Portable license server

Abstract

A portable license for licensed content is obtained by a user along with a regular license in a local network, such as a home network or other private network. The portable license may be stored in a license server on a portable device, such as a smart phone or a tablet, which functions as a portable license server. The user may take the portable device to another location where it joins another local network. A device in the second network, which does not have a license to play the licensed content, may use the portable license on the portable device to execute the content, enabling the user to enjoy it in multiple environments. The device (e.g., a TV) in the second network may continue to play the content as long as the portable license or another valid license is present in the network.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of generating multiple licenses for a content, the method comprising:
 receiving a request for the content;   generating a regular license for the content;   generating a portable license for the content;   associating the regular license and the portable license with each other; and   transmitting the portable license and the regular license in a transmission to one or more software execution devices.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating a portable license for the content further comprises: utilizing unique data of a portable software execution device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising: requesting the content from the portable software execution device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the portable license includes a unique identifier of the portable software execution device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the portable license and the regular license are transmitted in a single transmission to the portable software execution device. 
     
     
         6 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the portable license is managed by a license server on the portable software execution device. 
     
     
         7 . A licensing system based on the presence of a portable software execution device having a portable license in a local network, the system comprising:
 a license generating server having a license generator, a license database, and an originating license server;   a first software execution device executing a first license manager for maintaining a regular license for a licensed content; and   a second software execution device executing a second license manager capable of receiving and maintaining the portable license for the licensed content,   wherein the portable license is transmitted from the portable software execution device, and   wherein the portable software execution device executes a portable license server for maintaining the portable license for the licensed content.   
     
     
         8 . The licensing system of  claim 7 , wherein the second software execution device includes a portable license server polling module. 
     
     
         9 . The licensing system of  claim 7 , wherein the second software execution device includes a portable license verification module. 
     
     
         10 . The licensing system of  claim 7 , wherein the portable license contains a unique identifier of the portable software execution device. 
     
     
         11 . The licensing system of  claim 7 , wherein the license database stores portable license data and regular license data for the licensed content. 
     
     
         12 . The licensing system of  claim 7 , wherein the local network is a network having a plurality of devices that are limited to a specific gateway. 
     
     
         13 . The licensing system of  claim 7 , wherein the local network is a network having a plurality of devices that are limited to a specific subnet mask. 
     
     
         14 . The licensing system of  claim 7 , wherein the local network is a home network. 
     
     
         15 . The licensing system of  claim 7 , wherein the local network is a private network. 
     
     
         16 . The licensing system of  claim 7 , wherein the first software execution device and the second software execution device are fixed devices. 
     
     
         17 . The licensing system of  claim 7 , wherein the second software execution device does not have a connection with the license generator server or with a source from where the licensed content is obtained. 
     
     
         18 . A software execution device comprising:
 a processor;   a network interface; and   a data storage component storing:
 a portable license server polling module; 
 a portable license verification module; and 
 a license manager module. 
   
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein licensed content is executed on the device upon verification of a portable license. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the device is in a local network that includes a portable device. 
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a licensed content; and   a portable license for executing the licensed content.   
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the portable license verification module compares a portable license identifier and a portable device unique identifier. 
     
     
         23 . A portable content execution device comprising:
 a processor;   a network interface;   a data storage component storing:
 a portable license server; and 
 a portable license. 
   
     
     
         24 . The portable content execution device of  claim 23 , wherein the data storage component stores licensed content associated with the portable license. 
     
     
         25 . The portable content execution device of  claim 23 , wherein the device is operable in a first local network and in a second local network, and wherein the device is intended to be carried by a user.