Electrical computers and digital processing systems: memory – Storage accessing and control – Control technique
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-27
2001-03-06
Nguyen, Hiep T. (Department: 2759)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: memory
Storage accessing and control
Control technique
C711S004000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06199148
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method of preventing unauthorized use, particularly a method of preventing unauthorized use of data or software such as programs stored on a recording medium such as an optical disk, a floppy disk or a magnetic disk.
The spread of large-capacity, portable recording media such as optical disks, floppy disks and magnetic disks has been accompanied by an increase applications that deal with large quantities of digital information. As a result, there has been a great increase in such digital information as data in image files and word-processor documents, games, word processing software and application programs for CAD or the like.
Information recorded on a recording medium such as an optical disk is digital information and is characterized by the fact that it can be recorded on other media without experiencing any decline in quality. Put another way, this feature of digital information means that it can be copied with ease. A problem that arises here is that confidential information as well as data and software such as application programs not purchased legally can be used upon being copied unlawfully from the original (the original recording medium). The losses sustained by software developers is immeasurable. Such unlawful copying is a violation of copyright laws and hinders the spread of such media as large-capacity, portable optical disks. Accordingly, an effective method of preventing unauthorized unlawful copying is required.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A first object of the present invention is to provide a method whereby the illegal copying of software that has been recorded on a recording medium can be prevented.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a method whereby software, even if it has been copied illegally, is prevented from being used by arranging it so that the software cannot be executed.
According to the present invention, the foregoing objects are attained by providing a method of preventing unauthorized use. The method includes the steps of providing a table, which stores a corresponding relationship between physical addresses and logical addresses of software, and a security program for preventing unauthorized use of the software, obtaining a corresponding relationship between physical addresses on a storage medium, on which the software has been stored, and logical addresses by executing the security program before the software is executed, comparing this corresponding relationship with the corresponding relationship in the table, and preventing unauthorized use of the software by disallowing execution of the software in a case where result of the comparison indicates that use of the software would be unauthorized or unlawful.
Further, according to the present invention, the foregoing objects are attained by providing a method of preventing unauthorized use. The method includes the step of adding to software a medium ID as well as a security program for preventing unauthorized use of the software. It also includes constructing a system so adapted that, in an ordinary mode, a prescribed location at which the medium ID is recorded is regarded as being a defective location and an alternate area corresponding to this defective location is accessed, while, in a maintenance mode, the prescribed location is accessed. The method further includes reading data out of the prescribed location upon establishing the maintenance mode by executing the security program before execution of the software, which requires comparing this data with the medium ID that has been added on to the software, and allowing execution of the software upon establishing the ordinary mode if the data and the medium ID agree and disallowing execution of the software if the data and the medium ID fail to agree.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, the foregoing objects are attained by providing a method of preventing unauthorized use including the step of recording an ID of an original at a prescribed location of a recording medium by irradiating the prescribed location with a laser beam to irreversibly deform or cause a change in the properties of the surface of the medium. The method includes incorporating, in software, the ID, address data esignating the location at which the ID has been recorded and a security program for preventing unauthorized use of the software. Further, the method requires reading data from the location, which has been designated by the address data, by executing the security program before execution of the software, and comparing the data read with the ID incorporated in the software and allowing or disallowing execution of the software based upon results of the comparison.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof.
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Voelcker, John and Wallich, Paul, “How disks are ‘padlocked’”, IEEE SPECTRUM, pp. 32-40.
Fujitsu Limited
Greer Burns & Crain Ltd.
Nguyen Hiep T.
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