Patent ID: 7770016

Claim:
A method for watermarking computer code utilizing a system comprising a processor and a memory encoded with program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the method, the method comprising: mapping a set of payload information onto a first set of sparse space strings, wherein each sparse space string in the first set of sparse space strings is chosen randomly from a second set of sparse space strings; inserting a sparse space string from the first set of sparse space strings into the computer code, and distributing the computer code to a recipient, wherein the recipient of the computer code: extracts at least some of the inserted sparse space string from the computer code to form an extracted string, and transmits the extracted string to a database operator, wherein the database operator: identifies the sparse space string in the first set of sparse space strings associated with the extracted string, retrieves the payload information mapped to the identified sparse space string, and transmits the payload information to the recipient.