Systems and methods for providing time-and weight-based flexibly tolerant hardware ID

• US 20040133792A1
• Filed: 01/06/2003
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hughes, Aidan T., Gunyakti, Caglar, Dublish, Pratul
• Granted Patent: US 7,302,590 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/193
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/73 by creating or determining hardware identification, e.g. serial numbers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2117 User registration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2135 Metering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data

Abstract

Systems and methods for implementing a hardware ID with time- and weight-based flexibility use a hardware ID (HWID) including identifying information about hardware components. When software is run, a current HWID is generated. When the current HWID is compared to a stored HWID to determine if the two HWIDs match, a time vector and a weight vector are used in the comparison. A running matching score is kept of matches. For each hardware component, the weight vector indicates the weight given to a correct match of the hashed value for the hardware component. For example, if the weight value for the hardware component is three and there is a match, then the running total is increased by three. For each hardware component, the time vector may indicate an expiration period after which a change in the component may be allowed. For example, if the expiration period for the component is one year, and one year has passed since activation, the running total may be increased even though the component'"'"'s information in the verification HWID does not match the current component information.

Claims

1. A method for enabling enforcement of software licensing terms for a software product for use with a computer system comprising one or more components, the method comprising:

for each component type from among a set of component types, obtaining an associated current component identity from said computer system;

for each component type from among said set of component types, comparing said associated current component identity to an associated stored component identity;

calculating a matching score by, for each component type from among said set of component types, if the result of said comparison is positive, incrementing a matching score by adding a stored associated component type weight to said matching score; and

comparing said matching score to a threshold matching score.

2. The method of claim 1, where said step of, for each component type from among said set of component types, obtaining an associated current component identity comprises:

obtaining an associated individual current component identity for every component of that component type.

3. The method of claim 2, where for at least one component type from among said set of hardware component types, said associated stored component identity comprises one or more associated individual stored component identities, and where said step of, for each hardware component type from among said set of hardware component types, comparing said associated existing component identity to an associated stored component identity comprises:

returning a positive result if any of said associated individual stored component identities matches any of said associated individual current component identities.

4. The method of claim 2, where for at least one component type from among said set of hardware component types, said associated stored component identity comprises one or more associated individual stored component identities, and where said step of, for each hardware component type from among said set of hardware component types, comparing said associated existing component identity to an associated stored component identity comprises:

returning a positive result if all of said associated individual stored component identities matches any of said associated individual current component identities.

5. The method of claim 1, where said step of, for each hardware component type from among a set of hardware component types, obtaining an associated existing component identity comprises:

querying a hardware component of the hardware component type for a query result; and

hashing the query result.

6. The method of claim 1, where said step of calculating a matching score by, for each component type from among said set of component types, if the result of said comparison is positive, incrementing a matching score by adding a stored associated component type weight comprises:

for each component type, determining if an associated expiration period has passed; and

for each component type, if said expiration period has passed, adding said stored associated component type weight.

7. The method of claim 1, where said step of calculating a matching score by, for each component type from among said set of component types, adding a stored associated component type weight comprises:

for each component type, determining if an associated expiration period has passed; and

for each component type, if said expiration period has passed, adding a prespecified expired-period increment.

8. The method of claim 1, where said set of component types comprises one or more selected from among the following:

soundcard, network card, BIOS, CDROM drive, display adapter, disk device, SCSI adapter, disk adapter, processor, and RAM.

9. A method for enabling enforcement of software licensing terms for a software product for use with a computer system comprising one or more components, the method comprising:

for each component type from among a set of component types, obtaining an associated current component identity from said computer system;

for each component type from among said set of component types, comparing said associated current component identity to an associated stored component identity;

calculating a matching score by, for each component type from among said set of component types, if the results of said comparison are positive or if an associated expiration period has passed, incrementing said matching score; and

comparing said matching score to a threshold matching score.

10. The method of claim 9, where said step of, for each component type from among said set of component types, obtaining an associated current component identity comprises:

obtaining an associated individual current component identity for every component of that component type.

11. The method of claim 10, where for at least one component type from among said set of hardware component types, said associated stored component identity comprises one or more associated individual stored component identities, and where said step of, for each hardware component type from among said set of hardware component types, comparing said associated existing component identity to an associated stored component identity comprises:

returning a positive result if any of said associated individual stored component identities matches any of said associated individual current component identities.

