METHOD FOR PREVENTING ILLEGAL USE OF SOFTWARE

• US 20070300308A1
• Filed: 06/12/2007
• Published: 12/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sergii Mishura
• Original Assignee: Genuine Technologies Limited
• Inventors: Mishura, Sergii
• Granted Patent: US 8,160,965 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/109 by using specially-adapted hardware at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/78 to assure secure storage of data address-based protection against unauthorised use of memory G06F12/14; record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

Apparatus, techniques and systems for preventing illegal use of software and other digital files based on operations of a data storage device controller in a computer or computer system. For example, a method for preventing illegal use of software includes: configuring a computer to use a data storage device controller to control use of each digital file stored on one or more data storage devices; before a use of each digital file, operating the data storage device controller to access a storage device on which the digital file is stored to check whether the digital file meets a condition for use; and operating the data storage device controller to block use of the digital file when the condition is not met and to allow execution of the digital file when the condition is met. The digital file can be an application software or other digital documents.

Claims

1. A method for preventing illegal use of software, comprising:

checking, by a data storage device controller, whether the software is properly installed and not illegally modified on a data storage device;

blocking, by the data storage device controller, a launch of the software, if the software is not properly installed or illegally modified on the data storage device;

checking, by the data storage device controller, whether the software has to be paid for use, if the software is properly installed and not illegally modified on the data storage device;

allowing the user to use the software normally, if the software is free for use;

checking, by the data storage device controller, whether a user has already performed a payment process, if the software has to be paid for use;

blocking, by the data storage device controller, the launch of the software, if the user does not perform the payment process;

determining an available time period of the software usage for each user of the current personal computer in a case the user has already made the payment, and allowing the user to use the software normally;

prompting the user to perform the payment process once more in a case of the used time period longer than the determined available time period; and

terminating, by the data storage device controller, an execution of the software, if the user does not perform the payment process in time.

2. The method for preventing illegal use of software according to claim 1, wherein the data storage device controller is configured to dedicate and manage two dedicated area on the data storage device, a first dedicated area comprising a first sub-dedicated area for isolated checking, by the data storage device controller, whether the software is properly installed and not illegally modified;

and a second sub-dedicated area for final installing of software from recognized developers; and

a second dedicated area for installing of software from unrecognized software developers.

3. The method for preventing illegal use of software according to claim 2, wherein the first dedicated area is kept permanently encrypted by the data storage device controller.

4. The method for preventing illegal use of software according to claim 2, wherein the data storage device controller provides restrictions to software installed on the second dedicated area so that the software in the second dedicated area has no access to the first dedicated area.

5. The method for preventing illegal use of software according to claim 1, wherein the step of checking whether the software properly installed and not illegally modified is performed by checking at least one of (1) the software during installation of the software and (2) files of the already installed software before the software is paid.

6. The method for preventing illegal use of software according to claim 5, wherein if the checking is performed during the installation of the software, the step of checking whether the software is properly installed and not illegally modified comprises:

installing, by the data storage device controller, the software to the first sub-dedicated area of the data storage device;

checking, by the data storage device controller, the data storage device to obtain detailed information about the installed software;

obtaining, by the data storage device controller, detailed information about the software which is provided by a recognized software developer;

comparing the detailed information obtained from the data storage device with the detailed information which is provided by the recognized software developer;

determining that the software has been properly installed and not illegally modified on the data storage device if a result of the above comparison is that the obtained two pieces of detailed information are the same;

otherwise, determining that the software is not properly installed or illegally modified on the data storage device, if the result of the above comparison is that the obtained two pieces of detailed information are different; and

reinstalling, by the data storage device controller, the software from the first sub-dedicated area of the data storage device to the second sub-dedicated area or to the second dedicated area of the data storage device;

otherwise, deleting, by the data storage device controller, the installed software from the first sub-dedicated area of the data storage device.

