Europaisches Patentamt
`
`European Patent Office
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`Office europeen des brevets
`
`111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111
`
`(11)
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`EP 0 766 165 A2
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`EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION
`
`(19)
`
`'
`
`(12)
`
`(43) Date of publication:
`02.04.1997 Bulletin 1997/14
`
`(21) Application number: 96111086.3
`
`(22) Date of filing: 10.07.1996
`
`(84) Designated Contracting States:
`DE FR GB
`
`(30) Priority: 31.08.1995 JP 224338/95
`
`(71) Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
`Kawasaki-Shi, Kanagawa 211 (JP)
`
`(51) Int. Cl.6: G06F 1 /00
`
`(72) Inventors:
`• Hasebe, Takayuki,
`c/o Fujitsu Limited
`Kawasaki-Shi, Kanagawa 211 (JP)
`• Torii, Naoya,
`c/o Fujitsu Limited
`Kawasaki-Shi, Kanagawa 211 (JP)
`
`(74) Representative: Seeger, Wolfgang, Dipl.·Phys.
`Georg-Hager-Strasse 40
`81369 Munchen (DE)
`
`(54)
`
`Licensee notification system
`
`(57)
`There is disclosed a licensee notification sys-
`tem for implementing a software sales system wherein
`license information for converting to executable form
`software that is presented to a user in non-executable
`form is communicated to the user from a management
`center on condition of payment of a charge, and the
`software is converted into executable form at the user
`terminal using this license information. The subject of
`the licensee notification system is software that decides
`whether or not
`the correspondence
`relationship
`between user identification information and signature
`information stored in the license file is legitimate, and, if
`it is legitimate, displays the user identification informa(cid:173)
`tion to the user before starting proper operation; or, if it
`is not legitimate, does not start proper operation. The
`licensee notification system is constituted by connecting
`the management center and user terminals by commu(cid:173)
`nication circuits. If license information is requested from
`the user terminal, the management center transmits
`license information combining in integral form the user
`identification information identifying the user and con(cid:173)
`version information for converting the software to exe(cid:173)
`cutable form. The user terminal enables the software
`using the conversion information contained in this
`license information and writes user identification infor(cid:173)
`mation and signature information whose content is
`determined in accordance with the content of the user
`identification information to a license file that is referred
`to when this software is operating.
`
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`FIG. 6
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`START
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`N
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`NG
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`S103
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`$104
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`DISPLAY USER NAME
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`EXECUTE MAIN PROGRAM
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`END
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`Printed by Rank Xerox (UK) Business Services
`2 14 0/34
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`Apple Inc. Exhibit 1012 Page 1
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`EP 0 766165 A2
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`Description
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`1.Field of the Invention
`
`The present invention relates to a licensee notifica(cid:173)
`tion system employed for the sale of software using a
`high speed communication network such as B-ISDN
`and a large-capacity storage medium such as a CD-
`ROM.
`
`2.Description of the Related Art
`
`With the development of high speed communica(cid:173)
`tion technology such as B-ISDN (broad-band integrated
`services digital network) and high-capacity storage
`media such as CD-ROMs (compact disk read only
`memory) such means can now be used to distribute
`computer programs or video data or audio data. For
`example, video works which were previously supplied
`on video tape are now being sold stored on CD-ROM.
`Also, game programs etc, which contain a large amount
`of picture data, are being sold stored on CD-ROM. The
`same applies to high speed communication networks, in
`which the software supplier can now distribute the soft(cid:173)
`ware by various methods.
`One of these methods of software sales is the so(cid:173)
`called "locked software" sales system. In the locked
`software sales system, a CD ROM on which are stored
`a large number of software items whose functions are
`restricted is sold cheaply. By using the various items of
`software of software on the CD-ROM that is purchased,
`in a condition with the functional restrictions imposed,
`the end user is able to make a decision as to whether or
`not he needs each software item. Then, if the end user
`does require the software, he obtains (purchases) a
`restriction-removal code corresponding to this software
`from a management center operated by the software
`distributor, and is able to use this restriction-removal
`code to remove the functional restrictions on the soft-
`ware.
`Such a sales system may be implemented, as a
`specific example, using the software sales system
`shown in Fig. 10. As shown in this Figure, this software
`sales system comprises user terminals 31 and manage(cid:173)
`ment center 32. The user terminal 31 and the manage(cid:173)
`ment center 32 are connected by means of a
`communication circuit.
`When actually purchasing the software (i.e. when
`purchasing a restriction-removal code), the end user,
`using a user ID etc, sets up a communication path with
`the management center and executes the prescribed
`procedure required to request that a restriction-removal
`code be sent to the user terminal 31. This procedure
`includes the input of a "contents ID", which is informa-
`tion for identifying the software item that is to be pur(cid:173)
`chased actually. In response to the execution of such a
`procedure, the user terminal 31 sends to the manage-
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`ment center 32 the contents ID and for example the
`characteristic information of the user, consisting of the
`ID of the CPU provided in user terminal 31.
`Within the management center 32, there is pro-
`vided a software database (software DB) in which soft(cid:173)
`ware decoding keys employed for encoding the various
`software items are stored in association with the con(cid:173)
`tents ID. When a contents ID is received from user ter-
`minal 31, the software decoding key corresponding to
`the contents ID is read from software database 33. Also,
`encoding unit 34 in management center 32 generates a
`user individual key by encoding the user characteristic
`information from user terminal 31 by the key "Ks".
`Encoding unit 35 sends the results of the encoding of
`the software decoding key from software database 33 to
`user terminal 31 as restriction-removal code, using the
`user individual key from encoding unit 34.
