JP3212078B2 - Specific method of terminal using application software - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an application software for making application software installed and used in a storage device of a computer usable only by one computer when one software is purchased. This is related to a method for terminal-specific use.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art At present, personal computers (hereinafter, referred to as personal computers).
"PC". With the spread of), various types of application software are being replaced by floppy disks, CD-ROMs,
Alternatively, it is provided in the form of data communication. These application softwares are installed and used on personal computers owned by users.

At this time, if illegal acts such as illegally copying and using application software cannot be prohibited,
Software providers suffer a great deal of damage. For this reason, conventionally, passwords are issued only to software purchasers who have registered the user, application software cannot be used without entering this password, and only authorized users of the software can use the application software. A method has been adopted to make it unusable.

[0004]

However, in such a simple method, a person who has purchased the software regularly installs one piece of software on a number of personal computers, and uses a password issued at the time of user registration to use each personal computer. Abuse such as using application software cannot be prohibited.

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to improve the reliability of software protection that makes application software usable only by one computer.

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems, Embodiments of the Invention and Effects of the Invention The present invention made to achieve the above object is installed in a storage device of a computer and used as described in claim 1. Is a method of making an application software to be used by only one computer when one piece of software is purchased, wherein the method is specific to a terminal of a computer in which the application software is installed. A unique registration number that is generated each time the application software is installed, and notifies the registration number to the software provider side. Issue a license number calculated by applying the calculation rule, and Is entered into the computer, it is checked whether the correspondence between the license number and the registration number is a regular relationship, and the license number and the registration number are in a regular relationship. If it is not, the application software cannot be started on the computer, and if it has a legitimate relationship, the protected file storing the continuous use permission information for permitting subsequent use is A random number is generated every time the application software is installed in the storage device, and the registration number is calculated based on the random number. The registration number is calculated according to a predetermined number of random numbers selected from among the random numbers of
The protected file is stored in the application
Use a unique file name that differs for each type of
Corresponds to the unique file name in the protected file
Write predetermined file identification information to
The file name found from other information and the actual file name
If not, start the application software.
The feature is that it is not possible to do .

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the use permission number corresponding to the conventional password is issued according to a predetermined calculation rule using the registration number stored in the storage device as a parameter when the application software is installed. You. Moreover, this registration number is different every time the software is installed. Therefore, even if the user installs the license on one computer and issues a license number, and installs the same application software on the second computer and enters the license number,
When installed on the second computer, a different registration number is stored, so that application software cannot be started. Therefore, it is possible to appropriately prohibit illegal acts such as installing and using one piece of software on a plurality of computers.
For the first computer, the protection file storing the continuous use permission information is completed.
After the license number is issued, the application software can be used continuously.

Here, the registration number stored at the time of installation is generated by generating a random number each time the application software is installed and calculating based on the random number as described above. It is preferable that the number is hardly generated at the time of installation on the second and subsequent computers.

In particular, it is preferable that a plurality of the random numbers are generated during one installation, and the registration number is calculated according to a predetermined number of random numbers selected from the plurality of random numbers. Compared to using only one random number, the probability that the same numerical value will occur by chance is lower, and the probability that the same registration number will occur can be almost completely eliminated.

Further, as described in claim 2,
A terminal-specific method for using application software, wherein application software installed and used in a storage device of a computer can be used only by one computer when one software is purchased, wherein the application A unique registration number generated each time the application software is installed is stored in a storage device of a computer on which the software is installed, and the registration number is notified to a provider of the software to provide the software. The user issues a license number calculated by applying the registration number to a predetermined calculation rule, and when the license number is input to the computer, the correspondence between the license number and the registration number is determined. Check if the license is valid, and In order to prevent the application software from being started on the computer when the number and the registration number are not in a formal relationship, and to permit subsequent use when the formal number is in a formal relationship. A protection file storing the continuous use permission information is completed in the storage device, and the use permission number is divided into the registration number and a predetermined digit number generated by decomposing the registration number according to a predetermined rule. The method may be a method specific to a terminal using application software, wherein the calculation is performed according to a predetermined calculation rule using both parameters as parameters. For example, only the upper digits of the registration number are extracted, or a new number is created by combining the registration numbers one by one from the top, and the new number thus created is also used as a parameter. By that
Only by comparing the registration number and the use permission number, the issuing rule of the use permission number is not understood. This allows the software purchaser to analyze the relationship between the officially issued license number and the registration number and identify the license number from the registration number generated when the application software is installed on the second computer Can be made virtually impossible.

