JP2001216041A - Method for circulating software product - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To circulate plural software products without increasing the price of software in a system for distributing software products through communication. SOLUTION: A key for starting a software product to be used by a software user is obtained through communication with a software provider each time the software product is used, and this key is inputted to the preliminarily or simultaneously down-loaded software product so that the software product can be turned into a startable state. At that time, the start key enables the start of the software product only once.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention distributes and uses various application software products (hereinafter referred to as "software products") such as word processors, spreadsheets, games, and karaoke to software users via communication. Related to software distribution method. More specifically, it is a method of providing software from a software product provider to a user or granting a license by using a public line or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there are the following methods for distributing software products using communication.

(A) A method in which a user downloads software via communication and receives a start-up password on condition that the user pays a fee using a user's cash card or the like. Use software while downloading software in real time

[0004] The method (a) is a method commonly used in personal computer communication, but a user connects to a computer of a software provider that distributes a specific software product by personal computer communication. At this point, the user receives an introduction to the software, a description of how to obtain the software, and a description of the payment method, and according to the instructions, the user downloads the desired software product to his / her personal computer. You may be allowed to try the downloaded software for a limited period of time, but basically you will get a password for official use.

In order to obtain a password, the user connects the computer again to the software provider or software creator, and confirms payment of the usage fee using a cash card or the like, and confirms compliance with the contract. After completing the procedure, ask for a password. The password you receive will be entered into the downloaded software product, and it will become software that has been officially licensed for use. It will recognize the password and unlock the activation or skip the payment request screen. .

Next, the method (b), which is used in communication karaoke, etc., is connected to a software provider using communication or a dedicated line, and is connected to the software provider. The software is downloaded to the user's personal computer or karaoke machine, and new music is downloaded as soon as the song is changed. As described above, there is an advantage that the user can always obtain new software while being connected to the software provider's computer during use of the software, and can use a large amount of software while staying there. In this case, the usage fee may be paid in advance with a contract in advance, and a regular usage fee may be paid including the installation of a dedicated machine, or the number of downloaded software may be counted according to the communication situation. , And pay the royalties accordingly.

[0007] The above-described communication method for distributing software has the following disadvantages.

In the method (a), the user can use the software as many times as he / she obtains the license once. Therefore,
Since the software provider can only get the initial price, the offered price will be set higher. As a result, the burden on the user is increased, the use of multiple software cannot be easily performed, and the user may be required to pay for each version upgrade. Therefore, the user may lose his willingness to purchase.

[0009] Furthermore, a person who has not received a license may use the downloaded software without permission, and there is a high possibility that the profit as a software provider will be reduced.

Next, in the method (b), the software must be downloaded in real time. Therefore, when using the software, the line must be kept connected. Therefore, when using a public line, a public line usage fee is required in addition to the program usage fee, and the user bears a double burden. In addition, the software provider must monopolize the line for a long time and always operate a computer as a software server, and the facilities and load for providing the software become enormous. As a result, the amount of software that can be provided at the same time is limited, and a situation in which the contracted user cannot use the software depending on the time of day is caused. And such investment will be reflected in the price of software, which also leads to the rise of software price.

[0011]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention proposes a method for providing a new software product to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks.

[0012]

According to an aspect of the present invention, a key for starting a software product that a software user intends to use is obtained by communication with the software provider every time the key is used. By inputting this in advance or simultaneously with the downloaded software product, the software product can be activated. At this time, the activation key enables activation of the software product only once.

[0013]

[Function] To obtain the activation key, only when the user intends to use it, communication is connected to the software provider, and the software corresponding to the desired software product is downloaded. This activation key is used for the software product. Automatically disabled by turning off or turning off the power.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of an implementation environment of an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a personal computer possessed by the software user, and 2 is a communication modem connected to the personal computer. The communication modem 2 may be built in the personal computer, and the personal computer 1 and the communication modem 2 may be integrated into a dedicated communication machine. The communication software stored in the personal computer 1 connects the communication modem 2 to a computer 3 of a software provider called a vendor or a provider through a telephone line. After the connection of the communication is completed, the personal computer 1 starts a procedure for purchasing the software. When a series of procedures is completed, the communication is disconnected, and the personal computer 1 can use the purchased software. Note that the purchase here generally means obtaining a license to use the software.

Next, a procedure for purchasing software between the personal computer 1 on the user side and the computer 3 on the provider side will be described. First, a procedure procedure on the user side will be described. When the connection to the software provider is established by communication as described above, the software purchase program is started on both sides, and the user performs the work of purchasing the software according to the program. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the procedure of this procedure. Here, a description will be given of an operation in which the program for the procedure and the software product to be used have already been read into the user's computer, and the keys for starting these are obtained by communication. When such a program has a large capacity, the reading time becomes extremely long. Therefore, by obtaining the program in advance from a large-capacity storage device such as a CD-ROM,
Communication time can be saved. Of course, the procedure processing program and the software product itself may be downloaded during communication.

