Software protection system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for limiting reproduction of an electrically representable process comprising:
- process means for storing symbols U representative of a series of operations performable by a plurality of electrical signals U'"'"';
symbol generating and storage means for generating and storing a plurality of test symbols V representative of a go/no-go test and performable by a plurality of signals V'"'"';
storage means responsive to said process means and said symbol generating and storage means for storing a composite W of symbols U and V;
first translation and memory means for translating said symbols W, stored by said storage means into digitally encoded electrical signals W'"'"', including signals U'"'"' and V'"'"', representative of symbols U and V, respectively, and storing these signals;
key generating means comprising means responsive to symbols having, in part, a common derivative to that of said test symbols V for generating key symbols K;
second translation and memory means for translating symbols K, from said key generating means, into electrical signals K'"'"' and storing same;
signal processing means responsive to the receipt of said signals U'"'"' for the performance of said series of operations;
coupling means responsive to a selected input signal for coupling said signals U'"'"' from said first translation and memory means to said signal processing means; and
a process limiting means comprising;
correlation means including means for effecting a selected correlation between aspects of said signals V'"'"', from said first translation and memory means, and signals K'"'"', from said second translation and memory means, and for providing a correlation output signal which is a function of said correlation;
andsignal means responsive to a selected output of said correlation means for providing an input signal to said coupling means;
whereby, upon said selected output of said correlation means, the performance of said series of operations is enabled.
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Abstract
A protection system for controlling the operation of a digital computer as to a particular program wherein a program "lock" interfaces with the computer and authorizes the operation in response only to a selected relation between a number in the program, a number in the lock, and a third number, a "key", supplied to the lock and which bears a selected relation to both the program number and lock number.
336 Citations
9 Claims
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1. A system for limiting reproduction of an electrically representable process comprising:
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process means for storing symbols U representative of a series of operations performable by a plurality of electrical signals U'"'"'; symbol generating and storage means for generating and storing a plurality of test symbols V representative of a go/no-go test and performable by a plurality of signals V'"'"'; storage means responsive to said process means and said symbol generating and storage means for storing a composite W of symbols U and V; first translation and memory means for translating said symbols W, stored by said storage means into digitally encoded electrical signals W'"'"', including signals U'"'"' and V'"'"', representative of symbols U and V, respectively, and storing these signals; key generating means comprising means responsive to symbols having, in part, a common derivative to that of said test symbols V for generating key symbols K; second translation and memory means for translating symbols K, from said key generating means, into electrical signals K'"'"' and storing same; signal processing means responsive to the receipt of said signals U'"'"' for the performance of said series of operations; coupling means responsive to a selected input signal for coupling said signals U'"'"' from said first translation and memory means to said signal processing means; and a process limiting means comprising; correlation means including means for effecting a selected correlation between aspects of said signals V'"'"', from said first translation and memory means, and signals K'"'"', from said second translation and memory means, and for providing a correlation output signal which is a function of said correlation; and signal means responsive to a selected output of said correlation means for providing an input signal to said coupling means; whereby, upon said selected output of said correlation means, the performance of said series of operations is enabled. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification