Device for protecting against unauthorized use of software

• US 7,913,310 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2003
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: whiteCryption Corp.
• Original Assignee: SIA Whitecryption
• Inventors: Peeters, Bernd, Harder, Wulf
• Primary Examiner(s): Moise; Emmanuel L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Callahan; Paul
• Application Number:
  US10/507,880
• Publication Number:
  US 20050229259A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,931 Days
• Field of Search: 726/26, 726/27, 726 31- 33, 726/24, 713/182, 713/193, 713/198, 713/188
• US Class Current: 726/27
• 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 2221/2103 Challenge-response
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45504 Abstract machines for programme code execution, e.g. Java virtual machine [JVM], interpreters, emulators

Abstract

A device for protecting against unauthorized use of software, characterized in that a first processor emulates a second processor, whereby the second processor executes program code and the second processor transmits data to a computing system running the software in a process, whereby the process enters an error condition if the data contain errors.

Claims

1. A device for protecting against unauthorized use of software, comprising:

a computing system running the software in a process, wherein running the software requires transmission of predetermined program code to a predetermined second processor, execution of the predetermined program code by the second processor, and communication of data between the second processor and the computing system to ensure only authorized use of the software; and

a first processor emulating the second processor, wherein the first processor is operable to receive the predetermined program code from the computing system, to interpret and execute the predetermined program code according to protocols of the second processor, and to transmit data to the computing system processed using the predetermined program code;

whereby the process of running the software enters an error condition if the data transmitted to the computing system is not received or contains errors, without affecting the emulation of the second processor by the first processor, the error condition preventing proper utilization of the software.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first processor is a microcontroller, a smart card controller or a processor of the computing system.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first processor is operable to receive the predetermined program code in encrypted form and to decrypt it.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the first processor is further operable to receive a symmetric key being encrypted with a public key, the predetermined program code having been encrypted with the symmetric key, so that subsequently the symmetric key is decryptable with a private key associated with the public key allowing the predetermined program code to be decrypted with the symmetric key.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the protocols of the second processor include an instruction set that contains instructions that can read from and/or write to a persistent memory.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the protocols of the second processor include an instruction set that contains cryptographic instructions.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the instruction set contains instructions for executing public key encryption processes.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first processor is located in a portable, wireless device.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the portable, wireless device is a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a handheld computer or a combination thereof.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the device receives software license information by means of a telephone connection, and this information is able to be queried by the predetermined program code.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first processor communicates license information via an Internet connection.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first processor is located in a dongle communicatively connected to the computing system.