Method of licensing software programs

(54) METHOD OF LICENSING SOFTWARE PROGRAMS

(75) Inventors: Najib Chahrouri, Karlsruhe (DE);

Frederic Metrich, Strassburg (DE)

(73) Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft, Munich (DE)

( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.

(21) Appl. No.: 10/883,678

(22) Filed: Jul. 6, 2004

(65) Prior Publication Data

US 2005/0027554 Al Feb. 3, 2005

Related U.S. Application Data

(63) Continuation of application No. PCT/DE02/04709, filed on Dec. 23, 2002.

(30) Foreign Application Priority Data

Jan. 4, 2002 (DE) 102 001 84

(51) Int. C I. 11041. 9/00

(52) U.S. CI 705/59; 705/57

(58) Field of Search 705/57-59; 380/28

(56) References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

5,745,569 A * 4/1998 Moskowitz et al 705/58

5,752,041 A * 5/1998 Fosdick 705/59

5,805,699 A * 9/1998 Akiyama et al 705/59

6,324,649 Bl * 11/2001 Eyres et al 705/59

6,460,023 Bl * 10/2002 Bean et al 705/59

6,801,999 Bl * 10/2004 Venkatesan et al 705/59

2001/0011238 Al 8/2001 Eberhard et al.

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

WO WO 98/04974 Al 2/1998

WO WO 02/01335 A2 1/2002

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

"Software Protection By Decryption on Multi-Usage Interface", IBM Tech. Disci. Bull, vol. 25, No. 5, pp-1939-1944(Oct. 1986).*

* cited by examiner

Primary Examiner—Salvatore Cangialosi

(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Sughrue Mion, PLLC

(57) ABSTRACT

A method and a system for the combined licensing of one or more software programs (3) protected by a software protection (5), is provided. Each software protection (5) can be deactivated by a key (6). An additional software program (4) functions as a license manager (4), which has access to the key (6) or a key (6) for each software program protection. This license manager (4) can be licensed by a manager or master key (6). When the license manager (4) is licensed by the manager or master key (6), the license manager (4) deactivates the software protection (5) of a software program or software protection (5) for each of the software programs by means of the corresponding key (6).

20 Claims, 4 Drawing Sheets