System and method for licensing applications on wireless devices over a wireless network

A wireless device comprising:

• a wireless communications interface, for selectively communicating over a wireless network;
• and
• a computer platform, coupled to said wireless communications interface, for controlling said wireless communications interface, and for supporting and controlling execution of software applications, said computer platform comprising:
• a memory;
• and
• a processor, coupled to said memory, for controlling said wireless communications interface and for supporting and controlling execution of an application stored in said memory;
• wherein said processor is configured for:
• (a) responsive to each request to execute said application, determining a first condition of whether there is installed in said computer platform a device license authorizing execution of said application as true or false, said determining being performed without opening any data connection over said wireless network to an application managing server;
• (b) after step (a), if said first condition is true, permitting said application to execute on said computer platform;
• (c) after step (a), if said first condition is not true, performing the steps of:
• (i) preventing said application from executing on said computer platform;
• and
• (ii) opening a data connection over said wireless network to said application managing server and requesting a license from said server.

A wireless device, comprising:

• a wireless communication means, for selectively communicating over a wireless network;
• and
• a computer platform means, coupled to said wireless communication means, for controlling said wireless communication means and for supporting and controlling execution of software applications, said computer platform means comprising:
• a means for receiving a request to execute an application;
• a means for responding to each attempt to execute an application by determining a first condition of whether there is installed in said computer platform means a device license authorizing execution of said application as true or false, said determining being performed without opening any data connection over said wireless network to an application managing server;
• a means for permitting said application to execute on said computer platform means if said first condition is determined to be true by said means for responding;
• a means for preventing said application from executing on said computer platform means and for opening a data connection over said wireless network to said application managing server and requesting a license from said server.

A method for controlling execution of software applications on a computer platform of a wireless device capable of communicating over a wireless network, comprising:

• (a) responsive to each request to execute an application, determining a first condition of whether there is installed in said computer platform a device license authorizing execution of said application as true or false, said determining being performed without opening any data connection over said wireless network to an application managing server;
• (b) after step (a), if said first condition is true, permitting said application to execute on said computer platform;
• (c) after step (a), if said first condition is not true, performing the steps of:
• (i) preventing said application from executing on said computer platform;
• (ii) prompting a user of said wireless device to authorize a transaction to obtain a license from said application managing server;
• (iii) if said user authorized said transaction, performing said transaction by performing the steps of:
• (A) opening a data connection over said wireless network to said application managing server and requesting a license from said application managing server;
• (B) determining a second condition of whether said license is received from said application managing server as true or false;
• (C) after step (B), if said second condition is true, determining as a third condition of whether said license authorizes execution of said application as true or false;
• and
• (D) after step (C), if said third condition is true, installing said license as said device license and permitting said application to execute on said computer platform.

A computer readable medium tangibly storing a sequence of instructions, which when executed by a computer platform of a wireless device capable of communicating over a wireless network, said computer platform supporting and controlling execution of software applications, causes said computer platform to perform the steps of:

• (a) responsive to each request to execute an application, determining a first condition of whether there is installed in said computer platform a device license authorizing execution of said application as true or false, said determining being performed without opening any data connection over said wireless network to an application managing server;
• (b) after step (a), if said first condition is true, permitting said application to execute on said computer platform;
• (c) after step (a), if said first condition is not true, performing the steps of:
• (i) preventing said application from executing on said computer platform;
• and
• (ii) opening a data connection over said wireless network to said application managing server and requesting a license from said application managing server.