Software pay per use system

• US 5,625,690 A
• Filed: 11/15/1993
• Issued: 04/29/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Reinke, Robert E., Michel, Alan D.
• Primary Examiner(s): CANGIALOSI, SALVATORE A
• Application Number:
  US08/152,769
• Time in Patent Office: 1,261 Days
• Field of Search: 380/4, 380/21
• US Class Current: 705/53
• 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 2221/2107 File encryption

Abstract

A pay per use system for of the unauthorized use of computer software. An encryption program encodes original software to produce secured software. The encoding is accomplished by using cryptographic techniques. In order to use the software, a user must call a telephone number to receive the cryptographic keys necessary to decrypt the secured software. Thus, users must pay for each use of the secured software. The system allows software developers to freely distribute the secured software. Copies of the secured software may be freely made, because payment is based on each use of the software not on each copy of the software.

Claims

1. A system for the validation and use of secured computer software, said secured computer software including encrypted computer program code and user validation program code, said system comprising:

a software validation system;

a software user system;

a communications network connected to the software validation system and the software user system for the transmission of data between the systems;

said software validation system comprising;

means for storing at least one decryption key,

means for receiving from said software user system over said communications network an identification of secured software,

means for recording the receipt of said identification of secured software, and

means for transmitting to said software user system over said communications network a decryption key chosen from said at least one stored decryption key;

said software user system further comprising;

means for transmitting said secured software identification to the software validation system over said communications network,

means for receiving said decryption key from said software validation system over said communications network,

means for decrypting said encrypted computer program code using said chosen decryption key;

processor means for executing said decrypted computer program code; and

means for preventing the decryption of said encrypted computer program code and execution of said decrypted computer program code unless said secured software identification is transmitted to the validation system over the communications network prior to each and every execution of said decrypted computer program code.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the communication over said communications network is initiated by a telephone call to a per call service fee telephone number.

3. An end user computer system for the controlled use of secured software, the system comprising:

secured software including encrypted user program code and user validation code;

means for transmitting to a software validation system an identification of the secured software;

means for receiving a decryption key from the software validation system;

means for decrypting said encrypted user program code with said decryption key;

processor means for executing said decrypted user program code; and

wherein said user validation code comprises enforcement means for preventing the deception and execution of said encrypted user program code unless said identification of the secured software is transmitted to said software validation system and said decryption key is received from the software validation system prior to each and every attempted use of the secured software.

4. The end user computer system of claim 3 wherein said means for transmitting further comprise means for transmitting over a communications network, and wherein communication over the communications network is initiated by a telephone call to a per call service fee telephone number.

5. The end user computer system of claim 3 wherein said received decryption key has been masked prior to receipt, the system further comprising:

means for generating a random number;

means for transmitting said random number to the software validation system; and

means for unmasking said masked decryption key with said random number.

6. The end user computer system of claim 3 wherein said decryption key has been masked prior to receipt, said enforcement means further comprising:

means for generating a pseudo-random number which includes verifiable information;

means for transmitting said pseudo-random number to the software validation system; and

means for unmasking said masked decryption key with said pseudo-random number only if said verifiable information is verified.

7. The end user computer system of claim 3 further comprising:

a memory unit connected to said processor means, said memory unit comprising a plurality of memory locations,

wherein said enforcement means further comprises;

means for storing a first portion of said decryption key in a first memory location; and

means for storing a second portion of said decryption key in a second memory location.

8. The end user computer system of claim 3 further comprising a memory unit for the storage of the decrypted user program code wherein said enforcement means further comprises:

means for determining whether said execution of the decrypted user program code has stopped; and

means for deleting said decrypted user program code from said memory unit when execution of said user program code stops.

9. An end user computer system for the controlled execution of secured software, the system comprising:

secured software including encrypted user program code and user validation code;

means for transmitting to a software validation system an identification of the secured software;

means for generating a first random number;

means for receiving from said software validation system a second random number;

means for combining said first and second random number to produce a third random number;

means for receiving from said software validation system a masked decryption key;

means for unmasking said masked decryption key with said third random number;

means for decrypting said encrypted user program code with said decryption key;

processor means for executing said decrypted user program code; and

wherein said user validation code comprises enforcement means for preventing the decryption and execution of said user program code unless said identification of the secured software is transmitted to said software validation system prior to each and every attempted use of said secured software.

