JPH05298085A - Software storage medium, software reader, and software management system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a storage medium which promotes prevention of the wrong use of software circulated to distribution routes, a reader for software in this storage medium, and a management system which checks the wrong use of software in the storage medium. CONSTITUTION:A hybrid storage medium consisting of an un-rewritable storage area 10 and a rewritable storage area 11 is prepared as the storage medium, and password information of software to be presented is recorded in the unrewritable storage area 10, and password information consisting of key information for deciphering of ciphered software and the permitted frequency in use of software is recorded in the rewritable storage area 11. Meanwhile, the reader reduces the permitted frequency use of the storage medium in accordance with the use of software to inhibit software from being used more than the permitted frequency in use, and the management system checks the wrong use of software in accordance with the display value of the permitted frequency in use of the storage medium.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a software storage medium for recording software for distributing distribution channels,
The present invention relates to a software reading device for reading software recorded in the software storage medium and a software management system for checking unauthorized use of the software recorded in the software storage medium, and in particular, unauthorized use of software circulating distribution channels. The present invention relates to a software storage medium capable of promoting prevention of use, a software reading device for reading software recorded in the software storage medium, and a software management system for checking unauthorized use of software recorded in the software storage medium. ..

Recently, with the development of information society, software such as computer programs, electronic publications, and entertainment videos are sold at book stores and other retail stores in cooperation with communication networks, and rentals at rental video stores and the like. Loans are being lent at stores. At the distribution stage, software that disseminates such a distribution channel is exposed to unauthorized use such as being illegally stolen, shoplifted, taken away, or illegally copied. Such unauthorized use seriously damages the profits of software providers, retailers and rental stores. From now on, there is a call for the construction of a new mechanism that can prevent unauthorized use of software that distributes distribution channels.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art In the case of selling software via a distribution channel, a method using an IC prepaid card has been conventionally used as a method of protecting the software to be sold.

That is, the medium manufacturer adopts a configuration in which the software is encrypted and recorded in a non-rewritable non-volatile storage medium such as a CD-ROM, and the storage medium of the encrypted software is provided to the software market. At some point, the user, in addition to purchasing this storage medium, records the decryption device that enables decryption of the encryption software recorded in the storage medium and the number of times that the decryption device can be used and the number of times it can be used. The IC prepaid card and the IC will be purchased. When the IC prepaid card is activated using the IC prepaid card, the decryption device decrypts the encryption software recorded in the storage medium to determine whether the IC prepaid card can be used. It takes a configuration that the number of times is subtracted.

According to this configuration, the storage medium cannot be used without the IC prepaid card,
It becomes possible to prevent illegal software leakage and shoplifting, and since it is possible to use the storage medium only as many times as the IC prepaid card can specify, it is possible to prevent illegal copying of software.
It is possible to prevent illegal use of software. In addition, the user has I
For the C prepaid card, mail it to the management center of the issuer to have it reissued the number of times it can be used,
A new usable number will be written from the management center via the communication line.

[0006]

However, in the software sales method according to this prior art, from the side of the store, there is a service for sales promotion such as selling out the software or performing a bargain sale. There is a problem that it is difficult to execute. From the user's point of view, there is a problem that the IC prepaid card and a dedicated decoding device must be managed in addition to the storage medium.

In terms of safety, the IC prepaid card is vulnerable to safety because it is possible to eavesdrop data from the card connector and to perform nondestructive inspection / reproduction within the card chip. There is a problem. Further, from the economical point of view, there is a problem that an expensive IC prepaid card is required and an expensive decryption device that executes a complicated decryption procedure is required. In addition, when viewed from the management center side of the IC prepaid card issuer, there is a problem that requests from users are concentrated.

[0008] As described above, according to the prior art, it is not possible to effectively prevent the unauthorized use of the software that distributes the distribution channel, so that the profit of the software provider is significantly impaired and the profit of the dealer is remarkably increased. There was a problem that it would be harmed.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and reads a new software storage medium capable of promoting prevention of unauthorized use of software distributed in a distribution channel and software recorded in the software storage medium. The present invention aims to provide a new software reading device and a new software management system for checking illegal use of software recorded in the software storage medium.

