Activation code system and method for preventing software piracy

• US 9,298,893 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2013
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Uniloc 2017 LLC (FIG LLC (d/b/a Fortress Investment Group LLC))
• Original Assignee: Uniloc Luxembourg S.à r.l. (f/k/a Uniloc Luxembourg S.A.) (Uniloc Corporation Pty. Limited)
• Inventors: Bahar, Reuben
• Primary Examiner(s): Gergiso, Techane
• Application Number:
  US14/070,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20150128296A1
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/121 Restricting unauthorised execution of programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0064 for copy protection or copy management, e.g. CGMS, copy only once, one-time copy
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/605 Copy protection

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.

Claims

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 comprising an elongated alphanumeric code sequence 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, and independent of an identity of a user and an identity of the user'"'"'s computer;

(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;

(d) blacklisting, using the remote service system, the unique identification code when the number of activation attempts is not less than the predetermined threshold; and

(e) transmitting a notification, using the remote service system, to a registered user corresponding to the unique identification code when the unique identification code is blacklisted.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining, using the remote service system, whether or not the unique identification code is blacklisted before updating the number of activation attempts for the authentic copy of the software based on the unique identification.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the transmitting an activation code step further comprises transmitting, using the remote service system, an activation code to the user'"'"'s computer only when the unique identification code is not blacklisted.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising prohibiting, using the remote service provider, the transfer of the activation code to the user'"'"'s computer when the unique identification code is blacklisted.

5. 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, 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;

(c) determining that the unique identification code is not blacklisted; and

if so,

(d) transmitting, using the remote service system, service data to the user'"'"'s computer that activates at least part of the functionality of the registered copy of the software, the service data comprising (i) a program file missing from the software, the missing program file being necessary for the software to function, and (ii) instructions for installing the missing program file to activate the software.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the transmitting step is conditioned on a number of activation attempts being less than a predetermined threshold.