.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of password protection applied to applications on mobile devices during a remote control session. When a mobile device is connected to a remote support technician providing said remote support technician access to the mobile device, when a user highlights a password field the password is contextually hidden on remote support technician's console. A toast message is displayed on the remote access console and the user's mobile device and the remote support technician is denied the ability to edit the user's password field.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for converting a node-locked licensing scheme to a cloud-based management of licenses to use computer products. In one example, a license manager device of a vendor receives a request to upgrade a computer product that is associated with a node-locked certificate that configures the computer product to be node-locked to a particular device. The request includes an identifier of the computer product. The license manager device registers the product identifier to a license pool of a customer account associated with the computer product. The license pool includes entitlements to use the computer product. The license manager device searches for node-locked entitlements that are associated with the node-locked certificate. The license manager device moves the node-locked entitlements to the license pool.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for authorization management. In one aspect, there is provided a computer-implemented method. The method may include receiving a request to authorize at least one user to at least one module of a system; mapping the received request to a semantic tag; processing, based on the semantic tag, the request to authorize the at least one user to determine whether to grant the at least one user access to the at least one module; and sending a response to the request to authorize the at least one user, wherein the response is in accordance with the result of the processing. Related apparatus, systems, methods, and articles are also described.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for delegating authority over licenses to use computer products in a disconnected network. In one example, a collector device receives a delegation of authority from a license manager device to manage entitlements for a plurality of computer products installed in a network infrastructure. The collector device receives an identifier from each computer product. The collector device receives a configuration state of each computer product, wherein each configuration state includes a set of features that are enabled on the first computer product. The collector device sends to the license manager device a report that includes each identifier and each configuration state.

Abstract: An approach is provided for detecting and monitoring end user license agreement (EULA) compliance is provided. A request to access a executable software code is received from an end user. A EULA version corresponding to the requested executable software code is identified. A determination is made as to whether the end user has accepted the identified EULA. If the end user has not accepted the identified EULA, then an out of date EULA notification is sent to the end user, the EULA is sent to the end user requesting an acceptance to the EULA. A EULA response is received from the end user. If the end user accepts the EULA, then the end user is allowed access to the executable software code.

Abstract: In one aspect, this application describes a method for determining a license status of a software application. The method includes receiving a license status request to obtain an indication of whether a software application is licensed for use on a client computing device. The method also includes identifying identity information that corresponds to user identity information, device identity information, or both. The method also includes sending a communication generated from the license status request and the identity information to a licensing service, the communication being used by the licensing service to generate the indication based at least in part on the identity information and licensing information associated with the software application. The method also includes receiving a license status response from the licensing service that includes the indication. The method also includes sending the license status response to the software application for processing by the software application.

Abstract: A license consignment method and system for a portable device playing a right-protected content with a license is provided for improving utilization reliability and manageability of a license by enabling a license server to manage the license consigned by the portable device. The method includes selecting a license to be consigned to a license server, transmitting the license server license information corresponding to the selected license, and transmitting, when the license is not downloaded in a certain time, a download trigger message to the portable device.

Abstract: Disclosed is an information providing apparatus comprising first reception control means for controlling the reception, from a first information processing apparatus, of user identification data for identifying a user of the first information processing apparatus and a request for purchasing a content, first transmission control means for controlling in response to the request for purchasing the content the transmission of the request for purchasing the content to a second information processing apparatus, second reception control means for controlling the reception of the content and usage conditions thereof supplied from the second information processing apparatus, storage control means for controlling the storing of the content and usage conditions thereof in correlation with the user identification data, third reception control means for controlling the reception of the user identification data and a request for sending the content supplied from the first information processing apparatus, and second trans

Abstract: An information handling system includes a host mapped general purpose input output (GPIO), a shared memory, a board management controller, and a cryptography engine. The host mapped GPIO includes a plurality of registers. The board management controller is in communication with the host mapped GPIO and with the shared memory, and is configured to control accessibility to the plurality of registers in the GPIO, and to control write accessibility of the shared memory based on a private key received from a basic input output system requesting accessibility to the plurality of registers and write accessibility of the shared memory. The cryptography engine is in communication with the board memory controller, and is configured to authenticate the private key received from the board management controller.

