Distributed Hardware Security System

• US 20170140131A1
• Filed: 11/13/2015
• Published: 05/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hiperwall, Inc..
• Original Assignee: Hiperwall, Inc..
• Inventors: Greenberg, Jeff, Jenks, Stephen F., Kim, Sung-Jin
• Application Number:
  US14/940,786
• Publication Number:
  US 20170140131A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/123 by using dedicated hardware, e.g. dongles, smart cards, cryptographic processors, global positioning systems [GPS] devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities

Abstract

A distributed hardware security system can include one or more anti-pirating/license verification devices, such a dongle (or other internal or external devices) that can be used prevent piracy of protected property such as devices, features, software, or selected functionalities thereof while reducing the potential for unintended termination or suspension of access to the licensed property. In some embodiments, a multi-processor system can include a distributed hardware security system having multiple computing devices, such as display nodes, PCs, workstations, or other devices. The security system can include functionality for detecting a plurality of authorized license verification devices on the same system, and for determining if continued access to the licensed property can continue if there is a failure to recognize one or more of the authorized license verification devices.

Claims

1. A computerized display system with a distributed hardware security system, comprising:

a plurality of displays, wherein each display of the plurality of displays is deployed in close proximity to another display in the plurality of displays;

a plurality of display nodes comprising computer hardware, each display node configured to display content on at least one locally connected display of the plurality of displays, each display node connected via local area network to an authorization node;

one or more workstations connected to the plurality of display nodes;

wherein n of any of the plurality of display nodes and one or more workstations are each electronically connected to, and associated with, a separate, unique license dongle of m dongles,

wherein each individual display node and workstations connected to any of the m dongles are configured to;

periodically detect a status of the connected unique license dongle;

periodically transmit the status of the unique license dongle to the authorization node based on the detected status; and

the authorization node being configured to, based on received statuses of dongles from the n display nodes, detect whether m of n license dongles are valid, wherein m is greater than 1, and in response to detecting less than m license dongles as valid, terminate at least one display capability of the computerized display system.

2. The computerized display system according to claim 1, wherein m is greater than half of n.

3. The computerized display system according to claim 2, wherein m is equal to 2 and n is equal to 3.

4. The computerized display system according to claim 2, wherein m is equal to 3 and n is equal to 5.

5. The computerized display system according to claim 1, wherein the authorization node is included in the at least one workstation, the workstation configured to be a control node of the display system, the control node further configured to assign display information to each display node of the plurality of display nodes.

6. The computerized display system according to claim 1, further comprising a second redundant authorization node distinct from the authorization node and configured to:

based on received statuses of dongles from the n display nodes, detect whether m of n license dongles are valid, and

in response to detecting less than m license dongles as valid, terminate at least one display capability of the computerized display system.

7. The computerized display system according to claim 6, wherein the second redundant authorization node is further configured to only terminate display capabilities of the computerized display system if, additionally, the authorization node is unresponsive.

8. The computerized display system according to claim 6, wherein the second redundant authorization node is an assignable role among the plurality of display nodes.

9. The computerized display system according to claim 1, wherein the authorization node is further configured to:

verify, via the Internet, with a license server, the authorization status of each unique license dongle.

10. A computerized method of authorizing an arrayed display system including n discrete display devices disposed adjacent one another, the method comprising:

periodically receiving, over a local area network, an active dongle status indication from one or more of the n discrete display devices, wherein each of the n discrete display devices are electronically connected to an external license dongle and n is greater than 1;

verifying an authorized license for each active dongle status indication received;

determining whether less than m dongles are authorized based on verification of each authorized license, wherein m is greater than 1; and

in response to determining that less than m dongles are authorized, terminating at least one display capability of at least a portion of the arrayed display system.

11. The computerized method according to claim 10, wherein m is greater than half of n.

12. The computerized method according to claim 10, wherein m is equal to 2 and n is equal to 3.

13. The computerized method according to claim 10, wherein m is equal to 3 and n is equal to 5.

14. The computerized method according to claim 12, further comprising assigning display information to each discrete display device.

15. The computerized method according to claim 12, wherein verifying the authorized license for each active dongle status indication received comprises, for each active dongle status indication:

transmitting, over the Internet, a dongle identifier associated with the dongle status indication; and

in response to the transmitting, receiving, over the Internet, an indication of authorization of the dongle identifier.

16. A computer program stored in a computer readable media and configured to cause a computer to control the display of media objects on an arrayed display system including a plurality of display devices disposed adjacent one another, the program comprising:

a display media control module configured to determine the media to display on at least one of the plurality of display devices; and

a license authorization module configured to determine whether m dongles are authorized out of n total, unique dongles distributed among, and electronically connected to, individual display devices of the plurality of display devices,

the license authorization module further configured to terminate the display capabilities of one or more of the plurality of display devices in response to determining that less than m authorized dongles are functioning throughout the plurality of display devices.

17. The computer program according to claim 16, wherein m is greater than half of n.

18. The computer program according to claim 16, wherein m is equal to 2 and n is equal to 3.

19. The computer program according to claim 16, wherein m is equal to 3 and n is equal to 5.

20. The computer program according to claim 16, wherein the license authorization module is further configured to transmit a keep-alive indication to a backup license authorization module.

21. A computer program stored in a computer readable media and configured to provide functionality amongst a plurality of processor devices and distributed-hardware security, the program comprising:

a license authorization module configured to recognize n licensed security devices connected to a plurality of different processor devices connected by a network;

the license authorization module being configured to determine whether at least m licensed security devices are attached to m of the different processor devices connected to the network;

the license authorization module further configured to terminate at least one capability of one or more of the plurality of processor devices in response to determining that less than m authorized dongles are functioning throughout the plurality of display devices, wherein m is less than n.

22. The computer program according to claim 21, wherein m is greater than one-half of n.