JP5473146B2 - Software protection method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a software protection method for preventing unauthorized use of software such as a computer system.

  In a computer system, a software protection method for preventing unauthorized copying of software includes a hardware method and a software method.

  The hardware method is a method in which a protection device is connected to a USB connector or a printer connector of a computer main body and timely monitoring is performed from an execution program. In this hardware method, the operation is continued when the corresponding protection device is connected, and the operation is interrupted when it is not connected.

  On the other hand, the software method is a method in which the execution program monitors the protection code registered in advance at a specific location in the memory. In this software method, the operation is continued when the corresponding protection code is registered, and the operation is interrupted when it is not registered.

  Note that the protection code is generally registered when software including an execution program is installed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-325712

  However, the hardware method has a drawback that the selling price of software increases because a protection device is required.

  In the case of the software method, since illegal copying is possible according to malicious intentions such as ignoring a license contract, there is a drawback that software can be installed and executed on a plurality of computers.

  Furthermore, both types are for executable files generated by the compiler, and there was no way to protect the source program that was executed by the interpreter used on the office computer.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to solve the disadvantages of the conventional hardware method and software method and to protect the program used in the office computer. A protection method is provided.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the license transfer applicant obtains hardware specific information of the license transfer source computer, and the license transfer code is given to the license transfer source computer by the license transfer source computer. Deleting the license code to be transferred from the license code table storing the license, the license transfer source computer performing a logical operation and encryption of the deleted license code to generate a license transfer code, and the license movement applicant, acquiring hardware specific information of the license destination computer, the license issuer, from said license move applicant, hardware-specific information and the said obtained license the source computer In response to the submission of the hardware specific information of the license transfer destination computer and the license transfer code generated by the license transfer source computer, the hardware transfer information of the license transfer source computer and the license transfer If the license issuer determines that the license code is valid, the license issuer uses the license generation software to logically calculate the hardware specific information of the acquired license transfer destination computer and the application identification information to which the license is transferred. Calculating and encrypting a new license code; and registering the generated new license code in a license code table of the license transfer destination computer. The features.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the license is determined by the licensor code created based on the hardware-specific information, so that the software can be operated only for the license-registered computer. As a result, the license can be managed on a computer basis.

  Also, when changing the computer to be executed, the license is transferred, and at that time, the license transfer code is used together with the license deletion, so that the license registration on the source computer can be securely deleted and other Unauthorized copying to a computer can be prevented.

  In addition, only privileged users can store application identification information in the header of the program file, etc., and non-privileged users cannot refer to or change this identification using the source program editing software (source editor). Therefore, it is possible to apply protection to software written in an interpreted program language.

The system block diagram of the office computer by which the software protection method which concerns on one embodiment of this invention was employ | adopted. The figure which shows the application identification information writing based on the embodiment. The figure which shows the license code production | generation concerning the embodiment. The flowchart for demonstrating the operation | movement of the embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a license code issuance and registration procedure according to the embodiment. The figure which shows the transfer of the license code which concerns on the same embodiment, and a registration procedure example

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  A system configuration of, for example, an office computer in which the software protection method is implemented will be described with reference to FIG.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a control unit for controlling the office computer in an integrated manner. The control unit 1 includes a license management unit 2 that manages licensors, a protect inspection unit 3 that inspects protection, a program execution unit 4 that executes programs, an input unit 5 that inputs various data, and a display unit that displays various data Is connected.

  The license management unit 2 is connected to a license code table 7 that stores a license code, for example, a storage unit 8 that stores hardware specific information that is a serial number of a hard disk device.

  The protect checking unit 3 is connected to a license code table 7, a storage unit 8, and a program file 9 in which program files 1 to n are stored.

  The program files 1 to n stored in the program file 9 are read by the program execution unit 4 and executed as appropriate.

  Reference numeral 10 denotes a printing unit, and 11 denotes an interface connected to the Internet.