[0010]

FIG. 1 illustrates the principle configuration of the present invention. The present invention is particularly effective when software for distributing distribution channels is a sales target.

1 is a software storage medium constructed according to the present invention, 2 is a shipping source device installed at a shipping source such as a manufacturer, 3 is a relay destination device installed at a relay destination such as a rental store, and 4 is a user side. Software reader installed in
Reference numeral 5 is a management device installed in a management center or the like. Here, the management device 5 may be installed at a shipping source or a relay destination.

As the software storage medium 1, a hybrid storage medium which is composed of a non-rewritable storage area 10 and a rewritable storage area 11 is used. The shipping source apparatus 2 provides the non-rewritable storage area 10 of the software storage medium 1 with the first writing means 20 for writing the encryption information of the software to be provided and the rewritable storage area 11 of the software storage medium 1. Second writing means 21 for writing the encrypted software protection information that forms the protection information of the target software
With.

The cryptographic software protection information written by the second writing means 21 is key information for decrypting the cryptographic software written by the first writing means 20 and cryptographic information of the number of times the software can be used. First, if the key information for decrypting the encrypted software and the number of times the software can be used are encrypted with the key KY, then the encrypted information is encrypted with the key KST. As described above, there is a case in which the structure is encrypted with a multiplex structure. Here, the usable number may be written in the relay destination device 3.

The relay destination device 3 comprises an encryption structure changing means 30 for changing the encryption structure of the encryption software protection information written by the second writing means 21. This cipher structure changing means 30, if explained in the above example, uses the key KST.
Therefore, when the final encryption structure of the encryption software protection information is decrypted, the decrypted encryption information is then converted into the key KS.
The encryption structure of the cryptographic software protection information is changed by performing a process of encryption with a key KX different from T.

The software reading device 4 is a rewritable storage area 1 of the software storage medium 1 provided from a relay destination.
The first decryption means 40 for decrypting the key information for decrypting the cryptographic software and the number of times the software can be used by decrypting the cryptographic software protection information recorded in 1. According to the key information to be decrypted, the non-rewritable storage area 10 of the software storage medium 1
A second decryption means 41 for decrypting the encrypted software recorded in 1., and a calculation means 42 for calculating a new usable number by subtracting the usable number of times decrypted by the first decrypting means 40 at each end of use. The updating means 43 for updating the usable number of times of the encrypted software protection information recorded in the software storage medium 1 according to the new usable number calculated by the calculating means 42, and the usable number for decoding by the first decrypting means 40. When either one of the usable times calculated by the calculating means 42 displays a zero value, the suppressing means 44 for controlling the second decoding means 41 so that the decoding processing cannot be executed, and the subtracted value of the usable times are Set the number of additional usage times that will be the new number of times available when reaching the zero value,
According to the mode that can be distinguished from the original number of times of use,
And a setting unit 45 for updating the usable number of times of the encrypted software protection information recorded in the software storage medium 1 according to the new usable number.

The management device 5 records in the first storage means 50 for totaling the number of times the software recorded in the software storage medium 1 put in the distribution channel can be used, and in the software storage medium 1 collected from the distribution channel. Second totaling means 51 for totaling the number of times the software can be used by totaling the number of times the software can be used,
Comparing means 52 for comparing the aggregate value of the aggregate means 50 and the aggregate value of the second aggregate means 51. This management device 5
May perform totalization of the number of times software can be used with the identification number of the software storage medium 1 as a unit.

[0017]

In the present invention, as the software storage medium 1 for recording the software distributed in the distribution channel, a hybrid storage medium comprising a non-rewritable storage area 10 and a rewritable storage area 11 is prepared. The encryption information of the software to be provided is recorded in the non-rewritable storage area 10 of the hybrid storage medium, and the rewritable storage area 11 can use the key information and the software for decrypting the encrypted software. The configuration is such that the encryption information such as the number of times is recorded as encryption software protection information.

