Method of protecting computer software

• US 4,748,561 A
• Filed: 06/27/1986
• Issued: 05/31/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mark Brown
• Original Assignee: Mark Brown
• Inventors: Brown, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Zache, Raulfe B.
• Application Number:
  US06/879,840
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200, 364/900, 364/300, 360/55
• US Class Current: 711/164
• 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: G06F 2211/007 Encryption, En-/decode, En-/decipher, En-/decypher, Scramble, (De-)compress

Abstract

The disclosure is directed to a method of preparing a recording of a computer program whereby the recording is usable on one and only one preselected computer hardware system. The recording system of the invention comprises a two phase recording process wherein phase one of the system is utilized to record on a permanent memory element all of the basic information to be stored thereon, including a preselected application program for a computer system, as well as additional information containing instructions to make the first computer used in connection with recording a component to complete phase two of the recording process. The second phase recording aspects of the invention complete the recording of each element in an individual recording step on the selected first used computer in a manner to link the operability of the individual recording to the particular, selected first-to-be-used computer machine.

Claims

1. A method of recording information on a permanent memory element, comprising the steps of

(a) providing a permanent memory element,

(b) providing a recording means,

(c) operating said recording means in conjunction with said permanent memory element to record onto said permanent memory element preselected information in a form that is permanently stored on said permanent memory element and readable by a computer system,

(d) providing a computer system including reading means to read the preselected information recorded on said permanent memory element,

(e) inserting said permanent memory element into said reading means, and

(f) operating said computer system and said reading means in conjunction with said permanent memory element to ascertain and record onto said permanent memory element identifying information which is unique to said computer system,

(g) said preselected information including a set of instructions which is read and executed by a computer system to render operative said permanent memory element with a computer system if and only if there is a predetermined correspondence between the unique identifying information recorded on said permanent memory element pursuant to step (f) and corresponding identifying information obtained from the computer system in connection with which the permanent memory element is being used.

2. The method according to claim 1, further characterized by, after completion of step (f) of claim 1, operating said computer system and said reading means in conjunction with said permanent memory element whereby said computer system selectively eliminates certain of said preselected information from said permanent memory element.

3. A method of recording information on a permanent memory element and operating a computer system in conjunction with said permanent memory element comprising the steps of

(a) providing a permanent memory element,

(b) providing a recording means,

(c) operating said recording means in conjunction with said permanent memory element to record onto said permanent memory element preselected information including:

(i) operating instructions executable by a computer system and instructing the computer system to ascertain identifying information unique to said computer system and to record said identifying information at a predetermined location on said permanent memory element, and

(ii) operating instructions executable by a computer system and instructing the computer system to ascertain identifying information unique to said computer system and to compare the identifying information ascertained by the computer system pursuant to the operating instructions of this step (c)(ii) with the identifying information stored on the permanent memory element pursuant to the operating instructions of step (c)(i),

(d) providing at least one computer system including complementary reading means to read the preselected information recorded on said permanent memory element,

(e) initially operating a preselected one of said at least one computer system and the complementary reading means in conjunction with said permanent memory element to read and execute the operating instructions recorded on the permanent memory means pursuant to step (c) (i),

(f) and thereafter operating any of said at least one computer system and said complementary reading means in conjunction with said permanent memory element to read and execute the operating instructions recorded on the permanent memory means pursuant to step (c) (ii),

(g) thereafter operating any of said at least one computer system if and only if there is a predetermined correspondence between said identifying information and the identifying information ascertained pursuant to the operating instructions of step (c)(ii).

4. A method of recording information on a permanent memory element and operating a computer system in conjunction with said permanent memory element comprising the steps of

(a) providing a permanent memory element,

(b) providing a recording means,

(c) operating said recording means in conjunction with said permanent memory element to record onto said permanent memory element preselected information including:

(i) operating instructions executable by a computer system and instructing the computer system to ascertain identifying information unique to said computer system and to record said identifying information at a predetermined location on said permanent memory element,

(ii) operating instructions executable by a computer system and instructing the computer system to ascertain identifying information unique to said computer system and to compare the identifying information ascertained by the computer system pursuant to the operating instructions of this step (c)(ii) with the identifying information stored on the permanent memory element pursuant to the operating instructions of step (c)(i), and

(iii) operating instructions executable by a computer system and instructing the computer system to ascertain on the permanent memory element (of) the operating instructions of step (c) (ii) and the unique identifying information recorded on the permanent memory element pursuant to the operating instructions of step (c) (ii),

(d) providing at least one computer system including complementary reading means to read the preselected information recorded on said permanent memory element,

(e) initially operating a preselected one of said at least one computer system and the complementary reading means in conjunction with said permanent memory element to read and execute the operating instructions recorded on the permanent memory means pursuant to step (c) (i),

(f) and thereafter operating any of said at least one computer system and said complementary reading means in conjunction with said permanent memory element to read and execute the operating instructions recorded on the permanent memory means pursuant to steps (c) (ii) and (c) (iii),

(g) thereafter operating any of said at least one computer system (of step (f) further to step (f),) if and only if the at least one computer system ascertains on the permanent memory element (the existence of) the operating instructions of step (c) (ii) and the unique identifying information and there is a predetermined correspondence between said identifying information and the identifying information ascertained pursuant to the operating instruction of step (c) (ii) (the compared identifying information).