First computer process and second computer process proxy-executing code from third computer process on behalf of first process

• US 7,979,911 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2005
• Issued: 07/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hatlelid, Kristjan E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Parthasarathy; Pramila
• Application Number:
  US11/139,947
• Publication Number:
  US 20050222960A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,237 Days
• Field of Search: 726/2, 726/26
• US Class Current: 726/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/125 by manipulating the program code, e.g. source code, compiled code, interpreted code, machine code
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A first computer process has code including at least one triggering device, and a digital license corresponding to the first process sets forth terms and conditions for operating same. A second computer process proxy-executes code corresponding to each triggering device of the first process on behalf of same. The second process includes a license evaluator for evaluating the license to determining that the first process is to be operated in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in such license. A third computer process includes the code corresponding to each triggering device of the first process and an address of the triggering device in the first process. Thus, the first process is dependent on and cannot be operated without the second process and the third process.

Claims

1. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that when executed by a processor cause said processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

creating a first process by;

compiling source code of an application, the source code including one or more identifiers, each identifier identifying a section of the source code to be proxy-executed;

removing one or more identified sections of a machine code resulting from the compiling corresponding to the sections of the source code to be proxy-executed; and

inserting one or more triggering devices corresponding to each identified section of machine code;

establishing a connection between a second process on the computer and the first process;

establishing a connection between the second process and a third process, the connections linking the first process to the third process ensuring that first process is operated only in conjunction with the third process;

storing, in the third process, the machine code corresponding to each triggering device of the first process and an address of the triggering device in the first process;

executing the first process according to terms and conditions of a corresponding digital license; and

using the second process operating on the computer to proxy-execute code corresponding to each triggering device of the first process on behalf of such first process, the second process including a license evaluator for evaluating the license to determine whether the first process is to be operated in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in such license, the second process choosing whether to in fact proxy-execute the code corresponding to each triggering device of the first process on behalf of such first process based at least in part on whether the license evaluator has determined that the first process is to be operated in accordance with the terms and conditions of the license.

2. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein the first process is an application and the second process is a rights client.

3. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein the third process is one of another application, an executable, a data library, and a data file.

4. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein the third process includes a code object having the code corresponding to each triggering device of the first process, and an indexing object indexing the address of the triggering device in the first process to the code in the code object.

5. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 4 wherein the code corresponding to each triggering device of the first process is encrypted within the code object and is decryptable according to a decryption key obtainable by the second process.

6. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 5 wherein the license includes the decryption key encrypted in a manner decryptable by the second process.

7. A method for proxy executing code comprising:

creating a first process by;

compiling source code of an application, the source code including one or more identifiers, each identifier identifying a section of the source code to be proxy-executed;

removing one or more identified sections of a machine code resulting from the compiling corresponding to the sections of the source code to be proxy-executed;

inserting one or more triggering devices corresponding to each identified section of machine code;

establishing a connection between a second process on the computer and the first process;

establishing a connection between the second process and a third process, the connections linking the first process to the third process ensuring that first process is operated only in conjunction with the third process;

storing, in the third process, the machine code corresponding to each triggering device of the first process and an address of the triggering device in the first process; and

using the second process to monitor for when the first process executes a triggering device thereof;

the first process executing a triggering device and halting;

the second process noting the triggering device being executed by the first process and responding thereto by;

determining an address of the triggering device within the first process;

locating in the third process the code section corresponding to the triggering device based on the determined address;

proxy-executing the located code section on behalf of the first process; and

signaling to the first process that the triggering device has been dealt with; and

resuming execution of the first process whereby the first process is dependent upon the second process for operation thereof.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the computer further includes a digital license corresponding to the first process, the license setting forth terms and conditions for operating the first process, the method further comprising the second process evaluating the license and verifying that the first process is operating in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in such license prior to proxy-executing the located code section on behalf of the first process.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the located code section is encrypted, the method further comprising the second process decrypting the located code section before proxy-executing same.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein each triggering device is a particular exception and comprising the second process monitoring for when the first process executes the particular exception.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the second process attaching to the first process so as to monitor the first process for the particular exception directly.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein each triggering device is one of a plurality of types of exceptions and comprising the second process monitoring for when the first process executes any of the types of exceptions, the second process responding to each type of exception in a differing manner.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein the computer further includes a digital license corresponding to the first process, the license setting forth terms and conditions for operating the first process, and wherein the second process proxy-executing the located code section on behalf of the first process comprises the second process securely retrieving a term or condition from the license and employing same on behalf of the first process.