Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support – Data processing protection using cryptography – Computer instruction/address encryption
Patent
1999-11-16
2000-10-17
Swann, Tod R.
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support
Data processing protection using cryptography
Computer instruction/address encryption
713164, 713165, 713170, 713200, 380255, 705 51, 705 56, 705 57, 705 58, 705 67, G06F 1130
Patent
active
061346594
ABSTRACT:
The present invention provides a new and novel system and method for protecting a computer software program from unauthorized use and/or copying. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, each embodiment of the storage medium containing the software also includes means for: (1) inhibiting use of the software unless a valid authorization code for use has been received from a remote authorization unit, (2) generating, storing and retrieving a serial number uniquely associated with the particular host computer on which the software is to be used, (3) inhibiting transfer from one host computer to another of the software unless a valid deauthorization code has been received from a remote authorization unit, (4) uniquely identifying each embodiment of the storage medium, thereby making it possible to individually track each embodiment of the storage medium and to recognize when such an embodiment may have been copied before its installation on a host computer or installed on multiple host computers, and (5) preventing hackers from inputting an unlimited number of authorization codes in an attempt to enable use of the software.
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Sprong Donald J.
Sprong Katherine A.
Callahan Paul E.
Guffey Larry J.
Swann Tod R.
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