  Next, the operation of the software protection method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  First, initialization processing is performed (step S1). That is, the control unit 1 initializes the units 2 to 6.

  Next, a process selection menu screen is displayed on the display unit 6 (step S2). The selection items include program execution, license management, and termination.

  And the selection item selected by the operator from the input part 5 is received (step S3).

  If the program execution is selected, the process proceeds to step S4. If license management is selected, the process proceeds to step S11. If the end is selected, the process proceeds to step S17.

  Hereinafter, processing when program execution is selected will be described. First, the protect checking unit 3 reads and acquires the application identification information stored in the execution target program file 9 (step S4). Here, the application identification information is information stored in, for example, a header portion of a program file using the identification information writing software 10 during application software development, as shown in FIG. The code editing software (editor) cannot be referenced or changed.

  Next, the protect checking unit 3 reads and acquires the hardware specific information 8 (step S5). Here, examples of hardware specific information include a serial number of a hardware device.

  Further, the protect inspection unit 3 calculates a license code from the application identification information and hardware specific information (step S6).

  Further, the protect checking unit 3 refers to the license code table 7 and checks whether there is a code that matches the calculated license code (step S7). Then, the protect inspection unit 3 determines license registration (step S8).

  If it is determined in step S8 that there is a code that matches the calculated license code in the license code table 7, the process proceeds to step S9. On the other hand, if there is no matching code, the process proceeds to step S10.

  In step S9, the program execution unit 4 reads and executes the program from the corresponding program file group 9 for the program selected by the operator on the selection screen. Then, after the program is executed, the process proceeds to the selection screen display in step S2.

  On the other hand, in step S10, a warning message screen indicating that the license code is not registered is displayed on the display unit 6. Then, the process proceeds to the selection screen display in step S2.

  When license management is selected in the above-described selection in step S3, a selection screen for processing related to software license management is displayed on the display unit 6 (step S11). Here, the selection items include acquisition of hardware specific information, license code registration, and license transfer.

  Then, a selection input is accepted from the operator at the input unit 5 (step S12). If the acquisition of hardware specific information is selected in step S12, the process proceeds to step S13. If license code registration is selected, the process proceeds to step S14. If license transfer is selected, the process proceeds to step S15. Processing proceeds.

  Here, the flow of the software license issuance and registration procedure will be described with reference to FIGS. The license issuance and registration procedures are different between new license registration and license transfer.

  First, the procedure for new license registration will be described with reference to FIG. There are two types of license issuance: a license purchase applicant and a license issuer. First, the license purchase applicant obtains hardware specific information of a computer that executes software (step S21). This is acquired by the license management unit 2 in step S13 of FIG.

  Then, an application software license purchase application is made to the license issuer (step S22). At this time, hardware-specific information is also submitted. After accepting the license purchase application, the license issuer creates a license code by logically calculating and encrypting the hardware specific information and the purchase target application identification information (step S23). At this time, the license generation software 20 shown in FIG. 3 is used to create the license code. Then, the license code is sent to the applicant (step S24). Then, the applicant receives the license code from the issuer (step S25), and registers the license code in the target computer (step S26). At that time, the license management unit 2 registers in the license table 7 in step S14 of FIG.

  Next, the procedure for transferring a license will be described with reference to FIG. First, the license transfer applicant obtains hardware specific information of the license transfer source computer (step S31). At this time, the hardware management information is acquired by the license management unit 2 in step S13 of FIG. Then, the registration of the license code is deleted on the license transfer source computer (step S32). A license transfer code is created along with the license deletion. At this time, the license is deleted by the license management unit 2 deleting the target license code from the license table 7 in step S15 in FIG. The transfer code is created by performing logical operation and encryption on the license code deleted by the license management unit 2 in step S16 of FIG. Then, hardware specific information of the license transfer destination computer is acquired (step S33). Then, an application software license transfer application is made to the license issuer (step S34). At this time, the old and new hardware specific information and the license transfer code are also submitted. After accepting the license transfer application, the license issuer determines the validity of the license from the source hardware specific information and the license transfer code (step S35). If it is determined to be valid, a new license code is issued. In this case, a new license code is generated by performing logical operation and encryption on the submitted new hardware specific information and transfer target application identification information (step S36). At this time, the license generation software 20 shown in FIG. 3 is used to create the license code. Then, the license code is sent to the applicant (step S37). This sending is performed by e-mail or FAX via the Internet.

