Secure software rental system using distributed software
First Claim
1. A method for securely renting software, the method comprising the steps of:
- establishing a communication link between a first computer and a second computer;
loading in said first computer at least one application software from a plurality of application softwares stored in a local storage device;
executing said at least one application software on said first computer, by periodically obtaining authorization from said second computer, wherein said authorization is obtained when a first dynamic password generated by said first computer matches a second dynamic password generated by said second computer; and
terminating execution of said at least one application software when said authorization is not obtained.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system is disclosed for providing secure access and execution of application software by a first computer while a communication link is maintained between the first computer and a second computer. More specifically, a secure software rental system is disclosed. The system enables a user in a remote location using the first computer and a modem to connect to the second computer, transfer an application software either from the second computer or from a local storage device to the first computer, and execute the application software on the first computer while connected to the second computer. When the communication link between the second computer and the first computer is interrupted or terminated, the application software no longer executes on the first computer. This is accomplished by integrating header software with the application software. The application software stored in the second computer or in the local storage device is integrated with the header software to provide a security feature. The use of header software allows the user to execute the application software only while the user is continuously connected to the second computer. This prevents the user from copying the application software, and subsequently executing the application software after interrupting or terminating the communications link between the second and first computers.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for securely renting software, the method comprising the steps of:
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establishing a communication link between a first computer and a second computer; loading in said first computer at least one application software from a plurality of application softwares stored in a local storage device; executing said at least one application software on said first computer, by periodically obtaining authorization from said second computer, wherein said authorization is obtained when a first dynamic password generated by said first computer matches a second dynamic password generated by said second computer; and terminating execution of said at least one application software when said authorization is not obtained. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of providing secure software rental, comprising the steps of:
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transferring a communication manager from a central rental facility to a user computer; initiating a rental session by accessing said central rental facility using said communication manager, said communication manager executing on said user computer; selecting a rental application from a plurality of rental applications stored in a local storage device, said rental application comprising an application software and an asynchronous header; loading said selected rental application from said local storage device to said user computer; executing said rental application on said user computer; said rental application initiating said asynchronous header for dynamic password verification to ensure continuous communication between said user computer and said central rental facility; and continuously checking to determine if said dynamic password verification is successful using said header, said header terminating said rental application when said dynamic password verification fails. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. A method of synchronously verifying a continuous connection between first and second computers while a rental application software executes on said first computer, said rental application comprising a header, said first and second computers electronically connected by a communications path, comprising the steps of:
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(a) determining a loading time, the loading time being the time when said rental application is loaded from a local storage device to said first computer; (b) transferring said loading time from said first computer to said second computer; (c) computing a time difference between a system time of said first computer and said loading time using said header; (d) generating a first dynamic password dependent on said time difference using said header; (e) transmitting a password verification request comprising said system time to said second computer; (f) checking for a password verification response from said second computer, said header terminating said rental application when a password verification response is not received; (g) comparing a received dynamic password of said password verification response with said first dynamic password, said received dynamic password generated by said second computer, said header terminating said rental application when said received dynamic password and said first dynamic password do not match; (h) allowing a first time interval to lapse; (i) repeating steps (c)-(h). - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification