# US 10,482,219 B2 · License management server, license management system, and storage medium > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,482,219 B2 - Document ID: US10482219B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/415,218 - Filed: 2017-01-25 - Published: 2017-08-03 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2016-01-29 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Hiroshi Fuse - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10482219B2 ## CPC - G06F 21/10: Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material (protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16) {; Digital rights management [DRM]} - G06F 21/105: {Arrangements for software license management or administration, e.g. for managing licenses at corporate level} - G06F 8/71: Version control (security arrangements therefor G06F21/57); Configuration management - G06F 21/1075: {Editing} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract When a license management server according to the present exemplary embodiment receives a request for changing a license of a first version to a license of a second version from a license operation server that leases a license to a client, the license management server changes an expiration date of the license of the first version to a predetermined period of time later, and issues the license of the second version. Then, the license of the first version of which expiration date has been changed to the predetermined period of time later and the issued license of the second version are transmitted to the license operation server. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A license management server comprising: at least a processor and at least a memory coupled to the at least the processor and having stored thereon instructions, when executed by the at least the processor, and cooperating to act as: a receiving unit configured to receive a request for upgrading a first license to a second license from a license operation server that leases a license to a client; an issuing unit configured to, in a case where the license upgrade request is received, change an expiration date of the first license from indefinite to a predetermined expiration date and issue the second license whose expiration date is indefinite; and a transmitting unit configured to transmit the first license whose expiration date is the predetermined expiration date and the second license whose expiration date is indefinite, wherein, in a case where the receiving unit receives a request for downgrading the second license to the first license from the license operation server, the issuing unit changes the expiration date of the second license from indefinite to a predetermined expiration date and issues the first license whose expiration date is indefinite, upon receiving the license upgrade request, the issuing unit deletes the first license whose expiration date has been changed to the predetermined expiration date, and upon receiving the license downgrade request, the transmitting unit transmits the second license whose expiration date is the predetermined expiration date and the first license whose expiration date is indefinite to the license operation server. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The license management server according to claim 1, wherein a serial number of the second license whose expiration date is indefinite issued by the issuing unit is the same as a serial number of the first license whose expiration date is the predetermined expiration date. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The license management server according to claim 1, wherein the expiration date of the second license issued by the issuing unit is indefinite. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The license management server according to claim 1, further comprising a license managing unit configured to manage information about the first license whose expiration date is the predetermined expiration date and the second license whose expiration date is indefinite in association with the license operation server. ### Claim 5 A license management system including a license operation server configured to lease a license to a client, and a license management server configured to issue license to the license operation server, wherein the license operation server comprises: a saving unit configured to hold a first license required when the client executes software of the first version; a usage managing unit configured to lease the first license to the client according to a request from the client; a first receiving unit configured to receive a change command for upgrading the first license held by the saving unit to a second license; a first transmitting unit configured to transmit, to the license management server, a request for upgrading the first license to the second license in a case where the first receiving unit receives the change command; and an updating unit configured to update a license held in the saving unit using a license transmitted from the license management server according to the request, and wherein the license management server comprises: an issuing unit configured to, in a case where the license upgrade request is received, change an expiration date of the first license from indefinite to a predetermined expiration date and issue the second license whose expiration date is indefinite; and a second transmitting unit configured to transmit, the first license whose expiration date is predetermined expiration date and the second license whose expiration date is indefinite to the license operation server, wherein, in a case where the first receiving unit receives a request for downgrading the second license to the first license from the license operation server, the issuing unit changes the expiration date of the second license from indefinite to a predetermined expiration date and issues the first license whose expiration date is indefinite, upon receiving the license upgrade request, the issuing unit deletes the first license whose expiration date has been changed to the predetermined expiration date, and upon receiving the license downgrade request, the transmitting unit transmits the second license whose expiration date is the predetermined expiration date and the first license whose expiration date is indefinite to the license operation server. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The license management system according to claim 5, wherein the license operation server further comprises: a determining unit configured to determine whether there is a license to be returned according to the change command; and a returning unit configured to transmit a return request of a license determined to be returned by the determining unit, and wherein the license management server further comprises an erasing unit configured to erase, based on the return request, the license determined to be returned. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The license management system according to claim 5, wherein a serial number of the second license whose expiration date is indefinite issued by the issuing unit is the same as a serial number of the first license whose expiration date is the predetermined expiration date. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The license management system according to claim 5, wherein the expiration date of the second license issued by the issuing unit is indefinite. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The license management system according to claim 5, further comprising a license managing unit configured to manage information about the first license whose expiration date is the predetermined expiration date and the second license whose expiration date is indefinite in association with the license operation server. ### Claim 10 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising: receiving a request for upgrading a first license to a second license from a license operation server that leases a license to a client; issuing, in a case where the license upgrade request is received, change an expiration date of the first license from indefinite to a predetermined expiration date and issue the second license whose expiration date is indefinite; and transmitting, the first license whose expiration date is the predetermined expiration date and the second license whose expiration date is indefinite to the license operation server, wherein, in a case where the a request for downgrading the second license to the first license is received from the license operation server, changing the expiration date of the second license from indefinite to a predetermined expiration date and issuing the first license whose expiration date is indefinite, upon receiving the license upgrade request, deleting the first license whose expiration date has been changed to the predetermined expiration date, and upon receiving the license downgrade request, the transmitting the second license whose expiration date is the predetermined expiration date and the first license whose expiration date is indefinite to the license operation server. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 10, wherein a serial number of the issued second license whose expiration date is indefinite is the same as the serial number of the first license whose expiration date is indefinite. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 10, wherein the expiration date of the issued second license is indefinite. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 10, wherein the operations further comprises managing information about the first license whose expiration date is predetermined expiration date and the second license whose expiration date is indefinite in association with the license operation server.