Software protection and identification system

• US 4,858,036 A
• Filed: 08/04/1986
• Issued: 08/15/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Peter Ginkel
• Original Assignee: Peter Ginkel
• Inventors: Ginkel, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Cardillo, Raymond F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bowler, Alyssa H.
• Application Number:
  US06/388,036
• Time in Patent Office: 1,107 Days
• Field of Search: 360/131, 360/60, 360/77, 360/53, 360/15, 360/137, 360/135
• US Class Current: 360/60
• 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: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00094 involving measures which result in a restriction to authorised record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00586 said format change concerning the physical format of the recording medium
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00927 wherein said defects or errors are generated on purpose, e.g. intended scratches

Abstract

A method of protecting machine readable signals recorded on magnetic recording media from unauthorized duplication and use. The signals to be protected are recorded on a first portion of the magnetic recording media. The protected signals on the first portion can be detected and altered by the machine. Second signals are recorded on a second portion of the magnetic recording media. The second signals on the second portion can be detected by the machine but cannot be altered by the machine. An attempt is made by the machine to alter the second signals on the second portion. Then, if the second signals cannot be detected on said second portion, the machine is disabled from further using the signals recorded on the recording media. Apparatus for practicing the method is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A copy protectable magnetic data recording medium for use with a machine capable of reading data recorded on said medium, of altering data recorded on said medium by erasing said data and/or by writing other data in its place and of executing instructions recorded on said medium, said medium comprising:

a substrate;

magnetic material supported on said substrate, said magnetic material having a first region which is both readable and alterable by said machine and a separate second region which is only readable by said machine;

a first sequence of instructions or data for said machine recorded on said medium in said first region for providing a predetermined function; and

a second sequence of instructions or data for said machine recorded on said medium for instructing said machine to erase or alter predetermined information or data originally provided on said second region, for thereafter instructing said machine to read said second region, and for thereafter instructing said machine to execute said first sequence of instructions if said machine correctly reads said originally provided information or data in said second region,

whereby said machine is prevented from executing said first sequence of instructions if said machine does not correctly read said originally provided information or data in said second region.

2. The magnetic data recording medium of claim 1, wherein said medium comprises:

a non-magnetic substrate;

a first region of magnetizable material supported on a first portion of said substrate, said first region having a first magnetic coercivity within a predetermined range; and

a second region of magnetizable material supported on a second portion of said substrate spatially adjacent said first region, said second region having a second magnetic coercivity within a predetermined range which is different from said first magnetic coercivity.

3. The magnetic recording media of claim 2 wherein the ratio of the second magnetic coercivity to the first magnetic coercivity is greater than 2 to 1.

4. The magnetic recording medium of claim 2 wherein said second magnetic coercivity is of an amount such that said machine cannot erase or write signals on said second region.

5. The magnetic data recording medium of claim 2, wherein said medium is a disk, and wherein said second region of magnetizable material is radially adjacent said first region.

6. The magnetic data recording medium of claim 2, wherein said medium is a magnetic tape, and wherein said second region of magnetizable material is longitudinally adjacent said first region.

7. A data protection system comprising:

a magnetic signal recording medium, said medium comprising a first region for recording signals and a spatially separate second region, signals recorded on said first region being alterable by a magnetic field of a first intensity,

said second region being unresponsive to a magnetic field of said first intensity;

means for detecting signals recorded on said medium in response to instructions in a computer system;

means for applying a magnetic field not greater than said first intensity to said second region of said recording medium in response to instructions in said computer system to alter signals recorded on said second region; and

means for disabling said computer system in response to detection by said detecting means of altered signals recorded in said second region.

8. The data protection system of claim 7, wherein said second region comprises a region on said recording medium which contains no magnetic recording material.

9. A computer system comprising:

a magnetic information storage disk, said disk having a first region on which information can be read and written and a second region from which information can only be read;

means for reading information stored on said disk;

means for writing information on said disk;

means for attempting to write predetermined digital signals on said second region;

means for comparing said predetermined digital signals to information read by said reading means from said second region; and

means responsive to said comparing means for disabling said computer system if information read from said second region equals said predetermined digital signals.

