Method and system of using personal information as a key when distributing information

Claim 1

A method for using personal information as a key, said method comprising the steps of: a) purchasing software in a purchase transaction that includes providing human readable personal information known to the purchaser; b) acquiring at a seller said human readable personal information from the purchaser of software; said human readable personal information including at least three pieces of personal information selected from among the purchaser's name, address, telephone number, mother's name, maiden name, spouse's name, children's names, birthdate, and social security number; designing a key for accessing the purchased software, said key being said human readable personal information acquired from the purchaser, wherein the personal information is independent of a particular electronic medium in which the software will be installed; c) embedding the human readable personal information key in the purchased software; d) conveying the purchased software to the purchaser through an electronic medium; e) asking the purchaser to enter a human readable personal information key, by a prompt from the electronic medium, before allowing the purchaser to access the conveyed software; f) entering by the purchaser the human readable personal information key; g) comparing the entered key with the key embedded in the software; and h) allowing the purchaser to access the conveyed software if the entered and embedded keys match.

Claim 2

A method for using personal information as a key, said method comprising the steps of: a) purchasing software in a purchase transaction that includes providing human readable personal information known to the purchaser; b) acquiring at a seller said human readable personal information from the purchaser of software; said human readable personal information including at least three pieces of personal information selected from among the purchaser's name, address, telephone number, mother's name, maiden name, spouse's name, children's names, birthdate, and social security number; designing a key for accessing the purchased software, said key being said human readable personal information acquired from the purchaser, wherein the personal information is independent of a particular electronic medium in which the software will be installed; c) embedding the human readable personal information key in the purchased software; d) conveying the purchased software to the purchaser through an electronic medium; e) asking the purchaser to enter a human readable personal information key, by a prompt from the electronic medium, before allowing the purchaser to access the conveyed software; f) entering by the purchaser the human readable personal information key; g) comparing the entered key with the key embedded in the software; and h) allowing the purchaser to access the conveyed software if the entered and embedded keys match.

Claim 18

A system using personal information as a key, said system comprising: means for purchasing software in a purchase transaction that includes providing human readable personal information know to a purchaser; a device for conveying, by the purchaser to a seller of said software, at least three pieces of said personal information in said human readable form; said personal information including at least three pieces of personal information selected from among the purchaser's name, address, telephone number, mother's name, maiden name, spouse's name, children's names, birthdate, and social security number; means for designing a key, said key for accessing the purchased software, said key being said at least three pieces of personal information in human readable form; and means for embedding said key in said software; downloading means for downloading said purchased software, with said key being embedded therein, to a computer of the purchaser; a device for entering information, connected to the computer of the purchaser, through which the key is entered to the computer; and a comparator for comparing said entered key with said being at least three pieces of personal information in human readable form embedded in said purchased software, whereby the purchaser is allowed to access said purchased software only if there is a match between the entered and embedded keys; wherein said at least three pieces of personal information forming the keys are independent of the computer.

Claim 19

A system using personal information as a key, said system comprising: means for purchasing software in a purchase transaction that includes providing human readable personal information know to a purchaser; a device for conveying, by the purchaser to a seller of said software, at least three pieces of said personal information in said human readable form; said personal information including at least three pieces of personal information selected from among the purchaser's name, address, telephone number, mother's name, maiden name, spouse's name, children's names, birthdate, and social security number; means for designing a key, said key for accessing the purchased software, said key being said at least three pieces of personal information in human readable form; and means for embedding said key in said software; downloading means for downloading said purchased software, with said key being embedded therein, to a computer of the purchaser; a device for entering information, connected to the computer of the purchaser, through which the key is entered to the computer; and a comparator for comparing said entered key with said being at least three pieces of personal information in human readable form embedded in said purchased software, whereby the purchaser is allowed to access said purchased software only if there is a match between the entered and embedded keys; wherein said at least three pieces of personal information forming the keys are independent of the computer.