WO1995032479B1 - Protected software rental using smart cards - Google Patents

Abstract

System comprising a central processing unit (1) and a dedicated unit (2). Said dedicated unit (2) receives a communication protection module (6) which controls a sequence controlling module containing a state machine and a cycle counter, a timing module (4) activated by said sequence controlling module (5) and a software protection module (7) also activatable by said sequence controlling module (5).

Claims

AMENDED CLAIMS [received by the International Bureau on 20 November 1995 (20.11.95); amended claim 1; other claims unchanged (1 page)]

1. Computer device, of the type comprising:

an operating assembly, comprising at least one central unit (1), with memory means enabling it to load an operating system and to implement at least one software based on this operating system, and with at least one connection interface, accessible by a function of the operating system, and - a specialized unit (2) comprising a removable storage medium reader, such as a card, connected to the central unit by said interface of connection of it,

while the software comprises calls specific to the specialized unit, for the purpose of conditioning the further execution of said software, according to the state of certain data contained in the removable memory medium,

characterized in that the specific calls are arranged as communication commands, having transmission arguments, and whose completion state is suspended pending a particular form response,

and in that the removable unit comprises:

a communication security module (6) capable of inhibiting (251) the response to a communication command from the central unit, as a function of the first conditions involving the expression of the communication command, and information contained in the card, and - at least one responsive module (3,4,5) capable of recognizing such a communication command, and to give it a favorable response, in said particular form, only if second conditions are respected. the arguments of that order and the information contained in the map.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises, as responsive module, a consumption counting module (3), such as an electronic purse.

DECLARATION UNDER ARTICLE 19

The Applicant makes a minor modification to claim 1 by adding the expression "such as a card" behind the "removable memory media reader" at line 12. The purpose of this modification is to clearly form antecedent to the map referred to in the following claims.

The Research Report first mentions PCT GARDINER Application No. 85 02696. Despite its classification in the "_Y" category, this document is not really relevant. Indeed, according to the teachings of this document, the card behaves in the manner of a passive "dongle".

Specifically, the security data ("security data") are not comparable to the "communication commands" recommended in this patent application. Nor is there the rest of the feature of the invention, namely the fact that a communication security module intervenes first, and at least one responsive module then intervenes.

In GARDINER, the card is obviously treated passively, since the security data are "pre-programmed" (page 3 line 31 to page 4 line 1, claims 2 and 3) and not calculated. 21

In fact, this first document is no more relevant than the third one (European Application 430 734 from SCHLUMBERGER) which, for its part, comes to write intermediate results in the map.

European Patent Application 0 089 876 (Cil HONEYWELL BULL) is also classified in category X, but only against claim 1. Again, the relevance is only apparent.

Examination of the many relationships in the cited document might suggest that they are "communication commands" as defined in claim 1 of this patent application.

In reality, it is not, because it is only functions intended to obtain a decryption key or "decryption" which, it is true, have arguments. But it's different from a communication request that uses security features to work with a responsive module.

Without going into detail here, it is clear that this cited document does not describe the cooperation of a communication security module with a responsive module, as defined in claim 1.

More simply, Cil HONEYWELL BULL teaches that, by an identification parameter (AI), we address or index an identification argument (BI), which can not change at each successive access. As a result, the card will provide a return key identical to each identical request. This is at most a security system. Absolutely not a system allowing secure rental of software, as provided in this application.

The other documents cited do indeed fall within the technological background.