JP2002023882A - System for controlling client license and method for the same and recording medium recorded with its control program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system and method for controlling a client license capable of starting an application program for client only from the allowable licensed number of client devices and a recording medium recorded with its control program. SOLUTION: An application program for client is installed from an application program for client module control part 11 of a server device 10 by an automatic installation control part 21, and when the program is started, the presence or absence of any license information is confirmed to a part 23 for controlling a license for a client, and when any license information is present, the program is started, and in the case of absence, the residual number of licenses registered in a part 12 for controlling a license for server is checked, and when the residual number of licenses is at least 1, the residual number of licenses of the part 12 for controlling a license for server is subtracted by 1, and the license information is registered in the part 23 for controlling a license for client, and the program is started. When the residual number of licenses is 0, the application program for client is controlled not to be started by the part 23 for controlling the license for client.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a client license management system in which a client device downloads and installs a client application program from a server device in a client server system, and controls the activation of the installed program. The present invention relates to a method and a recording medium on which the management program is recorded.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, in a client-server system including a server device and a plurality of client devices connected to the server device via a network, the client device downloads an application program for the client from the server device and downloads the client application program. One that realizes an automatic installation function of a program is known.

[0003] Such an automatic installation function is realized by an OS (operating system) existing in a client device and a server device. Further, the activation of the client application program installed in the client device is controlled based on activation permission information (license information) managed by the server device.

[0004] This license information is indicated by the total number of client devices permitted to start the client application program. For this reason, in the conventional client license management, each client device accesses the server license management unit of the server device based on the client application program downloaded to each client device, and the server device exceeds the license count. In this case, the startup control (license management) of the client application program was performed by restricting the application program from being executed.

[0005]

However, in the client server system shown in the above conventional example,
The client application program is automatically downloaded by the OS at the time of a request to start the client application program. Therefore, the application program cannot manage how many client devices have downloaded the client application program.
At the same time, there is a problem in that access can be made from any client device unless the server device is accessed.

According to the present invention, in a client-server system in which a client application program is downloaded and installed from a server device to a client device by an automatic installation function provided by an OS, a fixed number of licenses for a permitted number of licenses are provided. It is an object of the present invention to provide a client license management system capable of starting a client application program only from a client device, a management method thereof, and a recording medium recording the management program.

[0007]

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a client-server system in which a plurality of client devices and a server device having a client application program are connected via a network. Wherein the server device has server license management means for managing, as license information, the number of client devices permitted to start the client application programs in a plurality of client devices, as license information. The device downloads and installs the client application program from the server device, and permits activation of the installed client application program. Client information management means for managing license information, and when starting the client application program, inquires of the client license information management means whether or not there is license information. Based on the result of the inquiry, the client application program Is controlled.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the client license information management means activates a client application program when there is license information in response to an inquiry about the presence or absence of license information. Is controlled.

The invention described in claim 3 is the first or second invention.
In the described invention, the client license information management means responds to an inquiry about the presence or absence of license information.
When there is no license information, the server license information management means is inquired about the remaining number of permitted activations, and the activation of the client application program is controlled based on the remaining number of permitted activations.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect of the present invention, the client license information management means determines the remaining activation permitted number in the server license information management means when the remaining activation permitted number is one or more. It is characterized in that the license information is registered in the client license information management means, and control is performed so as to activate the client application program.

The invention according to claim 5 is the invention according to claim 3 or 4.
In the invention described above, the client license information management means controls the client application program so as not to be activated when the remaining number of permitted activations is zero.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the client device has an uninstalling unit for deleting the client application program installed by the installing unit. It is characterized by.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the sixth aspect of the invention, when the client device does not use the client application program, the uninstalling means deletes the client application program.

