System for software registration

[54] SYSTEM FOR SOFTWARE REGISTRATION [75] Inventor: Frederic B. Richardson, III, Brookvale, Australia [73] Assignee: Uniloc Private Limited, Singapore [21] Appl. No.: 124,718 [22] Filed: Sep. 21, 1993 [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Sep. 21, 1992 [AU] Australia ............................... .. PL4842 Oct. 26, 1992 [AU] Australia ............................... .. PL5524 [51] Int. Cl.6 ...................................................... .. H04L 9/00 [52] U.S. Cl. ................................................. .. 380/4; 380/23 [58] Field of Search ............................. .. 380/3, 4, 23, 24, 380/25 [56] References Cited U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 4,654,799 3/1987 Ogald et al. . 4,688,169 8/1987 Joshi. 4,796,220 1/1989 Wolfe. 4,982,430 l/1991 Frezza et al. . 4,999,806 3/1991 Chemow et al. . 380/4 5,191,611 3/1993 Lang ............. .. 380/4 5,199,066 3/1993 Logan .'380/4 5,222,133 6/1993 Chou et al. ............................... .. 380/4 5,239,166 8/1993 Graves. 5,239,648 8/1993 Nukui ........................................ .. 380/4 5,287,408 2/1994 Samson ..................................... .. 380/4 5,291,598 3/1994 Grundy . 5,313,637 5/1994 Rose .......................................... .. 380/4 5,319,705 7/1994 Halter et al. 380/4 5,337,357 8/1994 Chou et al. . 380/4 5,343,526 8/1994 Lassers . . . . . . . . . . . .. 380/4 5,349,643 9/1994 Cox et al. 380/4 5,371,792 12/1994 Asai et al. .. 380/4 5,379,433 1/1995 Yamagishi ................................. .. 380/4

[11] Patent Number: 5,490,216 [45] Date of Patent: Feb. 6, 1996 5,386,468 1/1995 Akiyama etal. ......................... .. 380/4 5,388,211 2/1995 Hombuckle 380/4 5,390,297 2/1995 Barber et 81. ............................. .. 380/4

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS WO9209160 5/1992 WIPO .

Primary Examiner-David C. Cain
Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Knobbe, Martens, Olson & Bear

[57] 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”.

20 Claims, 12 Drawing Sheets