JPH0538385A - Program copy preventing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a method for preventing the easy copying of game software. CONSTITUTION:A security card IC 20 in which the discrimination code is memorized is installed in a cartridge 30, and a game drive circuit 11 checks the discrimination code at proper times. Further, a memory 21 in which a part of a game program can be stored is installed in the security IC 20.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a protect device for preventing copying of programs such as game software.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the popularization of video games and home video game machines, much attention has been paid to copying game software. Copying of computer software is prohibited by copyright law and is legally protected, so no measures have been taken in the past. Because if you copy and sell game software on a large scale, copyright law allows damages and injunctions, and criminal penalties are imposed on infringers in some cases. This is because there was not much copying done as a work.

However, recently, a copy machine as shown in FIG. 6 has appeared, and anyone can easily copy the game software. In the copy machine of FIG. 6, the original game software (game board) is inserted into the slot 1 and the CPU 3 is operated to copy the game software as it is to the RAM board inserted into the slot 2. In this case, the CPU
3 sequentially accesses the addresses of the mask ROM of the game software, and the R of the board in slot 2 is accessed.
The same program is stored in AM.

With the spread of the above-mentioned copy machines,
Since game software can be easily copied at home, etc., its countermeasure becomes a problem.

As for copying, the ROM of the game cartridge is directly copied and sold as a real dead copy product, or the contents of the ROM are partially modified (for example, the SEGA logo is displayed on the screen). It is sold as a copy product (not displayed).

Therefore, recently, in the game software cartridge, a method of modifying hardware other than the mask ROM has been devised. As such a method, for example, there is one described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-30916. This gives a password (program data) from a specific program step of the program memory to the activating means (counter), and the activating means, when it receives this password, may read all or part of the character memory, for example. This is a method of activating by a bank switching method, and calling predetermined character data from the activated character memory according to the program in the program memory.

[0007]

However, even in the above-mentioned method, the password is stored in the program memory, so that the program memory and the character memory can be easily executed by making a full copy at the chip level. There was a problem that it was possible to duplicate a simple copy program.

The present invention has been made under the circumstances as described above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a program copy prevention apparatus which prevents game software from being easily copied.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a program copy protection device, and the object of the present invention is to store an identification code for checking whether or not the program is an original game program, and This is achieved by providing a dedicated IC that is appropriately checked and a memory in which a part of the game program is divided and stored in the game program cartridge.

[0010]

According to the present invention, a dedicated IC for storing the identification code is provided in the game program cartridge, and the game drive circuit appropriately checks the identification code.
In addition, a memory that can store an arbitrary area of the game program is provided. As a result, the hardware of the cartridge is constrained, and the game program does not operate normally only by copying the mask ROM.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of a program copy protection device of the present invention. In the figure, a game drive circuit 11 and a mask ROM 10 in which a program is stored are a security IC 20.
An address line 12 and a data line 13 are connected to each other via. Further, the game drive circuit 11 and the security IC 20 are connected by a write signal line 15,
The game drive circuit 11, the security IC 20, and the mask ROM 10 are connected by a read signal line. The security IC 20 and the mask ROM 10 are in the cartridge 30, and the security IC 20 is
It has a memory 21 in which a part of a program and an identification code are stored and a memory drive function (not shown).

