System for software registration
DC CAFC
First Claim
1. A registration system for licensing execution of digital data in a use mode, said digital data executable on a platform, said system including local licensee unique ID generating means and remote licensee unique ID generating means, said system further including mode switching means operable on said platform which permits use of said digital data in said use mode on said platform only if a licensee unique ID first generated by said local licensee unique ID generating means has matched a licensee unique ID subsequently generated by said remote licensee unique ID generating means;
- and wherein said remote licensee unique ID generating means comprises software executed on a platform which includes the algorithm utilized by said local licensee unique ID generating means to produce said licensee unique ID.
6 Assignments
Litigations
7 Petitions
Reexaminations
Accused Products
Abstract
A registration system allows digital data or software to run in a use mode on a platform if and only if an appropriate licensing procedure has been followed. Preferably, the system detects when part of the platform on which the digital data has been loaded has changed in part or in entirety, as compared with the platform parameters, when the software or digital data to be protected was last booted or run. The system relies on a portion of digital data or code which is integral to the digital data to be protected by the system. This integral portion is termed the code portion and may include an algorithm that generates a registration number unique to an intending licensee of the digital data based on information supplied by the licensee which characterizes the licensee. The algorithm in the code portion is duplicated at a remote location on a platform under the control of the licensor or its agents, and communication between the intending licensee and the licensor or its agent is required so that a matching registration number can be generated at the remote location for subsequent communication to the intending licensee as a permit to licensed operation of the digital data in a use mode. The code portion can be identical for all copies of the digital data. The algorithm provides a registration number which can be "unique" if the details provided by the intending licenses upon which the algorithm relies when executed upon the platform are themselves "unique".
457 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A registration system for licensing execution of digital data in a use mode, said digital data executable on a platform, said system including local licensee unique ID generating means and remote licensee unique ID generating means, said system further including mode switching means operable on said platform which permits use of said digital data in said use mode on said platform only if a licensee unique ID first generated by said local licensee unique ID generating means has matched a licensee unique ID subsequently generated by said remote licensee unique ID generating means;
- and wherein said remote licensee unique ID generating means comprises software executed on a platform which includes the algorithm utilized by said local licensee unique ID generating means to produce said licensee unique ID.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
12. A registration system attachable to software to be protected, said registration system generating a security key from information input to said software which uniquely identifies an intended registered user of said software on a computer on which said software is to be installed;
- and wherein said registration system is replicated at a registration authority and used for the purposes of checking by the registration authority that the information unique to the user is correctly entered at the time that the security key is generated by the registration system.
- View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
-
17. A method of control of distribution of software, said method comprising providing mode-switching means associated with said software adapted to switch said software between a fully enabled mode and a partly enabled or demonstration mode, said method further comprising providing registration key generating means adapted to generate a registration key which is a function of information unique to an intending user of the software;
- said mode-switching means switching said software into fully enabled mode only if an enabling key provided to said mode-switching means by said intending user at the time of registration of said software has matched identically with said registration key; and
wherein said enabling key is communicated to said intending user at the time of registration of said software;
said enabling key generated by a third party means of operation of a duplicate copy of said registration key generating means. - View Dependent Claims (18)
- said mode-switching means switching said software into fully enabled mode only if an enabling key provided to said mode-switching means by said intending user at the time of registration of said software has matched identically with said registration key; and
-
19. A remote registration station incorporating remote licensee unique ID generating means, said station forming part of a registration system for licensing execution of digital data in a use mode, said digital data executable on a platform, said system including local licensee unique ID generating means, said system further including mode switching means operable on said platform which permits use of said digital data in said use mode on said platform only if a licensee unique ID generated by said local licensee unique ID generating means has matched a licensee unique ID generated by said remote licensee unique ID generating means;
- and wherein said remote licensee unique ID generating means comprises software executed on a platform which includes the algorithm utilized by said local licensee unique ID generating means to produce said licensee unique ID.
-
20. A method of registration of digital data so as to enable execution of said digital data in a use mode, said method comprising an intending licensee operating a registration system for licensing execution of digital data in a use mode, said digital data executable on a platform, said system including local licensee unique ID generating means and remote licensee unique ID generating means, said system further including mode switching means operable on said platform which permits use of said digital data in said use mode on said platform only if a licensee unique ID generated by said local licensee unique ID generating means has matched a licensee unique ID generated by said remote licensee unique ID generating means;
- and wherein said remote licensee unique ID generating means comprises software executed on a platform which includes the algorithm utilized by said local licensee unique ID generating means to produce said licensee unique ID.
Specification
-
- Resources
-
Current AssigneeUniloc Luxembourg S.à r.l. (f/k/a Uniloc Luxembourg S.A.) (Uniloc Corporation Pty. Limited)
-
Original AssigneeUniloc (Singapore) Private Limited (Uniloc Corporation Pty. Limited)
-
InventorsRichardson, Frederic B. III
-
Primary Examiner(s)Cain, David C.
-
Application NumberUS08/124,718Time in Patent Office868 DaysField of Search380/3, 380/4, 380/23, 380/24, 380/25US Class Current705/59CPC Class CodesG06F 21/1063 PersonalisationG06F 2211/007 Encryption, En-/decode, En-...G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation...G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
