Software piracy prevention through remote enforcement of an activation threshold
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. A method for preventing piracy of software installable in a data storage element on a user'"'"'s computer, the method comprising:
- (a) receiving, using a remote service system, a unique identification code that uniquely identifies an authentic copy of the software;
(b) updating, using the remote service system, a number of activation attempts for the authentic copy of the software based on the unique identification code;
(c) transmitting, using the remote service system, an activation code to the user'"'"'s computer that activates at least part of the functionality of the authentic copy of the software when the number of activation attempts is less than a predetermined threshold; and
(d) blacklisting, using the remote service system, the unique identification code when the number of activation attempts is not less than the predetermined threshold, so that the authentic copy of the software is prohibited from receiving any future activation codes from the remote service system.
3 Assignments
Litigations
1 Petition
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for preventing piracy of a given software application limits the number of times that such software application is activated. A given software application must be activated in order to become fully functional. The user must provide a unique software identification code, relating to the specific software which the user is attempting to activate, to a remote provider. The remote provider determines the number of times that such specific software has already been activated, and provides an activation code to the user unless the number of activations exceeds a predetermined threshold. Once activated, the software becomes fully operational, and the user is allowed complete access to its functions.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method for preventing piracy of software installable in a data storage element on a user'"'"'s computer, the method comprising:
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(a) receiving, using a remote service system, a unique identification code that uniquely identifies an authentic copy of the software; (b) updating, using the remote service system, a number of activation attempts for the authentic copy of the software based on the unique identification code; (c) transmitting, using the remote service system, an activation code to the user'"'"'s computer that activates at least part of the functionality of the authentic copy of the software when the number of activation attempts is less than a predetermined threshold; and (d) blacklisting, using the remote service system, the unique identification code when the number of activation attempts is not less than the predetermined threshold, so that the authentic copy of the software is prohibited from receiving any future activation codes from the remote service system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium enclosed with a computer program which when executed causes a remote service system to prevent piracy of software installable in a data storage element on a user'"'"'s computer by:
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(a) receiving a unique identification code that uniquely identifies an authentic copy of the software; (b) updating a number of activation attempts for the authentic copy of the software based on the unique identification code; (c) transmitting an activation code to the user'"'"'s computer that activates at least part of the functionality of the authentic copy of the software, when the number of activation attempts is less than a predetermined threshold; and (d) blacklisting, using the remote service system, the unique identification code when the number of activation attempts is not less than the predetermined threshold, so that upon any subsequent attempt to activate the uniquely identified authentic copy of the software, the authentic copy of the software is prohibited from receiving any future activation codes from the remote service system. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for preventing piracy of software installable in a data storage element on a user'"'"'s computer, the method comprising:
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(a) receiving, using a remote service system, user data including (i) personal identification information of the user and (ii) a unique identification code that uniquely identifies a registered copy of the software; (b) determining, through comparison of the user data to data archived in the remote service system, whether the user data indicates a valid request to activate software registered to the user; and
if so,(c) transmitting, using the remote service system, an activation code to the user'"'"'s computer that activates at least part of the functionality of the registered copy of the software; and (d) blacklisting, using the remote service system, the unique identification code when the comparison indicates a mismatch of the user data to the archived data, so that upon any subsequent attempt to activate the uniquely identified registered copy of the software, the authentic copy of the software is prohibited from receiving any future activation codes from the remote service system.
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Specification