When the software reading device 4 on the user side reading the software of the software storage medium 1 obtains the usable number of times of the software by decrypting the encrypted software protection information, the usable number of times displays a zero value. If not, the encryption software is decrypted using the encryption software decryption key information obtained by decrypting the encryption software protection information, and the encryption software protection information is updated by subtracting the usable number of times after each use. On the other hand, when the usable number of times is displayed as a zero value, processing is performed so as not to execute decryption of the encryption software.

According to this configuration, in the present invention, even if the software is exposed to illegal use such as illegal illegal flow, shoplifting, carry-out or illegal copying at the distribution stage, According to the number of times of use indicated by the software protection information recorded integrally with the software, the use of the software more than the number of times of use can be excluded, so the value of the unauthorized use can be greatly reduced. become.
From now on, it is possible to prevent illegal use of software that distributes the distribution channel.

In this configuration, the relay destination changes the cryptographic structure of the software storage medium 1 shipped from the shipping source and provides it to the user side, and the software reading device 4 on the user side changes this. If the software is decrypted by decrypting the cryptographic structure, unauthorized use between the shipping source and the relay destination does not make sense, so the unauthorized use of the software is actively prevented. Will be able to.

Further, according to the present invention, the management device 5 on the management center side calculates a total value of the number of times of software use from the number of times the software can be used recorded in the software storage medium 1 collected from the distribution channel. A configuration is adopted in which this aggregated value is compared with the aggregated value of the usable number of times of the software recorded in the software storage medium 1 that has been put into the distribution channel, and the illegal use of the software is checked according to the comparison result. To process.

According to this configuration, according to the present invention, it is possible to identify which software has been improperly used and how much it has been improperly used at the distribution stage, so that it becomes possible to accurately grasp the actual state of the improper use of software. In this configuration, if the check process is executed by using the identification number of the software storage medium 1 as a unit, by recording the distribution destination of the software storage medium 1, who can make an illegal copy or the like can be recorded. It is possible to identify the illegal use.

[0023]

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to examples. FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a distribution system to which the present invention is applied. The distribution system shown in this figure is a manufacturer that ships the software to be protected, a store that sells the software that the manufacturer ships, a user who purchases the software that the distributor sells, and a management center that manages the usage status of the software. Consists of.

When the present invention is applied to such a distribution system, the shipping source device 2 described in FIG. 1 is installed in the maker, the relay destination device 3 is installed in the dealer, and the software reading device 4 is installed on the user side. Once installed, the management device 5 will be installed in the management center.

As described with reference to FIG. 1, in the present invention, the software placed in the distribution channel is encrypted, the encrypted information is recorded in the non-rewritable storage area 10 of the hybrid storage medium, and the encrypted software By adopting a configuration in which the software protection information including the key information for decryption and the number of times the software can be used is encrypted and the encrypted information is recorded in the rewritable storage area 11 of the hybrid storage medium, To prevent the unauthorized use of the.

As the mixed-type software storage medium 1, for example, a storage medium in which the non-rewritable storage area 10 is an optical storage medium and the rewritable storage area 11 is a magnetic storage medium is used. .. In addition, the non-rewritable storage area 10 may be referred to as a ROM area below in correspondence with the fact that the non-rewritable storage area 10 cannot be rewritten.
Although the rewritable storage area 11 is non-volatile, it may be referred to as a RAM area below in correspondence with the fact that it is rewritable.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the apparatus configuration of the shipping source apparatus 2 which controls the processing at the shipping stage for the mixed-type software storage medium 1 having this recording configuration, and FIG. 4 shows this software storage medium. One embodiment of the device configuration of the relay destination device 3 that manages the processing of the software storage medium 1 at the distribution stage, and FIG. 5 shows the device of the software reading device 4 that manages the processing of the software storage medium 1 at the use stage. One embodiment of the configuration, FIG.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of the device configuration of the management device 5 that manages the processing of the software storage medium 1 at the management stage.

