Patent ID: 8079090
Filing Date: 2011-12-13
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A license management system, including a license management server and a plurality of image forming apparatuses which are bi-directionally connected over a network to the server, for performing an activation process of an application program that runs on the image forming apparatuses in accordance with an operation by a user, wherein, the license management server comprises: a storage unit constructed to store a license access number that is associated with the application program; a determination unit constructed to determine whether or not it is possible to issue a new license file, in accordance with the license access number and a number of already issued license files that are issued in accordance with the license access number; and an issue unit constructed to issue a license file in accordance with the license access number and a unique information that is preset on the image forming apparatus; and wherein, at least one of the plurality of image forming apparatuses comprises: a first input unit constructed to input the license access number based on an operation input from the user; a search unit constructed to search for other image forming apparatuses that are connected over the network; a display unit constructed to display a selection screen including a list of the other image forming apparatuses that are detected by the search unit; a designation unit constructed to designate the image forming apparatus itself and one or more other image forming apparatuses based on an operation input from the user via the selection screen; a first transmission unit constructed to transmit, when the license access number is input and the image forming apparatus itself and the one or more other image forming apparatuses are designated, the license access number to the license management server and to the designated one or more other image forming apparatuses so that the license management server issues the license file for the image forming apparatus itself and also issues the license file to the designated one or more other image forming apparatuses when the one or more image forming apparatuses transmit the license access number to the license management server; a second input unit constructed to input an information from the license management server indicating whether or not it is possible to issue the license file; a second transmission unit constructed to transmit the unique information that is preset on the image forming apparatus to the license management server when the second input units inputs the information indicating that it is possible to issue the license file; a third input unit constructed to input the license file that is issued from the license management server; and an activation unit constructed to execute the activation of the application program in accordance with the license file.