Patent ID: 7757075
Filing Date: 2010-07-13
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method of processing an electronically signed license, the processing being performed by an access control module in communication with an external state server via a wide area network, wherein the external state server is configured to update and store state information associated with the signed license, the signed license being issued by a trusted issuer includes at least a principal name, right, resource, state reference, and resource fields for granting at least one principal a right to a resource, the at least one principal being a separate entity from the state server and being prohibited access to the state information, the method comprising: (a) receiving the signed license from the trusted issuer, the state reference field of the signed license containing an identifier that identifies the state server in order to provide indirect access to the state information stored in the external state server, the resource field of the signed license containing a reference to the resource that is stored separately from the signed license, the state information is information that is changed each time the principal accesses the resource without changing information contained in the signed license; (b) receiving, from said state server via said identifier contained in the state reference field of the signed license, the state information, and wherein the access control module sends a request to the state server to retrieve the state information using the identifier contained in the state reference field via said wide area network, wherein the requested state information is updated state information; (c) determining whether a license condition is satisfied based on the received state information; and (d) allowing the principal to exercise the right when the license condition is satisfied.