Next, the software protection mechanism of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 3, the shipping source apparatus 2 includes a first encryption unit 200, a second encryption unit 201, a third encryption unit 202, a first key management unit 203, and a first encryption unit 203. The second key management unit 204, the third key management unit 205, and the usable count setting unit 206 are provided.

When the plaintext software to be shipped is given from the software storage device at the time of adopting this device configuration, the first encryption means 200 manages the software by the first key management means 203. First key KU
By encrypting with, the encryption software "E
_KU (DATA) "is generated and the cryptographic software is stamped on the ROM area of the mixed-type software storage medium 1. Here," EOF "in the figure that is stamped at the same time indicates the end point of the cryptographic software. It is something to display.

Next, the second encryption means 201, the first key KU required for decrypting the encryption software "E _KU (DATA)", and the usable number N set by the usable number setting means 206. And are encrypted with the second key KY managed by the second key management means 204 to generate encrypted software protection information "E _KY (KU, N)". Then, the third encryption means 202 is connected to the second encryption means 20.
The encrypted software protection information “E _KY (KU,
N) ”is encrypted with the third key KST managed by the third key management unit 205 to generate encrypted software protection information“ E _KST (E _KY (KU, N)) ”, The encrypted software protection information is electrically written in the RAM area of the hybrid software storage medium 1.

Although not shown in FIG. 3, the writing means (not shown) of the shipping source apparatus 2 electrically writes the identification number of the software storage medium 1 to be shipped in the RAM area of the software storage medium 1. It will be processed as it goes.

In this way, the shipping source apparatus 2 records the encryption information of the software to be provided in the ROM area of the mixed-type software storage medium 1, and further decrypts the encrypted software in the RAM area. The key information and the encryption information of the software protection information, which is the number of times the software can be used, are recorded, and the identification number of the software storage medium 1 is recorded.

As shown in FIG. 4, the relay destination device 3, which controls the process at the distribution stage for the mixed-type software storage medium 1 having such a recording configuration, has a decryption means 300, as shown in FIG.
First encryption means 301 and second encryption means 302
And third key management means 303 and fourth key management means 30
4, conversion key management means 305, and input means 306.

When the software storage medium 1 is received from the manufacturer at the time of adopting this device configuration, the decoding means 3
00 is the encrypted software protection information “E _KST (E _KST (E
_KY (KU, N)) "with the third key KST managed by the third key management unit 303 (the same key managed by the third key management unit 205 of the shipping source apparatus 2) By doing so, encryption software protection information “E _KY (KU, N)”
To generate.

On the other hand, when the identification number of the software storage medium 1 is input from the input means 306, the second encryption means 302 encrypts the identification number with the conversion key managed by the conversion key management means 305. By doing the fourth key KX
Then, the fourth key KX is registered in the fourth key management means 304.

When the decoding means 300 executes the decoding process,
Then, the first encryption unit 301 outputs the encrypted software protection information “E _KY (KU, KU,
N) ”is encrypted with the fourth key KX managed by the fourth key management unit 304 to generate encrypted software protection information“ E _KX (E _KY (KU, N)) ”, The encrypted software protection information is electrically written in the RAM area of the hybrid software storage medium 1.

Although not shown in FIG. 4, the writing means (not shown) of the relay-destination apparatus 3 has various types such as a selection code (in this case, sales) for displaying whether it is for sale or rental. The control information is processed so as to be electrically written in the RAM area of the software storage medium 1.

In this way, the relay destination device 3 has the encrypted software protection information "E" written in the RAM area of the software storage medium 1 supplied from the manufacturer.
_KST (E _KY (KU, N)) ” _becomes “ E _KX (E _KY (KU, N)
N)) ”has a different encryption structure.

