Method and apparatus for protecting software

• US 5,199,066 A
• Filed: 04/18/1989
• Issued: 03/30/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Special Effects Software Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Special Effects Software Incorporated
• Inventors: Logan, Andrew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory, Bernarr E.
• Application Number:
  US07/339,760
• Time in Patent Office: 1,442 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200, 364/900, 380/3, 380/4, 380/23, 380/25, 380/49, 380/50, 380/22, 360/60, 340/825.31, 340/825.34
• 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 method and system for protecting a software program recorded within a storage medium for use with or transmission to computer or processor based hardware comprises inputting a hardware code uniquely associated with the particular hardware and inputting a first software code uniquely associated with the particular embodiment of the software. A first predetermined operation is performed upon the hardware code and the first software code to produce an intermediate code. A unique activation code obtained from the software supplier is inputted and a second predetermined operation is performed upon the intermediate code and the activation code to produce a second intermediate code. The second intermediate code is compared to a second software code uniquely associated with the particular embodiment of the software and stored in a hidden location within the software. The use of the software is enabled only if the second intermediate code and the second software code are identical.

Claims

1. A method of protecting a software program recorded within a storage medium for use with or transmission to computer or processor based hardware, the method comprising:

inputting a hardware code uniquely associated with the particular hardware with which the software is to be employed;

inputting a first software code uniquely associated with the particular embodiment of the software being employed;

performing a first predetermined operation upon the hardware code and the first software code to produce a first intermediate code;

inputting a unique activation code for the particular embodiment of the software being employed, the activation code being received from a software supplier;

performing a second predetermined operation upon the first intermediate code and the activation code to produce a second intermediate code;

comparing the second intermediate code with a second software code uniquely associated with the particular embodiment of the software being employed and stored at a hidden location within the software, the second software code not being ascertainable by the user; and

enabling the use of the software if the second intermediate code and the second software code are identical.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the hardware code is comprised of the serial number for the particular hardware.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first software code is comprised of the serial number of the particular software.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the hardware code and the first software code are numbers and wherein the first predetermined operation comprises a mathematical manipulation of the hardware code and the first software code to produce the first intermediate code, which is also a number.

5. The method as recited in claim 4 wherein the activation code is a number and wherein the second predetermined operation comprises a mathematical manipulation of the first intermediate code and the activation code to produce the second intermediate code, which is also a number.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein both the first and second predetermined operations comprise addition.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of changing the second software code in a predetermined manner each time the software is copied so that a different activation code is required to enable use of the software.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the activation code is generated by the software supplier receiving the hardware code and the first software code from the user and performing the first predetermined operation upon the hardware code and the first software code to produce the first intermediate code, the software supplier obtaining the second software code from its records and performing a third predetermined operation upon the second software code and the first intermediate code to produce the activation code, the third predetermined operation being complementary to the second predetermined operation.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein prior to the generation of the activation code the software supplier obtains information from the user regarding the copy status of the software and changes the second software code in a predetermined manner in accordance with the copy status of the software.

10. A method of preventing use of an unauthorized copy of a computer software program recorded within a storage medium for use in computer hardware by preventing the software from operating in the absence of a proper activation code, the method comprising:

inputting a numeric hardware code uniquely associated with the particular hardware with which the software is to be employed;

inputting a first numeric software code uniquely associated with the particular software storage medium;

performing a first predetermined mathematical operation upon the hardware code and the first software code to produce a first numeric intermediate code;

inputting a numeric activation code received from a software supplier, the activation code being uniquely determined for activation of the software having the particular first software code for use with hardware having the particular hardware code;

performing a second predetermined mathematic operation upon the first numeric intermediate code and the numeric activation code to produce a second numeric intermediate code;

comparing the second numeric intermediate code with a second numeric software code uniquely associated with the particular storage medium and stored at a hidden location within the software, the second numeric software code not being ascertainable by the user, the second numeric software code being changed in a predetermined manner each time the software is copied; and

enabling the use of the software if the second numeric intermediate code and the second numeric software code are identical.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein the hardware code is the hardware serial number.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein the first numeric software code is the software serial number.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein the first and second predetermined mathematical operations comprise addition.

14. A method of generating an activation code for enabling the use of a software program with particular computer or processor based hardware, the method comprising:

obtaining from the user a hardware code uniquely associated with the particular hardware with which the software is to be employed;

obtaining from the user a first software code uniquely associated with the particular embodiment of the software being employed;

performing a predetermined operation upon the hardware code and the first software code to produce a first intermediate code;

obtaining a second software code uniquely associated with the particular embodiment of the software from stored information corresponding to the first software code; and

performing a predetermined operation upon the first intermediate code and the second software code to produce the activation code.

15. A system for protecting a software program recorded within a storage medium for use with, or transmission to, computer or processor based hardware, the system comprising:

means for inputting a hardware code uniquely associated with the particular hardware with which the software is to be employed;

means for inputting a first software code uniquely associated with the particular embodiment of the software being employed;

computer means for performing a first predetermined operation upon the hardware code and the first software code to produce a first intermediate code;

means for inputting a unique activation code for the particular embodiment of the software being employed, the activation code being received from a software supplier;

computer means for performing a second predetermined operation upon the first intermediate code and the activation code to produce a second intermediate code;

computer means for comparing the second intermediate code with a second software code uniquely associated with the particular embodiment of the software and stored at a hidden location within the software, the second software code not being ascertainable by the user; and

means for enabling the use of the software if the second intermediate code and the second software code are identical.

16. The system as recited in claim 15 wherein the hardware code is comprised of the serial number for the particular hardware.

17. The system as recited in claim 15 wherein the first software code is comprised of the serial number of the particular software.

18. The system as recited in claim 15 wherein the hardware code and the first software code are numbers and wherein the first predetermined operation comprises a mathematical manipulation of the hardware code and the first software code to produce the first intermediate code, which is also a number.

19. The system as recited in claim 18 wherein the activation code is a number and wherein the second predetermined operation comprises a mathematical manipulation of the first intermediate code and the activation code to produce the second intermediate code, which is also a number.

20. The system as recited in claim 15 further including means for changing the second software code in a predetermined manner each time the software is copied so that a new activation code is required to enable use of the software.