Method for tracking software lineages

• US 20050149449A1
• Filed: 12/15/2004
• Published: 07/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1992
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SL Patent Holdings LLC (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SL Patent Holdings LLC (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schull, Jonathan
• Granted Patent: US 7,353,207 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/58
• 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. In software subject to copying, redistributing or purchasing by end users, a method of tracking lineages of copying, reproduction and/or purchasing, said method comprising

the creation of a plurality of mint copy software-instances, said mint copy software-instances containing a Stable Portion responsible for the necessarily stable functions of the software, and a Variable Portion which will be modified in copies derived from said mint copy

a means of modifying said Variable Portion on occasions of interest such that the contents of the Variable Portion in derivative copies will contain idiosyncratic information from which the parentage of said derivative copies can be ascertained

2. the method according to claim 1 wherein said lineage-relevant information is appended to said Variable Portion

3. the method according to claim 2 wherein said lineage-relevant information is encrypted

4. the method according to claim 1 wherein said lineage-relevant information is transmitted to a Central Database while a subset of said lineage-relevant information is stored in the Variable Portion, said information stored in the Variable Portion being adequate for the retrieval of said Centrally stored information

5. the method according to claim 4 wherein said information stored in the Variable Portion is derived from the context in which the software is operated, whereby said context-derived information may be part of the usual transmission of information from customer to Central Password Vending System.

6. the method according to claim 4 wherein said information stored in the Variable Portion is assigned by the Central Database, whereby the uniqueness of the software-instances can be assured