Computer software security system

• US 4,688,169 A
• Filed: 05/30/1985
• Issued: 08/18/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bhagirath S. Joshi
• Original Assignee: Bhagirath S. Joshi
• Inventors: Joshi, Bhagirath S.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/739,162
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200 MS File, 364/900 MS File, 364/300
• US Class Current: 726/29
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/101 by binding digital rights to specific entities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/121 Restricting unauthorised execution of programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/007 Encryption, En-/decode, En-/decipher, En-/decypher, Scramble, (De-)compress

Abstract

A computer software security system for restricting execution of a computer program to a particular machine, including means for storing a machine identification code in the program and means for determining the presence of the machine identification code in the means for storing during execution of the program. A machine identification code unique to the machine is retrieved and compared with the machine identification code in the program. The system prevents further execution of the program unless both codes are present and match.

Claims

1. A computer software security system for restricting execution of a program to a particular machine comprising:

first storage means for storing a machine identification code unique to said machine;

second storage means for storing a machine identification code in said program;

means, responsive to said second storage means, for determining the presence of said machine identification code in said second storage means during execution of said program;

means, responsive to said first storage means, for retrieving said unique machine identification code from said first storage means;

means, responsive to said means for determining and said means for retrieving, for comparing said unique machine identification code from said first storage means with said machine identification code in said second storage means; and

means, responsive to said means for comparing, for preventing further execution of said program unless both said machine identification codes are present and match.

2. The software security system of claim 1 in which said first storage means is a memory circuit.

3. The software system of claim 2 in which said memory circuit includes a storage circuit printed on a circuit board in said machine.

4. The software system of claim 2 in which said memory circuit includes programmable read-only memory.

5. The software system of claim 1 in which said first storage means is located in operating system software designated for said machine.

6. The software system of claim 5 in which said program is an applications program.

7. The software system of claim 5 in which said program is a portion of the operating system software.

8. The software system of claim 1 in which said means for preventing execution includes an infinite loop.

9. The software system of claim 1 in which said means for preventing execution includes means for erasing said program.

10. The software system of claim 9 in which said means for erasing is capable of completely erasing said program.

11. The software system of claim 1 in which said program is an operating system.

12. The software system of claim 1 in which said program is an applications program.

13. The software system of claim 1 further including means, responsive to said means for determining, for inserting said unique machine identification code from said first storage means into said second storage means when said means for determining detects the absence of machine identification code in said second storage means.

14. The software system of claim 13 in which said means for inserting is located in an operating system designated for said machine.

15. A computer software security system for restricting execution of a program to a particular machine comprising:

first storage means for storing a machine identification code unique to said machine;

second storage means for storing a machine identification code in said program;

means, responsive to said second storage means, for determining the presence of said machine identification code in said second storage means during execution of said program;

means, responsive to said means for determining, for inserting said unique machine identification code from said first storage means into said second storage means when said means for determining detects the absence of code in said second storage means;

means, responsive to said first storage means, for retrieving said unique machine identification code from said first storage means;

means, responsive to said means for determining and said means for retrieving, for comparing said unique machine identification code from said first storage means with said machine identification code in said second storage means; and

means, responsive to said means for comparing, for preventing further execution to said program unless both said machine identification codes are present and match.

16. A computer software security system for restricting execution of a program to a particular machine comprising:

means for storing a machine identification code to said program;

means, responsive to said means for storing, for determining the presence of said machine identification code in said means for storing during execution of said program;

means for retrieving a machine identification code unique to said machine from a storage area;

means, responsive to said means for determining and said means for retrieving, for comparing said unique machine identification code from the storage area with said machine identification code in said program; and

means, responsive to said means for comparing, for preventing further execution of said program unless both said machine identification codes are present and match.

17. The software system of claim 16 further including means, responsive to said means for determining, for inserting said unique machine identification code into said means for storing when said means for determining detects the absence of machine identification code in said means for storing.

18. The software system of claim 16 in which said program is an operating system.

19. The software system of claim 16 in which said program is an applications program.

20. A method for restricting execution of a computer software program to a particular machine comprising:

storing a machine identification code unique to the machine in a storage area;

executing the program;

determining the presence of a machine identification code in the program during execution;

retrieving the unique machine identification code from the storage area;

comparing the unique machine identification code from the storage area with the machine identification code when present in the program; and

preventing further execution of said program unless both codes are present and match.

21. The method of claim 20 in which the storage area is a memory circuit.

22. The method of claim 20 in which the storage area is located in operating system software designated for the machine.

23. The method of claim 20 in which the step of preventing further execution includes placing the program in an infinite loop.

24. The method of claim 20 in which the step of preventing further execution includes erasing the program.

25. The method of claim 20 further including the step of inserting the unique machine identification code from the storage area into the program when an absence of machine identification code in the program is detected.

26. The method of claim 20 in which the unique machine identification code is obtained from the storage area.

27. A method for restricting a computer software program to a particular machine comprising:

storing a machine identification code in the program;

executing the program;

retrieving the machine identification code;

retrieving, from a storage area, a machine identification code unique to the machine;

comparing the unique machine identification code from the storage area with the machine identification code in the program; and

preventing further execution of the program unless both codes are present and match.