UTILITAIRE « BIG SOFT BROTHER »

BIG SOFT BROTHER

Abrégé anglais

Source code and method to be protected, a software application to be used both
during
installation of software programs and the running of these software
applications,
interfacing with the hardware of the recipient computer, in particular to scan
and retrieve
the MAC number (a unique part identifier associated with modems and Ethernet
cards),
in order to track illegal use, illegal installation or illegal copying of
software (as well as
registering legal use of software). Code is compiled into the install or setup
executable of
software that will copy registration files into recipient computer registries.
In addition, an
email utility will be installed onto the recipient computer. During
installation and setup of
software, the MAC identification number will be stripped from the recipient
computer
along with other innocuous information such as product serial number, ip
provider and
email addresses. Both the MAC identification number, the user return email
address, the
product serial number and the IP provider identifier will be copied into the
registration files
placed into the recipient computer's registries. In addition, an email will be
created
including the product registration numbers, the MAC identification number of
the recipient
computer, the email return address and the IP provider of the computer user,
and this
email will be addressed back to our server database maintaining the
registration and user
information. On the very next connect to the Internet or use of email, or by
utilizing a
unique port, the email registration packet will be sent to our server
maintaining the
registration and user database. Every single installation of software to a new
machine, or
a machine with a changed peripheral, utilizing our method will create and send
a
"registration" email.
An additional piece of code will be included with the utility. During the boot
up of the
computer, and periodically, this code will search for the presence of the
registration file
copied onto the recipient computer during installation. It will look for its
presences and
determine whether it has been tampered with. If it finds both registration
file, and on
comparison all information (i.e. the registration numbers, the MAC numbers,
the user
return email address, and the IP provider is identical then there is no
further action. If it
finds that the registries have been changed, it will rewrite the registry
correctly and create
another registration packet. Upon the next connection to the Internet, or the
use of email,
or through a unique port this email will be sent to our server registration
maintenance
database.
The database at our server site, managing the registration and user
information, will use
a querying method based on logic. The first email received is a valid
registration.
Subsequent installations may or may not be legitimate. Any subsequent
"registration or
installation" emails which have either incomplete data or different
information (i.e.
different MAC identification numbers and different user return email address
etc.) along
with the same product registration number is the identity of a computer with a
pirated
copy of software installed.
In addition, because of privacy concern issues from the public we have added
the ability
for software developers to choose the level of notification to users and the
transparency
of the registration collection.

Revendications

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege
is claimed
are defined as follows:
I claim:
1. A method of installing software and a method of using software which allows
the
tracking and identification of illegal installation, illegal use, or illegal
copying of software
onto unauthorized and unlicensed computers, comprising the method steps of:
a) Installing registration files into recipient computer's registries.
b) Stripping or identification of the MAC numbers from computer hardware.
c) Stripping or identification of the recipient computer user's return email
address, as
well as the product serial number and the IP provider.
d) Installation of a utility creating an electronic registration packet
addressed to our
server registration and user management database.
e) Creating an electronic registration packet on every single installation of
software,
addressed to our server, containing the registration and computer
identification data
mentioned in a, b, and c.
f) Capacity to send the electronic registration packet created in step a on
the next
connection made to the Internet, use of email, or through a unique port.
g) The automatic rewriting of the correct registration information in the
registries in the
event of tampering.

Description

CA 02310032 2000-06-09
$t)eCIflCatlOn
This invention relates to a software method for identifying and tracking the
illegal
installation, the illegal use, and the illegal copying of computer software.
In addressing piracy, previous methods have attempted through encryption,
hardware
tongles and other methods to prevent the duplication or copying of computer
software
from one form of electromagnetic medium to another. These methods have no
capacity
for identifying who the pirate is or on what computers illegally obtained
software resides.
This method is distinguished in that it not only discourages software piracy,
but provides
a mechanism for identifying and tracking pirates to either recover lost
revenues or to
prosecute the illegal activities. Since it is a small piece of code, it can be
included with the
installation code or the activation code of any software. Importantly, a
distinguishing
element of this approach is that it activates on the illegal activity of the
installation of the
software, as opposed to trying to manage the copying and distribution of the
software.
Only when the software is installed is the process triggered.
1 have found that utilizing the connectivity that Internet, email applications
and unique
ports provide that it is possible to transmit information electronically. The
method
retrieves the MAC number from the recipient computer hardware, the computer
user
email return address, the product serial number and the IP provider and sends
an
electronic packet to a database maintaining registration and user data. This
method
allows the exact identification of where software resides and who has
installed it.
The best way to utilize this method is to have the code process described in
the abstract
included in both the installation or setup executables used to install
software from disks,
cd-roms, or through any other form of electronic software distribution and
subsequent set
up onto computers or other devices utilizing software. This software code or
application
should be used in the distribution of all software.