Patent ID: RE42861

Claim:
A method for protecting a software application from piracy, comprising the steps of : providing storing data indicative of an authorised use of the software application; executing a first portion of the software application; receiving user authorisation information; using a processor within a peripheral device, comparing the received user authorisation information with user authorisation information stored in memory of the peripheral device to produce a comparison result and, if the comparison result is indicative of the authorised user of the software application, providing data from the peripheral device to the computer, the data indicative of the authorised use of the software application on the computer; executing a second portion of the software application only upon receipt of the data indicative of the authorised use of the software application; transmitting data related to the software application to the peripheral device; and, comparing the received data with data stored in memory of the peripheral device using the processor of the peripheral device; and wherein the step of providing data from the peripheral device comprises the step of : selecting the data indicative of the authorised use of the software application on the computer according to the data related to the software application, the data selected from a plurality of instances of data, each instance of data indicative of the authorised use of a different software application.