Software pay per use system
US5625690A · kind A · utility
269Cited by
14References
25Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 15, 1993 |
| Grant date | Apr 29, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 15, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F2221/2107
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A pay per use system for of the unauthorized use of computer software. An encryption program encodes original software to produce secured software. The encoding is accomplished by using cryptographic techniques. In order to use the software, a user must call a telephone number to receive the cryptographic keys necessary to decrypt the secured software. Thus, users must pay for each use of the secured software. The system allows software developers to freely distribute the secured software. Copies of the secured software may be freely made, because payment is based on each use of the software not on each copy of the software.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.