10. The computer system of claim 9 wherein said first region of said disk comprises a magnetic material having a first magnetic coercivity within a predetermined range such that information stored on said first region can be erased or overwritten by said writing means and wherein said second region of said disk comprises a magnetic material having a second magnetic coercivity within a predetermined range such that information stored on said second region cannot be altered by said writing means,

which second magnetic coercivity is different from said first magnetic coercivity.

11. The computer system of claim 9, wherein said disabling means is operative to disable said computer system if information read from said second region differs from information prestored in said second region.

12. The computer system of claim 9, wherein said second region of said disk comprises an area on said disk which contains no magnetizable material.

13. A method of protecting against the unauthorized duplication and use of computer software stored as data signals on an authorized magnetic storage medium, which signals are readable by a read/write means and are alterable by said read/write means, comprising the steps of:

recording said data signals on a first region of said authorized storage medium which can be read and altered by said read/write means;

providing validating signals on a second region of said authorized storage medium which can be read but cannot be altered by said read/write means;

attempting with said read/write means to alter said validating signals on a particular portion of a magnetic storage medium presented for use in a computer, said particular portion corresponding to said second region of said authorized storage medium;

reading said particular portion of said presented storage medium; and

preventing said data signals from being used by said computer if said validating signals are not read by said read/write means.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said first region of said storage medium comprises a magnetic material having a first magnetic coercivity and wherein said second region comprises a magnetic material having a second magnetic coercivity which is different from said first magnetic coercivity.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said magnetic storage medium is a magnetic storage disk and wherein said first region is adjacent said second region in the plane of the disk.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said validating signals comprise signals read by said read/write means from said second region of said storage medium, and

wherein said second region comprises an area of said storage medium from which magnetizable material has been removed.

17. In a computer program protection method intended to distinguish between computer programs recorded on a bona fide recording medium and corresponding programs copied from such bona fide medium onto a similar recording medium, the steps of:

a. Writing a code signal at a predetermined location in said information recording medium in accordance with an instruction incorporated within the program to be protected;

b. Verifying in the computer the code signal stored at said predetermined location; and

c. The step of utilizing as said bona fide recording medium, a medium which is unresponsive to such instruction to write said code signal at said predetermined location.

18. The protection method of claim 17 wherein there is additionally included the step of disabling the computer upon the verification of the storing of said code signal at said predetermined location.

19. The protection method of claim 18 wherein said recording medium utilization step utilizes a bona fide recording medium constrained to reject program instructions at said predetermined location of a characteristic sufficient to carry out said instructions at said locations on a recording medium where said computer program is attempted to be similarly copied.

20. A method of protecting machine readable data signals recorded on an authorized magnetic recording medium from unauthorized duplication and use, comprising the steps of:

recording said data signals to be protected on a first region of said authorized magnetic recording medium, which signals can be detected and altered by a read/write means in a machine;

recording predetermined second signals on a second region of said authorized magnetic medium, which predetermined second signals can be read by said read/write means but cannot be altered by said read/write means;

attempting with said read/write means to alter said predetermined second signals on a particular portion of a magnetic recording medium presented for use in connection with said machine, said particular portion corresponding to said second region of said authorized recording medium;

reading said particular portion of said presented recording medium; and

disabling said machine to prevent use of said data signals when said predetermined second signals are not read on said particular portion by said read/write means.

21. A method of determining by a computer if a particular magnetic medium comprised of sections which are divided into subsections is an original or a copy, with an original having indicia on at least one subsection of at least one section thereon that are not modifiable by the medium write process, and a copy not having said indicia, or having indicia in a different pattern than said indicia, including a product program which is to be executed only if the medium is an original, and a medium test program for performing said method to test if said particular medium is an original, said method comprising the steps of:

writing at least portions of said sections of said particular medium with a test pattern which generates a change in the pattern of magnetic domains in said medium at predetermined locations within said portions, said portions including at least said indicia-containing subsections, with a subsection in said portions responding to said test pattern only in the absence of indicia thereon, to form a stored pattern in said portions;

storing an expected pattern, which is indicative of the pattern which is expected to read from said portions of an original medium including said indicia;

comparing said expected pattern with said stored pattern on at least a per subsection basis, to determine if predetermined subsections have the expected pattern of magnetic domains; and

executing said product program only in response to the comparison determining that the corresponding subsections have the expected pattern of magnetic domains, which is indicative of the presence of said indicia, thereby indicating that said particular medium is an original.

