US5848154A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for managing software using quantity
Assignee: Apple Inc
•
Filing: 1995-07-14
•
Granted: 1998-12-08
•
Expires: 2015-07-14
Abstract
Abstract A DES decrypting unit decrypts video data frames encrypted and compressed based on MPEG standards, when receiving them. The decrypted video data frames are expanded one by one in a MPEG expansion circuit. Each time the single frame is expanded, the MPEG expansion circuit outputs a completion-of-frame-expansion signal to a host control CPU. The host control CPU counts the completion-of-frame-expansion signals and reduces an accounting count value in an accounting data memory in accordance with this count value. The host control CPU output character pattern image data from a pattern generator when the accounting count value becomes 0. The character pattern image data is superimposed on a video signal in an adder circuit.
Inventors
- 👤 Nobuhiko Nishio
- 👤 Tetsu Tanizawa
- 👤 Kiyokatsu Iijima
- 👤 Muneharu Gotou
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 15:26
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N9/00; H04N9/79; H04N9/80; H04N9/804; H04N9/8042; G; G06; G06F; G06F21/00; G06F21/10; G06F11/00; G06F11/30; G06F11/34; G06F11/3409; G06F2201/00; G06F2201/88; G06F2221/00; G06F2221/21; G06F2221/2135; H04N5/00; H04N5/76; H04N5/84; H04N5/85; H04N9/806; H04N9/8063
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
83 words
A software usage management apparatus comprising: a detector to detect a usage of software and output a value indicating the usage of the software; a determining block to determine when the usage of the software, detected by said detector, has reached a predetermined value; and a hindering block to stop the useful output of the software by outputting a signal produced by the software in a different form when said determining block determines that the usage of the software reaches the predetermined value.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
83 words
A software usage management apparatus comprising: a detector to detect a usage of software and output a value indicating the usage of the software; a determining block to determine when the usage of the software, detected by said detector, has reached a predetermined value; and a hindering block to stop the useful output of the software by outputting a signal produced by the software in a different form when said determining block determines that the usage of the software reaches the predetermined value.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
A software usage management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said hindering block outputs a signal in an incomplete form when said determining block determines that the usage of the software has reached the predetermined value.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
A software usage management apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the signal is a video signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
A software usage management apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said hindering block superimposes a second signal on the video signal and then outputs the superimposed signal when said determining block determines that the usage of the software has reached the predetermined value.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
A software usage management apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the second signal is a character data signal for displaying a character.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
A software usage management apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said hindering block inverts a polarity of the video signal and outputs the polarity-inverted signal when said determining block determines that the usage of the software has reached the predetermined value.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
63 words
A software usage management apparatus according to claim 2, wherein dummy data is superimposed on the software, and said hindering block eliminates the dummy data from the software only when said determining block determines that the usage of the software is within the predetermined value and when the usage exceed the predetermined value leaves the dummy data superimposed thereby rendering the output unusable.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
55 words
A software usage management apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the signal comprises a plurality of signals outputted in synchronism with each other, and said hindering block inhibits at least one of the plurality of signals from being outputted when said determining block determines that the usage of the software has reached the predetermined value.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
54 words
A software usage management apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of signals include a video signal and an audio signal, and said hindering block inhibits the output of the audio signal while outputting the video signal when said determining block determines that the usage of the software has reached the predetermined value.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
54 words
A software usage management apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of signals include a video signal and an audio signal, and said hindering block inhibits the output of the video signal while outputting the audio signal when said determining block determines that the usage of the software has reached the predetermined value.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
49 words
A software usage management apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the signal includes an audio signal, and said hindering block stops the output of the audio signal and outputs an alarming sound signal when said determining block determines that the usage of the software has reached the predetermined value.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
45 words
A software usage management apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said hindering means has a timer for controlling a period during which the alarming sound signal is outputted and alternately repeatedly outputs the audio signal and the alarming sound signal in accordance with said timer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
53 words
A software usage management apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said hindering block further comprises a counter for counting the number of operations of outputting the alarming sound signal and inhibits the outputs of the audio signal and the alarming sound signal when a count value of said counter reaches a predetermined value.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
A software usage management apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a timer to restrict a duration during which the alarming sound signal is outputted, whereby after the duration no sound and no audio signal is outputted.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
62 words
A software usage management apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the signals comprise a computer program, and said hindering block outputs an image signal program which runs when starting up a computer, connected to said software using quantity managing apparatus, so as to display an alarm, when said determining block determines that the usage of the software has reached a predetermined value.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
90 words
A software usage management apparatus, comprising: software having dummy data rendering the software invaluable unless the dummy data is stripped; a detector to detect a usage of software and outputting a value indicating the usage of the software; a determining block to determine when the usage of the software detected by said detector has reached a predetermined value; and a hindering block to strip the dummy data superimposed on the software from the software only when said determining block determines that the software using quantity is within the predetermined value.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
90 words
A software usage management apparatus, comprising: software having dummy data rendering the software invaluable unless the dummy data is stripped; a detector to detect a usage of software and outputting a value indicating the usage of the software; a determining block to determine when the usage of the software detected by said detector has reached a predetermined value; and a hindering block to strip the dummy data superimposed on the software from the software only when said determining block determines that the software using quantity is within the predetermined value.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
90 words
A software usage management apparatus comprising: a detector to detect usage of the software and outputting a value indicating a usage of the software; a determining block to determine when the usage of the software detected by said detector has reached a predetermined value; and means for outputting an image signal program when starting up a computer, connected to said software use management apparatus, so as to display an alarm sentence on the computer when said determining block determines that the usage of the software has reached a predetermined value.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
90 words
A software usage management apparatus comprising: a detector to detect usage of the software and outputting a value indicating a usage of the software; a determining block to determine when the usage of the software detected by said detector has reached a predetermined value; and means for outputting an image signal program when starting up a computer, connected to said software use management apparatus, so as to display an alarm sentence on the computer when said determining block determines that the usage of the software has reached a predetermined value.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4247106A
Cited
US4439670A
Cited
JPS57127249A
Cited
US4446519A
Cited
US4649510A
Cited
US4484217A
Cited
US4558176A
Cited
US4672554A
Cited
US4674055A
Cited
US4658093A
Cited
US4590557A
Cited
US5103392A
Cited
US4740890A
Cited
US4646234A
Cited
US4879645A
Cited
US4654799A
Cited
US4780905A
Cited
US4787050A
Cited
US4864516A
Cited
US4816654A
Cited
US4816653A
Cited
US5014234A
Cited
US4827508A
Cited
US4977594A
Cited
US5410598A
Cited
US5050213A
Cited
US4817140A
Cited
US4949257A
Cited
US4999806A
Cited
US5056009A
Cited
US5008814A
Cited
US5016009A
Cited
US5199066A
Cited
US5006849A
Cited
US5166886A
Cited
US5181107A
Cited
US5051822A
Cited
US5214697A
Cited
US5267171A
Cited
US5245330A
Cited
US5103476A
Cited
US5222134A
Cited
JPH0589363A
Cited
JPH05266575A
Cited
JPH05298085A
Cited
JPH0695871A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-12-07 | 2002-06-08 | 2002-12-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-12-07 | 2006-06-08 | 2006-12-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-12-07 | 2010-06-08 | 2010-12-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |