Universal sofeware key process

• US 5,754,761 A
• Filed: 08/29/1997
• Issued: 05/19/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John A. Willsey
• Original Assignee: John A. Willsey
• Inventors: Willsey, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Treat, William M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Application Number:
  US08/920,577
• Time in Patent Office: 263 Days
• Field of Search: 380/4, 380/44, 395/186, 395/187.01, 395/188.01
• US Class Current: 726/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/109 by using specially-adapted hardware at the client
• 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 2211/007 Encryption, En-/decode, En-/decipher, En-/decypher, Scramble, (De-)compress
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect

Abstract

A process of creating software key files, the software key files being adapted to bind a plurality of software programs to a hardware key without the programmers of the software programs knowing in advance the responses of said hardware key. The process includes an instruction file for a software program containing instructions on what codes will be transmitted to the hardware key by the software program and describing where the software program will look in a file for responses transmitted back by the hardware key. A description file contains formula descriptions of the responses of the hardware key, and a software key creation program reads in the instruction file and following its instructions, creates a software key file containing hardware key responses, responses to codes listed in the instruction file and calculated according to the formula descriptions in the description file.

Claims

1. A process of creating software key files, said software key files being adapted to bind a plurality of software programs to a hardware key without the programmers of the software programs knowing in advance the responses of said hardware key, comprising in combination:

a) storing an instruction file for a software program, separate from said software program and located a third party location, containing instructions on what codes will be transmitted to said hardware key by said software program and describing where said software program will look in a file for responses transmitted back by said hardware key;

b) storing a description file, separate from said software program and created and located at a third party location, containing formula descriptions of said responses of said hardware key; and

,

c) executing a software key creation program, separate from said software program and located at a third party location, which reads in said instruction file and following its instructions, creates a software key file containing hardware key responses, responses to codes listed in said instruction file and calculated according to said formula descriptions in said description file.