Copyprotecting system for software protection

• US 4,584,641 A
• Filed: 08/29/1983
• Issued: 04/22/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Paul Guglielmino
• Original Assignee: Paul Guglielmino
• Inventors: Guglielmino, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Zache, Raulfe B.
• Application Number:
  US06/533,132
• Time in Patent Office: 967 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200 MS File, 364/900 MS File, 364/300, 360/60
• US Class Current: 726/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/80 in storage media based on magnetic or optical technology, e.g. disks with sectors preventing unauthorised reproduction or copying of disc-type recordable media G11B20/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/007 Encryption, En-/decode, En-/decipher, En-/decypher, Scramble, (De-)compress
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00949 said intentional errors occurring due to bad sectors, which are either physically destroyed or which are declared defective in the defect management information

Abstract

A means for copyprotecting disks. The present invention may be utilized with both blank and programmed disks. Permanent random input/output errors such as an absence of magnetic material are placed on a disk by removal of material or by other methods and an input/output error trap routine or program is placed on the disk. The input/output error trap routine or program runs during the use of the user software program. A copied disk will not contain the permanent input/output error that existed on the original target disk because the input/output errors are not reproduced because they are not machine readable. When the copied disk is run, the input/output error trap routine cannot locate the permanent input/output error that existed on the original target disk. When the permanent input/output error is not located by the input/output error trap routine the volume table of contents on the disk is scrambled, the input/output error trap routine is deleted and the copied or pirated user software program is scrambled both in memory and on the disk. Location of the permanent input/output error by the input/output error trap routine on the target disk allows the user software program to continue normal processing.

Claims

1. A target disk that is not copyable, comprising:

magnetic material;

at least one input/output error means untransferable for copying purposes by machine readable computers;

a physical magnetic readable signal;

said physical magnetic readable signal inducing a signal means for allowing bypassing said input/output error means to allow continuous use of said target disk but to prevent use of a copied disk.

2. A target disk as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said input/output error is permanent.

3. A target disk as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

said magnetic material including magnetic medium;

said input/output error may be provided by physically removing a portion of said magnetic medium from said target disk.

4. A target disk as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

said target disk includes sectors and a target disk loaded with an existing software program;

one of said sectors of said target disk including at least one unused sector;

said unused sector located to allow placing at least one said permanent input/output error on said target disk;

modifying said existing software program to integrate said input/output error means.

5. A copyprotecting method as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

said target disk includes sectors and a target disk loaded with an existing software program;

one of said sectors of said target disk including at least one unused sector;

said unused sector located to allow placing at least one said permanent input/output error on said target disk;

modifying said existing software program to integrate said input/output error.

6. A target disk as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

said input/output error is a permanent physical error.

7. A copyprotecting method for preventing the pirating of computer software programs, comprising:

placing at least one permanent input/output error on the target disk in a random pattern;

updating said permanent input/output error on the Volume Table of Contents of said disk;

loading an error software program on said target disk;

updating said error software program to acknowledge said permanent input/output error;

such that said error software program deletes the copied program on the reproduced disk based on the absence of said permanent input/output error on the reproduced disk.

8. A method as set forth in claim 7 wherein said target disk being copied onto a disk searching by said input/output error trap software program missing said permanent input/output error;

instructing said Volume Table of Contents to be scrambled;

instructing said input/output error software program to be deleted;

instructing said existing software program to be scrambled.

9. A method for copyprotecting a computer software program on a disk to prevent pirating of computer software programs comprising the following steps:

placing at least one permanent input/output error on at least one sector of a target disk;

updating the volume table of contents of said target disk to indicate said sector with said permanent input/output error;

loading the input/output error trap software program on said target disk;

10. updating said input/output error trap software program to read said sector with said permanent input/output error;

searching by said input/output error trap software program for said permanent input/output error during the use of said target disk;

encountering said permanent input/output error;

continuing with normal processing of user software programs.

11. A method for copyprotecting user software programs comprising:

a target disk;

said target disk including at least one input/output error means;

a software means so constructed and arranged to locate said input/output error means on said target disk;

such that a copied disk would not include said input/output error means;

said copied disk would be rendered useless upon running of said copied disk;

said input/output error means cannot be stored or read and therefore is not machine readable and thereby not transferable for copying purposes;

said software means includes means to bypass the located input/output error means to allow continuous use of the target disk but to prevent further use of a copied disk.

13. A target member as set forth in claim 11, wherein:

said input/output error is permanent.

12. A target member that is not copyable, comprising:

magnetic material;

at least one input/output error means untransferable for copying purposes by machine readable computers;

a physical magnetic readable signal;

said physical magnetic readable signal inducing a signal means for allowing bypassing said input/output error means to allow continuous use of said target member but to prevent use of a copied member.

14. A target member as set forth in claim 12, wherein:

said magnetic material including magnetic medium;

said input/output error may be provided by physically removing a portion of said magnetic medium from said target member.

15. A target member as set forth in claim 12, wherein:

said target member includes sectors and a target member loaded with an existing software program;

one of said sectors of said target member including at least one unused sector;

said unused sector located to allow placing at least one said permanent input/output error on said target member;

modifying said existing software program to integrate said input/output error means.

16. A copyprotecting method as set forth in claim 12, wherein:

said target member includes sectors and a target member loaded with an existing software program;

one of said sectors of said target member including at least one unused sector;

said unused sector located to allow placing at least one said permanent input/output error on said target member;

modifying said existing software program to integrate said input/output error.

17. A target member as set forth in claim 12, wherein:

said input/output error is a permanent physical error.

19. A method as set forth in claim 17, wherein said target member being copied onto a member searching by said input/output error trap software program missing said permanent input/output error;

instructing said Volume Table of Contents to be scrambled;

instructing said input/output error software program to be deleted;

instructing said existing software program to be scrambled.

18. A copyprotecting method for preventing the pirating of computer software programs, comprising:

placing at least one permanent input/output error on the target member in a random pattern;

updating said permanent input/output error on the Volume Table of Contents of said target member;

loading an error software program on said target member;

updating said error software program to acknowledge said permanent input/output error;

such that said error software program deletes the copied program on the reproduced member based on the absence of said permanent input/output error on the reproduced member.

20. A method for copyprotecting a computer software program on a member to prevent pirating of computer software program comprising the following steps:

placing at least one permanent input/output error on at least one sector of a target member;

updating the volume table of contents of said target member to indicate said sector with said permanent input/output error;

loading the input/output error trap software program on said target member;

updating said input/output error trap software program to read said sector with said permanent input/output error;

searching by said input/output error trap software program for said permanent input/output error during the use of said target member;

encountering said permanent input/output error;

continuing with normal processing of user software programs.

21. A method for copyprotecting user software programs comprising:

a target member;

said target member including at least one input/output error means;

a software means so constructed and arranged to locate said input/output error means on said target member;

such that a copied member would not include said input/output error means;

said copied member would be rendered useless upon running of said copied member;

said input/output error means cannot be stored or read and therefore is not machine readable and thereby not transferable for copying purposes;

said software means includes means to bypass the located input/output error means to allow continuous use of the target member but to prevent further use of a copied member.