Patent 7346585 was granted and assigned to Microsoft on March, 2008 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Integrated computer services and software licensing processing methods and systems are provided. A license processing service (LPS) receives a services or software license request from a user via a client computer. The LPS communicates the request to a billing system for the services or software provider to obtain an expiration date for use of a desired service or software product. The LPS receives and forwards the expiration date from the billing system to a licensing clearinghouse operated by the provider of the desired service or software product. The clearinghouse, in turn, provides a use license for the desired service or software application to the client computer via the LPS.