Patent ID: 6859792

Claim:
For use in a computer network having a plurality of nodes, each node capable of operating a software program obtained from a program source, a licensing method comprising the steps of: a. on a computer network, providing a program suite formed of a plurality of software programs; b. assigning a predetermined number of assigned units to each program in the program suite; c. setting a discrete node running total for each node equal to the assigned units of the highest assigned units program running on each node: and d. upon one node requesting access to another requested program in the program suite while accessing a first program, determining a number of required units to access the requested program where the number of required units equal zero when the assigned units of the requested program are less than or equal to the node running total of the node requesting access to the requested program, and the required units equal the difference between the assigned units of the requested program and the node running total when the assigned units of the requested program are greater than the one node running total.