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Protecting software from unauthorized use by converting source code modules to byte codes

  • US 7,124,445 B2
  • Filed: 06/21/2002
  • Issued: 10/17/2006
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2002
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for providing anti-piracy protection for a software application on a server, comprising:

  • providing a language specification for a programming language, a library to implement the language, a compiler to compile the language into byte codes, and an interpreter to execute the byte codes using the library;

    providing the language specification and instructions to a software publisher with instructions for instructing the software publisher on how to select portions of code from the application to be protected, and how to prepare the selected portions of code and the application for processing on a server, including instructing the publisher to create data structures at respective locations where the selected portions of code were taken from the application;

    providing the server with the compiler, library, interpreter, and a server application for receiving the software application to be protected and the prepared selected portions of code from the publisher, wherein the server application protects the software application by;

    compiling the selected portions of code into byte codes using the compiler,embedding the byte codes generated by the compiler in the application, and replacing the data structures with interpreter calls to invoke interpretation of appropriate byte code modules representing the removed portions of code, whereby the application operates correctly with obfuscated portions of code running on the interpreter, andembedding the library and interpreter in the application to support run-time interpretation of the compiled byte codes, thereby obfuscating the selected segments.

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