METHOD FOR AUTHENTICATION OF DIGITAL CONTENT USED OR ACCESSED WITH SECONDARY DEVICES TO REDUCE UNAUTHORIZED USE OR DISTRIBUTION
First Claim
1. A method for securing software to reduce unauthorized use, the method comprising:
- obtaining registration information corresponding to at least one authorized secondary device;
generating an authentication code based on the registration information;
associating the authentication code with the software;
transferring the software to a primary user device;
determining whether a current secondary device is authorized based on the authentication code associated with the software and registration information associated with the current secondary device; and
controlling access to the software by the current secondary device based on whether the current secondary device is authorized.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for reducing unauthorized use of software including digital content by secondary devices such as digital audio players, PDA'"'"'s, cellular telephones, and DVD players for example, includes an authorized representative entity that generates an authentication code for authorized secondary devices based on registration information associated with the authorized secondary devices. Self-authentication may be provided by a resident authorized representative entity installed on a primary device, such as a computer, and/or installed on the secondary device to enhance privacy of user information. Authentication is performed using the authentication code(s) associated with the software to control access to the software by the secondary device. Access control may include inhibiting transfer from the primary device or use of the software including digital content on any unauthorized secondary device whose hardware information does not at least partially match corresponding information for authorized devices encoded in the authentication code.
172 Citations
95 Claims
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1. A method for securing software to reduce unauthorized use, the method comprising:
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obtaining registration information corresponding to at least one authorized secondary device;
generating an authentication code based on the registration information;
associating the authentication code with the software;
transferring the software to a primary user device;
determining whether a current secondary device is authorized based on the authentication code associated with the software and registration information associated with the current secondary device; and
controlling access to the software by the current secondary device based on whether the current secondary device is authorized. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A method for securing software having at least one associated authentication code to reduce unauthorized use, the method comprising:
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intercepting a request to access the software;
determining whether an authorized representative entity is available to authenticate a user device for which software access is requested;
if an operational authorized representative entity is available, using the authorized representative entity to determine if the user device for which software access is requested is authorized based on the at least one authentication code and providing access to the software if the user device is authorized; and
if an operational authorized representative entity is not available, installing an authorized representative entity from the software and determining whether the user device is authorized using the installed authorized representative entity. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A method for securing software to reduce unauthorized use, the method comprising:
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associating an identifier with the software to request authentication;
distributing the software to a user;
detecting the identifier associated with the software to activate authentication using an authorized representative installed on a primary user device;
obtaining registration information associated with at least one secondary device;
generating an authentication code based on the registration information;
linking the authentication code to the software; and
controlling access to the software by a secondary device based on the authentication code. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80)
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81. A method for reducing unauthorized use of software including digital content, the method comprising:
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obtaining registration information associated with at least one portable user device;
generating at least one authentication code based on the registration information associated with the at least one portable device;
associating the authentication code with the software;
transferring the software to a user computer;
controlling access to the software using at least one authorized representative entity to inhibit access to the software by unauthorized portable user devices. - View Dependent Claims (82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95)
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Specification