User based licensing for applications

Abstract

A method, system, and computer-readable storage media for providing user based licensing of an application are provided herein. The method includes receiving user log-in information from a computing device at a licensing service in response to an input by a user and providing a license for an application to the computing device, wherein the license includes device specific information associated with the user. The method also includes activating the application on the computing device using the device specific information.

1 . A method for providing licensing of an application, comprising:
 receiving consumer subscription information from a computing device at a licensing service in response to an input by a user;   providing a license for an application to the computing device, wherein the license comprises device specific information associated with the consumer subscription information, the device specific information providing for activating the application on the computing device;   determining a state of the license in response to an input from the computing device, wherein the input comprises a license state check performed by the computing device; and   adjusting conditions of the license according to the state of the license.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising providing a uniform resource locator (URL) to the computing device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the consumer subscription information comprises a user ID specific to a user. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising allowing the user to use the application on the computing device for a specified period of time or a specified number of uses without connecting the computing device to the licensing service. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , comprising deprovisioning the license if the state of the license is expired. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the specified time and specified number of uses are configurable and provided to the computing device from the licensing service. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the license state check is performed by the computing device at the run time of the application. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising roaming the license for the application across a plurality of computing devices associated with the same consumer subscription information. 
     
     
         9 . A system for providing licensing of an application, comprising:
 a storage device to store instructions of a licensing service;   a server communicatively coupled to a computing device, the server comprising a processing device to carry out operations of the licensing service configured to:
 receive consumer subscription information from the computing device in response to an input by a user; 
 provide a license for an application to the computing device, wherein the license comprises device specific information associated with the consumer subscription information, the device specific information providing for activating the application on the computing device; 
 determine a state of the license in response to an input from the computing device, wherein the input comprises a license state check performed by the computing device; and 
 adjust conditions of the license according to the state of the license. 
   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the licensing service is configured to provide a uniform resource locator (URL) to the computing device. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the consumer subscription information comprises a user ID specific to a user. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the licensing service is configured to allow the user to use the application on the computing device for a specified period of time or a specified number of uses without connecting the computing device to the licensing service. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the specified time and specified number of uses are configurable and provided to the computing device from the licensing service. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the licensing service is configured to deprovision the license if the state of the license is expired. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the license state check is performed by the computing device at the run time of the application. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein licensing service is configured to roam the license for the application across a plurality of computing devices associated with the same consumer subscription information. 
     
     
         17 . A computer-readable storage media device comprising a plurality of instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
 receive consumer subscription information from a computing device;   provide a license for an application to the computing device, wherein the license comprises device specific information associated with the consumer subscription information, the device specific information providing for activating the application on the computing device;   determine a state of the license in response to an input from the computing device, wherein the input comprises a license state check performed by the computing device; and   adjust conditions of the license according to the state of the license.   
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 17 , comprising a plurality of instructions that, when executed by a processor provide a uniform resource locator (URL) to the computing device. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 17 , comprising a plurality of instructions that, when executed by a processor allow a user to use the application on the computing device for a specified period of time or a specified number of uses without connecting the computing device to the licensing service. 
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 19 , wherein the specified time and specified number of uses are configurable and provided to the computing device from the licensing service based on the conditions of the license.