DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] In the followings, various embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0019] The present invention relates to a software license managing method and a software license managing system of preventing software applications from unauthorized use by making use of the ID embedded in a memory card as the license management information for the purpose of managing the use of a software application for personal computers (PCs) which can not be distinguished from each other. In recent years, there are increased such types of memory cards having an ID which can be used for distinguishing the respective products from each other in order to meet the necessity for online distribution of information such as data in the form of MP3 which is a type of compression. The ID is used for managing software licenses of software applications for PCs. A unique IDs is embedded in each of the respective products of a memory card and can not be rewritten. In some cases, the IDs of only particular products can be rewritten in a limited condition.

[0020] Next, the software license managing system in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 4.

[0021] FIG. 1A is a general overview of the software license managing system as described above. FIG. 1B is a schematic block diagram showing the major portions of the PC for use in the software license managing system as described above.

[0022] As illustrated in FIG. 1A, the software license managing system is composed of a computer-readable medium (a large capacity storage media, i.e., a CD-ROM in this case) 1 in which is stored a software program, as well as an ID extracting and verifying program, which is purchased by a user from a software manufacturer, a memory card 3 enclosed with the CD-ROM 1, a first reading unit 5 for reading data from the CD-ROM 1 and a second reading unit 7 for reading data from the memory card 3 as described above. This software license managing system is implemented in a PC 9 used by the user.

[0023] Also, the PC 9 as described above includes a CPU 8, a memory (RAM and ROM) 10 and a hard disk drive 12 as illustrated in FIG. 1B.

[0024] Meanwhile, in this example, the software program and the ID extracting and verifying program are stored in the CD-ROM 1 which is provided separate from the memory card 3. However, it is possible to store the software program and the ID extracting and verifying program together in the memory card 3 and to distribute the memory card 3 alone as a software program product. In this case, however, the first reading unit 5 may be dispensed with in the PC 9.

[0025] Meanwhile, written in the CD-ROM 1 as described above is the same ID as written in the memory card 3 as described above for the purpose of checking a match. Namely, the ID is embedded in the memory card as license information.

[0026] Next, the operation (the method of the use) of the software license managing system as illustrated in FIG. 1A will be explained.

[0027] FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the procedure for checking a software license in the software license managing system as illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0028] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the user purchases a package of the software program including the CD-ROM 1 storing the software program he desired and the memory card 3 bundled therewith in the step S1. The CD-ROM 1 and the memory card 3 are inserted respectively to the first and second reading units 5 and 7 of the PC 9 as described above in the step S2 in order to access thereto.

[0029] After inserting the CD-ROM 1 and the memory card 3 as described above, installation of the software program is initiated. However, in advance of actual installation, the ID extracting and verifying program is loaded to the memory 10 from the CD-ROM 1 by the PC 9 in order to read and check the ID (non-rewritable) of the memory card 3 in the step S3. Next, in the step S4, the ID of the memory card 3 is extracted from the memory card 3 by the ID extracting and verifying program and compared with the ID of the memory card 3 as stored in the CD-ROM 1 (included in the ID extracting and verifying program in this case). Meanwhile, the ID extracting and verifying program as described above is used also when the software program is actually executed for use and therefore stored in a hard disk drive 12 of the PC 9.

[0030] If the ID of the memory card 3 as extracted from the memory card 3 is identical to the ID of the memory card 3 as stored in the CD-ROM 1 in the step S4, the software program stored in the CD-ROM 1 is installed in the hard disk drive 12 of the PC 9 in the step S5. If not identical, the installation of the software program is inhibited in the step S6.

[0031] Next, when the user runs the software program as installed in the step S7, the ID extracting and verifying program is loaded from the hard disk drive 12 to the memory 10 in the step S8, and serves to read the ID of the memory card 3 from the memory card 3 and compare it with the ID of the memory card 3 included in the ID extracting and verifying program in advance in the step S9.

