IP Library Granted Patent US 11,755,694
Granted Patent B2
US 11,755,694 · App. 17/877,580 · Granted Sep 12, 2023

Barcode-based license configuration for air-gapped systems

Inventor: Matthew Joseph Roberts (North Chelmsford, MA)
Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
G06F21/105G06K7/10722G06K7/1417G06F2221/0759G06K2007/10524
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,755,694
App. No.
17/877,580
Granted
Sep 12, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Example implementations include a method, apparatus and computer-readable medium of configuring a license for a component configurable with a computer system, comprising storing the component on the computer system. The implementations further include encoding computer system information corresponding to the computer system into a barcode, such as a Quick Response (QR) code. Additionally, the implementations further include displaying the barcode and a license identifier field. Additionally, the implementations further include receiving a license identifier in the license identifier field, wherein the license identifier is based on the barcode. Additionally, the implementations further include decoding the license for the component based on the license identifier.

Claims (51)

1. A method of configuring a component of an air-gapped computer system (AGCS), comprising:

generating, by the AGCS, a barcode based on computer system information corresponding to the AGCS;

displaying the barcode via a display unit of the AGCS;

receiving, by the AGCS, a license identifier generated by a licensing computer system based upon the barcode; and

operating the component based on the license identifier.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein operating the component based on the license identifier comprises generating, by the AGCS, a license for operating the component based on the license identifier.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein operating the component based on the license identifier comprises verifying that one or a combination of conditions is not met, the conditions include a maximum component count, a maximum instance count, an expiration date, or an expiration time corresponding to the license identifier.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein operating the component based on the license identifier comprises verifying that the license identifier corresponds to the component and the license identifier corresponds to the AGCS.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the license identifier further comprises receiving a user input of a plurality of characters corresponding to the license identifier into a license identifier field displayed on the display unit of the AGCS.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein receiving the license identifier is based on the plurality of characters having been received on a portable device that read the barcode and transmitted the computer system information to the licensing computer system.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the component is one or a combination of:

a hardware component;

a software component; or

a firmware component.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computer system information comprises one or a combination of:

a media access control (MAC) address of a network component of the AGCS;

an identifier of a storage device of the AGCS;

an identifier of a motherboard of the AGCS;

an identifier of a central processing unit (CPU) of the AGCS; or

a unique identifier of the component of the AGCS.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the barcode comprises a Quick Response (QR) code.

10. An air gapped computer system (AGCS) including a component, comprising:

a memory;

a display unit; and

at least one processor in communication with the memory and configured to:

generate, by the AGCS, a barcode based on computer system information corresponding to the AGCS;

display the barcode via a display unit of the AGCS;

receive, by the AGCS, a license identifier generated by a licensing computer system based upon the barcode; and

operate the component based on the license identifier.

11. The AGCS of claim 10 , wherein to operate the component based on the license identifier, the at least one processor is further configured to generate, by the AGCS, a license for operating the component based on the license identifier.

12. The AGCS of claim 10 , wherein to operate the component based on the license identifier, the at least one processor is further configured to verify that one or a combination of conditions is not met, the conditions include a maximum component count, a maximum instance count, an expiration date, or an expiration time corresponding to the license.

13. The AGCS of claim 10 , wherein to operate the component based on the license identifier, the at least one processor is further configured to verify that the license identifier corresponds to the component and the license identifier corresponds to the AGCS.

14. The AGCS of claim 10 , wherein to receive the license identifier, the at least one processor is further configured to receive a user input of a plurality of characters corresponding to the license identifier into a license identifier field displayed on the display unit of the AGCS.

15. The AGCS of claim 10 , wherein the component is one or a combination of:

a hardware component;

a software component; or

a firmware component.

16. The AGCS of claim 10 , wherein the computer system information comprises one or a combination of:

a media access control (MAC) address of a network component of the AGCS;

an identifier of a storage device of the AGCS;

an identifier of a motherboard of the AGCS;

an identifier of a central processing unit (CPU) of the AGCS; or

a unique identifier of the component of the AGCS.

17. The AGCS of claim 10 , wherein the barcode comprises a Quick Response (QR) code.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable device having instructions thereon that, when executed by at least one air gapped computing device (AGCS) including a component, causes the at least one AGCS to perform operations comprising:

generating a barcode based on computer system information corresponding to the AGCS;

displaying the barcode via a display unit of the AGCS;

receiving a license identifier generated by a licensing computer system based upon the barcode; and

operating the component based on the license identifier.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable device of claim 18 , wherein operating the component based on the license identifier comprises generating, by the AGCS, a license for operating the component based on the license identifier.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable device of claim 18 , wherein operating the component based on the license identifier comprises verifying that the license identifier corresponds to the component and the license identifier corresponds to the AGCS.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 23, 2024
From: JOHNSON CONTROLS TYCO IP HOLDINGS LLP
To: TYCO FIRE & SECURITY GMBH
Reel/Frame 068494/0384 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 31, 2023
From: ROBERTS, MATTHEW JOSEPH
To: SENSORMATIC ELECTRONICS, LLC
Reel/Frame 063812/0417 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 31, 2023
From: SENSORMATIC ELECTRONICS, LLC
To: JOHNSON CONTROLS US HOLDINGS LLC
Reel/Frame 063815/0390 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 31, 2023
From: JOHNSON CONTROLS US HOLDINGS LLC
To: JOHNSON CONTROLS INC
Reel/Frame 063815/0429 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 31, 2023
From: JOHNSON CONTROLS INC
To: JOHNSON CONTROLS TYCO IP HOLDINGS LLP
Reel/Frame 063815/0546 →