Secure distribution of portable game software

• US 7,278,031 B1
• Filed: 04/30/2003
• Issued: 10/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert M. Best
• Original Assignee: Robert M. Best
• Inventors: Best, Robert M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Kim
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAN, JOSEPH T
• Application Number:
  US10/427,793
• Time in Patent Office: 1,616 Days
• Field of Search: 713/1, 713/2, 713/188, 713/194, 713/191, 713/193, 380/200, 380/201, 380/255, 380/277, 726/2
• US Class Current: 713/193
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/26 having at least one additional display device, e.g. on the game controller or outside a game booth
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/843 involving concurrently two or more players on the same game device, e.g. requiring the use of a plurality of controllers or of a specific view of game data for each player

Abstract

Game software for use in video game systems can be downloaded from Internet servers to game consoles in encrypted form to protect the software from being copied by software pirates. A small but essential part of the game software can be encrypted for use with a larger amount software that is not encrypted. The encrypted portion is downloaded into a secure cryptoprocessor preferably in a memory cartridge that plugs into a game system. This cryptoprocessor decrypts the downloaded software, stores it in on-chip EEPROM and then executes it, all in the same cryptoprocessor. The non-encrypted software is processed in the game system by a conventional processor which depends on data generated by program instructions decrypted and executed in the secure cryptoprocessor.

Claims

1. A method of securely distributing computer executable instructions to multiple computers, comprising the steps of:

(a) storing substantially unique identifying data in a secure single-chip cryptoprocessor that contains a processor core, writable data storage, decryption circuitry, and internal buses that are all inaccessible from said cryptoprocessor from locations outside of said cryptoprocessor chip, wherein said identifying data distinguishes different cryptoprocessor units;

(b) transmitting said identifying data to a network server to enable download from said server of first and second programs of executable instructions, wherein said first program is encrypted in said server as a function of a randomly generated encryption key and said identifying data, such that said first program in encrypted form is downloaded to a first computer system that contains said cryptoprocessor during use, and wherein said second program is downloaded to said first computer system in unencrypted form;

(c) decrypting said downloaded first program in said cryptoprocessor as a function of said identifying data and a decryption key to produce executable decrypted instructions in said writable data storage in said cryptoprocessor, wherein said decrypted instructions are inhibited from being output from said cryptoprocessor;

(d) executing said decrypted instructions of said first program in said processor core in said cryptoprocessor to generate first output data; and

(e) executing instructions of said second program in a second processor chip to process said first output data from said cryptoprocessor and to generate second output data that is processed as input data by said cryptoprocessor, such that said first program can be fully executed in said cryptoprocessor only by processing data in said cryptoprocessor that is generated by said second program and said second program can be fully executed only by processing data generated by said first program.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

encrypting said decryption key in said server to produce an encrypted key;

transmitting said encrypted key from said server to said first computer; and

decrypting said encrypted key in said cryptoprocessor to produce said decryption key in said cryptoprocessor to control decryption of said downloaded first program.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

storing a third encrypted program in said first computer system;

transmitting said third encrypted program from said first computer system to a separately housed image processing system having a display device;

decrypting and executing said third encrypted program in a second secure cryptoprocessor in said image processing system to generate picture data for display on said display device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said second secure cryptoprocessor is housed in a manually removable memory cartridge for use in said image processing system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said secure cryptoprocessor is housed in a manually removable memory cartridge that is electrically connected to said first computer system during said decrypting step.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said first computer system is a video game console system and said first and second programs are game programs.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said identifying data is stored in non-volatile writable memory in said secure cryptoprocessor.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

reading an unencrypted third program of executable instructions from an optically coded disk into said first computer system; and

executing instructions of said third program in a processor in said first computer system to process said output data from said cryptoprocessor and to generate third data that is processed by said cryptoprocessor.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said encryption key and said decryption key are the same symmetrical session key.

