Apparatus, license determining method, recording medium

Abstract

An image forming apparatus for executing an application constituted by one or more program modules, includes a license target identification information generating unit configured to generate license target identification information used for identifying which of the program modules are targets of license management, and to store the license target identification information in a storage device, wherein the license target identification information is generated based on one or more program module information items each being associated with one of the program modules to indicate whether the corresponding program module is a target of license management, and a license determination unit configured to determine, in response to an input of a usage request to use the application, whether a license is present, wherein the determination is made only for one or more of the program modules identified as being the targets of license management based on the license target identification information.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . An information processing apparatus that activates an application constituted by a plurality of program modules, comprising:
 a license target identification information generating unit controlled by a controller including a CPU configured to generate license target identification information that identifies which of the plurality of program modules are targets of license management, the license target identification information being generated based on one or more program module information items each being associated with one of the plurality of program modules to indicate whether the corresponding program module is a target of license management; and   an activation limiting unit controlled by the controller including the CPU configured to limit activation of a program module included in the plurality of program modules, when said program module is unavailable as the target of license management based on the license target identification information, in response to an activation request to activate the application.   
     
     
         3 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the license target identification information generating unit controlled by the controller including the CPU is further configured to generate the license target identification information when there is no license target identification information when the activation request to activate the application is input, and   the activation limiting unit controlled by the controller including the CPU is further configured to limit the activation of the program module based on the license target identification information generated in response to the activation request.   
     
     
         4 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 an authenticity determination unit controlled by the controller including the CPU configured to determine, in response to the activation request to activate the application, whether the license target identification information is authentic,   wherein the circuitry implementing the license target identification information generating unit is further configured to once again generate the license target identification information in the event that the license target identification information is determined as being inauthentic by the authenticity determination unit controlled by the controller including the CPU, and   the activation limiting unit controlled by the controller including the CPU is further configured to limit the activation of the program module based on the license target identification information that has been once again generated.   
     
     
         5 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the license target identification information includes one or more identification information items corresponding to one or more of the program modules identified as being the targets of license management.   
     
     
         6 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the license target identification information generating unit controlled by the controller including the CPU is further configured to encrypt the license target identification information. 
     
     
         7 . An information processing method for activating an application constituted by a plurality of program modules, comprising:
 generating license target identification information that identifies which of the plurality of program modules are targets of license management, the license target identification information being generated based on one or more program module information items each being associated with one of the plurality of program modules to indicate whether the corresponding program module is a target of license management; and   limiting activation of a program module included in the plurality of program modules, when said program module is unavailable as the target of license management based on the license target identification information, in response to an activation request to activate the application.   
     
     
         8 . The information processing method according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 generating the license target identification information when there is no license target identification information when the activation request to activate the application is input; and   limiting the activation of the program module based on the license target identification information generated in response to the activation request.   
     
     
         9 . The information processing method according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 determining, in response to the activation request to activate the application, whether the license target identification information is authentic;   once again generating the license target identification information in the event that the license target identification information is determined as being inauthentic by the determining; and   limiting the activation of the program module based on the license target identification information that has been once again generated.   
     
     
         10 . The information processing method according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein the license target identification information includes one or more identification information items corresponding to one or more of the program modules identified as being the targets of license management.   
     
     
         11 . The information processing method according to  claim 7 , further comprising: encrypting the license target identification information. 
     
     
         12 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a program that when executed by a computer causes the computer to execute an information processing method for activating an application constituted by a plurality of program modules, comprising:
 generating license target identification information that identifies which of the plurality of program modules are targets of license management, the license target identification information being generated based on one or more program module information items each being associated with one of the plurality of program modules to indicate whether the corresponding program module is a target of license management; and   limiting activation of a program module included in the plurality of program modules, when said program module is unavailable as the target of license management based on the license target identification information, in response to an activation request to activate the application.   
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory computer readable medium according to  claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises:
 generating the license target identification information when there is no license target identification information when the activation request to activate the application is input; and   limiting the activation of the program module based on the license target identification information generated in response to the activation request.   
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer readable medium according to  claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises:
 determining, in response to the activation request to activate the application, whether the license target identification information is authentic;   once again generating the license target identification information in the event that the license target identification information is determined as being inauthentic by the determining; and   limiting the activation of the program module based on the license target identification information that has been once again generated.   
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer readable medium according to  claim 12 , wherein the license target identification information includes one or more identification information items corresponding to one or more of the program modules identified as being the targets of license management. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer readable medium according to  claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises:
 encrypting the license target identification information.