[0032] If the ID of the memory card 3 as extracted from the memory card 3 is identical to the ID of the memory card 3 included in the ID extracting and verifying program in the step S9, the software program as installed in the hard disk drive 12 is loaded to the memory and executed in the step S10. If not identical, the execution of the software program is inhibited in the step S11.

[0033] In the case of the above described embodiment, it is possible to dispense with the verification process of ID during the installation of the software program, i.e., the step S3, S4 and S6, in order to transfer the control directly from the step S2 to the step S5.

[0034] Meanwhile, in the case of the above described embodiment, the memory card 3 is inserted to the second reading unit 7 provided for this purpose. However, it is possible to insert the memory card 3 to a legacy interface such as a PCM-CIA slot and the like through an appropriate adaptor or to connect the memory card 3 to a USB port and the like by the use of a card reader.

[0035] In this manner, in accordance with the above described embodiment, the ID of the memory card 3 as extracted from the memory card 3 is compared to the ID of the memory card 3 as stored in the CD-ROM 1 in advance, and the use of the program is permitted only when the ID of the memory card 3 as extracted from the memory card 3 is identical to the ID of the memory card 3 as stored in the CD-ROM 1. In accordance with the software license managing system as described above, it is possible to prevent a software application from piracy while the user can install and execute the software program in the same manner as in accordance with the conventional practice without awareness of the ID of the memory card 3.

[0036] Accordingly, in the case of the above described embodiment, a software manufacturer need not develop a proprietary technique to protect software but can use the function of an exsisting memory card for the purpose of managing the software licenses. Some means for reading the memory card is inevitable in this case. However, there are standardized interfaces such as PCM- CIA and in the case of most existing PCs there is no inconvenience. As a result, it is possible to prevent software applications from unauthorized use without incurring substantial costs.

[0037] Meanwhile, the memory card 3 as described above serves to store several information such as financial information, medical information and so forth relating to the user.

[0038] Next, the second embodiment of the present invention will be explained.

[0039] In the case of the second embodiment of the present invention, the ID of a memory card is used for a software program which is distributed online through the Internet and the like network rather than distributed with a computer-readable medium (CDROM).

[0040] FIG. 3 is a general overview of the software license managing system in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the software license managing system is established with a server 11 of a software manufacturer connected to the communication network 13 such as the Internet for distributing software and a personal computer (PC) 9 of a user which is connected to the communication network 13. The PC 15 is provided with a second reading unit 7 for accessing a memory card 17 which is inserted thereto. The PC 15 is also equipped with a CPU 8, a memory (RAM and ROM) 10 and a hard disk drive 12 as illustrated in FIG. 1B.

[0042] An ID is embedded in the memory card 17 in the same manner as in the first embodiment. In this case, however, the ID has been uniquely determined in correspondence with the software program which can be used with the memory card 17.

[0043] Next, the operation (the method of the use) of the software license managing system in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention as illustrated in FIG. 3 will be explained.

[0044] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the procedure for checking a software license by the software license managing system as illustrated in FIG. 3.

[0045] As illustrated in FIG. 4, the user purchases the memory card 17 which is necessary when the software program as desired is downloaded from the server of the software manufacturer in the step S1. Namely, the price of the memory card 17 includes the payment for the software program. Next, in the step S2, the memory card 17 is inserted to the reading unit 7 of the PC 15 as described above.

[0046] Next, the user accesses to the server 11 of the software manufacturer to download the software program through a homepage and the like. However, in advance of actually downloading the software program, an ID extracting and verifying program is downloaded and installed for reading and checking the ID of the memory card 3 in the step S3. Next, in the step S4, the ID extracting and verifying program accesses to the memory card 17 and extracts the ID thereof to match the ID corresponding to the software program (included in the ID extracting and verifying program). Meanwhile, the ID extracting and verifying program is saved in the hard disk drive 12 of the PC 15.