As will be described later, the software arranged on the user side is
The software reader 4 is a cryptographic software protection information
"E_KX(E_KY(KU, N)) ”is decrypted.
And write to the ROM area of the software storage medium 1.
Cryptographic software "E" _KUDecrypt (DATA) "
This is a configuration that will be used. From now on,
In the relay destination device 3, the RAM of the software storage medium 1
The cryptographic software protection information written in the area,
"E_KST(E_XY(KU, N)) ”to“ E_KX(E_KY(K
U, N)) ”is adopted to rewrite
The software description that takes place between the
It is possible to completely eliminate illegal use of the storage medium 1.
It will be.

As shown in FIG. 5, the software reading device 4 for reading the software of the mixed molding software storage medium 1 having such a recording structure, as shown in FIG. 5, has a first encryption means 400 and a second encryption means 401. A third encryption means 402, a fourth encryption means 403, a first decryption means 404, a second decryption means 405, a third decryption means 406, a status display memory 407, Counter 408
Comparing means 409, writing means 410, and output means 4
11 and.

When the user gives an instruction to read the software storage medium 1 purchased from the store at the time of adopting this device configuration, first, the first encryption means 400 is first.
Encrypts the identification number written in the RAM area of the software storage medium 1 with a specified conversion key, so that it is the same as the key managed by the fourth key management unit 304 of the relay destination device 3. Generate the key KX. Next, the first decryption means 404 causes the encrypted software protection information “E _KX (E
_The encrypted software protection information “E _KY (KU, N)” is generated by decrypting “ _KY (KU, N))” with the key KX generated by the first encryption means 400.

Next, the second decryption means 405 stores the key KY (the second key management means 204 of the shipping source apparatus 2) stored in the battery-backed state display memory 407.
(Which is the same as the key managed by the), and the encrypted software protection information “E” output from the first decryption unit 404.
By decrypting _KY (KU, N) "with this key KY, the key K required to decrypt the encrypted software" E _KU (DATA) "recorded in the software storage medium 1
U and the usable count N of the software (at the time of purchase, the same as the value set by the usable count setting means 206 of the shipping source apparatus 2) are generated. Then, the second decryption means 405 writes the decrypted usable count N in the state display memory 407 and notifies the comparison means 409, and also informs the decrypted key KU to the third decryption means 406. To go.

From the second decoding means 405, the usable number of times N
When receiving the notification, the comparing unit 409 checks whether the notified usable number N is zero value,
When the value is zero, the state display memory 407 is cleared, and when it is not zero, the clearing process is not executed. On the other hand, the third decryption means 406 is
When the notification of the key KU is received from the decryption means 405, the encryption software “E _KU (DATA)” written in the ROM area of the software storage medium 1 is decrypted by the key KU that has received the notification. The software to be provided is generated, and the output unit 411 outputs the decrypted software to an output device (not shown).
At this time, the third decoding means 406 causes the status display memory 4
When 07 is cleared, this decoding process cannot be executed.

That is, when the usable number N of times recorded in the software storage medium 1 is a zero value, the software reading device 4 operates so that the software recorded in the software storage medium 1 cannot be used. Of.

In this processing, the counter 408 reads the usable number N developed in the status display memory 407 as an initial value of the count value, and when the third decoding means 406 decodes software, this The count value is counted down in synchronization with the decoding process. At this time, the comparison means 4
09 receives the counting process of the counter 408 and checks whether or not the count value N ′ reaches a zero value. When the count value N ′ reaches a zero value, the status display memory 407 is disabled to prohibit the use of software. Clear it.

When the end of use of the software is detected according to "EOF", the second encryption means 401
Encrypts the count value N ′ of the counter and the key KU with the key KY to generate new encrypted software protection information “E _KY (KU, N)” in which the usable number of times is reduced. Subsequently, the third encryption unit 402 can be used by encrypting the encrypted software protection information “E _KY (KU, N)” output by the first encryption unit 401 with the key KX. Generate new encryption software protection information "E _KX (E _KY (KU, N))" with reduced number of times,
The encrypted software protection information in the RAM area of the software storage medium 1 is rewritten with this new one.

