Patent · US Expired

Identifier managing device and method in software distribution system

US6049670A · kind A · utility

35Cited by
8References
24Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 12, 1995
Grant dateApr 11, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 12, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F8/61
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An identifier managing device is used in a software distribution system in which software programs are distributed to distribution terminals from a distribution center through a network, for managing information including identifiers of the distribution terminals. A host computer in the distribution center sells the software programs corresponding to the request from users at the distribution terminals, each of which is assigned a terminal identifier and a terminal password. Each of the users is assigned a user identifier and a user password. A distribution identifier is written in the software programs before the software programs are sold, and the host computer manages the history of the distribution of the software using these identifiers and the passwords. The terminal password is rewritten whenever the terminal accesses the host computer for preventing illegal duplications of the software programs at the users end.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.