JPS6224324A - Software protection method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain the complete protection of software by inhibiting the normal execution of a desired program in case the output code signal obtained when a specific gate signal is applied to a specific gate circuit is not equal to the prescribed one. CONSTITUTION:A personal computer 1 applies (FF)16, for example, to a gate array 2 from an I/O port 4 according to a protection program when this program is started. Then the computer 1 checks whether the input supplied from an I/O port 5 is equal or not to (64FF)16 corresponding to a prescribed code R. If the coincidence is secured between said input and the (64FF)16, it is decided that the gate array added to the program is put into the computer 1. Then the execution is allowed with a desired processing program. If no coincidence is detected, no insertion of said gate array is decided. Then the result of this decision is displayed on a display and at the same time the execution of the desired program is inhibited to complete the procedure. As a result, the execution is impossible with the desired processing program as long as additional specific gate array is not put into the computer 1.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for protecting software for personal computers (hereinafter abbreviated as personal computers).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In recent years, personal computers have become increasingly popular, and are expected to become even more popular in the future. Software is essential to using a computer. Although there is a lot of software for computers on the market, many users illegally copy and use the software. To prevent this, many protection methods have been proposed in the past, but all of these protection methods use software processing to
For example, this is simply done by randomly changing the I10 port of a floppy desk.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, with such conventional methods, it is not possible to back up software. Therefore, in the unlikely event that the software was destroyed, it was necessary to order a new floppy disk from the software manufacturer. In addition, the current situation is that software that "breaks protection" appears quickly, making it difficult to say that this is an effective protection method.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a software protection method that allows software to be backed up freely and that can be expected to have a sufficient protection effect.

Means for Solving Problems The software protection method of the present invention is such that when software is installed on a personal computer, a protection program is formed in the software in addition to the target processing program, and the personal computer is provided with a protection program for the software to be executed. Connect a specific gate circuit according to the protection program, apply a specific code signal to the specific gate circuit when executing the protected program, and check whether the output code signal from the specific gate circuit at that time is the specified code of the protected program, If the check result is not the predetermined code, normal execution of the target processing program is prohibited.

Effects According to this configuration, even if the software itself is easily copied, the specific gate circuit is difficult to copy, and normal program processing cannot be executed without the specific gate circuit.
A sufficient protective effect can be expected.

Embodiment Hereinafter, a specific embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. Here, a gate array is used as a specific gate circuit, and this is connected to the I10 of a personal computer with an 8-bit CPU.
This will be explained using an example where it is connected to a boat.

FIG. 1 shows a connection between a personal computer 1 and a gate array 2. As shown in FIG. 3 is the data bus of the personal computer, 4.5 is the first and second I10 ports inserted into the expansion slot of the personal computer, and 6 is the data bus of the personal computer.
is a latch circuit, and the gate array 2 is the first !
10 port 4 receives input signal 3in, output signal 3
0ut is taken into the 8-pit CPU (not shown) via the latch circuit 6 and the second I10 port 5.

The software that can be applied to PC 1 here is:
It is composed of a purpose processing program and a protect program, and the protect program includes the input signal 3i.
The contents of n and the contents of the output signal @3out obtained by applying the input signal Sin to a gate array as a specific gate circuit attached to the software are written as a predetermined code R. FIG. 2 shows an example of the gate array 2. As shown in FIG.

Next, the relationship between the protection program and the gate array 2 shown in FIG. 1 will be explained in detail. When the program is started, the personal computer 1 applies f(FF)mJ from the I10 port 4 to the gate array 2 as shown in FIG. 64) Check whether w+J is established.

If a match is detected here, it is determined that the gate array attached to the program is inserted into the personal computer, and execution of the target processing program is permitted. If no match is detected, it is determined that the attached gate array is not inserted, a message to that effect is displayed on the display connected to the personal computer, execution of the target processing program is prohibited, and the process ends. Therefore, the target processing program cannot be executed unless the specific gate array attached to the program is inserted.

In the above embodiment, the specific gate circuit is composed of only the gate array 2, but the same effect can be obtained by attaching the first and second 110 ports 4.5, the gate array 2, and the latch circuit 6 to the software as a specific gate circuit. It is.

In the above embodiment, the specific gate circuit is the gate array 2 made up of logic circuits, but it can also be made up of ROM or PAL.

Although the above embodiment has been described on the assumption that the protect program is executed at the beginning of the program, the same holds true even if the protect program is inserted at any arbitrary location in the middle of the target processing program.

As described in the detailed description of the invention, the software protection method of the present invention is such that the software and the specific gate circuit are sold as a pair, and the intended process cannot be executed unless the specific gate circuit included with the software is connected to a personal computer. First, even if the software is illegally copied and the contents of a specific gate circuit are analyzed, it is necessary for general users to make a copy of the specific gate circuit because equipment is required to create the hardware. It is very difficult to do this, and compared to traditional protection methods using only software, it can be expected to have a more reliable protection effect.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show a specific embodiment of the protection method of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a connection part between a personal computer and a specific gate circuit, and FIG. 2 is a configuration of a gate array using a logic circuit as a specific gate circuit. 3 are explanatory diagrams of input/output signals of the gate array. 1... Personal computer, 2... Gate array (specific gate circuit), 3... Data bus, 4.5... First, second
I10 boat agent Yoshi Morimoto Buddhist painting 7 Figure 2, / Figure 8 s, ASotrt

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. When applying software to a personal computer, a protection program is formed in the software in addition to the intended processing program, and a specific gate circuit is connected to the personal computer according to the protection program of the software to be executed. A specific code signal is applied to the gate circuit to check whether the output code signal from the specific gate circuit at that time is a predetermined code of the protection program, and if the check result is not the predetermined code, the target processing program is normal. A method of protecting software that prohibits its execution.