License management system, license management method, and client device

摘要

At the time of license authentication for a PC software product, an inquiry about the license authentication date of an MFP software product included in a combined product is made to an MFP in which the MFP software is installed, and the license authentication date of the earlier date information is deemed as the start date of a maintenance contract. A license management method is provided in which if the PC software product is released within the term of the maintenance contract, the PC software product is made usable.

主权项

1. A license management system having a client device and a server system that manages a license of a software package including a plurality of pieces of software that are executed on different devices,
the client device comprising: a first memory storing program code; and a first hardware processor that, upon execution of the program code stored in the first memory, performs the functions of a transmission unit that transmits a request containing an identifier of a first piece of software included in the software package to the server system; a first reception unit that receives a response containing device identification information from the server system; a first request unit that makes a request for date information regarding authentication of a second piece of software included in the software package to a device corresponding to the device identification information, if the second piece of software is already authenticated; a second reception unit that receives a response containing the date information regarding authentication from the device corresponding to the device identification information; and a second request unit that makes a request to issue a license of the software package, the request containing the date information regarding authentication, to the server system, the server system comprising: a second memory storing program code; and a second hardware processor that, upon execution of the program code stored in the second memory, performs the functions of a second transmission unit that, in the case of receiving the request containing the identifier of the first piece of software, transmits device identification information regarding a device that executes the second piece of software to the client device; a third reception unit that receives the request to issue a license for the software package; a setting unit that sets a start date of a maintenance period of the software package, based on the date information regarding authentication contained in the request to issue a license and a date of the request to issue a license; and a response unit that makes a response with the license of the software package to the client device if a date when the software package becomes usable is within the maintenance period starting from the start date, wherein the setting unit further determines whether or not the first piece of software and the second piece of software are subjects of simultaneous installation; sets, as the start date of the maintenance period of the software package, the earlier one of a date of the date information regarding authentication of the second piece of software contained in the request to issue a license and the date of the request to issue a license, if the first piece of software and the second piece of software are not the subjects of simultaneous installation; and sets, as the start date of the maintenance period of the software package, the later one of the date of the date information regarding authentication of the second piece of software contained in the request to issue a license and the date of the request to issue a license, if the first piece of software and the second piece of software are the subjects of simultaneous installation.