JP3289521B2 - Software Copyright Protection Methods - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the copyright protection of software used in computers.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an example of a method of preventing illegal operation of software, there is a method of making copying of software impossible. For this, a method of setting a copy prohibition flag in the information of the file management table or intentionally writing an abnormal sector so that an error occurs during the execution of the copy is used.

As another method, there is a method of using a code unique to a device as a key for copyright protection. In this method, a code unique to the device is written as a key information necessary for the operation of the software on a part of the software before the operation is started, and the code unique to the device and the software are written on the subsequent operation start. The key information is compared, and if they match, the operation is started.

[0004]

The above-mentioned prior art is based on the determination as to whether or not the user has purchased a legitimate medium having a label attached by the manufacturer, in determining whether or not the user has a valid right to use the copyright. Therefore, what is copied from a legitimate medium does not represent the right to use it.
Therefore, the user purchases regular media corresponding to the number of devices to be operated, and the user purchases media that is unnecessary for operation in software installed and used on a hard disk or the like.

[0005] In addition, the sale of software for the purpose of profit through the use of communication is not performed at present because there is no advantage in consideration of the trouble of purchasing a legitimate medium.

[0006] Another problem in purchasing software from the user's point of view is that, for a model used by a user, the software being considered for purchase is:
It is difficult to judge whether it can be used normally, whether the intended business is possible, and whether it has sufficient performance based on the description on the product package and the description of the dealer. Is raised.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the operation is restricted to a device other than the designated device which can perform copying.
In addition, a method of protecting copyright must be created so that the operation restriction can be released by requesting the release of the restriction.

[0008]

According to the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a program (in this specification, a content or procedure of an operation for performing a target process) is considered from the viewpoint of restricting operation. "Program" as a whole
Is expressed as In software mainly for data, it refers to control processing such as data output and retrieval. In order to limit the operation of (1), a check program according to the method of the present invention is incorporated as a part of the processing of the program, and the result of the determination is used to continue / interrupt the processing and to notify the program.

The check program includes a protection key generation process of encrypting a code unique to the device to generate protection key information as key information for determination for restricting operation, and a copyright manager (software manager). The sales company, etc.) is used to generate the release key information. The same code unique to the device as the original information is encrypted to obtain a result different from the protection key generation processing, and the restriction key information is encrypted. By generating the restricted key to be generated, verifying the protection key by comparing the protection key information with the key information attached to the program, and verifying the release key by comparing the protection key information with the release key information entered by the user If the collation result by the collation of the protection key does not match, the information of the restriction key is notified to the user, and if the collation result by the collation of the release key matches, the program is added to the program. And updates the the key information.

[0010]

The check program according to the method of the present invention compares the information on the protection key with the key information attached to the program to determine whether or not the user has the right to use the software. And informs the user of the information on the restriction key and how to obtain a valid use right.

[0011] Further, if the user enters information on the release key by performing a procedure for obtaining a valid use right, the information on the protection key and the information on the release key are collated, and if they match, the operation of the software is performed. Remove restrictions.

[0012] Further, when the software whose operation restriction has been released is operated on another device, a new operation restriction is set because the code unique to the device is different, so that copyright infringement by copying is infringed. Does not occur.

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The details of a check program according to the method of the present invention will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

The protection key generation processing 1 is for generating information of a protection key by encrypting a code unique to the apparatus. The code unique to the device is information that has different information for each device in a ROM, a setting switch, or the like, and is readable by software. As for the encryption method, there are a random number table, a conversion formula, and the like, but a method that is difficult to analyze the conversion rule is used.

The protection key collation 2 collates the protection key information generated in the protection key generation processing 1 with the key information attached to the program. The key information attached to the program is the data attached to the program in order to check the information of the protection key, and the contents of the key information do not coincide with the information of the protection key by accident or are written. Leave it alone. This data does not necessarily need to be recorded on the same medium as the program.
It does not matter if the program can be recorded in a MOSRAM or the like as long as it can correspond to the program. In particular, when the software is provided on a non-writable medium such as a CD-ROM, consideration must be given to preparing the medium in another medium or device.

In the protection key collation 2, if the protection key information matches the key information attached to the program,
Since the operation restriction has been released, the process returns to the program. If they do not match, a valid use right has not been obtained, and the restricted key generation process 3 is executed.

The restriction key generation process 3 generates restriction key information obtained by encrypting a code unique to the device, as in the protection key generation process 1. However, the one that obtains a result different from the protection key generation processing 1 is used. The information on the restriction key is the original information when the copyright administrator generates the release key.

The restriction key notification process 4 notifies the user of the restriction key information and the method of contacting the copyright manager by using a screen or a printer as necessary.