22. The method claimed in claim 21, wherein said particular magnetic medium is a disk.

23. The method claimed in claim 22, wherein said disk is a floppy disk.

24. The method claimed in claim 22, wherein said disk is a hard disk.

25. The method claimed in claim 21, wherein said particular magnetic medium is a magnetic tape.

26. A method of determining by a computer if a particular magnetic disk having tracks formed thereon which are divided into sectors is an original or a copy, with an original having indicia on at least one sector of at least one track thereon that are not modifiable by the disk write process, and a copy not having said indicia, or having indicia in a different pattern than said indicia, including a product program which is to be executed only if the disk is an original, and a disk test program stored performing said method to test if said particular disk is an original, said method comprising the steps of:

writing at least portions of said tracks of said particular disk with a test pattern which generates a change in the pattern of magnetic domains in said disk at predetermined bit locations within said portions, said portions including at least said indicia-containing sectors, with a bit location in said sectors responding to said test pattern only in the absence of indicia thereon, to form a stored pattern in said portions;

storing an expected pattern, which is indicative of the pattern which is expected to be read from said portions of an original disk including said indicia;

comparing said expected pattern with said stored pattern on at least a per bit location basis, to determine if predetermined locations have the expected pattern of magnetic domains; and

executing said product program only in response to the comparison determining that the predetermined locations have the expected pattern of magnetic domains, which is indicative of the presence of said indicia, thereby indicating that said particular disk is an original.

27. The method claimed in claim 26, wherein said disk is a floppy disk.

28. The method claimed in claim 26, wherein said disk is a hard disk.

29. A method of determining by a computer if a particular magnetic tape having records formed thereon which are divided into tracks is an original or a copy, with an original having indicia on at least one track for at least one record that are not modifiable by the tape write process, and a copy not having said indicia, or having indicia in a different pattern than said indicia, including a product program, which is to be executed only if the tape is an original, and a tape test program for performing said method to test if said particular tape is an original, said method comprising the steps of:

writing at least portions of said records of said particular tape with a test pattern which generates a change in the pattern of magnetic domains in said tape at predetermined bit locations within said portions, said portions including at least said indicia-containing tracks, with a bit location in said portions responding to said test pattern only in the absence of indicia thereon, to form a stored pattern in said portions;

storing an expected pattern, which is indicative of the pattern which is expected to be read from said portions of an original tape including said indicia;

comparing said expected pattern with said stored pattern on at least a per bit location basis, to determine if predetermined locations have the expected pattern of magnetic domains; and

executing said product program only in response to the comparison determining that the predetermined locations have the expected pattern of magnetic domains, which is indicative of the presence of said indicia, thereby indicating that said particular tape is an original.

30. A method of determining by a computer if a particular magnetic disk having tracks formed thereon which are divided into sectors, with each sector being comprised of a plurality of bit storage locations, is an original or a copy, with an original disk having indicia on at least one bit storage location of at least one sector of at least one track that are not modifiable by the disk write process, with a copied disk not having said indicia, or having indicia in a different pattern than said indicia, including a product program, which is to be executed only if said disk is an original, and a disk test program for performing said method to test if said particular disk is an original, said method comprising the steps of:

storing a key pattern, which is a binary representation of the presence or absence of said indicia at predetermined locations of said at least one track of an original disk;

writing at least portions of said tracks of said particular disk with a test pattern which generates a change in the pattern of magnetic domains in said disk at predetermined bit locations within said portions, said portions including at least said indicia-containing bit storage locations, with a bit location in said portions responding to said test pattern only in the absence of indicia thereon, and reading out said portions to form a stored pattern, which is indicative of the presence or absence of said indicia at least at each bit storage location of said portions;

comparing said test pattern with said stored pattern on at least a per bit location basis to determine if predetermined locations have a pattern of indicia, to provide a first compare result;

comparing said key pattern with said first compare result on at least a per location basis to provide a second compare result which is indicative of whether or not said indicia on said sectors of said particular disk correspond with said indicia on said sectors of an original medium; and

executing said product program only in response to the second compare result indicating a predetermined location comparison of said key pattern and said first compare result, thereby indicating that said particular disk is an original.