When the above method is adopted, if it takes time from notification of the registration number to issuance of the use permission number, the application software cannot be used during that time. Therefore, in order to eliminate such inconvenience,
As described in claim 3, in the method for terminal-application-specific using application software according to claim 1 or 2,
It is preferable that the activation of the application software installed on the computer is permitted only for a predetermined period after the installation, even if the protection file is not completed. If this predetermined period is set to be longer than the period until the license number is issued, the above inconvenience can be solved.
Authorized purchasers of the application software can use it immediately after installation.

By the way, even with the above method, a malicious user who installs the application software on the second and subsequent computers, first installs the application software, obtains a proper license number, and copies the completed protected file to the second user or the other computer can be used. In other words, accurate fraud prevention cannot be achieved.

[0013] Therefore, as described in claim 4, in the application software use terminal specific method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the correspondence between the use permission number and the registration number is a regular relation. When it can be confirmed that, the predetermined protection information is added to the system management file existing in the storage device of the computer, even if the protection file is completed,
If the predetermined protection information is not written in the system management file, it is preferable that application software cannot be started. The system management file is, for example, WIN.COM if the computer has WINDOWS (registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation; the same applies hereinafter). A file registered in the storage device with a file name of INI.

The registration number generated when the application software is installed needs to be notified to the software provider, so that the software purchaser can know the number itself, but the protection information added in the system management file Is not information to notify the software provider, and cannot be understood without analyzing the data in the system management file. Such an analysis is not possible without considerable mania. Even for enthusiasts, such an analysis requires a great deal of effort.

On the other hand, the system management file is used for initial setting of conditions necessary for management of peripheral devices such as a printer and file management in a hard disk for each computer. If you copy the file to the peripheral, the peripheral device will not work or you will not be able to manage files. Therefore, it is practically impossible to copy the system management file and remove the protection.

Therefore, according to the method of the fourth aspect, unauthorized use of the application software can be almost surely prevented.

As described above, using the system management file for preventing unauthorized use is an extremely effective method for preventing unauthorized use at this stage.

Also, as described in claim 5, claim 2
In the above-described method for terminal identification using application software, the protected file is set to a unique file name that differs for each type of application software, and predetermined file identification information corresponding to the unique file name is written in the protected file. If the file name found from the file identification information is different from the actual file name, the application software may not be started. By doing so, a license is obtained for different types of application software to complete the protection file, and this is used by rewriting the name of the protection file required for the application software for which the usage is not licensed. This is because when such fraud is performed, it is determined that the file name has been rewritten, and such fraudulent acts are prohibited.

According to the present invention, application software installed and used in a storage device of a computer can be used by only one computer when one software is purchased. A method of making the terminal specific to the use of application software, wherein a condition that a predetermined protection file indicating that use has been licensed by the software provider is completed in the storage device is used as a condition for permitting use of the application software. Writing protection information for enabling the application software to be used only in the computer in a system management file existing in a storage device of the computer in which the application software is installed, and the protection file is completed. Also If regular protection information is not written in the system management file, the application software cannot be started, and the protection file has a unique file name that differs for each type of application software. In the protected file, predetermined file identification information corresponding to the unique file name is written, and when the file name found from the file identification information is different from the actual file name, application software can be started. It is also possible to use a method for making the terminal unique to the application software using the application software.

According to this method, the protection of the application software cannot be removed even if only the protected file is copied to another computer. The analysis of system management files requires a great deal of effort, even for enthusiasts, as described above. Copying the entire file as it is can cause malfunctions of peripheral devices, so it is necessary to securely prevent fraud. Can be achieved. Then, in the same manner as in the invention described in claim 5, the use permission is obtained for different types of application software to complete the protection file,
If an unauthorized application attempts to use this program by rewriting it to the necessary protected file name for application software for which use has not been approved, it is determined that the file name has been rewritten, Can be banned.