If the user wishes to release the restriction on the operation, the user of the copyright is notified of the information on the restriction key. On the other hand, the copyright manager converts the information of the restriction key into the information of the release key by a key conversion process described later and contacts the user.

The release key input process 5 is a process in which a user inputs information of a release key received from a copyright manager.

The release key collation 6 is a protection key generation process 1
This is processing for collating the information on the protection key generated in step 2 with the information on the release key input by the user. If the matches match,
In order to release the restriction on the operation, the key information attached to the program is rewritten with the key information of the protection key or the key information of the cancellation in the update of the key data 7 to return to the program or to interrupt the processing as necessary. If they do not match, the restriction is not released, so the processing is interrupted, or the program is notified of the mismatch and the program returns to the program to branch the processing.

According to the above processing, if the user inputs a correct release key, the key information attached to the program has the same content as the protection key, so that the subsequent operation restrictions are released.

When the software incorporating the check program according to this method is copied and operated on another device, the code unique to the device is different, so that the protection key collation 2 does not match and the restricting operation is performed.

That is, although copying of software is possible,
An operation is realized in which it is necessary to contact a copyright administrator in order to release the operation restriction.

As described above, the check program incorporated as a part of the program restricts the operation of the software when the user has not obtained the consent of the copyright administrator and notifies the user. A user who wants to release the restriction can contact the copyright manager and request a fee from the user. Further, since the copyright manager can manage the users, there is no problem even if there is no legitimate medium even if there is a valid use right.

The reason that the code unique to the device is encrypted by the restriction key generation process 3 and notified to the user is that when the code unique to the device is notified to the user, the same code can be used for different software even if the software is different. Is generated, and there is a possibility that the user may analyze the conversion rule to generate the release key independently, and this is to be prevented. By this processing, the information of the restriction key and the information of the release key notified to the user are information encrypted by different conversion methods, so that it is impossible to analyze the conversion rules.

It is obvious that it is necessary to perform processing such as compiling so that the contents of the program and the check program are not easily known.

An example of an encryption method for generating protection key information and restriction key information will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In this method, a code unique to the device is read out, a numerical value in a random number table designated by a numerical value of the least significant digit is read out, and a code unique to the device and a numerical value of the random number are subjected to a logical operation of the same value (EQV). This is to generate a cipher. Note that different results can be obtained by using different random number tables for the protection key and the restriction key.

For reference, an example of a key conversion process used by a copyright manager to generate information on a release key will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Read out the numerical value of the random number table on the restriction key side specified by the least significant digit of the numerical value given by inputting the restriction key,
A logical operation of the same value (EQV) is performed between the numerical value of the restriction key and the numerical value of the random number to restore a code unique to the apparatus. Further, the numerical value of the random number table on the protection key side designated by the numerical value of the least significant digit of the code unique to the device is read out, and the code unique to the device and the numerical value of the random number are again subjected to a logical operation of the same value (EQV). This is to generate information of a release key having the same contents as the protection key.

[0030]

In view of the fact that copying is possible, when installing and operating on a hard disk, a magneto-optical disk, or the like, copying is performed sequentially with one set of media, or copying is performed on all units using communication. Various methods are possible,
The operation in which the restriction has been released can be performed from the point of inputting the release encryption. This eliminates the need to purchase and store the original media, especially when the number is large, thus saving the cost and resources of the media.

Also, from the point of operation restriction, the check program of the present invention is incorporated into a program to which the demonstration function is attached, and the entire software is distributed to users free of charge. , A new sales form is possible in which the information of the release key is notified for a fee.

In addition, regarding the sale of software for commercial purposes online, the operation of software received from online is restricted until the information of the release key is notified from the copyright manager. By receiving the information of the release key from the administrator of the above, the operation can be performed immediately, so that a sales form utilizing online advantages can be configured.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a check program according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of an example of an encryption method.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an example of a key conversion process.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 protection key generation processing 2 protection key verification processing 3 restriction key generation processing 4 restriction key notification processing 5 release key input processing 6 release key verification 7 key data update

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-4-287124 (JP, A) JP-A-6-282430 (JP, A) JP-A-2-292634 (JP, A) Mie Satake Smart Software Purchasing Method, "Nikkei Computer, Nikkei BP, August 8, 1994, No. 344, p67-74.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A protection key generation process for encrypting a code unique to a device in a computer to generate information on a protection key for restricting operation, and a process different from the protection key generation process for a code unique to a device. A restriction key generation process for generating the restriction key information that is the original information when generating the encryption key information by performing encryption, and a protection key for comparing the protection key information with the key information attached to the program. Collation,
A check program comprising protection key information and release key verification for verifying the release key information input by the user is configured, and if the verification result by the protection key verification does not match, the restriction key information is used. A software copyright protection method comprising: notifying a user and updating the key information attached to the program if the results of the collation of the release key match.