Patent CA-2310032-A1 (CA)
Inventor: BRISSON ANDRE J
IPC: G06F9/445
Filed: 2000-06-09
Abstract: 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.