# US 8,752,187 B2 · Portable license server > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,752,187 B2 - Document ID: US8752187B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/090,896 - Filed: 2011-04-20 - Published: 2012-03-29 - Granted: 2014-06-10 - Earliest claimed: 2010-09-27 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Fabio Gava; Fei Xie; Andrew R. Shelansky - Inventors: Fabio Gava; Fei Xie; Andrew R. Shelansky - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8752187B2 ## CPC - G06F 21/105: {Arrangements for software license management or administration, e.g. for managing licenses at corporate level} - G06F 21/10: Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material (protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16) {; Digital rights management [DRM]} - G06F 2221/2137: Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A portable license for licensed content is obtained by a user along with a regular license in a local network, such as a home network or other private network. The portable license may be stored in a license server on a portable device, such as a smart phone or a tablet, which functions as a portable license server. The user may take the portable device to another location where it joins another local network. A device in the second network, which does not have a license to play the licensed content, may use the portable license on the portable device to execute the content, enabling the user to enjoy it in multiple environments. The device (e.g., a TV) in the second network may continue to play the content as long as the portable license or another valid license is present in the network. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of executing content on a device, the method comprising: determining whether a regular license for the content is present on the device; determining whether a portable license server is present in a local network; obtaining a portable license from the portable license server, wherein the portable license server is implemented on a portable device, and the portable license is obtained by a portable device comprising the portable license server, and the regular license is obtained by another device; verifying that the obtained portable license was issued to the portable device; executing the content; and determining whether the device is authorized to continue execution of the content based on: detecting a message from the portable license server; and keeping track of an amount of time that has passed after the message has been detected. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1 wherein verifying that the portable license was issued to the portable device further comprises: comparing a verification identifier on the portable license to a portable device unique identifier. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method as recited in claim 2 wherein the portable device unique identifier is one of a MAC address or an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining whether the device is authorized to continue execution of the content further comprises: polling the local network to determine whether the portable license server is on the local network. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method as recited in claim 4 further comprising: terminating execution of the content if the portable license server is not on the local network. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method as recited in claim 4 further comprising: terminating execution of the content after a predetermined amount of time if the portable license server is not on the local network. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The method as recited in claim 4 further comprising: polling the local network for a replacement license server if the portable license server is not on the local network; and determining whether the replacement license server has an authorized license for the content. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method as recited in claim 7 further comprising: terminating execution of the content if the replacement license server does not have an authorized license. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1 wherein two or more components on the local network execute the content at the same time using the portable license. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1 wherein two or more components on the local network execute the content at the same time using the portable license and wherein one or more components on a second local network executes the content using a regular license. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the local network is a network having a plurality of nodes that is limited to a specific subnet mask. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the local network is a network having a plurality of nodes that is limited to a specific gateway. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the local network is a home network. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the local network is a private network. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the local network is a peer-to-peer network. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the portable license server manages one or more portable licenses. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1 wherein executing the content includes one of playing media that requires a license, executing an application that requires a license, executing a software application that requires a license, playing a video game that requires a license, or rendering e-book content that requires a license. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the portable device is a personal device that is intended to be mobile and is carried by a user. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the regular license and the portable license for the content are obtained simultaneously based on a purchase of a licensed content. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the portable device presents an option for obtaining a regular license or an additional portable license for the content. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method as recited in claim 20 wherein information on how the device may obtain a regular license or an additional portable license is included in the portable license. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The method as recited in claim 19 wherein a reward is offered to a user account associated with the portable device if a regular license or an additional portable license is obtained by the device. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the device is a fixed device and comprises a television or a computer. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the device does not have a network connection to a source from where the content was obtained or from where the regular license or the portable license was obtained. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the portable device comprises a mobile device. ### Claim 26 A system comprising: a fixed device; and a mobile device including a portable license server; wherein the fixed device obtains a portable license from the portable license server for executing content in a local network, and the portable license is obtained by the mobile device, and a regular license is associated with the portable license; wherein the fixed device is authorized to continue execution of the content based on location of the portable license server, wherein the fixed device determines whether it is authorized to continue execution of the content based on: detecting a message from the portable license server; and keeping track of an amount of time that has passed after the message has been detected. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The system of claim 26, wherein the fixed device verifies that the portable license received from the portable license server is authentic and authorized for the mobile device. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The system of claim 26, wherein the portable license and the regular license are distinguishable. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The system of claim 28, wherein the portable license and the regular license have different privileges and functionality. ### Claim 30 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the portable license and the regular license are obtained from another license server. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, wherein the portable license and the regular license are stored on a same record in a database of the other license server.