Rights management system
AssigneeRed Hat, Inc.
InventorAlan Cox
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rights management system monitors and controls use of a computer program to prevent use that is not in compliance with acceptable terms. The system monitors usage of the computer program for usage and activities that are not in compliance with the license or other use terms. Upon detection of a violation of these terms, state information pertaining to the computer program is saved and operation of the computer program and/or a portion of the computer system is suspended. The system maintains the suspension for as long as the violation exists. Once compliance has been reestablished, the suspension is terminated.
Claims20
A method of controlling use of an operating system, said method comprising the steps of:
- monitoring usage of an operating system of a computer for at least one instance of a rights violation event, said monitoring being conducted by a rights manager located on the computer;
- determining, by said rights manager, whether a rights violation has occurred based on licensing expiration information received by said rights manager from the operating system;
- saving, upon detection of said rights violation event, state information of said operating system, wherein the state information includes content sufficient to commence operation of the operating system at the current state, without loss of user input provided or operating system processing accomplished prior to said rights violation event;
- and
- suspending, upon saving said state information, operation of said operating system;
- and,
- resuming, upon resolution of the rights violation event, operation of said operating system at the current state using the saved state information.
A method of controlling use of an operating system, operating as part of a computer system, said method comprising the steps of:
- monitoring, by a rights manager, usage of an operating system of a computer for a violation of one or more requirements for use of said operating system, said rights manager being located on the computer;
- determining, by said rights manager, whether a rights violation has occurred based on licensing expiration information received by said rights manager from the operating system;
- saving, upon detection of a violation of one or more requirements, state information of said operating system, wherein the state information includes content sufficient to commence operation of the operating system at the current state, without loss of user input provided or operating system processing accomplished prior to said rights violation event;
- suspending, upon saving said state information, operation of said operating system and/or at least a portion of said computer system;
- and
- maintaining suspension of said operating system and/or at least a portion of said computer system while said usage continues to violate one or more requirements and terminating the suspension of said operating system and/or at least a portion of said computer system when said usage complies with said requirements;
- and,
- resuming, upon resolution of the rights violation event, operation of said operating system at the current state using the saved state information.
A computer program product, residing on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, for use in controlling use of an operating system, said computer program product comprising instructions for causing a computer system to:
- monitor usage of an operating system of a computer for at least one instance of a rights violation event, the usage being monitored by a rights manager located on the computer;
- determine, by said rights manager, whether a rights violation has occurred based on licensing expiration information received by said rights manager from the operating system;
- save, upon detection of said rights violation event, state information of said operating system, wherein the state information includes content sufficient to commence operation of the operating system at the current state, without loss of user input provided or operating system processing accomplished prior to said rights violation event;
- and
- suspend, upon saving said state information, operation of said operating system and/or at least a portion of said computer system;
- and,
- resuming, upon resolution of the rights violation event, operation of said operating system at the current state using the saved state information.
A computer system of controlling use of an operating system, said computer system comprising:
- a processing unit;
- a memory device storing instructions for execution by the processing unit;
- wherein the processing unit executes the stored instructions to:
- monitor usage of an operating system of a computer for a rights violation event, the usage being monitored by a rights manager located on the computer;
- determining, by said rights manager, whether a rights violation has occurred based on licensing expiration information received by said rights manager from the operating system;
- save, upon detection of said rights violation event, state information pertaining to a current state of said operating system, wherein the state information includes content sufficient to commence operation of the operating system at the current state, without loss of user input provided or operating system processing accomplished prior to said rights violation event;
- and
- suspend, upon saving said state information, operation of said operating system and/or at least a portion of said computer system;
- and,
- resume, upon resolution of the rights violation event, operation of said operating system at the current state using the saved state information.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.