The invention according to claim 8 is the invention according to claim 6 or 7.
In the invention described above, when the client application program is deleted by the uninstalling unit, the client device has a notifying unit that notifies the server license managing unit and the client license managing unit of the deletion.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a client license management method in a client-server system in which a plurality of client devices and a server device having a client application program are connected via a network. A server license management unit that manages, as license information, the number of client devices permitted to start the client application program in a plurality of client devices. The client device downloads the client application program from the server device. Installation means for installing, and a client license for managing license information for permitting activation of the installed client application program. An inquiry step comprising: an information managing unit; and an uninstalling unit for deleting the installed client application program. When the client application program is started, an inquiry step of inquiring the client license information managing unit about the presence or absence of license information; A control step of controlling the activation of the client application program based on the result of the inquiry about the presence or absence of information;
It is characterized by having.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the ninth aspect of the present invention, the control step includes, in response to an inquiry as to the presence or absence of the license information to the license management means for the client, if the license information is present, the application program for the client is executed. It is characterized in that it is controlled to be activated.

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to the ninth or tenth aspect, the control step includes the step of: in response to an inquiry to the license management means for the client whether or not there is license information, if the license information is not present, the license for the server. The information management means is inquired of the remaining number of permitted startups, and the startup of the client application program is controlled based on the presence or absence of the remaining number of permitted startups.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to the eleventh aspect, the control step, when the remaining number of permitted boots is one or more, subtracts one from the remaining number of permitted boots in the server license information management means. It is characterized in that license information is registered in the client license information management means, and control is performed so as to activate a client application program.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, in the invention of the eleventh or twelfth aspect, the control step controls the client application program not to be activated when the remaining number of permitted activations is zero. I do.

According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to the thirteenth aspect, when the client device does not use the client application program, the client device has a deleting step of deleting the installed client application program by uninstalling means. It is characterized by.

According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to the fourteenth aspect, when the client application program is deleted in the deleting step, a notification to that effect is sent to the server license management means and the client license management means. It is characterized by having a step.

According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording medium recording a client license management program in a client server system in which a plurality of client devices and a server device having a client application program are connected via a network. A server device having server license management means for managing, as license information, the number of client devices permitted to start client application programs in a plurality of client devices, and the client device transmits the client application program from the server device to the client device; Manages installation means for downloading and installing programs, and license information that permits the installation of installed client application programs Inquiry for inquiring the client license information management means for the presence or absence of license information when the client application program is started, the client license information management means being provided, and an uninstalling means for deleting the installed client application program. And a control process for controlling the activation of the client application program based on the result of the inquiry about the presence or absence of the license information.

According to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to the sixteenth aspect, the control processing includes, in response to an inquiry to the license management means for the client whether or not there is license information, if the license information is present, the client application program is executed. It is characterized in that it is controlled to be activated.

According to an eighteenth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to the sixteenth aspect or the seventeenth aspect, the control process is performed in response to an inquiry to the client license management means about the presence or absence of the license information. The information management means is inquired of the remaining number of permitted startups, and the startup of the client application program is controlled based on the presence or absence of the remaining number of permitted startups.

According to a nineteenth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to the eighteenth aspect, when the remaining number of permitted boots is one or more, the remaining number of permitted boots in the server license information management means is decremented by one. It is characterized in that license information is registered in the client license information management means, and control is performed so as to activate a client application program.

According to a twentieth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to the eighteenth or nineteenth aspect, the control process controls the client application program so as not to be activated when the remaining number of permitted activations is zero. I do.

According to a twenty-first aspect of the present invention, in the twentieth aspect, when the client device does not use the client application program, the uninstalling means executes a deletion process of deleting the installed client application program. It is characterized by the following.

According to a twenty-second aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to the twenty-first aspect, when a client application program is deleted by a deletion process, a notification to that effect is sent to the server license management means and the client license management means. Processing is performed.

