초록 ▼

Method and apparatus which restricts software, distributed on magnetic media, to use on a single computing machine. The original medium is functionally uncopyable, until it is modified by the execution of a program stored in a tamper proof co-processor which forms a part of the computing machine. Th

Method and apparatus which restricts software, distributed on magnetic media, to use on a single computing machine. The original medium is functionally uncopyable, until it is modified by the execution of a program stored in a tamper proof co-processor which forms a part of the computing machine. The modified software on the original medium may then be copied, but the copy is operable only on the computing machine containing the co-processor that performed the modification.

대표청구항 ▼

A software copy-protection apparatus, which is operable with a host computer system, comprising: a magnetic medium having tracks formed thereon which are divided into sectors, with each sector being comprised of a plurality of bit storage locations, with indicia being formed in at least one portion

A software copy-protection apparatus, which is operable with a host computer system, comprising: a magnetic medium having tracks formed thereon which are divided into sectors, with each sector being comprised of a plurality of bit storage locations, with indicia being formed in at least one portion of at least one sector, with said indicia not being modifiable by the medium write process; a product program stored on said medium, at least a portion of which is in an encrypted form, and at least a portion of which may be in an unencrypted form; a support computing system operable with said host computer system, including a decryption key for use in executing said product programs on said host computer system; means for ascertaining said indicia are present on said medium; means included in said support computing system for utilizing said decryption key to decrypt said encrypted portion of said program; and means responsive to the ascertaining that said indicia is on said medium, and said encrypted portion of said program has been decrypted, to permit said support computing system to execute the encrypted portion of said program product and said host computer system to execute said unencrypted portion of said program product, if any.