Method of managing software license contracts, system and information processing apparatus therefor, and target software for license contracts

摘要

A URL, to launch a license contract registration process, in software which requires license registration is informed to a license contract information input server which executes a process of inputting information necessary for license registration. After input of the necessary information, the license contract information input server transfers a request for license registration to the informed URL. The information necessary for license registration is inputted in accordance with a format arbitrarily created by the license contract information input server. A Web browser used by a user to operate a license contract registration process and license management target software can run on different hosts. After distribution of the target software for a license contract, information to be input by the user at the time of license contract can be changed.

主权项

1. A system which comprises a license management system, a first computer for executing target software which is a target of a license contract, and a second computer which is different from said first computer,
wherein said first computer comprises: a first transferring unit configured to, in response to a request of a license registration from said second computer, transfer, to said second computer, an identifier of said first computer, an identifier of the target software and first access information for accessing to said license management system; and wherein said second computer comprises: a first access unit configured to perform an access to said license management system using the first access information received from said first computer by a web browser; an input unit configured to input a license number via a screen provided by said license management system according to the access using the first access information by the first access unit; a second transferring unit configured to transfer the identifier of said first computer and the identifier of the target software to said license management system, wherein the second transferring unit transfers the input license number to said license management system; a reception unit configured to receive, from said license management system, a response including second access information for accessing to said first computer; a second access unit configured to perform an access to said first computer using the second access information received by the reception unit by the web browser; a third transferring unit configured to transfer, to said first computer, the identifier of said first computer, the identifier of the target software and the license number according to the access using the second access information by the second access unit, and wherein said first computer further comprises: a request unit configured to perform a request of a license to said license management system by using the identifier of said first computer, the identifier of the target software and the license number; and a validation unit configured to validate the target software based on a response corresponding to the request of the license by the request unit, wherein said license management system issues, as the response, without via the second computer, data for validating the target software to said first computer for executing the target software.