In order to carry out such a method, a computer readable program recorded with a protection program that describes a procedure for causing a computer to execute the terminal software application terminal specific method according to any one of claims 1 to 6 is described. It is good to use a suitable medium. The medium mentioned here includes:
Floppy disk (FD), CD-ROM, magneto-optical disk (MO), magnetic disk (MD), magnetic tape,
It includes not only various storage media used as computer peripherals, such as a hard disk and a ROM, but also communication media. In addition, the medium is not only a medium for setting the program in a floppy disk drive or a CD-ROM drive of a computer and executing the program as it is, but also a medium for recording a program to be installed and used on a hard disk or the like. Alternatively, it also includes a hard disk on which a program is preinstalled.

For example, in a medium such as a CD-ROM or a floppy disk on which application software is recorded,
It is only necessary to incorporate such a protection program. In this case, the protection program may be recorded as a single program, or may be incorporated in application software.

More specifically, a terminal for using application software for making application software installed and used in a storage device of a computer usable by only one computer when one software is purchased. A registration number generation step of generating a random number when the application software is installed, generating a unique registration number for each installation based on the random number, and writing the generated registration number in the storage device to cause the computer to execute the unique method. And when the execution of the installed application software is instructed,
An input requesting step for requesting the input of a use permission number that uniquely corresponds to the registration number, and whether the number input in response to the request of the input request step is a use permission number that uniquely corresponds to the registration number A verification step for checking whether or not the license number is determined from the registration number according to a predetermined calculation rule for determining the license number. A flag setting step of setting a use permission flag for permitting continued use of the application software in the storage device when it is confirmed that the use permission flag is set, and when the use permission flag is not set Is a protection step describing a procedure for executing a prohibition step of prohibiting continuous use of the application software. The program may record the machine read the medium as possible.

When the application software is installed in the computer by the protection program, a random number is generated in a registration number generation step, and a unique registration number for each installation is generated based on the random number and written in the storage device. In this case, it is of course preferable to generate a plurality of random numbers and calculate the registration number based on the plurality of random numbers.

When the application software installed as described above is to be executed, an input requesting step is executed, and an input of a use permission number is required.
Then, when the user inputs a number in response to the request of the input requesting step, a verification step is executed, and the correspondence between the registration number and the use permission number is confirmed. Then, when it is confirmed that the input use permission number uniquely corresponds to the registration number by executing the check step, a flag set step is executed to continue the use of the application software thereafter. A use permission flag for permitting is set in the storage device. When this flag is not set, the prohibition step prohibits the continued use of the application software. As described above, if this medium is set in the computer and the protection program is executed, the method according to claim 1 can be easily implemented. In this case, it is preferable to install this protection program at the same time when the application software is installed.

In the above-mentioned recording medium, when the protection program is further confirmed by the checking step that the input use permission number uniquely corresponds to the registration number. Writing predetermined protection information for permitting the continued use of the application software in a system management file existing in the storage device, and the use permission flag is already set. Alternatively, the program may include a double check step for preventing the use of the application software when predetermined protection information is not written in the system management file. In the protect program provided by this medium, not only the use permission flag is set but also predetermined protect information is written in the system management file. Then, the continuous use of the application software is permitted only after the double check that the use permission flag is set and the predetermined protection information is written during the system management. Thus, the method described in claim 6 can be easily implemented.

Further, in the recording medium as described above, when the application program is installed, the protection program may be further installed for a predetermined period after the installation even if the use permission flag is not set. A period management information entry step of writing period management information for defining a use permission period in which the use of the device is permitted in the storage device; and a request not to input a use permission number in response to the request of the input request step. When the usage period is within the use permission period by comparing the internal calendar of the computer with the period management information, a period management step of permitting use of the application software is executed. If the method of claim 5 is easily implemented, It can be.

The means for solving the problems in the present invention, the embodiments of the present invention, and the effects of the present invention have been described in detail, but more specific explanations will be given using examples.

[0029]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A protection method according to an embodiment is described as a program in a computer-readable language, and is realized by executing a protection program written on a portable storage medium such as a CD-ROM or a floppy disk together with application software. . The application software and the protection program are installed and used in a storage device such as a hard disk attached to the user's personal computer.

When the portable storage medium is set on the user's personal computer and the application software is installed, the above-described protection program is executed, and first, a protection file registration process is performed. This processing may be executed before the actual installation of the application software is started, or may be executed when the installation is completed.

