Computer software installation
First Claim
1. Computer software which includes an executable program which requires access to at least one sub-routine during execution, the software further including the or each of the sub-routines in encrypted form, and further including a decryption routine operable to convert the encrypted sub-routines to an executable form, at least when access is required.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
When an executable program is to be loaded into RAM 10, the RAM initially contains a loader module 12a, the program 10, an ENGINE 22 and encrypted resources 24, such as encrypted .DLL files. When the program 14 is to be run, the loader module 12a will call the ENGINE 22, which will access the sub-routine resources required by the program 14, identify any of these which are already available in the system, load those already available, and decrypt and load any which are not available. This ensures that the required subroutines are available to the program 14 on each occasion that the program 14 is executed.
37 Citations
26 Claims
- 1. Computer software which includes an executable program which requires access to at least one sub-routine during execution, the software further including the or each of the sub-routines in encrypted form, and further including a decryption routine operable to convert the encrypted sub-routines to an executable form, at least when access is required.
-
12. A computer system operable to execute an executable program, the system including:
-
first store means containing computer readable code representing the executable program;
loading means operable to load the code for execution;
identifying means operable to identify any sub-routines required by the executable program during execution thereof;
second store means containing computer readable code representing the or each sub-routine identified by the identifying means;
and second loading means operable to load from the second store means the or each sub-routine in the event that the sub-routine is not available elsewhere within the system.
-
-
21. A method of installing a piece of computer software, comprising:
-
1. Installing an executable program of the type which requires access to at least one sub-routine during execution;
2. Decrypting an encrypted copy of the sub-routine; and
3. Installing the decrypted copy for access by the executable program. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
Specification