Software license server with geographic location validation
A computer software license management system wrapper for use in a local computer is described. The software wrapper includes a wrapper interface that provides controlled access to a computer software application file. The software application file is encapsulated by security software code to protect it from unauthorized access. The software wrapper also includes a software license key identifying a license policy specifying a use limitation within a geographic boundary. In addition, the software wrapper includes a license validation mechanism that periodically determines compliance with the license policy. The license validation mechanism permits access by another process operating on the local computer through the wrapper interface in response to a valid license confirmation signal received from the license server. A license server that utilizes and an electronic storefront that sells software license wrappers having software use limitations within a geographic boundary also are described.
1. A computer software license server including a processor and memory, comprising:
a communication module containing program code stored in memory which when executed by the processor in the server causes the server to perform the operations of utilizing pre-existing communication infrastructure to provide a communication link between the license server and a remote computer, the communication module receiving a software license key and a current Internet Protocol (IP) address of the remote computer;
a geographic location cross reference to IP address database stored within the server memory;
a license database stored within the server memory having a plurality of license policies, each license policy being uniquely identified by a corresponding software license key, at least one license policy specifying a use limitation for a software application within a geographic boundary; and
a license validation mechanism comprising program code which when executed by the processor in the server causes the server to perform the operations of sending a valid license confirmation signal to the remote computer via the communication link, in response to: (i) identifying a current geographic location for the received current IP address by performing a reverse IP address lookup in the geographic location database, (ii) retrieving a specific license policy having a geographic boundary use limitation from the license database based on the received software license key, and (iii) determining that the current geographic location is within the specific geographic boundary identified by the retrieved license policy.
2. The license server of claim 1 wherein the license validation mechanism comprises code that when executed by the processor in the server causes the communication module to send an invalid license confirmation signal to the remote computer via the communication link, in response to: (i) identifying a current geographic location for the received current IP address by performing a reverse IP address lookup in the geographic location database, (ii) retrieving a specific license policy having a geographical boundary use limitation from the license database based on the received software license key, and (iii) determining that the current geographic location is outside the specific geographic boundary identified by the retrieved license policy.
3. The license server of claim 1 wherein the communication link comprises an electronic network link to the Internet.
4. The license server of claim 1 wherein the geographic boundary specified in the at least one license policy is substantially identical to a country border.
5. The license server of claim 1 wherein the geographic boundary specified in the at least one license policy comprises an outer border of a collection of adjacent countries.
6. The license server of claim 1 further comprising a reporting module which comprises program code which when executed by the processor causes the server to perform the operations of providing activation history of a particular software license key associated with a purchased license.
7. The license server of claim 1 further comprising a user interface operatively coupled to the license database and license validation mechanism, the user interface to enable a user to manage the plurality of license policies such that the user can override a particular policy violation and allow an activation of the software application associated with received software license key even though a license policy violation has been detected by the license server.