In this process, first, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 1, a protect file is created in the hard disk of the personal computer (S110).

As shown in FIG. 2, the protect file includes a protect flag PFLG, a registration number RNO, a use permission number UNO, period management information SDATE, and EDAT.
It is configured as a table in which storage columns of E, file management information FNAME, and verification information CAL are arranged in a predetermined order. Of these, predetermined information such as numerical values determined in advance by the application software provider is entered in the column of the check information CAL. The other columns are blank or filled with meaningless information.

After the protection file is created in this way, based on the file name of the protection file,
File identification information FNAME according to a predetermined calculation rule
Is determined and written in the corresponding column in the protection file (S120).

The file name of the protect file is given a unique name for each application software. For example, A for program A
AA. For SYS and B programs, BBB. SY
For C and S programs, CCC. Such as SYS, a protection file having a different file name is created for each program. Therefore,
In the process of S120, for example, if the current installation is for the A program, a process is performed such that code information obtained by multiplying the initial letter A by a predetermined mask is determined as the file identification information FNAME and written in the corresponding column. Because

Next, the current date is specified from the internal calendar of the computer, and is specified by the period management information SDATE,
It is written in the corresponding column of the protect file as the use start date SDATE of EDATE (S130). Further, a date obtained by adding a certain period, for example, 30 days, to the use start date SDATE is written as a use end date EDATE in a corresponding column of the protect file (S140).

Next, three random numbers are generated (S15).
0). Then, two of the three random numbers are extracted (S160). The random number extraction rule may be, for example, to discard the first generated random number and use the second and third random numbers, or to exclude the random number having the largest numerical value. Some rules may be used, and some rules are determined in advance.

When the two random numbers have been extracted in this way, the two random numbers are applied to a predetermined calculation rule to calculate a registration number RNO, and write it into the corresponding column of the protect file (S170). For example, multiplication or division is performed using two random numbers, the numerical value of the calculation result is divided into an integer part and a decimal part, and only the decimal part is extracted. Further, the numerical value forming the decimal part becomes “0”. A so-called “zero-padding” is performed to exclude the last digit, and the final registration number R of a predetermined number of digits is executed.
A predetermined calculation rule such as calculating NO is determined in advance.

As described above, the protection file registration processing is completed. As a result, a protection file corresponding to the installed application software is registered in the hard disk of the personal computer. However, at this point, the protect flag PFLG in the protect file is in the OFF state, and the use permission number UNO is blank or has a meaningless numerical value.

Finally, the registration number RNO determined in S170 is displayed on the monitor of the personal computer (S180). This is for notifying the user of the registration number of the application software for the personal computer and using the registration number in a later procedure. This is because the user notifies the registration number displayed on the monitor to the provider of the application software and performs a procedure for issuing a use permission number.

As shown in FIG. 3, when this registration number is notified to the provider of the application software, the software provider issues a use permission number in accordance with an arbitrarily defined calculation rule, and notifies the user. I do. The above check information CAL
Is defined as information for confirming whether or not a use permission number has been issued based on this calculation rule.

In this embodiment, in order to improve the security, the use permission number is issued by adopting the following operation rule.

The result of the four arithmetic operations using the registration number itself as a parameter and a newly created number obtained by picking up only a predetermined number of digits from the registration numbers are further executed and used. The permission number is determined. In other words, instead of simply determining the use permission number from the registration number itself, the registration number is decomposed according to a predetermined rule to create a new number, and the new number also follows two or more variables as parameters. By executing the calculation, the security is further improved.

Next, the processing executed when the program is started will be described.

When trying to start the application software installed as described above, FIG.
As shown in the flowchart of (1), first, it is confirmed whether or not the protect file is registered (S210).
For example, if you want to start program A,
AAA. It is checked whether a protect file with the file name SYS exists.

After confirming that the protected file has been registered, the information written in the file identification information FNAME column in the protected file is read out (S220), and the file identification information FNAME and the file name are read. A match / mismatch is confirmed (S230).
If the file identification information FNAME and the file name match, S230 is YES, and it is next checked whether the protect flag PFLG in the protected file is ON (S240). Protect flag P
FLG is OFF when the program is to be started for the first time. If the protection flag PFLG is OFF, a message "Do you want to enter a license number?" Is displayed on the monitor (S250), and input of a license number is waited for (S260). If the use permission number has been issued at this time, the user may input the number from the keyboard. On the other hand, if the use permission number has not been issued, “NO” is input.

