SOFTWARE COPYRIGHT PROTECTION AND LICENSING SYSTEM USING RFID

• US 20100229000A1
• Filed: 10/05/2007
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nanyang Polytechnic
• Original Assignee: Nanyang Polytechnic
• Inventors: The, Shao Yann Benedict, Goh, Hui Lin Serena, Png, Eak Hock Adrian
• Granted Patent: US 8,250,377 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/190
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]

Abstract

The present invention provides a software copyright protection and licensing system (200) using RFID. A RFID tag (110) is supplied with a software package (100). During installation of the software package in a computer, a RFID reader (158) interrogates the RFID tag (110) for a product installation and licensing key (114). During installation of the software, an installation signature (TSig) is generated and stored in the RFID tag and computer, operation of the software is allowed if the installation signatures tally, otherwise permission is denied. Further, the system (200) allows reinstallation (process C) of the software and/or re-generation (process D) of a new installation signature under certain situations.

Claims

1. A software copyright protection and licensing system using radio-frequency identification (RFID), said system comprising:

a RFID tag accompanying a software package, said RFID tag contains at least a product installation and licensing key of the software; and

a RFID reader in communication with a central processing unit (CPU) of a computer and the RFID tag;

wherein during execution of the software into the CPU, the RFID reader interrogates the RFID tag for the software'"'"'s product installation and licensing key;

said system generates an installation signature (ISig_tag) from the product installation and licensing key and allowing execution of the software when the ISig_tag tallies with the installation signature (ISig_pc) stored in the CPU when the software was first installed, or denies execution when the installation signatures do not tally.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the installation signature (ISig) comprises a unique identification and a product identification of the software in addition to licensee information.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the licensee information further comprising one or more of the following:

a license number and licensee'"'"'s name, address and/or contact numbers.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein a line of weakness surrounds a component of the RFID tag.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein an area of weakness surrounds a component of the RFID tag.

6. A system according to claim 4, wherein the component of the RFID tag comprises one or more of the following:

memory chip, resistor, capacitor and antenna.

20. A system according to claim 5, wherein the component of the RFID tag comprises one or more of the following:

memory chip, resistor, capacitor and antenna.

7. A method of enforcing software copyright and license comprising:

supplying a RFID tag with a software package, said RFID tag containing at least a product installation and licensing key;

communicating a RFID reader with a central processing unit (CPU) of a computer and the RFID tag;

allowing installation of the software in the CPU if the product installation key is valid, otherwise denying installation of the software package;

during installation of the software, prompting a licensee for licensee information, encrypting the licensee information, sending the encrypted licensee information to the RFID tag and generating an installation signature (ISig) for storage in the CPU; and

allowing the software to operate if an installation signature obtained from the RFID tag tallies with the installation signature stored in the CPU, otherwise exiting the software operation.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the installation signature (ISig) comprises a unique identification and a product identification of the software, in addition to licensee information.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the licensee information comprises one or more of the following:

a license number and licensee'"'"'s name, address and/or contact number.

10. A method according to claim 7, wherein a line of weakness surrounds a component of the RFID tag.

11. A method according to claim 7, wherein an area of weakness surrounds a component of the RFID tag.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein the component of the RFID tag comprises one or more of the following:

memory chip, resistor, capacitor and antenna.

13. A method according to claim 7, wherein an installation signature is found in the CPU, thereby allowing reinstallation of the software provided the RFID reader is communicable with the RFID tag.

14. A method according to claim 13, further generating an installation signature when the previous installation signature cannot be located in the CPU provided that the previous software installation was registered with the licensor'"'"'s server.

15. A computer product comprising:

a software package;

a RFID tag accompanying the software package, said RFID tag containing at least a product installation and licensing key for installing the software; and

an amount of adhesive for attaching the RFID tag onto a casing of a central processing unit (CPU) of a computer in which the software is operable;

wherein a RFID reader in communication with the CPU interrogates the RFID tag for the software'"'"'s product installation and licensing key and generates an installation signature (ISig_tag) from the product installation and licensing key, and allowing execution of the software when the tallies with the installation signature (ISig_pc) stored in the CPU when the software was first installed, or denies execution when the installation signatures do not tally.

16. A computer product according to claim 15, wherein an installation signature is written into the RFID tag and CPU.

17. A computer product according to claim 15, wherein a line of weakness surrounds a component of the RFID tag.

18. A computer product according to claim 15, wherein an area of weakness surrounds a component of the RFID tag.

19. A computer product according to claim 17, wherein the component of the RFID tag comprises one or more of the following:

memory chip, resistor, capacitor and antenna.