12. The method of claim 10, where for at least one component type from among said set of hardware component types, said associated stored component identity comprises one or more associated individual stored component identities, and where said step of, for each hardware component type from among said set of hardware component types, comparing said associated existing component identity to an associated stored component identity comprises:

returning a positive result if all of said associated individual stored component identities matches any of said associated individual current component identities.

13. The method of claim 9, where said step of, for each hardware component type from among a set of hardware component types, obtaining an associated existing component identity comprises:

querying a hardware component of the hardware component type for a query result; and

hashing the query result.

14. The method of claim 9, where said set of component types comprises one or more selected from among the following:

soundcard, network card, BIOS, CDROM drive, display adapter, disk device, SCSI adapter, disk adapter, processor, and RAM.

15. A license data structure for enabling enforcement of software licensing terms for a software product for use with a computer system comprising one or more components of one or more component types, comprising:

a hardware ID comprising a plurality of values, each value corresponding to a component identity for one of said components;

a weight vector comprising, for each of said one or more component types, a weight value for said component type.

16. The license data structure of claim 15, further comprising:

a threshold score for determining whether said hardware ID substantially matches a second hardware ID.

17. A license data structure for enabling enforcement of software licensing terms for a software product for use with a computer system comprising one or more components of one or more component types, comprising:

a hardware ID comprising a plurality of values, each value corresponeding to a component identity for one of said components;

a time vector comprising, for each of at least one of said component types, an expiration value for said component type.

18. The license data structure of claim 17, further comprising:

a threshold score for determining whether said hardware ID substantially matches a second hardware ID.

19. The license data structure of claim 17, further comprising:

a weight vector comprising, for each of said one or more component types, a weight value for said component type.

20. The license data structure of claim 19, further comprising:

a threshold score for determining whether said hardware ID substantially matches a second hardware ID.

21. A computer-readable medium for enabling enforcement of software licensing terms for a software product for use with a computer system comprising one or more components, having stored thereon at least one computer-executable module comprising computer executable instructions for performing a method, the method comprising:

for each component type from among a set of component types, obtaining an associated current component identity from said computer system;

for each component type from among said set of component types, comparing said associated current component identity to an associated stored component identity;

calculating a matching score by, for each component type from among said set of component types, if the result of said comparison is positive, incrementing a matching score by adding a stored associated component type weight to said matching score; and

comparing said matching score to a threshold matching score.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, where said step of, for each component type from among said set of component types, obtaining an associated current component identity comprises:

obtaining an associated individual current component identity for every component of that component type.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, where for at least one component type from among said set of hardware component types, said associated stored component identity comprises one or more associated individual stored component identities, and where said step of, for each hardware component type from among said set of hardware component types, comparing said associated existing component identity to an associated stored component identity comprises:

returning a positive result if any of said associated individual stored component identities matches any of said associated individual current component identities.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, where for at least one component type from among said set of hardware component types, said associated stored component identity comprises one or more associated individual stored component identities, and where said step of, for each hardware component type from among said set of hardware component types, comparing said associated existing component identity to an associated stored component identity comprises:

returning a positive result if all of said associated individual stored component identities matches any of said associated individual current component identities.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, where said step of, for each hardware component type from among a set of hardware component types, obtaining an associated existing component identity comprises:

querying a hardware component of the hardware component type for a query result; and

hashing the query result.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, where said step of calculating a matching score by, for each component type from among said set of component types, if the result of said comparison is positive, incrementing a matching score by adding a stored associated component type weight comprises:

for each component type, determining if an associated expiration period has passed; and

for each component type, if said expiration period has passed, adding said stored associated component type weight.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, where said step of calculating a matching score by, for each component type from among said set of component types, if the result of said comparison is positive, incrementing a matching score by adding a stored associated component type weight comprises:

for each component type, determining if an associated expiration period has passed; and

for each component type, if said expiration period has passed, adding a prespecified expired-period increment.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, where said set of component types comprises one or more selected from among the following:

soundcard;

network card, BIOS, CDROM drive, display adapter, disk device, SCSI adapter, disk adapter, processor, and RAM.

