Patent ID: 8613082
Filing Date: 2013-12-17
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A license management server connected to a plurality of image processing apparatuses, the license management server comprising: a storage unit configured to store license identification information, by which a license for use in licensing one or more of the plurality of image processing apparatuses to use an application is identified, the license identification information being associated with a number of available licenses in the storage unit; a receiving unit configured to receive from the one or more of the plurality of image processing apparatuses, any one of an activation request that the license for the application be granted to the one or more of the plurality of image processing apparatuses and a deactivation request that the license for the application granted to the one or more image processing apparatuses be canceled; a determining unit configured to access the storage unit upon receiving the activation request and to determine that the license for the application is to be granted to the one or more of the plurality of image processing apparatuses upon the number of licenses associated with the license identification information in the storage unit being equal to one or greater; an activating unit configured to, an editing unit configured to decrement the number of licenses by one upon the application having been granted to be used by the one or more of the image processing apparatuses, whereas the editing unit increments the number of licenses by one upon the license for the application granted to the one or more of the plurality of image processing apparatuses having been canceled.