Licensing verification for application use

A method performed by a computing device, the method comprising:

• managing use-protected applications by distinguishing between signed use-protected applications and unsigned use-protected applications, wherein use-protected applications that are signed are permitted to be used based on being signed, and wherein use of use-protected applications that are not signed requires a license from a licensing authority;
• responsive to a determination that the license has expired or is going to expire, identifying use-protected applications on the computing device that are not signed, and forming a plurality of identifiers of the respective use-protected applications identified as not being signed;
• providing a license renewal request to a licensing authority, the license renewal request comprising the plurality of identifiers;
• and
• according to whether or not a renewed digital license is obtained responsive to the license renewal request, either prohibiting or permitting use of the identified use-protected applications on the computing device, wherein whether a renewed digital license is to be provided by the licensing authority depends on the identifiers of the unsigned use-protected applications received by the licensing authority.

One or more storage apparatuses coupled with a computing device comprising a processor, the one or more storage apparatuses storing information to configure the processor, when the computing device is in operation, to perform a process, the process, when the computing device is operating, comprising:

• managing execution of use-protected applications on the computing device such that whether signed use-protected applications are permitted to be used or executed depends on verification of respective signatures thereof and whether unsigned use-protected applications are permitted to be used or executed depends on whether the computing device is storing a valid license that enables the unsigned use-protected applications to be used or executed;
• responsive to a determination that a valid license for the unsigned use-protected applications is to be obtained, identifying one or more of the use-protected applications on the computing device that are not signed, and generating a license request comprised of one or more identifiers of the respective one or more use-protected applications identified as not being signed;
• providing the license request to a licensing authority, the license request comprising the one or more identifiers;
• and
• receiving a valid license from the licensing authority in response to the license request, wherein the received valid license enables the unsigned use-protected applications to be used or executed, and wherein the licensing authority determined to provide the license based on the one or more identifiers of the unsigned use-protected applications received by the licensing authority in the license request.