<Operation> According to the present invention, the client application program is downloaded and installed from the client application program module management section of the server OS by the automatic installation control section of the OS (operating system) of the client apparatus at the time of a start request. In the client server system, the client device checks the presence or absence of license information in the client license management unit when the client application program is installed and starts the program, and if there is the license information, the client device executes the client application program. If the number of remaining licenses is one or more, check the number of remaining licenses registered in the server If the number of remaining license server license management unit 1 subtracts, starts the application program for the client to register a license to the license management unit for the client. If the number of remaining licenses is 0, the client license management unit controls so that the client application program is not started.

[0030]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, a client license management system, a management method thereof, and a recording medium on which the management program is recorded according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show an embodiment of a client license management system, a management method thereof, and a recording medium storing the management program according to the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a client license management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a client license management system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a server device 1.
0 and a plurality of client devices 20a to 20c are connected by a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network).

The server device 10 and each client device 20
Each of a to 20c is given an IP address as unique address information that does not overlap on the LAN. Each of the client devices 20a to 20c can be specified by the IP address. For example, when an arbitrary client device 20a accesses the server device 10, the IP address of the client device 20a is notified to the server device 10. By doing so, it is possible to specify from which of the plurality of client devices the access is from.

The server device 10 includes a client application module management unit (OS) 11 and a server license management unit 12.

The client application module management unit (OS) 11 is constituted by the OS of the server device 10 and manages a client application program to be downloaded to each of the client devices 20a to 20c.

The server license management unit 12 adds and subtracts the number of remaining licenses, and notifies the current number of remaining licenses in response to the check on the number of remaining licenses from the client license management unit 23.

The storage device 13 is for reading a management program to be executed by the server device 10 from the recording medium 13A, and is managed by the OS of the server device 10.

The recording medium 13A also stores a client license management program according to the embodiment of the present invention, which is read out by the storage device 13 and installed in the server device 10.

The storage device 13 and the recording medium 13A are composed of, for example, an FD drive and an FD or a CD drive and a CD.

Each of the client devices 20a to 20c includes an automatic installation control unit 21, a client application program 22, a client license management unit 23, and an uninstall tool 24.
And is configured.

The automatic installation control unit 21 is constituted by the OS of the client device 20, accesses the server device 10, downloads the client application program from the client application program module management unit 11, and downloads the downloaded client application program. For installing the application program.

When the client application program 22 is started, the client license management unit 2
Inquire of 3 whether there is license information.

The client license management unit 23
In response to the inquiry about the presence or absence of license information, if there is license information, the installed client application program is started. If there is no license information, the client application program is registered in the server license management unit 12 of the server device 10. Check remaining licenses.

In checking the number of remaining licenses,
If the number of remaining licenses is one or more, the number of remaining licenses in the server license management unit 12 is subtracted by one, registered in the client license management unit 23, and the client application program is started. If the number of remaining licenses is 0, the client license management unit 2
3 does not activate the client application program.

The uninstall tool 24 has a function of deleting the client application program 22 installed in the client device 20.
When the client application program 22 is deleted, the uninstall tool 24 is configured to notify the server license management unit 12 of the deletion.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation example of the client license management system according to the embodiment of the present invention. First, the automatic installation control unit 21 of the OS of the client device 20a sends the server device 1
The client application program 22 is downloaded from the client application program module management unit 11 of the OS 0 and installed on the client device 20a (step S1).

After being installed in the client device 20a, the client application program 22 is activated on the client device 20a, and checks with the client license management unit 23 whether or not there is license information (step S2).

In step S2, if there is license information in the client license management section 23 (step S2 / present), the client application program 22 is started (step S3).

In step S2, if there is no license information in the client license management unit 23 (step S2 / none), the number of remaining licenses registered in the server license management unit 12 is checked (step S4).

In step S4, if the number of remaining licenses is 1 or more (step S4 / 1 or more), the number of remaining licenses in the server license management unit 12 is subtracted by 1, and license information is registered in the client license management unit 23. And the client application program 22
Is started (step S5).

If the number of remaining licenses is 0 in step S4 (step S4 / 0), the client application program 22 is not started (step S4).
6).

