Patent ID: 7680743

Claim:
A method for protecting a software application in connection with a digital rights management (DRM) system, where the DRM system and the application both reside on a computing device, the application has a unique ID as resident on the computing device, and the DRM system has a unique ID as resident on the computing device, the application for being executed to perform a function, the method comprising: receiving, responsive to a license request, a first digital license for the application and corresponding to verification of the application, where the first digital license comprises a term; receiving, responsive to the license request, a second digital license for the application and corresponding to verification of the combination of the application and the DRM system, the second license including the unique ID of the DRM system and the unique ID of the application; triggering a first code in the application that requires the DRM system to verify the application on the basis of the first license; verifying at the DRM system based on the triggered first code that the application is allowed to be executed to perform the function based on the first license; verifying at the DRM system based on the triggered first code that the term in the first license permits the application to be executed; triggering a second code in the application that requires the application to verify the combination of the DRM and the application on the basis of the second license; verifying at the application based on the triggered second code that the application is allowed to be executed in connection with the DRM system based on the second license having therein the unique ID of the application as resident on the computing device and the unique ID of the DRM system as resident on the computing device; and executing the application only after the DRM system verifies that the first license in fact allows the application to execute to perform the function, the application verifies that the second license has therein the unique ID of the application as resident on the computing device and the unique ID of the DRM system as resident on the computing device, and the DRM system verifies that the term in the first license permits the application to be executed; wherein the first digital license validates the use of the application and the second digital license validates the combination of the DRM and the application.