US6523119B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Software protection device and method
Assignee: Thales DIS CPL USA Inc
•
Filing: 1996-12-04
•
Granted: 2003-02-18
•
Expires: 2016-12-04
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for protecting computer software from unauthorized execution or duplication using a hardware key is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a means for communicating with the computer to receive command messages from the computer in the hardware key and to provide response messages to the computer, a memory for storing data for translating command messages into response messages enabling software execution, and a processor coupled to the interface port for translating command messages into response messages using the data stored in the memory. The processor further comprises a memory manager, for logically segmenting the memory storing the data into at least one protected segment, and for controlling access to the protected segment.
Inventors
- 👤 Dominique Vincent Pavlin
- 👤 Mehdi Sotoodeh
- 👤 Reed H. Tibbetts
- 👤 Patrick N. Godding
- 👤 Alain Raymond Spiewek
- 👤 Roger Graham Nixon
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 02:31
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F21/00; G06F21/10; G06F21/12; G06F21/121; G06F21/123; G06Q; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/08; G06Q20/085; G06Q20/0855; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99951; Y10S707/99952; Y10S707/99953; Y10S707/99956
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
104 words
A method of securing software executable on a computer, comprising the steps of: (a) segmenting the software into a first and a second software segment; (b) transmitting the first software segment to a first hardware key communicatively coupled to a developer computer, the first hardware key comprising a first hardware key processor and a first hardware key memory, the first hardware key memory having a secure segment with a first encryption key stored therein; (c) encrypting the first software segment using the first encryption key and the first hardware key processor; and (d) receiving an encrypted first software segment from the first hardware key.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
104 words
A method of securing software executable on a computer, comprising the steps of: (a) segmenting the software into a first and a second software segment; (b) transmitting the first software segment to a first hardware key communicatively coupled to a developer computer, the first hardware key comprising a first hardware key processor and a first hardware key memory, the first hardware key memory having a secure segment with a first encryption key stored therein; (c) encrypting the first software segment using the first encryption key and the first hardware key processor; and (d) receiving an encrypted first software segment from the first hardware key.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
128 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: (a) storing the encrypted first software segment and the second software segment in a host computer communicatively coupled to a second hardware key comprising a second hardware key processor and a second hardware key memory having the first encryption key stored therein; (b) transmitting the encrypted first software segment to the second hardware key; (c) decrypting the encrypted first software segment using the first encryption key to produce flint software segment instructions; (d) storing the first software segment instructions in a secure portion of the second hardware key memory; (e) performing the first software segment instructions by the second hardware key processor to produce a response message; and (f) transmitting the response message to the host computer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 2 , wherein the response message is encrypted before transmission to the host computer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: (a) transmitting the encrypted first software segment from the first hardware key to a second hardware key, the second hardware key comprising a second hardware key processor and a second hardware key memory having a secure segment with the first encryption key stored therein; and (b) storing the encrypted first software segment in the secure segment.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
111 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: (a) storing the second software segment in a host computer communicatively coupled to a second hardware key comprising a second hardware key processor and a second hardware key memory having the first encryption key securely stored therein; (b) decrypting the encrypted first software segment using the first encryption key to produce first software segment instructions; (c) storing the first software segment instructions in a secure portion of the second hardware key memory; (d) performing the first software segment instructions by the second hardware key processor to produce a response message; and (e) transmitting the response message to the host computer.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3585601A
Cited
US4278837A
Cited
US4446519A
Cited
US4458315A
Cited
US4599489A
Cited
US4596898A
Cited
US4634807A
Cited
US4903296A
Cited
US4864494A
Cited
US5146575A
Cited
US4817140A
Cited
US4916738A
Cited
US5081675A
Cited
US5343524A
Cited
US5224166A
Cited
US5666411A
Cited
US5754761A
Cited
US5734908A
Cited
US6266416B1
Cited
US5754646A
Cited
US5970143A
Cited
US5742512A
Cited
US5812662A
Cited
US5915017A
Cited
US5883956A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-02-17 | 2006-08-19 | 2007-02-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-02-17 | 2010-08-19 | 2011-02-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-02-17 | 2014-08-19 | 2015-02-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |