Patent ID: 6567793
Filing Date: 2003-05-20
Classification: G06F,G06Q,H04L

Abstract:
A method for controlling unauthorized use of software distributed by a software vendor to a group of users with the group having group-identifying information, comprising the steps of:generating, with a digital signature algorithm, a verification key with a product key generator; combining software and the verification key to create distributable software; distributing the distributable software to a user within the group of users; inputting group-identifying information to a user key generator; converting, by the user key generator, the group-identifying information to a numeric representation; generating, using the numeric representation, a user key, with the digital signature algorithm; conveying the user key to the user computer system; and verifying, with the verification key, a relationship between the user key and the group-identifying information to determine an access level to the protected software.