Abstract: A request to render content associated with a first super distributed content file is detected by a content rendering device. At least one portion of the content associated with the first super distributed content file is determined to be missing from the first super distributed content file. A second file including the at least one portion of the content missing from the first super distributed content file is obtained from a server. The at least one portion of the content of the second file includes partial encrypted portions of the content associated with an encryption system of the content rendering device. A content output stream including decrypted partial encrypted portions of the content of the second file and the content associated with the first super distributed content file is generated. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A system and method of delivering a media package to an on-line downloading store are disclosed. The method includes receiving a media file into a compressor application in which at least one compression job is assigned for the media file. The method further includes receiving setting data and destination data for storing a media package associated with processing the media file. The method next includes retrieving pre-defined asset metadata based on user-submitted credential data and vendor identification data, receiving contract acceptance data based on a pre-existing contract associated with the media file and generating a media package configured for ingestion into the on-line media store for each at least one compression job assigned to the media file.

Abstract: A method for planning assignment of floating licenses of software products is proposed. Floating licenses can be requested to a runtime server by multiple workstations (to which they are assigned until a maximum number of instances of the product are running concurrently). In the solution of the invention, a user of every workstation needing to run the product in a future timeframe submits a corresponding reservation request to the runtime server. If at least one license is available for the selected timeframe, the runtime server reserves the license to the workstation (so as to prevent assigning it to other workstations for the same period); at the same time, a corresponding temporary permission is stored on the workstation. In this way, the product can be used during the selected timeframe on the workstation only; this is possible without any risk even if the workstation is disconnected from the runtime server.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for providing a DRM service by a user terminal apparatus consuming DRM content in a service environment that provides the DRM content using a plurality of incompatible DRM systems. A license corresponding to the DRM content is acquired from a service providing apparatus that provides the DRM content. It is determined whether the license is a common license having a common DRM interface format. The common DRM interface format of the common license is converted to a format of a first DRM system installed in the user terminal apparatus, when the license is the common license. The license having the format of the first DRM system is applied in reproducing the DRM content. The common license is provided from the service providing apparatus to the user terminal apparatus through a common DRM interface when the service providing apparatus does not support the first DRM system.

Abstract: A content data reproducing method includes: decrypting encrypted data to generate plain-text data; dividing the plain-text data into decrypted content data and reproduction management information; sending the reproduction management information to a user space; storing the decrypted content data in a secret buffer; obtaining the decrypted content data as reproduction target data from the secret buffer and transmitting the reproduction target data to a decoder; and decoding the reproduction target data by the decoder.

Abstract: A method of protecting a software program from unauthorized usage is presented. At startup, the program reads an encrypted license file. The license file contains the computer name for an individual license or the domain name for a group license. The program matches the computer name or the domain name in the license file against the computer name or domain name of the computer. If a name match exists, the program will run normally. Otherwise, the program closes immediately or runs with limited functionality. The license file is prepared based on the computer name or domain name submitted to the vendor website. The program displays the computer name and domain name for the user to copy-and-paste the name onto a webpage. The program may also provide a function to send the computer name or domain name without webpage interaction to the vendor website. After making the payment, the user downloads the license file from a webpage.

Abstract: Methods and systems for remotely provisioning applications from the cloud in secure environments with robust license control failover options using a hierarchical server topology. Cloud-based servers provide applications and licenses to an organization's local servers, which in turn serve applications and licenses to end user devices. By synchronizing information including license and application provision information among the local and cloud-based servers, an organization's local servers can continue to serve applications and licenses when one or more of the organization's local servers fail.

Abstract: A system including a computer and having a part that stores identification data and status data in association with the identification data, a part that receives a request to acquire a license corresponding to a designated identification data, a part that receives a designation of an electronic device, a part that designates the identification data, obtains license data corresponding to the designated identification data, and updates the status data associated with the designated identification data, the updated status data indicating that the license is being used, a part that transmits the license data to the electronic device via a network and instructs the electronic device to acquire the license, and a part that provides a part that receives an instruction for re-executing obtaining of the license data depending on whether the status data is updated and instructs to re-execute the obtaining of the license data.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring third party access to a restricted item is provided. Key data is embedded in the restricted item, the key data being associated with a store of value and usable to conduct a transaction against the store of value. A record of the transaction becomes visible in a transaction ledger. The transaction ledger is monitored to determine whether a transaction against the store of value has occurred, and the restricted item is designated as accessed by a third party in the event that a transaction against the store of value has occurred.