If "NO" is entered, the end-of-use date EDATE in the protected file is read out and the (S
270), the date of the internal calendar of the computer is read (S280), and the current date is set to the end of use date EDATE.
It is determined whether or not it is earlier (S290). If the current date is before the use end date EDATE, the application software is started (S300), and the use end date EDA is used.
If TE has passed, an error message "This program cannot be used." Is displayed (S31).
0).

On the other hand, if the use permission number UNO is input in S260, the verification information C
The AL and the registration number RNO are read (S320), and a check is performed to confirm whether or not the input use permission number UNO has been determined based on the registration number RNO (S330, S340).

As a result of this check, if it is confirmed that the input use permission number UNO is valid, the use permission number UNO is written in the protection file and the protection flag PFLG is set to ON ( S350). Then, after writing the protection information in the system management information file of the personal computer, the process proceeds to S300 to start the program (S360). In addition, as a result of the check, if the input use permission number UNO is not a valid one, the process proceeds to S310, and an error message is displayed.

As the system management information file,
For example, if WINDOWS is the OS, WI
N. Files registered under the file name INI correspond to this. The protection information written in the process of S360 is written at a predetermined position in the system management information file as masked information so that it cannot be easily read. The write position of this protect information is also determined in advance.

On the other hand, when the protection flag PFLG is already
If it is confirmed that the number has become N (S240 = YE
S), the protection information that should have been written at a predetermined position in the system management information file is read (S37).
0), it is confirmed whether or not the protection information is correct (S380). If the protection information has been correctly written, the process proceeds to S300, and the program is started. However, if the protection information has not been written, or if some information has been written in the corresponding position but this is not the normal protection information, the process proceeds to S310 and an error occurs. S210
Also in the case where the existence of the protected file cannot be confirmed in step, the process proceeds to step S320, and an error occurs.

According to the present embodiment, since only one application software is purchased,
If this is attempted to be installed and used on two or more personal computers,
Protection is performed as follows. For the personal computer installed first, the application provider issues one regular use permission number, so that the program can be started even after 30 days have passed.

There may be a case where the protection file of the second computer is deleted to remove the protection. However, in this embodiment, since the process of confirming whether or not the protected file itself exists in S210, the protection cannot be removed by deleting the protected file.

There may be a case where the use permission number issued in the installation on the first computer is diverted to the second and subsequent computers to remove the protection. However, since the registration number is different every time the application software is installed, the check in S330 and S340 results in an error, and one application software cannot be used by two computers. This is advantageous in that a different registration number is generated for each installation, and the program cannot be started unless the registration number and the use permission number satisfy a predetermined relationship.

It is assumed that a protection file of the first computer is searched for and copied to a second computer. In this case, the protection flag PF
Since LG is ON, S240 can be cleared, but when the system management file is checked in S370, the protection information cannot be checked and an error occurs. By adopting a configuration in which the protection information is also written to the system management file, the protection cannot be broken by copying the protection file.

As a more malicious case, if both the protection file and the system management file are copied, the protection itself is broken. But,
Since the system management file usually differs for each computer, if it is copied in its entirety, a trouble in system management of the computer occurs. Therefore, by adopting a configuration in which the protection information is written in the system management file, it is practically impossible to break the protection by copying the protection file.

It should be noted that the file identification information FNAME is also written in the protected file, and whether or not the file name is correct is checked in S230, so that the normally completed protected file is copied for different types of application software. It is possible to check a case where the file name is changed to a protected file name to be completed in another application software.

In addition, after receiving a formal use permission number for different application software, another copy of the protection file created by obtaining the formal use permission is installed as is. When copied to a computer, the file identification information FNAME is protected by a match / mismatch determination, and the use of application software obtained through an unauthorized route is excluded (S23).
0).