29. A computer-readable medium for enabling enforcement of software licensing terms for a software product for use with a computer system comprising one or more components, having stored thereon at least one computer-executable module comprising computer executable instructions for performing a method, the method comprising:

for each component type from among a set of component types, obtaining an associated current component identity from said computer system;

for each component type from among said set of component types, comparing said associated current component identity to an associated stored component identity;

calculating a matching score by, for each component type from among said set of component types, if the results of said comparison are positive or if an associated expiration period has passed, incrementing said matching score; and

comparing said matching score to a threshold matching score.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, where said step of, for each component type from among said set of component types, obtaining an associated current component identity comprises:

obtaining an associated individual current component identity for every component of that component type.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 30, where for at least one component type from among said set of hardware component types, said associated stored component identity comprises one or more associated individual stored component identities, and where said step of, for each hardware component type from among said set of hardware component types, comparing said associated existing component identity to an associated stored component identity comprises:

returning a positive result if any of said associated individual stored component identities matches any of said associated individual current component identities.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 30, where for at least one component type from among said set of hardware component types, said associated stored component identity comprises one or more associated individual stored component identities, and where said step of, for each hardware component type from among said set of hardware component types, comparing said associated existing component identity to an associated stored component identity comprises:

returning a positive result if all of said associated individual stored component identities matches any of said associated individual current component identities.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, where said step of, for each hardware component type from among a set of hardware component types, obtaining an associated existing component identity comprises:

querying a hardware component of the hardware component type for a query result; and

hashing the query result.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, where said set of component types comprises one or more selected from among the following:

soundcard;

network card, BIOS, CDROM drive, display adapter, disk device, SCSI adapter, disk adapter, processor, and RAM.

35. A computer device for enabling enforcement of software licensing terms for a software product for use with a computer system comprising one or more components comprising:

means for, for each component type from among a set of component types, obtaining an associated current component identity from said computer system;

means for, for each component type from among said set of component types, comparing said associated current component identity to an associated stored component identity;

means for calculating a matching score by, for each component type from among said set of component types, if the result of said comparison is positive, incrementing a matching score by adding a stored associated component type weight to said matching score; and

means for comparing said matching score to a threshold matching score.

36. The computer device of claim 35, where said means for, for each component type from among said set of component types, obtaining an associated current component identity comprises:

means for obtaining an associated individual current component identity for every component of that component type.

37. The computer device of claim 36, where for at least one component type from among said set of hardware component types, said associated stored component identity comprises one or more associated individual stored component identities, and where said means for, for each hardware component type from among said set of hardware component types, comparing said associated existing component identity to an associated stored component identity comprises:

means for returning a positive result if any of said associated individual stored component identities matches any of said associated individual current component identities.

38. The computer device of claim 36, where for at least one component type from among said set of hardware component types, said associated stored component identity comprises one or more associated individual stored component identities, and where said means for, for each hardware component type from among said set of hardware component types, comparing said associated existing component identity to an associated stored component identity comprises:

means for returning a positive result if all of said associated individual stored component identities matches any of said associated individual current component identities.

39. The computer device of claim 35, where said means for, for each hardware component type from among a set of hardware component types, obtaining an associated existing component identity comprises:

means for querying a hardware component of the hardware component type for a query result; and

means for hashing the query result.

40. The computer device of claim 35, where said means for calculating a matching score by, for each component type from among said set of component types, if the result of said comparison is positive, incrementing a matching score by adding a stored associated component type weight comprises:

means for, for each component type, determining if an associated expiration period has passed; and

means for, for each component type, if said expiration period has passed, adding said stored associated component type weight.

41. The computer device of claim 35, where said means for calculating a matching score by, for each component type from among said set of component types, if the result of said comparison is positive, incrementing a matching score by adding a stored associated component type weight comprises:

means for, for each component type, determining if an associated expiration period has passed; and

means fork, for each component type, if said expiration period has passed, adding a prespecified expired-period increment.

42. The computer device of claim 35, where said set of component types comprises one or more selected from among the following:

soundcard;

network card, BIOS, CDROM drive, display adapter, disk device, SCSI adapter, disk adapter, processor, and RAM.

43. A computer device for enabling enforcement of software licensing terms for a software product for use with a computer system comprising one or more components, comprising:

means for, for each component type from among a set of component types, obtaining an associated current component identity from said computer system;

means for, for each component type from among said set of component types, comparing said associated current component identity to an associated stored component identity;

means for calculating a matching score by, for each component type from among said set of component types, if the results of said comparison are positive or if an associated expiration period has passed, incrementing said matching score; and

means for comparing said matching score to a threshold matching score.

