Patent ID: 7395551

Claim:
A method of managing software use by a software provider for distribution to a user, comprising the steps of: storing inside the software predetermined first information; providing the software to a software user on an information storage means prepared corresponding to the software and to be connected to an apparatus for running the software, which information storage means is capable of being accessed by the apparatus in a connected state; encoding second information by using a first key of a key pair of an open key encoding format; and transmitting the encoded second information to said software user for said software user to decode said transmitted encoded second information by using a second key of said key pair of said open key encoding format, and to read said first information from said information storage means, and to match said read first information against said decoded second information, wherein said software is enabled when the information match, and wherein the encoded second information is transmitted to the software user for matching the read first information against the decoded second information each time the software user uses said software.