FIG. 2 is a memory map showing the address relationship between the memory 21 in the security IC 20 and the mask ROM 10. Here, a part of the memory 21 in the security IC 20 is allocated overlapping with the address of the mask ROM 10 from the address 0 where the program is started.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation procedure of the program copy protection apparatus of the present invention. Therefore, when the power of the device is turned on (step S1), the game drive circuit 11 reads the information stored therein from the memory address 0. Here, in the initial state, the connection of the address line 12 to the security IC 20 is valid, so the memory 2 in the security IC 20 is connected.
The information of No. 1 is accessed (step S2).
An identification code is stored in the memory 21, and the game drive circuit reads the identification code to determine whether the program can be executed (step S).
3). When it is determined that the identification code is not the predetermined code, the reset operation is performed (step S10). On the other hand, if the identification code of the security IC 20 is determined to be a predetermined code, then the mask ROM 10 is accessed from the security IC 20 (step S4). Then, the identification code is read from the area of the mask ROM 10 in which the identification code is stored, and it is determined whether the identification code is a predetermined identification code, that is, whether the game program can be executed (step S5). Therefore, when it is determined that the identification code is not the predetermined identification code, the reset operation is performed (step S1).
0). On the other hand, if it is the predetermined identification code, the security IC 20 releases the bus including the address line 12 and the data line 13 so that the mask ROM 10 is directly connected to the game drive circuit 11 (step S6). The game drive circuit 11 is 0 again
When the process is restarted from the address, the game program stored in the mask ROM 10 is executed (step S7).
Since a part of the game program is stored in the memory 21 of the security IC 20, the exclusive right of the bus is passed to the security IC 20 again when the game program is executed. Also,
Even during the execution of the game program, the identification code in the security IC 20 is appropriately judged (step S8), and if it is not a predetermined code, a reset operation is performed (step S10).
If it is a predetermined one, the game program is continued (step S9), and which part of the program is stored in the memory 21 can be arbitrarily changed.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the program copy protection apparatus of the present invention. In the figure, the game drive circuit 11 and the mask ROM 10 are directly connected by an address line 12 and a data line 13, and a security IC 20 'and its associated EEPROM 2 are connected.
The address space of 5 does not overlap with the address space of the mask ROM 10. The EEPROM 25 stores a part of the game program and an identification code. Figure 5
It is a flow chart which shows an operation procedure. In the case of this embodiment, when the power is turned on (step S21), the game drive circuit 11 first outputs a read signal (step S21).
22), the security check command is read from the mask ROM 10 (step S23). The game drive circuit 11 checks the security IC 20 'by executing the read instruction (step S24), that is, the EEPROM 2 attached to the security IC 20'.
The identification code is read from 5 and it is determined whether or not it is a predetermined code (step S25). If the code is not the predetermined code, the game is runaway (step S27), and if it is the predetermined code, the game program stored in the mask ROM 10 is started to be executed (step S26).

In this example as well, a part of the game program is stored in the EEPROM 25 in addition to the mask ROM 10, but since the address spaces do not overlap, the address can be directly specified without the bus release / acquisition processing. Can be accessed. Further, as in the previous embodiment, the mask R
It is also possible to store the identification code in the OM 10 and perform a double check.

Finally, with the same configuration as that of the first embodiment in which the security IC 20 is provided, the security IC 20 may be provided with a special function so that the copy program cannot be executed. That is, the game drive circuit 11 makes the security IC 2 based on the instruction from the mask ROM 10.
If a specific command at 0 is given, the security IC2
0 is, for example, to invert the information of a predetermined number of bytes read from the mask ROM 10 thereafter and to provide it to the game drive circuit 11. Therefore, if the security IC 20 having such a function does not exist, the reversal information flows into the game drive circuit 11, and the game program does not operate normally.

In each of the above-described embodiments, the security IC 20 and the mask ROM 10 are formed by different chips, but if they are integrated, further analysis and copying will be impossible.

[0018]

As described above, according to the program copy prevention apparatus of the present invention, a part of the game program is mask R.
Mask ROM because it is in a memory other than OM
Even if only the program of is copied, it cannot operate by itself. Further, by combining the identification code with the displayed trademark, it is impossible to change the program so that the information on the trademark in the program to be displayed is not displayed on the display screen. Furthermore, if the security IC and the mask ROM are integrated, it is almost impossible for the copy trader to analyze the data and copy the program.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a memory map showing a relationship of address spaces.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a copy machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 slot 2 slot 3 CPU 10 mask ROM 11 game drive circuit 12 address line 13 data line 14 read signal line 15 write signal line 20 security IC 21 memory 25 EEPROM 30 cartridge

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A dedicated IC in which an identification code for checking whether or not it is an original program is stored and which is appropriately checked by a game drive circuit, and a memory in which a part of the game program is divided and stored. A program copy protection device characterized in that the game program cartridge is provided with. 2. The program copy protection device according to claim 1, wherein the memory is in the dedicated IC. 3. The address space of the dedicated IC overlaps the address space of a mask ROM in which a game program main body is stored, and after power-on, the game drive circuit first accesses the dedicated IC to access the identification code. 2. The program copy prevention method according to claim 1, wherein a check is performed and then the address space is made valid for the mask ROM. 4. When the dedicated IC receives an inversion instruction from the game drive circuit, it can invert the information from the mask ROM based on the inversion instruction and send it to the game drive circuit. The program copy prevention method described in.