44. The computer device of claim 43, where said means for, for each component type from among said set of component types, obtaining an associated current component identity comprises:

means for obtaining an associated individual current component identity for every component of that component type.

45. The computer device of claim 44, where for at least one component type from among said set of hardware component types, said associated stored component identity comprises one or more associated individual stored component identities, and where said means for, for each hardware component type from among said set of hardware component types, comparing said associated existing component identity to an associated stored component identity comprises:

means for returning a positive result if any of said associated individual stored component identities matches any of said associated individual current component identities.

46. The computer device of claim 44, where for at least one component type from among said set of hardware component types, said associated stored component identity comprises one or more associated individual stored component identities, and where said means for, for each hardware component type from among said set of hardware component types, comparing said associated existing component identity to an associated stored component identity comprises:

means for returning a positive result if all of said associated individual stored component identities matches any of said associated individual current component identities.

47. The computer device of claim 43, where said means for of, for each hardware component type from among a set of hardware component types, obtaining an associated existing component identity comprises:

means for querying a hardware component of the hardware component type for a query result; and

means for hashing the query result.

48. The computer device claim 43, where said set of component types comprises one or more selected from among the following:

soundcard;

network card, BIOS, CDROM drive, display adapter, disk device, SCSI adapter, disk adapter, processor, and RAM.

49. A method for enabling enforcement of software licensing terms for software which is being licensed to run a computer system comprising one or more components of one or more component types, the method comprising:

producing a hardware ID comprising a plurality of values, each value corresponding to a component identity for one of said components;

producing a time vector comprising, for each of said component types, a time value for said component type.

50. A method for enabling enforcement of software licensing terms for software which is being licensed to run a computer system comprising one or more components of one or more component types, the method comprising:

producing a hardware ID comprising a plurality of values, each value corresponding to a component identity for one of said components;

producing a weight vector comprising, for each of said one or more component types, a weight value for said component type.

51. The method of claim 50, where a second hardware ID describes said computer system at a previous time, and where said step of producing a weight vector comprises:

for each component type from among said set of component types for which said first hardware ID is different from said second hardware ID, adjusting said weight value by a prespecified value.

52. A computer-readable medium for enabling enforcement of software licensing terms for software which is being licensed to run a computer system comprising one or more components of one or more component types, having stored thereon at least one computer-executable module comprising computer executable instructions for performing a method, the method comprising:

producing a hardware ID comprising a plurality of values, each value corresponding to a component identity for one of said components;

producing a time vector comprising, for each of said one or more component types, a time value for said component type.

53. A computer-readable medium for enabling enforcement of software licensing terms for software which is being licensed to run a computer system comprising one or more components of one or more component types, having stored thereon at least one computer-executable module comprising computer executable instructions for performing a method, the method comprising:

producing a hardware ID comprising a plurality of values, each value corresponding to a component identity for one of said components;

producing a weight vector comprising, for each of said one or more component types, a weight value for said component type.

54. The computer-readable medium of claim 53, where a second hardware ID describes said computer system at a previous time, and where said step of producing a weight vector comprises:

for each component type from among said set of component types for which said first hardware ID is different from said second hardware ID, adjusting said weight value by a prespecified value.

55. A device for enabling enforcement of software licensing terms for software which is being licensed to run a computer system comprising one or more components of one or more component types, comprising:

means for producing a hardware ID comprising a plurality of values, each value corresponding to a component identity for one of said components;

means for producing a time vector comprising, for each of said one or more component types, a time value for said component type.

56. A device for enabling enforcement of software licensing terms for software which is being licensed to run a computer system comprising one or more components of one or more component types, comprising:

means for producing a hardware ID comprising a plurality of values, each value corresponding to a component identity for one of said components;

means for producing a weight vector comprising, for each of said one or more component types, a weight value for said component type.

57. The device of claim 56, where a second hardware ID describes said computer system at a previous time, and where said means for producing a weight vector comprises:

means for, for each component type from among said set of component types for which said first hardware ID is different from said second hardware ID, adjusting said weight value by a prespecified value.