Environmental condition identifying type license consumption system and method, and function providing server and program

A license consumption method which is performed by a system including an information device on which application software operates based on a given license, and a function providing server which grants the license to the information device, the license consumption method comprising:

• by the function providing server, storing the license and an operation condition for granting the license, the operating condition comprising a condition of a configuration of at least hardware;
• when the information device attempts to start the application software, transmitting to the function providing server a licensing request of the application software and an operating environment comprising information on a configuration of at least hardware of the information device;
• and
• by the function providing server, comparing an operating condition of the application software corresponding to the requested license with the operating environment of the information device, and granting the license to the information device when the operating environment satisfies the operating condition,
• wherein the information device is provided in plurality, and
• when one of the plurality of information devices updates the application software, the operating condition for the information devices other than the corresponding information device is also rewritten.