Patent ID: 7006997

Claim:
A method for preventing unfair use of software, comprising: a first step of detecting a feature of a file system of a computer of a particular user and generating characteristic information based on the detected feature; a second step of causing a licenser of software to generate key data on the basis of the characteristic information generated by said first step, and providing the particular user with the key data; a third step of detecting a feature of a file system of a particular computer when the software is to be used on said particular computer, and generating characteristic information on the basis of the feature detected by said third step; a fourth step of performing an authorization test for determining whether or not to permit use of the software by said particular computer, on the basis of presence/absence of identity or similarity between the characteristic information based on the file system corresponding to the key data and the characteristic information generated by said third step; a fifth step of storing the key data provided to the user by said second step; and a sixth step of updating the key data, stored by said step of storing, so as to match the characteristic information generated by said third step at least with the provision that said fourth step has determined the use of the software should be permitted.