Patent ID: 6023766
Filing Date: 2000-02-08
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A software license management system, comprising:software execution equipment for executing software installed therein, includingmeans for requesting issuance of a license for a software when the software is installed in said software execution equipment, andmeans for requesting confirmation of the license for the software when the software is used; andsoftware license management equipment for managing a license for the software by exchanging information relating to the license for the software with said software execution equipment via electronic mail, includingan electronic mail receiving device for receiving a message from said software execution equipment via electronic mail,an electronic mail sending device for sending a message to said software execution equipment via electronic mail,a license issue device for, when said electronic mail receiving device has received a message that contains a request to issue a license for a software, issuing a license for the software based on the license issuing request and also transmitting a message that contains information about the issued license using said electronic mail sending device to said software execution equipment via electronic mail,a log management device for storing the information about the license issued by said license issue device as license information, anda license confirmation device for, when said electronic mail receiving device has received a message containing a request to confirm the license for the software, confirming the license based on both the license confirming request and the license information stored in said log management device and, further transmitting a message that contains a confirmation result of the license through said electronic mail sending device to said software execution equipment via electronic mail.