On the other hand, when the end of the use of the software is detected in accordance with "EOF", the writing means 410 sets the count value N'of the counter as a new usable number, and the usable number is a part of the control information. While writing to the RAM area of the software storage medium 1 as the above, the fourth encryption means 403 encrypts the device parameter status information read from the status display memory 407 with a specified conversion key, and then a part of the control information. As a software storage medium 1
Will be written in the RAM area for maintenance etc.

In this way, the software reading device 4
Obtains the number of times the software can be used by decrypting the encrypted software protection information recorded in the software storage medium 1. When the number of times the software can be used does not show a zero value, it is obtained by decrypting the encrypted software protection information. The encrypted software is decrypted using the key information provided and provided to the user, and the usable number of times is subtracted after each use to update the encrypted software protection information in the software storage medium 1, while the usable number of times is used. When is displaying a zero value, processing is performed so as not to execute decryption of the encryption software.

According to this configuration, according to the present invention, even if the software is exposed to illegal use such as illegal illegal flow, shoplifting, carry-out or illegal copying at the distribution stage, According to the number of times of use indicated by the software protection information recorded integrally with the software, the use of the software more than the number of times of use can be excluded, so the value of the unauthorized use can be greatly reduced. Therefore, it is possible to prevent illegal use.

The management device 5 that manages the usage status of the software of the software storage medium 1 that adopts this usage pattern is
As shown in FIG. 6, the storage medium reading unit 500, the modem unit 501, the decoding unit 502, and the collation and classification unit 503.
And totalizing / comparing means 504 and registration medium file 505
And a store file 506, a user information / software catalog file 507, and an output means 508.

At the time of adopting this device configuration, the decrypting means 502 collects the software storage medium 1 via a communication channel or a store in accordance with a request for writing the upgraded software, etc. 1
By decrypting the encrypted software protection information written in the RAM area with the specified conversion key, the usable number of times recorded in the software storage medium 1 is read and total comparison is performed via the collation and classification means 503. Means 5
04 is notified.

On the other hand, when the collation and classification means 503 receives the identification number of the collected software storage medium 1 from the storage medium reading means 500 or the modem means 501, the collation and classification means 503 refers to the registration medium file 505 to obtain the software storage medium. The manufacturing information of the software storage medium 1 is collected and the distributor file 506 is referred to specify the distributor of the software storage medium 1, and the user information / software catalog file 507 is specified.
By referring to, the user information using the software storage medium 1 and the software information recorded in the software storage medium 1 are collected, and the collection / identification result is notified to the totalizing / comparing means 504.

Upon receipt of this collection / specification result, the totalizing / comparing means 504 determines the usable number of times at the time of manufacture recorded in the software storage medium 1 according to the manufacturing information notified from the collation / sorting means 503. Identify by the identification number of. Then, the number of times of use notified from the decryption means 502 is totaled in units of the identification number of the software storage medium 1, and the number of times of use of the software is specified from the difference between the number of times of use available at the time of manufacture and the total value. Then, it is checked whether the specified number of times of use exceeds the maximum number of times of use at the time of manufacturing, and the check result is output to the output means 508.

According to this configuration, according to the present invention, it is possible to specify how much software has been illegally used and how much it has been illegally used at the distribution stage. Therefore, it is possible to accurately grasp the actual state of illegal use of software. Further, in this configuration, if the sales destination user name of the software storage medium 1 can be specified, it is also possible to specify which user has made unauthorized use such as illegal copying.

Although the illustrated embodiment has been described, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, in the example,
Although the configuration has been disclosed in which the initial value of the number of times software can be used is recorded at the shipping source, the present invention is not limited to this, and the software may be recorded at a distributor in the middle of distribution. Further, in the embodiment, when the number of times of use at the time of manufacturing reaches a zero value, the user side does not allow any additional number of times of use, but the present invention is not limited to this. It is also possible to allow the number of possible additions. Further, in the embodiment, the software storage medium 1 is disclosed in the usage form, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the rental form may be used.

