DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MANAGING SOFTWARE LICENCE

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To control soft ware and to manage a license offline. SOLUTION: User specific information dU is taken out form a user information data base 310 based on the request of a user and a secret key D is obtained from a software information data base 320. A license ticket (t) is generated by t=D-F(dU, n) and it is issued to the user. A function F is preferably a one- way hash function. The user can verify an access qualification to software by using the license ticket and user specific information to make use of the software. An item of the pertinent user of the user information data base 310 and an item of the pertinent user of the user information data base 320 are updated in accordance with issuance of the license ticket. Charging is executed based on the content of the software information data base 320 at an appropriate period.