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:
Mar. 18, 2014
Filed:
Nov. 11, 2011
Masashi Ogasawara, Kanagawa, JP;
Yoshihiro Ogura, Kanagawa, JP;
Masashi Ogasawara, Kanagawa, JP;
Yoshihiro Ogura, Kanagawa, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An electronic apparatus includes a communication unit to communicate with other electronic apparatuses and a license management apparatus; a license file management unit to obtain license files from the license management apparatus; a license information management unit to manage license information to determine licensed software programs; an apparatus management unit to manage apparatus-related information including component parts information; and a license distribution management unit. The license distribution management unit confirms that licensed software programs are present. When transferring licenses for the confirmed software programs, the license distribution management unit requests and obtains the license information and the apparatus-related information from the other electronic apparatuses. The license distribution management unit conducts a searching process to identify the electronic apparatuses to which licenses are allowed to be transferred based on the obtained license information and the apparatus-related information from the other electronic apparatuses, and transfers the licenses to the identified electronic apparatuses.