Controlling use of a computer program installed on a computer

• US 8,656,502 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2002
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: McAfee, LLC
• Original Assignee: McAfee, Inc. (McAfee, LLC)
• Inventors: Gartside, Paul Nicholas, Harris, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Nathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): AVERY, JEREMIAH L
• Application Number:
  US10/115,021
• Publication Number:
  US 20030191958A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,338 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 726/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/121 Restricting unauthorised execution of programs

Abstract

A product update is used to add a licensing control mechanism to an installed computer program. The computer program is preferably a malware scanner or other program which requires regular product updating in order to remain effective in its normal functionality.

Claims

1. A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising:

a product update for a previously-installed computer program in a computer, wherein a determination is made whether a licensing control program separate from the previously-installed computer program was originally configured with said previously-installed computer program prior to installing said product update, wherein when the previously-installed computer program is configured without a licensing control program, installing a license control program, said licensing control program being responsive to license key data to indicate that said previously-installed computer program is licensed, wherein said previously-installed computer program is a malware scanning computer program and the product update includes at least one scanner engine and updated malware definition data that is updated automatically through a website download, that is added to existing malware definition data of the computer, and that is configured for detecting and addressing malware threats identified in network traffic, wherein the product update is not applied to the computer when it is determined that a grace period has expired and the license key data has not been entered, wherein the at least one scanner engine and the malware definition data is updated when the grace period has not expired and the license key data has not been entered, and wherein the previously-installed computer program is permitted to continue to be functional in the computer after the grace period in order to evaluate subsequent network traffic with the existing malware definition data.

2. A computer program product as claimed in claim 1, wherein said malware scanning computer program scans for at least one of:

computer viruses;

worms;

Trojans;

banned files;

banned words; and

banned images.

3. A computer program product as claimed in claim 1, wherein malware scanning mechanisms of said malware scanning computer program are also modified by said product update.

4. A computer program product as claimed in claim 1, wherein said product update is downloaded via an internet connection from a provider of said previously-installed computer program.

5. A computer program product as claimed in claim 1, wherein said licensing control program is operable to request a license key to be entered each time said previously-installed computer program is started until said license key is entered.

6. A computer program product as claimed in claim 1, wherein said licensing control program is operable to disable said previously-installed computer program if a license key is not entered within a predetermined period.

18. A computer program product as claimed in claim 1, wherein a message is provided to indicate that said previously-installed computer program must be licensed by entry of said license key data in order for product updates to be installed.

19. A computer program product as claimed in claim 6, wherein said predetermined period includes a period of time.

20. A computer program product as claimed in claim 6, wherein said predetermined period includes a number of starts of said previously-installed computer program.

21. A computer program product as claimed in claim 1, wherein a message is provided to indicate to enter said license key data before said previously-installed computer program will start.

7. A method, comprising:

receiving a product update at a computer;

determining whether a licensing control program was originally configured with a previously-installed computer program prior to installing said product update;

when the previously-installed computer program is configured without a licensing control program, installing a license control program; and

installing said product update on said computer in addition to said previously-installed computer program to modify said previously-installed computer program;

wherein said product update serves to add said licensing control program to said previously-installed computer program on said computer, said licensing control program being responsive to license key data to indicate that said previously-installed computer program is licensed;

wherein said previously-installed computer program is a malware scanning computer program and the product update includes at least one scanner engine and updated malware definition data that is updated automatically through a website download, that is added to existing malware definition data of the computer, and that is configured for detecting and addressing malware threats identified in network traffic, wherein the product update is not applied to the computer when it is determined that a grace period has expired and the license key data has not been entered, wherein the at least one scanner engine and the malware definition data is updated when the grace period has not expired and the license key data has not been entered, and wherein the previously-installed computer program is permitted to continue to be functional in the computer after the grace period in order to evaluate subsequent network traffic with the existing malware definition data.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said malware scanning computer program scans for at least one of:

computer viruses;

worms;

Trojans;

banned files;

banned words; and

banned images.

9. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein malware scanning mechanisms of said malware scanning computer program are also modified by said product update.

10. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said licensing control program is operable to request a license key to be entered each time said previously-installed computer program is started until said license key is entered.

11. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said licensing control program is operable to disable said previously-installed computer program if a license key is not entered within a predetermined period.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory for storing computer instructions to be executed by a processor of the apparatus for;

receiving a product update at a computer;

determining whether a licensing control program was originally configured with a previously-installed computer program prior to installing said product update;

when the previously-installed computer program is configured without a licensing control program, installing a license control program; and

installing said product update on said computer in addition to said previously-installed computer program to modify said previously-installed computer program;

wherein said product update serves to add said licensing control program to said previously-installed computer program on said computer, said licensing control program being responsive to license key data to indicate that said previously-installed computer program is licensed;

wherein said previously-installed computer program is a malware scanning computer program and the product update includes at least one scanner engine and updated malware definition data that is updated automatically through a website download, that is added to existing malware definition data of the computer, and that is configured for detecting and addressing malware threats identified in network traffic, wherein the product update is not applied to the computer when it is determined that a grace period has expired and the license key data has not been entered, wherein the at least one scanner engine and the malware definition data is updated when the grace period has not expired and the license key data has not been entered, and wherein the previously-installed computer program is permitted to continue to be functional in the computer after the grace period in order to evaluate subsequent network traffic with the existing malware definition data.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said malware scanning computer program scans for at least one of:

computer viruses;

worms;

Trojans;

banned files;

banned words; and

banned images.

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein malware scanning mechanisms of said malware scanning computer program are also modified by said product update.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein said malware scanning computer program includes a scanner engine computer program operable to compare computer files to be scanned with malware definition data, at least one of said malware definition data and said scanner engine computer program being modified by said product update.

16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said licensing control program is operable to request a license key to be entered each time said previously-installed computer program is started until said license key is entered.

17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said licensing control program is operable to disable said previously-installed computer program if a license key is not entered within a predetermined period.