In the conventional system, if the client application program is automatically installed by the OS, the license management cannot be performed on a client-by-client basis, and the number of client devices permitted to be started by the server license management unit is permitted. Unless the client devices are simultaneously accessed from more than (the number of licenses), the client application programs can be started by the client devices whose number is larger than the permitted number of licenses. By registering the license information in the license management unit, the number of licenses can be reduced even if the client application program is installed on a larger number of client devices than the permitted number of licenses. For example to be able to reject the start of the installed application programs for clients from, thereby making it possible to license management of the client unit.

When the client application program 22 installed in the client device 20a is deleted, it is performed by the uninstall tool 24. The uninstall tool 24 deletes the client application program 22 from the client device 20a and notifies the client license management unit 23 of the deletion.

The client license management unit 23
The registered license information is deleted, and the server license management unit 12 is notified of the deletion.

The server license management unit 12 increases the number of registered licenses by one. Accordingly, when it is desired to change the client device to be used, the client application program 22 is first deleted from the client device that is no longer used, the license information registered from the client license management unit 23 is deleted, and the server license management is performed. The number of remaining licenses registered in the unit 12 is increased by one.

After performing the above processing, the client device to be newly used requests activation of the client application program 22, whereby license information is newly registered in the client license management unit 22, and the client device is used. , The client application program can be started.

The above-described embodiment is a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and can be variously modified and implemented without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, the client application program is downloaded in advance to all the client devices under the server device, and the license of the client license management unit is unregistered. If the server license management unit of the server device is 0, the client application program cannot be started.

Here, when starting the client application program, licenses for the number of client devices to be used are registered in the server license management unit. When the client device that starts the client application program starts the client application program, the license information is registered in the client license management unit, and the client application program can be used.

According to this method of use, the client can be deployed in a uniform state, the maintainability is improved, and when the client application program is used, the client information can be easily registered only by registering the license information in the server license management unit. The application program can be used, and license management can be easily performed.

[0059]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the client license management system, the management method, and the recording medium on which the management program is recorded according to the present invention, the client application program is automatically activated by the OS at the time of a start request. When a client application program is started, the client device checks whether or not the client device is permitted to start when the client application program is started. Therefore, license management can be performed by the client device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a client license management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an operation example of a client license management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 10 server device 11 client application program module management unit (OS) 12 server license management unit 13 storage device 13A recording medium 20a to 20c client device 21 automatic installation control unit 22 client application program 23 client license management unit 24 uninstallation tool

Claims (22)