7. The method for preventing illegal use of software according to claim 5, wherein the step of checking whether the already installed software is properly installed and not illegally modified comprises:

checking, by the data storage device controller, the data storage device to obtain detailed information about the installed software;

obtaining, by the data storage device controller, detailed information about the software which is provided by a recognized software developer;

comparing the detailed information obtained from the data storage device with the detailed information which is provided by the recognized software developer; and

determining that the software has been properly installed and not illegally modified on the data storage device if a result of the above comparison is that the obtained two pieces of detailed information are the same;

otherwise, determining that the software is not properly installed or illegally modified in the data storage device if the result of the above comparison is that the obtained two pieces of detailed information are different.

8. The method for preventing, illegal use of software according to any one of claim 7, wherein the data storage device controller includes the detailed information about the software provided from a recognized software developer by means of credit cards, debit cards, smart cards, IC cards, Internet or networks.

9. The method for preventing illegal use of software according to claim 8, wherein the detailed information is encrypted.

10. The method for preventing illegal use of software according to claim 7, comprising:

operating the data storage device controller to directly control each device which is used to obtain the detailed information about the applications software provided from a recognized software developer by means of credit cards, debit cards, smart cards, IC cards, Internet or networks.

11. The method for preventing illegal use of software according to any one of claim 7, comprising:

operating the data storage device controller to independently obtain the detailed information about application software by using credit cards, debit cards, smart cards, IC cards, Internet or networks, without involving of a system or application software.

12. The method for preventing illegal use of software according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining the available time period of the software comprises:

gathering information about a usage level of the software;

determining whether a current usage level of the software is higher than a predetermined usage level predetermined by a software developer or a vendor;

determining the available time period on the basis of a fee paid by the user and a first price, if the usage level is not higher than the predetermined usage level; and

determining the available time period on the basis of a fee paid by the user and a second price, if the usage level is higher than the predetermined usage level.

13. The method for preventing illegal use of software according to claim 12, wherein the usage level of the software is determined according to at least one of:

a total usage time period;

a daily usage time period;

a total amount of input information;

a total amount of processed information;

used features of the software.

14. The method for preventing illegal use of software according to claim 13, wherein:

in a case the total or daily usage time period is longer than a predetermined usage time period, the usage level of the software is marked as being higher than the predetermined usage level;

or

in a case where the total amount of inputted information is more than a predetermined information amount, the usage level of the software is marked as being higher than the predetermined usage level;

or

in a case where the total amount of processed information is more than a predetermined information amount, the usage level of the software is marked as being higher than the predetermined usage level;

or

in a case where a special feature of the software is used, the usage level of the software is marked as being higher than the predetermined usage level.

15. The method for preventing illegal use of software according to claim 12, wherein the first and the second prices are obtained by means of credit cards, debit cards, smart cards, IC cards or networks.

16. The method for preventing illegal use of software according to claim 15, wherein information related to the first and the second prices is encrypted.

17. The method for preventing illegal use of software according to claim 2, wherein the recognized software developer releases a software in a control file format—

*.cff format with digital watermarking.

18. The method for preventing illegal use of software according to claim 17, further comprising, before the step of checking whether the software is properly installed:

converting, by the data storage device controller, data in *.cff files into data in respective original file formats; and

enabling the installation to begin to the first sub-dedicated area for the recognized software developer.

19. The method for preventing illegal use of software according to claim 1, wherein the data storage device controller controls data storage devices of a computer that include a hard disk, a compact disk (CD), a digital versatile disk (DVD), a floppy disk, a magnetic tape, a flash memory, a ZIP disk, and a network memory.

20. The method for preventing illegal use of software according to claim 1, wherein activities of the data storage device controller are independent from any other device or software, and the data storage device controller controls directly all devices which can be a source to launch and execute the software.

21. The method for preventing illegal use of software according to claim 1, comprising:

operating the data storage device controller to check whether the software is properly installed and not illegally modified when an operation of the software is initiated,

wherein the operation of the software comprises at least one of opening, editing, copying, moving, and deleting of the software and a file associated with the software.