  Then, the applicant receives the license code from the issuer (step S38), and registers the license code in the transfer destination computer (step S39). At that time, the license management unit 2 registers in the license table 7 in step S14 of FIG.

  Finally, when the end is selected in step S3 of FIG. 4, the control unit 1 performs the end process of each unit 2 to 6 and the process ends (step S17).

  As described above, according to the present invention, software license registration, license transfer, and license determination at the time of starting a program are performed as follows.

  First, as a license registration procedure, the license purchase applicant applies to the license issuer to purchase application software. At this time, the hardware specific information of the computer executing the software is acquired and submitted. The license issuer performs logical operation and encryption on the identification information of the application to be purchased and the hardware specific information, creates a license code, and sends it to the purchase applicant. The purchase applicant registers the license code in the computer.

  Next, when transferring the execution right of the software to another computer, as a license transfer procedure, the license transfer applicant applies for the license transfer of the application software to the license issuer. At this time, the unique information of the hardware of the transfer source and transfer destination computers and the license transfer code are submitted. Here, the license transfer code is a code generated when the license registration is deleted on the transfer source computer. The license issuer determines the validity of the license from the hardware specific information of the source computer and the license transfer code, and if it is valid, logically calculates the identification information of the target application and the hardware specific information of the destination computer. Encrypt and create a new license code and send it to the applicant. The transfer applicant registers the new license code in the computer.

  Next, the license determination at the time of starting the program is performed by the license checking means before starting the program, based on the application identification information stored in the program file, the hardware specific information, and the license code registered in the computer. Determine sex.

  Here, the application identification information is information prepared for each application program, and is stored in a program file by a privileged person at the time of program development. Further, it is assumed that the identification information is not changed even if a non-privileged user changes the source program.

  As a result of the license determination, if it is valid, the program is started, and if it is not valid, the program start is stopped.

  In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the software protection method is adopted for the office computer is shown. However, the computer is not limited to the office computer, and may be another computer as long as the computer uses an interpreted program language for the application program. .

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Control part, 2 ... License management part, 3 ... Protection inspection part, 4 ... Program execution part, 7 ... License code table, 8 ... Memory | storage part, 9 ... Program file.

Claims (3)

The license transfer applicant obtains hardware-specific information of the license transfer source computer; and
The license transfer source computer deleting the license code to be transferred from the license code table storing the license code given to the license transfer source computer;
The license transfer source computer generates a license transfer code by performing a logical operation and encryption on the deleted license code;
The license transfer applicant obtains hardware-specific information of a license transfer destination computer; and
The license issuer receives from the license transfer applicant the hardware-specific information of the acquired license transfer source computer, the hardware-specific information of the license transfer destination computer, and the license transfer generated by the license transfer source computer When the license issuer determines that the hardware-specific information of the license transfer source computer and the license transfer code are valid, the license issuer downloads the license generation software. Using the obtained hardware specific information of the license transfer destination computer and the application identification information to which the license is transferred to generate a new license code by performing a logical operation and encryption;
The license transfer applicant registering the generated new license code in a license code table of the license transfer destination computer;
A software protection method comprising:   2. The software protection method according to claim 1, wherein the registration is performed via mail. The license code registered in the license code table of the license transfer source computer performs logical operation and encryption of the hardware specific information of the license transfer source computer and the application identification information which is the specific information of the application program to be executed. 2. The software protection method according to claim 1, wherein the software protection method is created.

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