System and method for providing security in variable time-based licensing systems

A method of providing security for a software licensing system, comprising:

• providing a secure device, including a first computer readable medium, configured to connect to a computer, including a second computer readable medium and microprocessor;
• enabling inactive chips to be stored in a chips pool on the secure device;
• providing a chip accounting manager on the secure device, which receives license requests for software tools and determines whether to grant the license request;
• providing a license server, executing on the computer;
• providing a licensing manager on the license server, which tracks active chips and manages activated chip check-in and checkout;
• and
• enabling activated chips to be stored in a chips cache on the license server.

A method of providing security for a software licensing system, comprising:

• providing a secure device, including a first computer readable medium, configured to connect to a computer, including a second computer readable medium and microprocessor;
• enabling inactive chips to be stored in a chips pool on the secure device;
• providing a chip accounting manager on the secure device, which receives license requests for software tools and determines whether to grant the license request;
• providing a license server, executing on the computer;
• providing a licensing manager on the license server, which tracks active chips and manages activated chip check-in and checkout;
• enabling activated chips to be stored in a chips cache on the license server;
• and
• receiving via an internet at a remote server a request to update the secure device, wherein the remote server includes a broker which
• receives a request for one or more new chips,
• finds the one or more new chips to meet the request,
• receives authorization from a chip issuer to assign the one or more new chips, and
• reprograms the secure device by assigning the chips to the secure device.

A method of remotely updating a secure device in a software licensing system, comprising:

• receiving a remote request via an internet to update a secure device from a software licensing system, wherein the a secure device includes a first computer readable medium, and is configured to connect to a computer in the software licensing system, which includes a second computer readable medium and microprocessor;
• passing the request to a broker which is operable to:
• receive a request for one or more new chips,
• find the one or more new chips to meet the request,
• receive authorization from a chip issuer to assign the one or more new chips, and
• reprogram the secure device by assigning the chips to the secure device;
• and
• sending a response to the software licensing system, via the internet, responsive to the remote request to update the secure device.

A security system for a software licensing system, comprising:

• a secure device, including a first computer readable medium, configured to connect to a computer, including a second computer readable medium and microprocessor;
• wherein the secure device includes:
• a chips pool which stores inactive chips, and
• a chips accounting manager, operable to receive license requests for software tools and to determine whether to grant the license request;
• a license server, executing on the computer;
• wherein the license server includes
• a license manager which tracks active chips and manages activated chip check-in and checkout, and
• a chips cache which stores activated chips;
• and
• a broker, executing on a remote server, which can communicate with the secure device, wherein the broker manages purchases, sales and transfers of chips for the secure device and centrally values each chip for purchase, sale or transfer based on information stored about each chip in the secure device.