In step 4, communication using the communication modem 2 is started, and the connection is made to the computer 3 of the software provider. In step 5, software to be sold (licensed) is displayed on the menu screen, and in step 6, the user selects a desired software product from these. In step 7, the software product name selected by the user is transmitted to the provider. At this time, the time at that time is transmitted simultaneously.

In step 8, an activation key of the software product selected by the software provider is received in response to the processing of the software provider described below. The activation key may be considered as an encrypted password for activating the software product. Then, in step 9, the communication is terminated.

Subsequently, in step 10, the selected software product is activated. However, this software cannot be executed as it is, but it is actually executed by decrypting the previously obtained start key into an execution key for executing the software product and recognizing this.

The start key will be described here. The start key is composed of a password or a small program containing information necessary for starting the software product, and is based on time data previously transmitted from the user. It is encrypted and restored by a predetermined decryption processing program. The program has a certain numerical value, for example, 3562
When activated at 7410, a specific activation key is created from the result calculated based on the time data sent from the user. Numerical value 35627410 in this case
Is the execution key here.

For example, when the time transmitted by the user is 13:27 on Aug. 17, 1996, a value obtained by subtracting a numerical value obtained by arranging a part of this time in reverse from the execution key is 35627.
410-31718069 = 3909341 is used as a start key. The procedure is such that if the first activation key sent is to run the program as it is, a malicious user memorizes the numerical value and starts the corresponding program many times. This is to prevent use. Here, the activation key may be anything as long as it can be encrypted, and may be any system that can prevent the malicious use of the user. But,
In the simplest case, a predetermined activation key is transmitted, a program is activated based on the activation key, and the activation key is erased when the use is completed. This erasure is performed by keeping the activation key only in the main memory of the computer, and is erased by turning off the power or loading another program.

In step 11, an activation key decryption program is executed. Here, the decryption and verification of the activation key are performed in combination with the next step 12. For decryption,
The reverse process of the above-described activation key generation may be considered, and the transmission time data 3171806 is added to the activation key 3909341.
9 to obtain an execution key 35627410. As the transmission time, the time transmitted in step 7 is stored and used here. Next, the decrypted execution key is verified to verify whether it matches the execution key embedded in the program of the selected software product. If they match, the target software product is executed in step 13; otherwise, the process ends. As soon as the executed software product is terminated, the start key and the execution key on the main memory are deleted. If you want to execute it again, connect to the software provider again by communication and obtain an activation key.

Next, a processing procedure in the computer 3 of the software provider will be described with reference to FIG. In step 14, the communication is started at the time when the communication is requested from the user, and the program for the procedure process is executed. At step 15, the software product name and time data are received from the user. Then, in step 16, a start key is generated from the execution key and the time data required for executing the software product selected based on the time data. The generation method is as described above. The generated activation key is immediately transmitted to the user to end the communication.

By the way, as a software provider, it is necessary to know the number of times of use of a user and charge the user. Therefore, in step 19, the count of the number of uses of the software product specified by the user is incremented to update the database. Based on this database, the user is periodically charged for the usage fee.

In the above embodiment, the time is used when the execution key is created. However, this information may be any information as long as the function of encryption can be guaranteed, and a random number generated by a random number generator may be used.

[0026]

According to the present invention, the software provider can grasp the number of times of use of the user and can make a charge accordingly, so that future profits can be secured by selling out or, in some cases, unauthorized copying is not performed. Since there is no need to consider prices such as additional profits that would have been obtained, the price of software itself can be kept low. In addition, since there is no need to keep the communication connected for a long time, not only the line usage fee can be saved, but also the occupation time of the host computer can be extremely short, so that an environment where many users can use it without stress is provided. Can be provided. In addition, since users do not need to purchase software products that are used infrequently or are very expensive, they can easily use many software products and, conversely, are easy to sell for software developers. Only software products need to be made, and there is less need to compete with similar products, which has a significant effect on software distribution, and thus helps to improve the quality of software products.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an implementation environment of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a flow on the software user side of the method of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a flow on a software provider side.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1. Computer 2. Modem 3. Computer

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A software provider that distributes a software product via communication, and a software user connected to the software provider receives the software product,
(1) the software user selects a desired software product and requests the software provider; and (2) the software provider responds to the request. Transmitting the desired software product and a start key for starting the desired software product; and (3) starting the desired software using the start key on the software user side. And a step of requesting the activation key for each use of the user.