22. The method for preventing illegal use of software according to claim 21, comprising:

integrating the data storage device controller as an integrated constitutive element of a computer motherboard; and

configuring and operating the motherboard and the data storage device controller to cause the computer motherboard to stop normal operations, to malfunction or break down when the data storage device controller detects that the software is not properly installed or is illegally modified.

23. The method for preventing illegal use of software according to claim 1, wherein the user performs the payment process in an off-line payment manner or in an on-line payment manner.

24. The method for preventing illegal use of software according to claim 1, comprising:

Operating the data storage device controller to control activity of each device associated with launching or executing a software, wherein the each device includes a card reader, which can be used by a user to perform the payment with credit cards, debit cards, and smart cards.

25. The method for preventing illegal use of software according to claim 1, comprising:

operating the data storage device controller to independently perform the payment by using credit cards, debit cards, and smart cards, without involving other system software or application software.

44. A computer program product for preventing illegal use of a digital file, encoded on one or more computer-readable media, operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations in claim 1.

26. A computer device configured for preventing illegal use of software, comprising:

one or more data storage devices on which at least one operating system and at least one application software are installed;

a data storage device controller in communication with and operable to control execution of each application software stored on the one or more data storage devices,

wherein, before execution of each application software, the data storage device controller is configured to;

check whether the application software is properly installed or is illegally modified, and

block the execution of the application software when the application software is not properly installed or illegally modified.

27. The computer device as in claim 26, wherein, before execution of each application software, the data storage device controller is further configured to:

check whether a required payment for use of the application software is made when the application software is properly installed and not illegally modified,

permit execution of the application software when the payment is made, and

block execution of the application software when the payment is not made.

28. The computer device as in claim 26, wherein, before execution of each application software, the data storage device controller is further configured to:

check whether a required payment for use of the application software is made when the application software is properly installed and not illegally modified,

determine whether an available time period for using the application software associated with the payment has expired,

permit execution of the application software when payment is made and the available time period has not expired, and

block execution of the application software when either payment is nor made or the available time period has expired.

29. The computer device as in claim 28, wherein, before execution of each application software, the data storage device controller is further configured to:

prior to blocking of execution of the application software, prompt a payment process for making an additional payment for continuous use of the application software when the available time period has expired; and

terminate execution of the application software when the additional payment is not made in time.

30. The computer device as in claim 26, wherein:

the data storage device controller is configured to perform the checking and blocking without involving the operating system.

31. The computer device as in claim 26, wherein:

the data storage device controller is configured to perform the checking and blocking without involving other software.

32. The computer device as in claim 26, wherein:

the data storage device controller is configured to perform the checking and blocking without involving other hardware in the computer device.

33. The computer device as in claim 26, wherein:

the data storage device controller is configured to perform the checking and blocking without involving the operating system, other software and hardware.

34. The computer device as in claim 26, comprising:

a compute motherboard on which the data storage device controller is integrated.

36. The computer device as in claim 34, wherein:

the one or more data storage devices comprise at least one of a hard disk, a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, a flash memory, and a portable storage device.

35. The computer device as in 34, comprising:

a microprocessor on the computer motherboard to perform execution of the application software.

37. A method for preventing illegal use of a digital file, comprising:

operating a data storage device controller in a computer to control use of each digital file stored on one or more data storage devices;

before a use of each digital file, operating the data storage device controller to access a storage device on which the digital file is stored to check whether the digital file meets a condition for use; and

operating the data storage device controller to block execution of the digital file when the condition is not met and to allow use of the digital file when the condition is met.

38. The method as in claim 37, wherein:

the condition includes a requirement that the digital file is properly installed or is not illegally modified.

40. The method as in claim 37, wherein:

the digital file is an application software.

41. The method as in claim 40, wherein:

the use is execution of the application software.

42. The method as in claim 37, wherein:

the use of the digital file includes at least one of opening, editing, copying, moving, deleting and modifying the digital file.

43. A computer program product for preventing illegal use of a digital file, encoded on one or more computer-readable media, operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations in claim 37.

39. The method as in claim 39, wherein:

the condition includes a requirement that a payment for the digital file is made.