Method for updating a license period of a program, method for licensing the use of a program, and information processing system and program thereof

A method for licensing the use of a program, comprising the steps of:

• receiving a request from a user;
• creating or selecting an index file containing address information of a server that grants authentication regarding a license of the program to be used by the user in response to receipt of the request;
• and
• sending said index file to the user who issued said request.

An information processing system;

• comprising:
• first determination means for determining whether a current date and time is within a license period of a program;
• means for issuing a request to an index server for transmission of an index file if a determination made by said first determination means is false;
• means for receiving the index file from said index server;
• means for issuing an authentication request to an authentication server with an address of the authentication server contained in said index file;
• means for receiving authentication information from said authentication server;
• second determination means for determining whether information indicative of success of authentication is contained in said authentication information;
• and
• means for updating the license period of said program if a determination made by said second determination means is true.

An information processing system, comprising:

• means for receiving a request from a user;
• means for creating or selecting an index file containing address information of a server that grants authentication regarding a license of a program to be used by said user in response to receipt of said request;
• and
• means for sending said index file to the user who issued said request.

A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for enabling a processor in a computer system to manage a license of a program, the computer program logic;

• comprising:
• first determination means for enabling the processor to determine whether a current date and time is within a license period of the program;
• means for enabling the processor to issue a request to an index server for transmission of an index file if a determination made by said first determination function is false;
• means for enabling the processor to receive the index file from said index server;
• means for enabling the processor to issue an authentication request to an authentication server with an address of the authentication server contained in said index file;
• means for enabling the processor to receive authentication information from said authentication server;
• second determination means for enabling the processor to determine whether information indicative of success of authentication is contained in said authentication information;
• and
• means for enabling the processor to update the license period of said program if a determination made by said second determination function is true.

A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for enabling a processor in a computer system to manage a license of a program, the computer program logic, comprising:

• means for enabling the processor to receive a request from a user;
• means for enabling the processor to create or select an index file containing address information of a server that grants authentication regarding a license of a program to be used by said user in response to receipt of said request;
• and
• means for enabling the processor to send said index file to the user who issued said request.