Computer hardware insert device for software authorization

• US 5,692,917 A
• Filed: 04/18/1996
• Issued: 12/02/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TRW Inc. (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Rieb, Sean Michael, Foreman, Kevin Gale, Miller, Paul Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrams, Neil
• Application Number:
  US08/631,601
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 439/225, 439/49, 439/620, 439/621, 439/622, 340/500, 340/543
• US Class Current: 439/225
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6397 with means for preventing unauthorised use
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/665 with built-in electronic circuit H01R13/70, H01R13/719 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0231 Capacitors or dielectric substances
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/18 Printed circuits structurally associated with non-printed electric components H05K1/0201, H05K1/023, H05K1/0243, and H05K1/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10053 Switch
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10424 Frame holders
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10515 Stacked components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/1053 Mounted components directly electrically connected to each other, i.e. not via the PCB

Abstract

An insert device provides a conductive path between various pins of a host computer'"'"'s communication port in order to provide a computer program with the capability of determining the presence of the insert device for software copy protection purposes. The insert device is of a shape, size, and character such that a normal mating engagement between a mated connector pair is unaffected.

Claims

1. A method of providing a computer with a means for selectively providing access to protected software of the computer, the computer including a communication port connector with a plurality of pins which when mated with corresponding sockets of a peripheral device connector pass signals between the computer and the peripheral device, said method comprising the steps of:

storing a test program in the computer;

providing a substrate having a series of holes therein corresponding to said plurality of pins;

providing a conductive path on said substrate between two selected holes of said series of holes;

inserting said substrate onto said plurality of pins of the communication port connector, with said plurality of pins extending through the series of holes in the substrate and with two of said plurality of pins making electrical connection with said conductive path;

mating, in a normal fashion, the peripheral device connector directly with the communication port connector while leaving the substrate sandwiched therebetween;

interrogating said two pins with the test program by applying and measuring voltages on said two pins to determine whether said conductive path is present; and

allowing access to said protected software if said conductive path is present.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of interrogating said two pins includes the steps of:

applying a voltage to a first of said two pins extending through said two selected holes; and

measuring the voltage at a second of said two pins to determine if said conductive path is present between said two pins.

3. A method of providing software authorization for a computer including a communication port connector with a plurality of pins that are electrically isolated from one another, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an authorization device in the form of a thin, flat substrate having a plurality of holes therein corresponding with the pins in the communication port connector, said substrate further including first and second contact means surrounding first and second holes in the substrate, said substrate further including a conductive path between the first and second contact means;

inserting the authorization device into the communication port connector so that the pins thereof protrude through the holes in the substrate and electrical connection is made between first and second pins via the first and second electrical contact means and the conductive path therebetween;

mating in a normal fashion, a peripheral device connector directly with the communication port connector while leaving the authorization device sandwiched therebetween;

storing a software routine in the computer for selectively providing access to protected software stored within the computer, the software routine performing the steps of;

(a) applying a voltage to the first pin of the plurality of pins of the communication port;

(b) measuring the voltage on the second pin of the plurality of pins to determine if a conductive path is present between the first and second pins;

(c) limiting or denying unauthorized access to the protected software if the conductive path is not present between the first and second pins; and

(d) allowing access to the protected software if the conductive path is present between the first and second pins.

4. A method of selectively providing access to a given program stored within a computer, the computer including at least one port connector having a plurality of terminals therein, the method comprising the steps of:

storing a test program in the computer;

placing an authorization device over the plurality of terminals in the port, said authorization device including a conductive path for shorting together two of the plurality of terminals;

mating, in a normal fashion, a second connector with the port connector while leaving the authorization device sandwiched therebetween;

running the test program to determine whether a user can obtain access to the given program, the test program performing the steps of;

(a) applying a voltage to a first terminal of the two terminals;

(b) measuring the voltage on a second terminal of the two terminals to determine whether the second terminal is at substantially the same voltage level as the first terminal due to the presence of the conductive path provided by way of the authorization device;

(c) denying access to the given program if the voltage on the second terminal is not at substantially the same voltage level as the first terminal due to the absence of the authorization device; and

(d) allowing access to the given program if the voltage on the second terminal is at substantially the same voltage level as the first terminal.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the authorization device is in the form of a thin substrate having a plurality of holes therein aligned with the plurality of terminals, and wherein the method further comprises:

inserting the substrate over the plurality of terminals such that the plurality terminals extend through the holes;

contacting the first terminal with an end of the conductive path as the first terminal extends through one of the plurality of holes; and

contacting the second terminal of the plurality of terminals with an opposite end of the conductive path as the second terminal extends through another one of the plurality of holes.

6. A method of providing a computer with a means for limiting or denying unauthorized access to protected software stored within the computer, the computer including a communication port with a plurality of sockets which when mated with corresponding pins of a peripheral device pass signals between the computer and the peripheral device, the method comprising the steps of:

storing a software routine in the computer for setting and measuring voltages on selected mated pins of the plurality of pins;

providing a substrate having a series of holes therein corresponding to the pins;

providing at least one conductive path on the substrate between selected holes of the series of holes;

inserting the substrate onto the pins with the pins extending through the series of holes and making electrical connection with the at least one conductive path;

mating, in a normal manner, the pins of the peripheral device with the plurality of sockets of the communication port while leaving the substrate sandwiched therebetween;

interrogating the selected mated pins with the software routine to determine whether the at least one conductive path is present between the selected mated pins;

limiting or denying unauthorized access to the protected software if the at least one conductive path is not present between the selected mated pins; and

allowing access to the protected software if the at least one conductive path is present between the selected mated pins.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of interrogating the selected mated pins includes the steps of:

applying a voltage to a first of the selected mated pins; and

measuring the voltage on a second of the selected mated pins to determine if the at least one conductive path is present between the first and second selected mated pins.