Patent ID: 7225336

Claim:
A system for selectively giving run authorization to one of a plurality of programs installed on a computer, comprising a checking unit having a receiver and, at least partially, forms part of the computer or is linked with the latter via a data link, and a device which is transportable separately from the computer and from the checking unit and connectable to the receiver within a predetermined distance therefrom by a wireless link through which an identification code contained in said device is transmitted to the checking unit to request the run authorization, said checking unit comparing the transmitted identification code with a tamper-resistant reference code to verify that the transmitted identification code represents a license to run the program and giving the run authorization, if both codes are identical, wherein, apart from said run authorization, running the one program on the computer is independent of said device, and wherein, apart from requiring the run authorization to run the one program, running the programs on the computer is independent of the device.