31. The method claimed in 30, wherein said disk is a floppy disk.

32. The method claimed in 30, wherein said disk is a hard disk.

33. A software copy-protection apparatus, which is operable with a computer, comprising:

a particular magnetic medium having tracks formed thereon which are divided into sectors, with each sector being comprised of a plurality of bit storage locations, with an original medium having indicia on at least one bit storage location of at least one sector of at least one track that are not modifiable by the medium write process, with a copied medium not having said indicia, or having indicia in a different pattern than said indicia;

a product program which is to be executed only if said medium is an original;

means for writing at least portions of said tracks with a test pattern which generates a change in the pattern of magnetic domains in said medium at predetermined bit locations within said portions, said portions including at least said indicia-containing bit locations, with a given bit location in said portions responding to said pattern only in the absence of indicia thereon;

means for storing an expected pattern which is indicative of the pattern which is expected to be read from said portions of an original medium including indicia, in a first storage location;

means for reading out said portions and storing the read out data in a second storage location;

means for comparing the expected pattern stored in said first storage location with the data stored in said second storage location on at least a per bit corresponding storage location basis to determine if predetermined locations have the expected pattern of magnetic domains; and

means responsive to the comparison for executing said product program only in response to the comparison determining that predetermined locations on the medium have the expected pattern of magnetic domains, which is indicative of the presence of said indicia, thereby indicating that said particular medium is an original.

34. The combination claimed in claim 33, wherein said magnetic medium is a disk.

35. The combination claimed in claim 34, wherein said disk is a floppy disk.

36. The combination claimed in claim 34, wherein said disk is a hard disk.

37. The software copy-protection apparatus, which is operable with a computer, comprising:

a particular magnetic medium having records formed thereon which are divided into tracks, with each track being comprised of a plurality of bit storage locations, with an original medium having indicia on at least one bit storage location of at least one track of at least one record that are not modifiable by the medium write process, with a copied medium not having said indicia, or having indicia in a different pattern than said indicia;

a product program stored on said medium which is to be executed only if said medium is an original;

means for writing at least portions of said records with a test pattern which generates a change in the pattern of magnetic domains in said medium at predetermined bit locations in said portions, said portions including at least said indicia-containing bit locations, with a given bit location in said portions responding to said test pattern only in the absence of indicia thereon;

means for storing an expected pattern, which is indicative of the pattern which is expected to be read from said portions of an original medium including said indicia, in a first storage location;

means for reading out said portions and storing the read out data in a second storage location;

means for comparing the expected pattern stored in said first storage location with the data stored in said second storage location on a (sic) least a per bit corresponding basis to determine if predetermined locations have the expected pattern of magnetic domains; and

means responsive to the comparison for executing said product program only in response to the comparison determining that predetermined locations exhibit the expected pattern of magnetic domains, which is indicative of the presence of said indicia, thereby indicating that said particular medium is an original.

38. The combination claimed in claim 37, wherein said particular medium is a magnetic tape.

39. A software copy-protection apparatus, which is operable with a computer, comprising:

a particular magnetic medium having tracks formed thereon which are divided into sectors, with each sector being comprised of a plurality of bit storage locations, with an original medium having indicia on at least one bit storage location of at least one sector of at least one track that are not modifiable by the medium write process, with a copied medium not having said indicia, or having indicia in a different pattern than said indicia;

a product program which is to be executed only if said medium is an original;

means for storing a key pattern in a first storage location, which is a binary representation indicative of the presence or absence of said indicia at predetermined locations of said at least one track of an original medium;

means for writing at least portions of said tracks of said medium with a test pattern which generates a change in the pattern of magnetic domains in said medium at predetermined bit locations within said portions, said portions including at least said indicia-containing bit storage location, with a bit location in said portions responding to said test pattern only in the absence of indicia thereon;

means for storing said test pattern in a second storage location;

means for reading out said portions and storing the read out data in a third storage location;

means for comparing the test pattern stored in said second storage location with the data stored in said third storage location on at least a per bit corresponding storage location basis to provide a first compare result;

means for comparing said key pattern, stored in said first storage location, with said first compare result on at least a per location basis to provide a second compare result which is indicative of whether or not said indicia on said sectors of said particular medium correspond with said indicia on said sectors of an original medium; and

means responsive to the second compare result for executing said product program only in response to the comparison determining that predetermined locations on the medium and the key pattern indicate a predetermined location comparison, thereby indicating that said particular medium is an original.

