A license management server generates a license including information about update confirmation date and usage period. An image forming apparatus tries to communicate with the license management server until the usage period elapses since the update confirmation date.

An information processing apparatus carries out license return at the same time as carrying out license activation and returns only a license that can bring about a beneficial effect by being returned according to a state of a held license. Further, if a plurality of licenses is associated with a single serial number, the information processing apparatus returns the plurality of licenses collectively.

An audio object (AOB) for which corresponding rights management information (RMI) has been generated by a license management apparatus, and an AOB for which RMI does not exist are written into a recording medium for use in an SDMI system which includes the license management apparatus. Each AOB is put in correspondence with a migration permission flag (MPF). When the corresponding AOB is the AOB for which RMI does not exist, the relevant MPF is set to on so as to show that a migration procedure is permitted. When the corresponding AOB is the AOB for which RMI has been generated by the license management apparatus, the relevant MPF is set to off so as to show that a migration procedure is not permitted.

Provided is an information processing device that includes a license management unit that sets at least one of a first use start date and time or a first use end date and time of a license to be provided to a first electronic device on the basis of a date and time of a hardware clock, and responds to return of the license from the first electronic device and provision of a second electronic device with the license returned from the first electronic device until the date and time of the hardware clock pass a first valid period with reference to the first use start date and time or pass the first use end date and time.

A certificate for a target device includes encrypted system attributes that are verified against attributes of the target device prior to software usage. A certificate server securely obtains system attributes from the target system and generates a certificate with encrypted components including some system attributes. The certificate is stored on the target device and software installation/execution is made dependent on validation of the certificate. An encrypted system fingerprint in the certificate is decrypted by the software at the target device and compared with locally obtained system attributes to verify authorization for software usage on the target device. The certificate represents an easy to use paradigm for anti-piracy protection of software.

Methods, systems, and computer program products for sharing of software products are provided herein. A computer-implemented method includes selecting a hardware device within a network of hardware devices, each containing a particular licensed software product, in response to a user request for usage of the particular licensed software product. The method also includes transmitting a request to the selected hardware device that comprises a request to permit the user usage of the particular licensed software product via the selected hardware device, and establishing a communication link between a hardware device of the user and the selected hardware device upon receiving an acceptance of the request. Additionally, the method includes implementing, based on the usage of the particular licensed software product by the user during the communication link, a payment mechanism among the user, an entity associated with the selected hardware device, and a licensor of the particular licensed software product.

An information processing system includes one or more processors configured to: receive a request for issuance of an access token to be used when a service is used; provide an instruction for issuance of the access token and a refresh token to be used to, when a validity period of the access token has expired, refresh the access token; acquire the access token and the refresh token issued in response to the instruction; refresh the access token, using the refresh token, based on a predetermined refresh condition; and discard the refresh token, based on a predetermined condition on discarding.

A request for a file system operation that has been intercepted at a remote second user system for a protected file is received. An indication to allow the file system operation is received. An instruction to allow access to the protected file by allowing the file system operation is provided to the remote second user system. While the remote second user system has the provided access authorization to the protected file, an indication to modify the access authorization is received from a user that allowed the file system operation. The remote second user system is instructed to implement the indicated access authorization modification.

The present invention is configured to acquire a license having a valid time period and periodically renew the license. The present invention stops the regular renewal of the license if an environment executing an application is inactivated, and restarts the regular renewal of the license if determining that the environment is activated.

An information processing apparatus carries out license return at the same time as carrying out license activation and returns only a license that can bring about a beneficial effect by being returned according to a state of a held license. Further, if a plurality of licenses is associated with a single serial number, the information processing apparatus returns the plurality of licenses collectively.