FIRST COMPUTER PROCESS AND SECOND COMPUTER PROCESS PROXY-EXECUTING CODE ON BEHALF OF FIRST PROCESS

• US 20120096566A1
• Filed: 12/21/2011
• Published: 04/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Lilikov, Andrey, Rule, Donald H., Hatlelid, Kristjan E., Zvi, Nir Ben
• Granted Patent: US 8,380,634 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/00 Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/125 by manipulating the program code, e.g. source code, compiled code, interpreted code, machine code
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

Upon a first process encountering a triggering device, a second process chooses whether to proxy-execute code corresponding to the triggering device of the first process on behalf of such first process based at least in part on whether a license evaluator of the second process has determined that the first process is to be operated in accordance with the terms and conditions of a corresponding digital license. The license evaluator at least in part performs such determination by running a script corresponding to the triggering device in the code of the first process. Thus, the first process is dependent upon the second process and the license for operation thereof.

Claims

1. A computer comprising:

a memory that stores a digital license corresponding to a first process, the license setting forth terms and conditions for a processor operating the first process, and that stores a table separate from the first process;

a processor that copies a code section from the first process and stores the code section in the table and replaces the code section in the first process code with a triggering device corresponding to a location of the code section in the table, said processor further executing the first process code including the triggering device corresponding to a location of the code section in the table, said processor executing the triggering device and pausing, and said processor further executing code of a second process, the second process including a license evaluator for evaluating the license upon the first process encountering the triggering device to determine whether the first process is to be operated in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in such license, the second process upon the first process encountering the triggering device choosing whether to proxy-execute the code section on behalf of such first process based at least in part on whether the license evaluator has determined that the first process is to be operated in accordance with the terms and conditions of the license, the license evaluator at least in part performing such determination by running a script corresponding to the triggering device of the first process, wherein the second process receives a signal associated with the triggering device indicating that the second process needs to cause the processor to proxy-execute the code section stored in the table on behalf of the first process, wherein the proxy-execution by the second process includes the second process causing the processor to perform the steps of;

determining an address of the triggering device within the first process, wherein the address is indicative of the location of the code section in the table;

locating the code section based on the determined address;

executing the code section after determining that the first process is operating in accordance with terms and conditions of the digital license corresponding to the first process, the determination being performed at least in part by running said script;

signaling to the first process that the code section has been processed; and

the processor resuming the first process, whereby the first process is dependent upon the second process and the license for operation thereof.

2. The computer of claim 1 wherein the first process is an application and the second process is a rights client.

3. The computer of claim 1 wherein the table includes an address of the triggering device in the first process and a reference to the script.

4. The computer of claim 3 wherein the table is set forth in one of the first process and the license.

5. The computer of claim 4 wherein the code section of the first process is encrypted and is decryptable according to a decryption key obtainable by the second process from the license.

6. The computer of claim 1 wherein the triggering device and the script correspond to a mathematical or logical limitation as implemented by the digital license.

7. The computer of claim 1 wherein the triggering device and the script correspond to a count-based limitation as implemented by the digital license, the script including provisions to increment/decrement a count value representative of the count-based limitation, the computer further comprising a state store for the second process to store the count value therein.

8. The computer of claim 7 wherein the script includes provisions to modify at least one value representative of the limitation, the computer further storing the modified value in the state store.

9. The computer of claim 1 wherein the license includes the script corresponding to the triggering device of the first process.

10. The computer of claim 1 wherein the second process includes the script corresponding to the triggering device of the first process.

11. A computer readable storage medium that is not a transient signal, said computer readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that when executed by a processor cause said processor to execute first and second processes, said medium having stored thereon:

first instructions for copying a code section of the first process, storing the code section in a table separate from the first process, and replacing the code section in the code of the first process by a triggering device corresponding to a location of the code section in the table;

second instructions for processing the first process code including the code having the triggering device such that the triggering device is executed and further processing of the first process code is paused; and

third instructions for executing the second process, wherein the second process receives a signal associated with the triggering device indicating that the second process needs to cause the processor to proxy-execute the code section stored in the table on behalf of the first process, wherein the proxy-execution by the second process includes the second process being configured to cause the processor to perform the steps of;

determining an address of the triggering device within the first process, wherein the address is indicative of the location of the code section in the table,

locating the code section based on the determined address,

executing the code section after determining that the first process is operating in accordance with terms and conditions of a digital license corresponding to the first process, the determination being performed at least in part by running a script corresponding to the triggering device of the first process, and

signaling to the first process that the code section has been processed,

wherein the second instructions further instruct the processor to resume the first process after the pause whereby the first process is dependent upon the second process for operation thereof.

12. The medium of claim 11 wherein the triggering device and the script correspond to a mathematical or logical limitation as implemented by the digital license.

13. The medium of claim 11 wherein the triggering device and the script correspond to a count-based limitation as implemented by the digital license, further comprising fourth instructions for causing the processor to increment or decrement a count value representative of the count-based limitation and to store the count value.

14. The medium of claim 13 wherein the script includes provisions to modify at least one value representative of the limitation, the further instructions causing the processor to store the modified value.