System for controlling use of digitally encoded products

A data processing system for controlling use of digitally encoded products, the data processing system comprising:

• means for requesting execution of a digitally encoded product on a computer;
• means for intercepting the execution request before starting of execution of the product;
• means for determining whether the product is included in a control memory structure of the computer indicative of products to be controlled;
• responsive to determining that the product is included in the control memory structure:
• means for verifying compliance of the execution request with authorized conditions of use of the product, wherein the means for verifying compliance of the execution request includes:
• means for sending a request message indicative of the execution request from the computer to a metering server associated with a plurality of the computers,
• means for granting or denying an authorization to run the product by the metering server according to a comparison between licensing information indicative of the authorized conditions of use for all the associated computers and a metering memory structure indicative of the authorizations to run currently granted by the metering server,
• means for sending a corresponding response message from the metering server to the computer, and
• means for adding the product to the metering memory structure when the authorization to run has been granted;
• and
• means for enabling or preventing starting of the product according to the result of the verification;
• and
• responsive to determining that the product is not included in the control memory structure:
• means for enabling starting of the product;
• means for adding an indication of the product to a log stored on the computer;
• means for periodically transmitting the log to the associated metering server;
• and
• means for updating the control memory structure and the licensing information according to the log.

A computer program product stored on a computer readable medium for controlling use of digitally encoded products, the computer program product comprising instructions for performing the method of:

• requesting execution of a digitally encoded product on a computer;
• intercepting the execution request before starting of execution of the product;
• determining whether the product is included in a control memory structure of the computer indicative of products to be controlled;
• responsive to determining that the product is included in the control memory structure:
• verifying compliance of the execution request with authorised conditions of use of the product;
• wherein verifying compliance of the execution request includes:
• sending a request message indicative of the execution request from the computer to a metering server associated with a plurality of the computers;
• granting or denying an authorization to run the product by the metering server according to a comparison between licensing information indicative of the authorized conditions of use for all the associated computers and a metering memory structure indicative of the authorizations to run currently granted by the metering server;
• sending a corresponding response message from the metering server to the computer;
• and
• adding the product to the metering memory structure when the authorization to run has been granted;
• and
• enabling or preventing starting of execution of the product according to the result of the verification;
• and
• responsive to determining that the product is not included in the control memory structure:
• enabling starting of the product;
• adding an indication of the product to a log stored on the computer;
• periodically transmitting the log to the associated metering server;
• and
• updating control memory structure and the licensing information according to the log.