JPH0681050U - IC memory card with copy protection - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] The purpose is to prevent illegal copying of programs set in the IC memory card. [Structure] A copy protection electronic circuit (IC) (2) is incorporated in an IC memory card (1) so that it can be accessed when a program read from a program built-in ROM (3) set in the IC memory card is executed. The one I made.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention incorporates a processing step for accessing a copy protection electronic circuit (IC) in a part of the program when executing the program registered in the IC memory card, so that the program can be stored in a magnetic disk device or the like. The present invention relates to an IC memory card equipped with a copy protection electronic circuit (IC) that prevents a program from being activated or executed when it is copied to another storage device.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 Programs for personal computers are generally supplied on floppy disks. However, as a result of the advanced functions and higher performance of programs in recent years, the following problems have occurred. 1. The capacity of programs has increased, and the capacity of supply media such as floppy disks has become insufficient. 2. The work of setting up (installing) on a magnetic disk is complicated. 3. Frequent reading of large-capacity programs into main memory and processing is slow with conventional floppy disks and magnetic disk devices. 4. Floppy disks are unreliable and read errors are likely to occur during long-term use, so they are often used by copying them to magnetic disk devices or backup floppy disks. For this reason, it was difficult to provide a copy protection function in the program. From the above results, the program registered in the floppy disk is often used by copying it to the magnetic disk device, and at that time, the same program may be illegally used by multiple computers.

[0003]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 Heretofore, there have been the following measures for preventing illegal use. 1. Prevent copy backup by software copy protection. 2. A floppy disk is used together with a printed circuit board (hardware) that has a ROM that contains a part of the program, and the program is executed using the contents of the ROM and the floppy disk. 3. Using a random number generator IC (hardware) built into the security cassette connected to the serial interface and a floppy disk, a floppy disk in which a part of the program is encrypted and stored is used with the security cassette. , Run the program while deciphering. However, these are 1. 1. The reliability of floppy disk is low, the access speed is low, and there is a limit to the protection of software alone. 2. It is difficult to set the hardware, depends on the model, and difficult to move. There were problems such as the interface port of the hardware being blocked and the need to use a floppy and cassette in pairs. The present invention has a problem to make a storage device which can easily prevent illegal copying of programs while being easy to handle.

[0004]

[Means for Attempting to Solve the Problems]

 In the future, it is expected that software supply methods using IC memory cards and CD-ROMs, which are highly reliable media, will spread. The present invention incorporates an IC having a built-in copy protection electronic circuit (2) into the IC memory card (1) to prevent copy protection when a program read from a program ROM (3) is executed. By executing the program while accessing the electronic circuit (2) for decryption and decrypting a part of the encrypted program, copy protection can be realized without using other hardware.

[0005]

[Action]

 Since the present invention has the above-mentioned structure, the copy protection can be realized by the IC memory card alone by incorporating the copy protection function in the IC memory card which is excellent in durability, reliability and high speed. It is easy to move between. Further, by using together with the expansion device (7) having a plurality of IC card slots connectable to an external interface, it can be used in the same manner as a magnetic disk device. Furthermore, by adding a security check function to the copy protection function, it is possible to check whether the same program connected via a network is simultaneously accessed from multiple computers (terminals). In addition, since the program built in the IC memory card is registered in the ROM and it is difficult to decipher together with the copy prevention function, it also has the effect of preventing illegal program tampering (computer virus intrusion) and unauthorized use. .

[0006]

【Example】

 The following copy protection methods are possible. 1. Part of the program is encrypted and registered in advance, and the decryption program is set in the copy protection IC (ROM). 2. A part of the program is encrypted with a random number table and decrypted with random number data created by a random number generation custom IC for copy protection. 3. Part of the program is registered in the copy protection IC (ROM). 4. The program only checks for the presence of copy protection electronics. In addition, a plurality of IC memory cards in which basic programs (OS) and application programs are registered are set in an expansion device equipped with an IC card slot into which a plurality of IC memory cards can be loaded, an interface similar to a magnetic disk, and a control circuit. It is possible to use the same as a high-speed external magnetic disk device.

[0007]

[Effect of device]

 Due to the above configuration, the tree plan can be realized by using the copy protection function, which was difficult only with software, together with the hardware (IC), and can be integrated. As a result, the software cannot be easily copied, and even if the software is copied, the program cannot be used unless the IC memory card is set, so that it is possible to prevent unauthorized use by copying. Moreover, since the application program and the copy protection electronic circuit (IC) are integrated in the IC memory card, it becomes easy to move between computers.

[0008]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view when the present invention is disassembled.

[Fig. 2] Configuration diagram of the present proposal

[Fig. 3] Processing example of the present invention

[Fig. 4] Usage example of the present invention

[Explanation of symbols]

 (1) IC memory card (2) Copy protection electronic circuit (IC) (3) ROM with built-in program (4) Control circuit (IC) (5) Non-volatile memory (6) Data (7) Built-in multi-stage IC memory card slot Expansion device

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. An IC memory card having a copy protection electronic circuit (IC), which is accessed when a program is executed, built in the IC memory card.