[0056]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Software protection information that is recorded integrally with the software even if it is exposed to unauthorized use such as illegal distribution, shoplifting, carry-out, or unauthorized copying at the distribution stage According to the number of times that the software can be used, the use of the software more than the number of times that the software can be used will be eliminated, so that the value of the unauthorized use can be greatly reduced. From now on, it is possible to prevent illegal use of software that distributes distribution channels. Moreover, by changing the encryption structure during distribution, unauthorized use between the shipping source and the relay destination can be completely eliminated.

According to the present invention, it is possible to identify how much software was illegally used and how much it was illegally used at the distribution stage, so that it is possible to accurately grasp the actual state of illegal use of software. Moreover, if the distribution destination of the software can be recorded, it becomes possible to identify who made an unauthorized use such as unauthorized copying.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a principle configuration diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an example of a distribution system to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is an example of a device configuration of a shipping source device.

FIG. 4 is an example of a device configuration of a relay destination device.

FIG. 5 is an example of a device configuration of a software reading device.

FIG. 6 is an example of a device configuration of a management device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Software Storage Medium 2 Shipping Source Device 3 Relay Destination Device 4 Software Reading Device 5 Management Device 10 Rewritable Storage Area 11 Rewritable Storage Area 20 First Writing Means 21 Second Writing Means 30 Cryptographic Structure Changing Means 40 First decoding means 41 Second decoding means 42 Calculation means 43 Updating means 44 Suppression means 45 Setting means 50 First counting means 51 Second counting means 52 Comparison means

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A software storage medium for recording software to be distributed through a distribution channel, wherein the software storage medium is a non-rewritable storage area (10).
And a rewritable storage area (11) are mixed, and a non-rewritable storage area (1
In (0), the encryption information of the software to be provided is recorded, and in the rewritable storage area (11) of the hybrid storage medium, the key information for decrypting the encryption software and the number of times the software can be used. A software storage medium characterized by having a configuration in which the cryptographic information of and is recorded as cryptographic software protection information. 2. The software storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the initial value of the number of times software can be used is recorded in the middle of the distribution channel. 3. The software storage medium according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the encrypted software protection information is encrypted in a multiplex structure, and the multiplex encryption structure is changed in the middle of the distribution channel. A software storage medium characterized by being configured. 4. A software reading device for reading cryptographic software recorded in a software storage medium having the recording configuration according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the cryptographic software is decrypted by decrypting the cryptographic software protection information. A first decryption means (40) for decrypting the key information for decrypting the key and the number of times the software can be used, and a second decryption means for decrypting the encrypted software according to the key information decrypted by the first decryption means (40). Decoding means (41), a calculating means (42) for calculating a new usable number by subtracting the usable number of times to be decoded by the first decoding means (40) at each end of use, and the calculating means. According to the new number of times of use calculated by (42), the updating means (43) for updating the number of times of use of the encrypted software protection information recorded in the software storage medium, and the recovery means of the first decryption means (40). Or usable count to, when one of the usable count for the calculation of the calculation means (42) displays a zero value, the second decoding means (41)
Deterrent means to control that the decryption process cannot be executed (44)
And a software reading device. 5. The software reading device according to claim 4, wherein the additional number of times of use, which is a new number of times of use when the subtracted value of the number of times of use reaches a zero value, is set to identify the number of times of actual use. A software reading device characterized by comprising a setting means (45) for updating the usable number of times of the encrypted software protection information recorded in the software storage medium according to the new usable number while complying with the possible mode. 6. A software management system for managing the usage status of software recorded on a software storage medium having the recording configuration according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the software storage medium is collected from a distribution channel. By counting the number of times the software can be used recorded,
In addition to adopting a configuration that calculates the number of times the software has been used, a configuration that compares this number of times of use with the aggregate value of the number of times the software can be used that is recorded in the software storage medium that has been put into the distribution channel is adopted. A software management system characterized by processing to check for unauthorized use of software. 7. The software management system according to claim 6, wherein the total number of times software can be used is totaled in units of the identification number of the software storage medium. ..