The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 09, 2010
Filed:
Jan. 23, 2008
Bernardo Pastorelli, L'Aguila, IT;
Domenico Di Giulio, Rome, IT;
Riccardo Rossi, Rome, IT;
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A method () and system for controlling use of software programs on multiple workstations of a network. An agent running on each workstation detects () any new process (using a kernel hooking technique), which is started in response to the request of execution of a program (). The process is suspended () and an authorization to run the program is requested () to an associated metering server. The metering server compares () the current usage of the product with the respective authorized conditions of use, and answers () the agent granting or denying the authorization to run. The process is accordingly resumed (), in order to enable the program to start, or aborted (), so as to prevent execution of the program. In any case, the program is not stopped (but it is prevented from starting); this avoids killing the program while it is performing potentially risky operations.