[0047] If the ID of the memory card 3 as extracted from the memory card 3 is identical to the ID of the software program included the ID extracting and verifying program in the step S4, the software program is downloaded to and installed in the hard disk drive 12 of the PC 15 in the step S5. Alternatively, the software program may be downloaded to the hard disk drive 12 together with the ID extracting and verifying program so that only the installation is performed in the step S5.

[0048] Also, in the step S4 as described above, the ID of the memory card 3 as extracted from the memory card 3 is not identical to the ID of the software program included the ID extracting and verifying program in the step S4, the download and the installation of the software program (or only the installation) is inhibited in the step S6.

[0049] Next, when the user runs the software program as installed in the step S7, the ID extracting and verifying program is loaded from the hard disk drive 12 to the memory 10 in the step S8, and serves to read the ID of the memory card 3 from the memory card 3 and compare it with the ID of the software program included in the ID extracting and verifying program in advance in the step S9.

[0050] If the ID of the memory card 3 as extracted from the memory card 3 is identical to the ID of the software program included the ID extracting and verifying program in the step S9, the software program is loaded and executed in the step S10. If not identical, the execution of the software program is inhibited in the step S11.

[0051] In the case of the above described embodiment, it is possible to dispense with the verification process of ID during the installation of the software program, i.e., the step S3, S4 and S6, in order to transfer the control directly from the step S2 to the step S5.

[0052] Meanwhile, an ID is uniquely defined corresponding to a software program in the case of the second embodiment of the present invention. In other words, the number of copies of the memory card 17 having the same ID are corresponding to the same software program so that the corresponding number of copies of the same software program may be installed in PCs of users each having a copy of the memory card. However, while the respective individual products of the memory card have different product IDs with which different products of the same memory card are distinguished from each other, a group of product IDs of the memory card can be defined to be associated with the same software program so that a license is confirmed when the memory card 17 has an ID which is equal to any one of the IDs belonging to the group.

[0053] Furthermore, the anti-piracy mechanism can be enhanced by implementing the memory cards 3 and 17 with the function of restricting the number of read cycles.

[0054] Meanwhile, while the purchase of software programs has been described in the case of the embodiments as described above, the present invention is also applicable to the purchase of music software and other types of data.

[0055] Also, in the case of such a software application as often requires version-up, only memory cards are distributed to the users while a latest program is transferred online to each user through the Internet each time a new version is released.

[0056] As explained above, since software licenses are managed by the use of the ID of a memory card in accordance with the present invention, the management of software licenses becomes easy without incurring an increase in costs to effectively prevent software applications from unauthorized use.

[0057] Meanwhile, the ID extracting and verifying program (or the CD-ROM) is generally implemented with, for example, a table of valid IDs for verifying the ID of a memory card in the case of the embodiments as described above.

[0058] However, depending on the actual design of the system, the valid IDs are defined by a range of IDs which are treated as valid during verification. In this case, for example, MAXID=10000 is defined as a maximum value so that the ID of a memory card is recognized as valid only when it is no larger than 10000. Also, MINID=90000 is defined as a minimum value so that the ID of a memory card is recognized as valid only when it is no smaller than 90000. Also, MINID=110000 is defined as a maximum value and MINID=100000 is defined as a minimum value so that the ID of a memory card is recognized as valid only when it is equal thereto or located therebetween.

[0059] The foregoing description of the embodiments has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form described, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiment was chosen in order to explain most clearly the principles of the invention and its practical application thereby to enable others in the art to utilize most effectively the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.

[0060] For example, when the user wants to purchase an additional number of license copies for the same software program at least one copy has been already purchased, only copies of the memory card 3 without the CD-ROM are purchased in order to increase the number of PCs in which the software program can be running at the same time. In this case, the ID(s) of a memory card(s) purchased anew together with a license of the software program is registered by the software program as an effective ID.

[0061] Also, while the ID of the memory card 3 is verified only when the software program is installed and/or only when the software program is executed in the case of the embodiments as described above, it is effective to irregularly or regularly access to the memory card 3 at times while the software program is running to verify the ID of the memory card in order to confirm whether or not the software program is running after removing the memory card 3.