Further, in the calculation rule for issuing the use permission number, not only the registration number itself but also a new number obtained by disassembling the registration number and combining a predetermined number of digits by a predetermined rule is used as a parameter. However, even if an attempt is made to analyze data in a protected file of a computer which has been authorized to use it to find an operation rule, it cannot be found easily. Since the variable not written in the protection file is used and this variable itself is obtained by applying the registration number to the predetermined rule and decomposing it, a constant value such as a coefficient It is not.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, 1
One piece of application software can be used only by one computer, and unauthorized use can be reliably eliminated. In addition, even during the process of issuing a license number for eliminating unauthorized use, use can be permitted by the period management information for a certain period, so that the user can use the application software immediately after purchasing the application software. And the inconvenience caused by executing the above protection is not given.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be embodied in various forms.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing the contents of a program executed when application software is installed in an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a protect file generated in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing exchange of numbers between a software provider and a software purchaser in the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the contents of a program executed when application software is started in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the contents of a program executed when application software is started in the embodiment.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G06F 9/06 G06F 12/14

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. An application software use terminal specific method for making application software installed and used in a storage device of a computer usable by only one computer when one software is purchased. Storing a unique registration number generated each time the application software is installed in a storage device of a computer in which the application software is installed, and notifying the registration number of the software to the provider of the software. Thus, the software provider issues a license number calculated by applying the registration number to a predetermined calculation rule, and when the license number is input to the computer,
Check whether the correspondence between the use permission number and the registration number is a proper relation, and if the use permission number and the registration number are not the proper relation, In a case where the software cannot be started, and if the software is in a formal relationship, a protected file storing continuous use permission information for permitting subsequent continuous use is completed in the storage device, and the application is completed. Each time software is installed, a random number is generated, the registration number is calculated based on the random number, a plurality of the random numbers are generated at one installation,
It is obtained by the manner for calculating the registration number in accordance with a random number of predetermined number selected from among of the plurality of random numbers, the protection files, application software
Use a unique file name that differs for each type, and specify the unique file name in the protected file.
The corresponding predetermined file identification information is written, and the file name and the actual file identified from the file identification information are written.
If the file name is different , use the application software
A method for terminal-specific use of application software, characterized in that the terminal cannot be started . 2. An application software terminal-specific method for making application software installed and used in a storage device of a computer usable only by one computer when one software is purchased. Storing a unique registration number generated each time the application software is installed in a storage device of a computer in which the application software is installed, and notifying the registration number of the software to the provider of the software. Thus, the software provider issues a license number calculated by applying the registration number to a predetermined calculation rule, and when the license number is input to the computer,
Check whether the correspondence between the use permission number and the registration number is a proper relation, and if the use permission number and the registration number are not the proper relation, In addition to preventing the software from being started, if the software is in a formal relationship, a protected file storing continuous use permission information for permitting subsequent continuous use is completed in the storage device. An application, wherein the permission number is calculated according to a predetermined calculation rule using both the registration number and a predetermined digit number created by decomposing the registration number according to a predetermined rule as a parameter. How to use software specific terminal. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the application software is installed on the computer for a predetermined period after the installation even if the protection file is not completed. A method for terminal specificization using application software, characterized in that the activation of the application software is permitted. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the correspondence between the use permission number and the registration number is confirmed to be a regular relation. Adding predetermined protection information to a system management file existing in the storage device of the computer, and if the predetermined protection information is not written in the system management file even if the protection file is completed. Is a method for personalizing a terminal using application software, wherein the application software cannot be started. 5. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the protected file has a unique file name that differs for each type of application software, and the protected file corresponds to the unique file name. Terminal for writing predetermined file identification information to be executed, and when the file name found from the file identification information is different from the actual file name, the application software cannot be started. Specialization method. 6. A terminal-specific method for using application software, which is used to install and use application software in a storage device of a computer when only one computer is purchased. The use condition of the application software is that a predetermined protection file, which means that the use has been permitted by the software provider, is completed in the storage device, and the computer installed the application software. In the system management file existing in the storage device, write protection information for enabling the application software to be used only for the computer. Even if the protection file is completed, the protection information is written in the system management file. If the regular protection information is not written in the application file, the application software cannot be started, and the protection file has a unique file name that is different for each type of application software. And writing predetermined file identification information corresponding to the unique file name, so that if the file name found from the file identification information is different from the actual file name, application software cannot be started. A method for terminal-specific using application software.