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Apparatus for controlling the use of computer software

  • US 4,791,565 A
  • Filed: 06/20/1984
  • Issued: 12/13/1988
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1984
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for monitoring the use of software in a computer system with respect to at least one selected aspect of such use, said computer system having at least one central processor containing the software, said central processor being accessed by at least one operator terminal connected to said central processor, software in the central processor generating usage indicative of monitored software use conditions for the selected aspect in the computer system, the apparatus employing at least two pre-established levels of occurrences of conditions violative of an usage limit for the selected aspect in exerting restrictions on the use of the monitored software, said apparatus comprising:

  • receiving means coupled to the central processor for receiving said monitored software usage data from software in the central processor;

    memory means containing data establishing the software usage limit for the selected aspect, said memory means containing data establishing the violative condition occurrence levels, said memory means storing violative condition occurrence data arising out of the operation of the computer system and recording data indicative of existing usage of the monitored software;

    microprocessor control means coupled to said receiving means and said memory means for determining conditions violative of the usage limit in response to said usage data and whether the occurrence of violative conditions bears a predetermined relationship to a violative condition occurrence level, said control means being set to a first state that permits use of the monitored software in the central processor and or to second state that restricts use of the monitored software, said control means changing from said first state to said second state when the occurrence of violative conditions bears said predetermined relationship, wherein said control means can be reset from the second state to the first state by remotely generated resetting instructions; and

    interrupt means coupled to the computer system and said control means, said interrupt means being controlled by said control means for providing an output to the computer system when said control means is in said second state for restricting use of the monitored software.

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