[Claims] 1. A client license management system in a client server system in which a plurality of client devices and a server device having a client application program are connected via a network, wherein the server device includes the plurality of client devices. Server license management means for managing, as license information, the number of client devices permitted to start the client application program in the client device, wherein the client device downloads the client application program from the server device. Installing means for installing, and a client managing license information for permitting activation of the installed client application program. Client license information management means, when starting the client application program, inquires of the client license information management means about the presence or absence of license information, and starts the client application program based on a result of the inquiry. Control system for client licenses. 2. The client license information management means performs control to activate the client application program when there is license information in response to the inquiry about the presence or absence of the license information. The described client license management system. 3. The client license information management means, in response to the inquiry about the presence or absence of the license information, when there is no license information, inquires of the server license information management means about the remaining number of permitted activations. 3. The client license management system according to claim 1, wherein the activation of the client application program is controlled based on the presence or absence of the number of permitted activations. 4. The license information management means for a client, the license information management means for a client subtracting 1 from the number of licenses permitted to be activated in the license information management means for a server when the number of remaining licenses to be activated is one or more. 4. The client license management system according to claim 3, wherein the license information is registered in the client application program, and the client application program is controlled to be started. 5. The client according to claim 3, wherein the client license information management means controls so as not to start the client application program when the remaining start permitted number is zero. License management system. 6. The client device according to claim 1, wherein the client device has an uninstalling unit for deleting the client application program installed by the installing unit.
6. The client license management system according to any one of claims 1 to 5. 7. The client license management system according to claim 6, wherein the uninstalling unit deletes the client application program when the client device does not use the client application program. 8. The client device, further comprising, when the uninstallation unit deletes the client application program, a notification unit that notifies the server license management unit and the client license management unit of the deletion. 8. The client license management system according to claim 6, wherein: 9. A method for managing a client license in a client server system in which a plurality of client devices and a server device having a client application program are connected via a network, wherein the server device includes the plurality of client devices. Has license management means for a server that manages, as license information, the number of permitted start-ups of the client device that permits the activation of the client application program. The client device downloads the client application program from the server device. Installation means for installing; and a client for managing license information for permitting activation of the installed client application program. License information management means, and uninstalling means for deleting the installed client application program. When the client application program is activated, the client license information management means has license information. And a control step of controlling the activation of the client application program based on the result of the inquiry about the presence or absence of the license information. 10. The control step is characterized in that, in response to an inquiry to the client license management means about the presence or absence of the license information, if there is license information, control is performed such that the client application program is started. 10. The client license management method according to claim 9, wherein: 11. The control step, if the license information does not exist in response to the inquiry about the presence or absence of the license information to the client license management means, the server license information management means 10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the controller controls the activation of the client application program based on the inquiry and the presence or absence of the remaining activation-permitted number.
Or the client license management method according to 10. 12. The control step, when the remaining number of permitted activations is 1 or more, subtracts 1 from the remaining number of permitted activations in the server license information managing means, and sends the license information to the client license information managing means. 12. The client license management method according to claim 11, wherein the client license is registered and controlled so as to start the client application program. 13. The client license management method according to claim 11, wherein the control step controls the client application program not to be activated when the remaining activation permitted number is zero. . 14. When the client device does not use the client application program,
14. The client license management method according to claim 13, further comprising a deleting step of deleting the installed client application program by the uninstalling unit. 15. The method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of notifying the server license management unit and the client license management unit when the client application program is deleted in the deletion step. 14. The client license management method according to 14. 16. A recording medium recording a client license management program in a client server system in which a plurality of client devices and a server device having a client application program are connected via a network, wherein the server device comprises: The server device includes a server license management unit that manages, as license information, the number of permitted start-ups of the client device that permits the start of the client application program in the plurality of client devices. Installation means for downloading and installing a program, and a license permitting activation of the installed client application program. License information management means for managing client information, and uninstalling means for deleting the installed client application program, upon activation of the client application program, the client license information management means And a control process of controlling the activation of the client application program based on the result of the inquiry about the presence or absence of the license information. The recording medium on which it was recorded. 17. The control process is characterized in that, in response to an inquiry to the client license management unit about the presence or absence of the license information, if there is license information, control is performed so as to activate the client application program. A recording medium on which the client license management program according to claim 16 is recorded. 18. The method according to claim 18, wherein, in response to the inquiry to the client license management unit about the presence or absence of the license information, if there is no license information, the server boot license information management unit 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls the activation of the client application program based on the inquiry and the presence or absence of the remaining activation-permitted number.
18. A recording medium on which the client license management program according to 6 or 17 is recorded. 19. The control process, when the remaining number of permitted boots is 1 or more, subtracts 1 from the remaining number of permitted boots in the server license information managing means, and sends the license information to the client license information managing means. 19. The recording medium according to claim 18, wherein the recording medium is registered and controlled to activate the client application program. 20. The client license management program according to claim 18, wherein the control process controls the client application program not to be activated when the remaining activation permitted number is zero. Recording medium on which is recorded. 21. When the client device does not use the client application program,
21. The recording medium according to claim 20, wherein the uninstalling means executes a deletion process for deleting the installed client application program. 22. When the client application program is deleted by the deletion process, a notification process for notifying the server license management unit and the client license management unit of the deletion is executed. Item 22. A recording medium recording the client license management program according to Item 21.