Method to provide a software package and a provider station and a user station realizing the method and a basis software package

• US 6,063,134 A
• Filed: 03/05/1998
• Issued: 05/16/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Peeters, Johan, Gheur, Vincent Christophe Marc Marie, Swinnen, Philippe Fran.cedilla.ois Marie Octave Ghislain, Peters, Laurent Marie L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafiz, Tariq R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAM, TUAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US09/035,209
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: 395/712, 395/705, 380/4, 380/25, 380/49, 705/26, 705/27, 713/200
• US Class Current: 717/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/125 by manipulating the program code, e.g. source code, compiled code, interpreted code, machine code
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/007 Encryption, En-/decode, En-/decipher, En-/decypher, Scramble, (De-)compress
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2135 Metering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/41 Compilation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation

Abstract

The method is used to provide a software package for installation in a user station (US) without revealing the contents of the software package. The method includes the steps of encoding a readable source version (PACK.SOURCE) of the software package following a predefined encoding algorithm thereby generating an encoded software package (PACK.ENC) and delivering the encoded software package (PACK.ENC) from a provider station (PS) to the user station. In order to install the encoded software package (PACK.ENC) at the user station (US) the method further includes the step of providing, either together with the encoded software package (PACK.ENC) or separately, a basis software package (BASIS) for combined decoding and compiling of the encoded software package (PACK.ENC). The basis software package (BASIS) includes software to perform the combined decoding and compiling thereby generating a compiled software package (PACK.COMP).

Claims

1. Method to provide a software package for installation in a user station (US) without revealing the contents of said software package, characterized in that said method includes the steps of:

encoding a readable source version (PACK.SOURCE) of said software package following a predefined encoding algorithm for generating an encoded software package (PACK.ENC); and

delivering said encoded software package (PACK.ENC) to said user station (US),

characterized in that said method additionally includes the step of providing, either together with said encoded software package (PACK.ENC) or separately, a basis software package (BASIS) for combined decoding and compiling said encoded software package (PACK.ENC) at said user station, said basis software package (BASIS) including software to perform said combined decoding and compiling within a combined step at said user station for generating a compiled software package (PACK.COMP) so that generating the readable source version of said software package at said user station is prevented.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that said combined decoding and compiling includes separately combined decoding and compiling of separate parts of said encoded software package (PACK.ENC).

3. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that said method additionally includes the step of providing a basis software package (BASIS) for combined decoding and compiling said encoded software package (PACK.ENC), said basis software package (BASIS) including software to perform combined decoding and compiling of said encoded software package (PACK.ENC) following an interpreted mode.

4. A method according to claim 3, characterized in that said combined decoding and compiling includes separately combined decoding and compiling of separate parts of said encoded software package (PACK.ENC).

5. Provider station (PS) to provide a software package to a user station (US) for installation without revealing the contents of said software package, characterized in that said provider station (PS) includes encoding means (ENC) to encode a readable source version (PACK.SOURCE) of said software package following a predefined encoding algorithm in order to generate thereby an encoded software package (PACK.ENC) and to provide said encoded software package (PACK.ENC) to an output of said provider station (PS) in order to deliver said encoded software package (PACK.ENC) from said provider station (PS) to said user station (US), characterized in that said provider station (PS) further includes generating means (GEN) to generate a basis software package (BASIS) and to provide said basis software package (BASIS) to an output of said provider station (PS) in order to deliver said basis software package (BASIS) to said user station (US), said basis software package (BASIS) including software to perform at said user station combined decoding and compiling within a combined step of said encoded software package (PACK.ENC) and to generate a compiled software package (PACK.COMP) so that generating the readable source version of said software package at said user station is prevented.

6. A user station (US) to install a software package, delivered to said user station (US) as an encoded software package (PACK.ENC), originated in a provider station (PS) and encoded to avoid revealing the contents of said software package, characterized in that said user station (US) includes receiving means (REC) to receive said encoded software package (PACK.ENC) and combined decoding and compiling means (DEC/COMP) to perform combined decoding and compiling within a combined step of said encoded software package (PACK.ENC) at said user station and to generate a compiled software package (PACK.COMP) so that generating a readable source version of said software package is prevented, said combined decoding and compiling being performed following software included in a basis software package (BASIS) either delivered by said provider station (PS) to said user station (US) together with said encoded software package (PACK.ENC) or separately.

7. Basis software package (BASIS) characterized in that said basis software package (BASIS) includes software to perform combined decoding and compiling within a combined step of an encoded software package (PACK.ENC) at a user station which is generated while encoding a readable source version of a software package (PACK.SOURCE) following a predefined encoding algorithm so that a compiled software package is generated without for installation and generating a readable source version of the software package in the user station is prevented.

8. A basis software package (BASIS) according to claim 7, characterized in that said basis software package (BASIS) includes one or more security conditions included in order to be controlled while using said basis software package (BASIS) and whereby upon checking of one of said one or more security conditions and in the event that said one security condition is not fulfilled said combined decoding and compiling is not further executed or said encoded software package is destroyed.

9. A basis software package (BASIS) according to claim 7, characterized in that said basis software package (BASIS) includes a pay per use scheme included in order to keep track of the number of times said basis software package (BASIS) is used.