10. The end user computer system of claim 9 wherein said means for transmitting further comprises means for transmitting over a communications network, and wherein communication over the communications network is initiated by a telephone call to a per use service fee telephone number.

11. The end user computer system of claim 9 wherein said masked decryption key is encrypted prior to receipt, said system further comprising means for decrypting said masked decryption key prior to unmasking said decryption key.

12. The end user computer system of claim 9 wherein said second random number is encrypted prior to receipt and said masked decryption key is encrypted prior to receipt, said system further comprising:

means for decrypting said masked decryption key prior to unmasking said decryption key; and

means for decrypting said second random number prior to combining said first random number and second random number.

13. A method for the operation of a software validation computer system and an end user computer system for the validation and use of secured software, said secured software including encrypted user program code and user validation code, said method comprising the steps of:

transmitting secured software identification from the end user computer system to the software validation computer system prior to each and every use of the secured software;

transmitting a decryption key from said software validation computer system to said end user computer system prior to each and every use of the secured software;

decrypting said encrypted user program code with said decryption key in said end user computer system;

executing said decrypted user program code in said end user computer system; and

preventing the decryption of said encrypted user program code unless said step of transmitting secured software identification has occurred.

14. A method for the operation of an end user computer system for the controlled use of secured software, said secured software including encrypted user program code and user validation program code, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting an identification of secured software to a software validation system;

receiving a decryption key from the software validation system;

decrypting said encrypted user program code with said decryption key;

executing said decrypted user program code; and

preventing the unauthorized decryption and execution of said encrypted user program code if said identification of secured software is not transmitted to said software validation system prior to each and every execution of said user program code.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said steps of transmitting further comprise the step of transmitting over a communications network, wherein the establishment of communication over the communications network comprises the step of placing a telephone call to a per call service fee telephone number.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein said received decryption key has been masked prior to receipt, the method further comprising the steps of:

generating a random number;

transmitting said random number to the software validation system; and

unmasking said masked decryption key with said random number.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein said received decryption key has been masked and encrypted prior to receipt, the method further comprising the steps of:

decrypting said encrypted masked decryption key;

generating a random number;

transmitting said random number to the software validation system; and

unmasking said decrypted masked decryption key with said random number.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein said decryption key has been masked prior to receipt, said step of preventing the unauthorized decryption and execution of said encrypted user program code further comprising the steps of:

generating a pseudo-random number which includes verifiable information;

transmitting said pseudo-random number to the software validation system; and

unmasking said masked decryption key with said pseudo-random number only if said verifiable information is verified.

19. A method for the controlled execution of secured software in a computer system, said secured software including encrypted user program code and user validation code, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a software identification identifying the secured software to a software validation system;

generating a first random number;

receiving a second random number from the software validation system;

combining said first and second random number to produce a third random number;

receiving a masked decryption key from the software validation system;

unmasking said masked decryption key with said third random number;

decrypting said encrypted user program code with said decryption key;

executing the decrypted user program code; and

preventing the unauthorized decryption and execution of said encrypted user program code if said identification identifying the secured software is not transmitted to said software validation system prior to each and every attempted execution of said user program code.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said step of transmitting further comprises the step of:

initiating communication over a communications network by placing a telephone call to a per call service fee telephone number.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein said masked decryption key is encrypted prior to receipt, said method further comprising the step of decrypting said encrypted masked key prior to unmasking said key.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein said second random number is encrypted prior to receipt and said masked decryption key is encrypted prior to receipt, said method further comprising the steps of:

decrypting said encrypted masked key prior to unmasking said key; and

decrypting said encrypted second random number prior to combining said first random number and second random number.

23. A storage medium for storing data accessible by a computer system during a usage session, said storage medium comprising:

a first storage area for the storage of encrypted data;

a second storage area for the storage of a validation program, said validation program comprising computer program instructions for execution on said computer system, said computer program instructions comprising;

a first set of instructions for transmitting an identification of said encrypted data to a validation system;

a second set of instruction, for decrypting said encrypted data with a decryption key received from said validation system and for producing unencrypted data accessible by said computer system during said usage session; and

a third set of instructions for preventing the execution of said second set of instructions during a usage session if said first set of instructions has not been executed prior to said usage session.

24. The storage medium of claim 23 wherein said storage medium is a magnetic disk.

25. The storage medium of claim 23 wherein said storage medium is an optical disk.