10. A method of securely distributing computer executable instructions to multiple computers, comprising the steps of:

(a) storing substantially unique identifying data in a secure single-chip cryptoprocessor that contains a processor core, writable data storage, decryption circuitry, and internal buses that are all inaccessible from said cryptoprocessor from locations outside of said cryptoprocessor chip, wherein said identifying data distinguishes different cryptoprocessor units;

(b) transmitting said identifying data to a network server to enable download from said server of first and second programs of executable instructions, wherein said first program is encrypted in said server as a function of a randomly generated encryption key, said encryption key being further encrypted as a function of said identifying data to produce an encrypted key, such that said first program in encrypted form and said encrypted key are downloaded to a first computer system that contains said cryptoprocessor during use, and wherein said second program is downloaded to said first computer system in unencrypted form;

(c) decrypting said downloaded first program in said cryptoprocessor as a function of said identifying data and a decryption key to produce executable decrypted instructions in said writable data storage in said cryptoprocessor, wherein said decrypted instructions are inhibited from being output from said cryptoprocessor;

(d) executing said decrypted instructions of said first program in said processor core in said cryptoprocessor to generate first output data; and

(e) executing instructions of said second program in a second processor chip to process said first output data from said cryptoprocessor and to generate second output data that is processed as input data by said cryptoprocessor, such that said first program can be fully executed in said cryptoprocessor only by processing data in said cryptoprocessor that is generated by said second program and said second program can be fully executed only by processing data generated by said first program.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

reading an unencrypted third program of executable instructions from an optically coded disk into said first computer system; and

executing instructions of said third program in a second processor in said first computer system to process said output data from said cryptoprocessor and to generate third data that is processed by said cryptoprocessor.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said identifying data is stored in non-volatile writable memory in said secure cryptoprocessor.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said cryptoprocessor is housed in a manually removable housing and is electrically connected to said first computer system during said decrypting steps.

14. A computer-readable data storage medium having stored thereon data comprising:

(a) an encrypted first program of instructions for execution in a secure single-chip cryptoprocessor in a first computer;

(b) an unencrypted second program of instructions for execution in a second processor chip in said first computer; and

(c) an encrypted digital key for controlling decryption of said encrypted first program in said secure cryptoprocessor;

(d) wherein said cryptoprocessor contains a processor core, writable data storage, decryption circuitry, internal buses that are all inaccessible from said cryptoprocessor from locations outside of said cryptoprocessor chip, and non-volatile data memory storing substantially unique identifying data that distinguishes different cryptoprocessor units;

(e) such that said identifying data is transmitted to a network server to control encryption and to enable download from said server of said first and second programs of executable instructions, wherein said first program is encrypted in said server as a function of said digital key that is randomly generated in said server;

(f) such that said cryptoprocessor decrypts said downloaded first program as a function of said identifying data and said digital key to produce executable decrypted instructions in said writable data storage in said cryptoprocessor, wherein said decrypted instructions are inhibited from being output from said cryptoprocessor;

(g) wherein said decrypted instructions of said first program are executed in said processor core in said cryptoprocessor to generate first output data;

(h) such that said instructions of said second program are executed in said second processor to process said first output data from said cryptoprocessor and to generate second output data that is processed as input data by said cryptoprocessor, such that said first program can be fully executed in said cryptoprocessor only by processing data in said cryptoprocessor that is generated by said second program and said second program can be fully executed only by processing data generated by said first program.

15. The data storage medium of claim 14, wherein said first program is encrypted in said server as a function of said identification data and said digital key.

16. The data storage medium of claim 14, wherein said digital key is encrypted in said server as a function of said identification data and an encryption key.

17. The data storage medium of claim 14, wherein said data storage medium is housed in a manually removable memory cartridge that is electrically connected to said first computer during said decrypting.

18. The data storage medium of claim 14, wherein said data storage medium is electrically connected to said first computer during use.

19. The data storage medium of claim 14, wherein said data storage medium is wirelessly linked to said first computer during use.

20. The data storage medium of claim 14, wherein said first computer is a video game console system and said first program is a game program.