Method for tracking software lineages

• US 20050149445A1
• Filed: 12/30/2004
• Published: 07/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1992
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SL Patent Holdings LLC (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SL Patent Holdings LLC (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schull, Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US11/026,479
• Publication Number:
  US 20050149445A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/51
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 13/02 Viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2213/025 Sightline detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/109 by using specially-adapted hardware at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/16 Program or content traceability, e.g. by watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/007 Encryption, En-/decode, En-/decipher, En-/decypher, Scramble, (De-)compress
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2117 User registration
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

Software lineages arise through purchase and reproduction. Lineages are tracked by storing lineage-relevant information in variable regions of software instances and/or in a central database according to methods disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for tracking a lineage of digital information, the digital information including code, at least a portion of the code being effective to facilitate performance of a function on a digital product, the method comprising:

receiving a request to access the portion of digital information;

sending a value to the digital product in response to the request; and

changing the code of the digital information based on the value, wherein the code reflects a lineage of the digital information.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising

analyzing the code;

altering the code based on the analyzing to affect the utility of the digital product.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the altering relates to determining an optimal value for a feature of the digital product.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the request is received from a customer, and the method further comprises

receiving another request to access the digital information from the customer; and

offering a discount for access to the digital information to the customer.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the request is received from a customer from a first computer, and the method further comprises

receiving another request to access the digital information from the customer from a second computer distinct from the first computer; and

offering a discount for access to the digital information to the customer.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the request includes the code of the digital information.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, furthering comprising sending a password to the digital product in response to the request.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein at least one of the sending a password and sending a value is performed by a central password dispensing service.

9. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the value is distinct from the password.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising sending the lineage across a network to a server.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the sending is implemented using another set of code.

12. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the code is a first code and the method further comprises:

generating a second code in response to the lineage;

wherein

the first code includes at least one setting, the setting being not fixed; and

the second code includes the setting, the setting in the second code being fixed.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising sending the second code to the digital product.

14. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the code is a first code and the method further comprises:

generating a second code in response to the lineage;

wherein

the first code includes at least one setting, the setting being not fixed; and

the second code is related to the first code and includes the setting, the setting in the second code being fixed.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the setting relates to a parameter, the parameter relating to promoting a purchase.

16. The method recited in claim 14, wherein the setting relates to a period of time in which the code operates in a demo mode.

17. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the changing includes appending the value to the code of the digital information.

18. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the changing includes changing a variable portion of the code of the digital information based on the value.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the variable portion does not affect the functioning of the digital information.

20. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the changing includes changing an auxiliary region of the variable portion.

21. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the request includes information about an entity using the digital product.

22. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the value does not include information about an entity using the digital product.

23. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the changing includes flipping a bit in the code of the digital information.

24. The method as recited in claim 23, wherein the flipping is performed on a bit that has not been previously flipped.

25. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the changing reflects a copying of the digital information.

26. A method for tracking a lineage of digital information, the digital information including code, at least a portion of the code being effective to facilitate performance of a function on a digital product, the method comprising:

sending a request to access the digital information;

receiving a value at the digital product in response to the request;

changing the code of the digital information based on the value, wherein the code reflects a lineage of the digital information.

27. The method as recited in claim 26, further comprising:

analyzing the code; and

altering the code based on the analyzing to affect the utility of the digital product.

28. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein the altering relates to determining an optimal value for a feature of the digital product.

29. The method as recited in claim 26, further comprising receiving a password at the digital product in response to the request.

30. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein the password and the value are received from a central password dispensing service.

31. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein the changing includes appending the value to the code of the digital information.

32. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein the changing includes changing a variable portion of the code of the digital information based on the value.

33. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein the variable portion does not affect the functioning of the digital information.

34. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein the request includes information about an entity using the digital product.

35. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein the value does not include information about an entity using the digital product.

36. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein the changing reflects a copying of the digital information.

37. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein the request is sent from a customer, and the method further comprises:

sending another request to access the digital information from the customer; and

receiving a discount for access to the digital information.

38. The method as recited in claim 26, further comprising sending the lineage across a network to a server.

39. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein the code is a first code and the method further comprises:

generating a second code in response to the lineage;

wherein

the first code includes at least one setting, the setting being not fixed; and

the second code includes the setting, the setting in the second code being fixed.

40. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein the code is a first code and the method further comprises:

generating a second code in response to the lineage;

wherein

the first code includes at least one setting, the setting being not fixed; and

the second code is related to the first code and includes the setting, the setting in the second code being fixed.

41. The method as recited in claim 40, wherein the setting relates to a parameter, the parameter relating to promoting a purchase.

42. The method as recited in claim 40, wherein the setting relates to a period of time in which the code operates in a demo mode.

43. A method for tracking a lineage of digital information, the digital information including code, at least a portion of the code being effective to facilitate performance of a function on a digital product, the method comprising:

receiving a first request to access the digital information from a first user;

sending a first value to the first digital product in response to the first request;

changing the code of the digital information based on the first value to produce first changed information;

providing a copy of the first changed information to a second user;

receiving a second request to access the copy of the first changed information on a second digital product from a second user;

sending a second value to the second digital product in response to the second request; and

changing the code of the copy based on the second value to produce second changed information, wherein the code of the copy reflects a lineage of the digital information.

44. The method as recited in claim 43, further comprising:

sending a first password to the first digital product in response to the first request; and

sending a second password to the second digital product in response to the second request.

45. The method as recited in claim 43, further comprising analyzing the copy to ascertain the first and second values.

46. The method as recited in claim 45, further comprising:

determining that the digital information was purchased by the first user.

47. The method as recited in claim 43, wherein the respective requests include respective information about the first and second users.

48. The method as recited in claim 43, wherein the changing the code of the copy based on the second value includes changing a variable portion of the code of the copy.

49. The method as recited in claim 43, wherein the variable portion of the copy does not affect the functioning of the copy.

50. The method as recited in claim 43, further comprising rewarding the first user.

51. The method as recited in claim 43, wherein the providing step includes a purchase.

52. The method as recited in claim 43, further comprising collecting the values in a central database.

53. The method as recited in claim 43, further comprising

analyzing the code of the copy;

and

altering the code of the copy based on the analyzing to affect the utility of the digital product.

54. The method as recited in claim 53, wherein the altering relates to determining an optimal value for a feature of the digital product.

55. A device for tracking a lineage of digital information, the digital information including code, at least a portion of the code being effective to facilitate performance of a function on a digital product, the device comprising:

a receiver which receives a request to access the portion of digital information;

a transmitter which sends a value to the digital device in response to the request; and

a processor which changes the code of the digital information based on the value, wherein the code reflects a lineage of the digital information.

56. The device as recited in claim 55, wherein:

the processor further analyzes the code and alters the code to affect the utility of the digital device.

57. The device as recited in claim 56, wherein the processor analyzes the code to determining an optimal value for a feature of the digital product.

58. The device as recited in claim 55, wherein the transmitter furthering sends a password to the digital product in response to the request.

59. The device as recited in claim 55, wherein the transmitter further sends the second code to the digital product.

60. The device as recited in claim 55, wherein the changing reflects a copying of the digital information.

61. A computer readable storage medium including computer executable code for tracking a lineage of digital information, the digital information including code, at least a portion of the code being effective to facilitate performance of a function on a digital product, the code performing the steps of:

sending a request to access the digital information;

receiving a value at the digital product in response to the request;

changing the code of the digital information based on the value, wherein the code reflects a lineage of the digital information.