Keyed-build system for controlling the distribution of software

• US 20040199766A1
• Filed: 04/02/2003
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Fortier, Dominique, Peev, Igor Borisov, Chew, Chee, Calligaro, Michael P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,577,849 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/121 Restricting unauthorised execution of programs

Abstract

A keyed-build system for controlling the distribution of software. The system and method of the present invention control distribution of software by keying computer-executable programs with device identifications. Each of the computing devices of the keyed-build system contains a device identification that is uniquely associated with and is embedded in the device. A computer-executable program for use in a particular computing device is keyed with the device'"'"'s unique device identification during the build process of the program. When the computer-executable program is launched on a computing device, the device identification in the program is compared with the device identification embedded in the computing device. If the two device identifications do not match, the computer-executable program is disabled.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing a computer-executable program comprising:

determining a first device identification; and

building the computer-executable program by;

keying the computer-executable program with the first device identification;

configuring the computer-executable program to determine a second device identification embedded in a computing device;

configuring the computer-executable program to disable itself if the first device identification does not match the second device identification.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein keying the computer-executable program includes incorporating the device identification into the binary code of the computer-executable program.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining a first device identification further comprising establishing a communication link with the computing device.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the communication link is secured.

5. A computer-implemented method for authenticating a computer-executable program by a computing device comprising:

performing an operation associated with the computer-executable program, the computer-executable program having a keyed device identification;

determining an embedded device identification uniquely associated with the computing device;

authenticating the keyed device identification using the embedded device identification; and

if the keyed device identification is not authenticated, aborting the operation.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the operation is associated with launching the computer-executable program in the computing device.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the operation is associated with booting the computing device after the computer-executable program has been installed.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein authenticating the keyed device identification includes determining whether the keyed device identification substantially matches the embedded device identification.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein aborting the operation includes disabling the computing device.

10. A computer-implemented method for upgrading software in a mobile computing device comprising:

receiving a software upgrade with a keyed device identification;

performing an operation associated with the software upgrade;

determining an embedded device identification uniquely associated with the mobile computing device;

comparing the keyed device identification with the embedded device identification; and

if the keyed device identification does not match the embedded device identification embedded in the computing device, aborting the operation.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the software upgrade is a newer version of the software currently in the computing device.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the software upgrade includes a newer version of an operating system currently executing in the computing device.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the operation includes launching the software upgrade in the mobile computing device.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the operation includes booting the mobile computing device.

15. A computer-implemented method for distributing software upgrade comprising:

receiving a request to upgrade software for a mobile computing device;

establishing a communication link with the mobile computing device;

retrieving a device identification uniquely associated with the mobile computing device;

determining an appropriate software upgrade for the mobile computing device;

building the software upgrade keyed with the device identification; and

making the software upgrade available for installation in the computing device.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein establishing the communication link with the mobile computing device is performed through a docking unit.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein establishing the communication link is performed using an active control program.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein the control program is Active X Control.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, establishing the communication link with the mobile computing device is performed through a wireless network.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein determining an appropriate software upgrade is performed using the device identification.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving payment information associated with the request to upgrade software; and

processing payment transaction by interacting with a payment system.

22. A computer-readable medium encoded with a computer-executable component configured to determine a device identification uniquely associated a computing device, to build a computer-executable program keyed with the device identification, and to provide the computer-executable program to a computing device.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the computer-executable component is further configured to establish a secured communication link with the computing device.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the computer-executable component is further configured to determine which computer-executable program to build based on the device identification.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the computer-executable component is further configured to validate the device identification.

26. A computer-readable medium encoded with a data structure comprising:

a first data field having computer-executable instructions; and

a second data field keyed with a device identification uniquely associated with a computing device.

27. The computer-readable medium encoded of claim 26, wherein the second data field incorporated into the first data field.

28. The computer-readable medium encoded of claim 26, wherein the first data field includes computer-executable instructions for authenticating the device identification.

29. The computer-readable medium encoded of claim 28, wherein the first data field includes computer-executable instructions for disabling the computing device if the device identification is not authenticated.

30. The computer-readable medium encoded of claim 26, wherein the data structure is encrypted.

31. A system for distributing software upgrades comprising:

a mobile computing device uniquely identified by a device identification, the device identification being embedded in the mobile computing device;

a commerce server configured to receive a request for a software upgrade for the mobile computing device and to determine the device identification from the computing device; and

an upgrade server configured to receive the device identification from the commerce server, to build the software upgrade keyed with the device identification, and to provide the software upgrade to the mobile computing device.

32. The system of claim 31, further comprising a docking unit detachably and electronically connected to the mobile computing device, the docking unit being configured to issue the request for software upgrade to the commerce server.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the docking unit is further configured to provide the device identification to the commerce server when the mobile computing device is not connected to the docking unit.

34. The system of claim 31, wherein the commerce server is configured to connected to the mobile computing device through a wireless network.

35. The system of claim 31, wherein the commerce server is configured to connected to the mobile computing device using a control program.

36. The system of claim 31, wherein the control program is Active X Control.

37. The system of claim 31, wherein the commerce server is configured to process a payment transaction associated with the request for the software upgrade.

38. The system of claim 31, wherein the upgrade server is further configured to encrypt the keyed software upgrade.

39. A mobile computing device comprising:

a computer-readable medium encoded with a first device identification uniquely associated with the mobile computing device, the computer-readable medium being configured to prevent the device identification from being altered; and

a memory component encoded with;

a computer-executable program keyed with a second device identification; and

computer-executable instructions configuring the mobile computing device to compare the first device identification with the second device identification and to render the computer-executable program inoperable if the first device identification and the second device identification do not match.

40. The mobile computing device of claim 39, wherein the memory component contains the computer-readable medium.

41. The mobile computing device of claim 39, wherein a computer-executable program contains the computer-executable instructions.

42. The mobile computing device of claim 39, wherein the computer-executable instructions is further configuring the mobile computing device to disable itself if the first device identification and the second device identification do not match.