40. The combination claimed in claim 39, wherein said particular medium is a disk.

41. The combination claimed in claim 40, wherein said disk is a floppy disk.

42. The combination claimed in claim 40, wherein said disk is a hard disk.

43. A software copy-protection apparatus, which is operable with a computer, comprising:

a particular magnetic medium having records formed thereon which are divided into tracks, with each track being comprised of a plurality of bit storage locations, with an original medium having indicia on at least one bit storage location of at least one track of at least one record that are not modifiable by the medium write process, with a copied medium not having said indicia, or having indicia in a different pattern than said indicia;

a product program which is to be executed only if said medium is an original;

means for storing a key pattern in a first storage location, which is a binary representation indicative of the presence or absence of said indicia at predetermined locations of said at least one track of an original medium;

means for writing at least portions of said records of said medium with a test pattern which generates a change in the pattern of magnetic domains in said medium at predetermined bit locations within said portions, said portions including at least said indicia-containing bit storage locations, with a bit location in said portions responding to said test pattern only in the absence of indicia thereon;

means for storing said test pattern in a second storage location;

means for reading out said portions and storing the read out data in a third storage location;

means for comparing the test pattern stored in said second storage location with the data stored in said third storage location on at least a per bit corresponding storage location basis to provide a first compare result;

means for comparing said key pattern, stored in said first storage location, with said first compare result on at least a per location basis to provide a second compare result which is indicative of whether or not said indicia on said tracks of said particular medium correspond with said indicia on said tracks of an original medium; and

means responsive to the second compare result for executing said product program only in response to the comparison determining that predetermined locations on the medium and the key pattern indicate a predetermined location comparison, thereby indicating that said particular medium is an original.

44. The combination claimed in claim 43, wherein said particular medium is a magnetic tape.

45. A method of forming a hardware key on a magnetic medium to indicate that said magnetic medium is an original and not a copy, said method comprising the step of:

introducing indicia into predetermined areas of said magnetic medium to create said key, with data read from said areas differing from data written to said areas, due to the presence of said indicia, as said indicia do not respond to a magnetic field by changing the pattern of magnetic domains therein.

46. The combination claimed in claim 45, wherein said magnetic medium is a disk, having tracks formed thereon which are divided into sectors, with each sector being comprised of a plurality of bit storage locations, with said predetermined areas comprising at least one bit location of at least one sector of at least one track.

47. The combination claimed in claim 46, wherein the said disk is a floppy disk.

48. The combination claimed in claim 46, wherein the said disk is a hard disk.

49. The combination claimed in claim 45, wherein said indicia are comprised of one or more regions containing no magnetic material, such regions being therefore unaffected by the medium write process.

50. The combination claimed in claim 49, wherein said magnetic medium is a disk, having tracks formed thereon which are divided into sectors, with each sector being comprised of a plurality of bit storage locations, with said predetermined areas comprising at least one bit location of at least one sector of at least one track.

51. The combination claimed in claim 50, wherein the said disk is a floppy disk.

52. The combination claimed in claim 50, wherein the said disk is a hard disk.

53. The combination claimed in claim 49, wherein said magnetic medium is a magnetic tape, having records formed thereon which are divided into tracks, with each track being comprised of a plurality of bit storage locations, with said predetermined areas comprising at least one bit location of at least one track of at least one record.

54. The combination claimed in claim 45, wherein said indicia are comprised of one or more permanently magnetized regions, such regions having the property that the material therein has a coercivity higher than the magnetic field used in the medium write process, such regions being therefore unaffected by the medium write process.

55. The combination claimed in claim 54, wherein said magnetic medium is a magnetic tape, having records formed thereon which are divided into tracks, with each track being comprised of a plurality of bit storage locations, with said predetermined areas comprising at least one bit location of at least one track of at least one record.

56. The combination claimed in claim 54, wherein said magnetic medium is a disk, having tracks formed thereon which are divided into sectors, with each sector being comprised of a plurality of bit storage locations, with said predetermined areas comprising at least one bit location of at least one sector of at least one track.

57. the combination claimed in claim 56, wherein said disk is a hard disk.

58. The combination claimed in claim 56, wherein said disk is a floppy disk.

59. The combination claimed in claim 45, wherein said magnetic medium is a magnetic tape, having records formed thereon which are divided into tracks, with each track being comprised of a plurality of bit storage locations, with said predetermined areas comprising at least one bit location of at least one track of at least one record.