`Encoding unit 36 in user terminal 31 generates a
`user individual key by encoding the user characteristic
`information with the key "Ks". Decoding unit 37 uses the
`user individual key generated by encoding unit 36 to
`decode the restriction removal code from management
`center 32, thereby generating the software decoding
`key. Installation unit 38 then uses this software decod-
`ing key to decode the software in CD-ROM correspond(cid:173)
`ing to the contents ID sent to center terminal 32: thus
`the software is put in a condition where it can be used
`with the functional restrictions removed, and, in this
`form, is installed on to a storage device such as a hard
`30 disk device.
`With such a software sales system, it is possible to
`determine the software item to be purchased after actu(cid:173)
`ally ascertaining its contents: thus, the possibility that
`the purchased software might be completely different
`from that intended, as could happen if the purchase
`were made solely on the basis of the details contained
`in a catalogue, can be completely eliminated. Also,
`since the software on the CD ROM is stored in a form
`which is not executable without knowing special infor(cid:173)
`mation, illicit installation can be prevented.
`However, once the software has been installed, it is
`an extremely easy operation to copy this. Thus, the
`problem has arisen of unscrupulous persons copying
`the software without the consent of the software sup-
`45 plier. Various methods (so-called protection methods) of
`preventing such illicit copying are known but there is no
`way to prevent illicit copying by a person possessing
`knowledge at the level of the BIOS (basic inpuVoutput
`system). Whichever method is used, it can do no more
`than make it more difficult to perform illicit copying.
`For this reason, software is sold in which the name
`of the authorized user is displayed on start-up, with the
`object of preventing illicit copying psychologically rather
`than physically. That is, the aim is to prevent illicit copy(cid:173)
`ing of software by displaying the name of the authorized
`user of the software when the illicitly copied software is
`executed.
`However, even with such software, if the copying is
`inclusive of the installation software that sets the user
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`name, when the software is run, it can be made to dis(cid:173)
`play the name of the person who made the illicit copy:
`thus, sufficient effectiveness in preventing illicit copying
`was not obtained.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`An object of the present invention is to provide a
`licensee notification system whose psychological effec(cid:173)
`tiveness in preventing illicit copying is very high.
`A first licensee notification system according to the
`present invention consists in a system for implementing
`a software sales system in which software in non-exe(cid:173)
`cutable form is presented to a user, and license informa-
`tion for converting the software into executable form is
`informed to the user on condition of payment of a
`charge, and the software is converted into executable
`form using this license information.
`The first licensee notification system is constituted
`of a management center and user terminals; its subject
`is software which includes instructions that command a
`terminal to read user identification information in a
`license file and to notify the user identification informa(cid:173)
`tion to the user on commencement of its operation.
`The management center comprises a license infor(cid:173)
`mation generating unit that generates license informa(cid:173)
`tion combining in integrated form user identification
`information that specifies a user and conversion infor(cid:173)
`mation for converting software to executable form.
`The user terminal comprises a storage unit, a con(cid:173)
`version unit, and license file creating unit. In more detail,
`the storage unit is employed for storing the license file
`and software converted to executable form. The license
`information, which is generated by the license informa(cid:173)
`tion generating unit in the management center, is given
`to the conversion unit. The conversion unit then con(cid:173)
`verts the software to executable form using the license
`information and installs it in the storage unit. The license
`file creating unit creates the license file which contains
`the user identification information contained in the
`license information, and stores the license file in the
`storage unit.
`That is, in the first licensee notification system, soft(cid:173)
`ware is installed in the user terminal so that the user
`identification information of the legitimate user is noti-
`fied to the user on its start-up, using the license informa-
`tion which is generated in the management center and
`contains the user identification information.
`A second licensee notification system according to
`the present invention is constituted of a management
`center and user terminal; its subject is software which
`includes instructions that commands the user terminal
`to read user identification information in the prescribed
`location in the software and to notify the user identifica(cid:173)
`tion information to the user on commencement of its
`operation.
`The management center comprises a license infor(cid:173)
`mation generating unit that generates license informa(cid:173)
`tion combining in integrated form user identification
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`information identifying a user and conversion informa(cid:173)
`tion for converting software into executable form.
`The user terminal comprises a storage unit, a con(cid:173)
`version unit and a software rewriting unit. Of these, the
`storage unit is employed for storing the software after
`this has been converted to executable form. The con(cid:173)
`version unit converts the software to executable condi(cid:173)
`tion using the license information generated by the
`license information generating unit in the management
`10 center, and then installs it in the storage unit. The soft(cid:173)
`ware rewriting unit rewrites the information of the pre(cid:173)
`scribed location of the software that has been installed
`by the conversion unit with the user identification infor(cid:173)
`mation contained in the license information.
`That is, in this second licensee notification system,
`installation is performed with the content of the software
`rewritten such that the user identification information of
`the legitimate user is notified on start-up, using the
`license information which is generated in the manage-
`ment center and contains the user identification infor(cid:173)
`mation.
`The third licensee notification system according to
`the present invention has as its subject software that, on
`commencement of operation,
`includes
`instructions
`25 commanding the user terminal to read user identifica(cid:173)
`tion information in a license file and to notify the user
`identification information to the user.
`The management center in the third licensee notifi(cid:173)
`cation system comprises a license information generat-
`ing unit that generates license information consisting of
`an integral combination of conversion information for
`converting the software to executable form and user
`identification information identifying a user.
`The user terminal comprises a storage unit for stor-
`ing a license file, a license file creating unit, and a soft(cid:173)
`ware execution unit. The license file creating unit
`creates the license file containing the license informa(cid:173)
`tion generated by the license information generating
`unit, and stores the license file in the storing unit. The
`40 software execution unit, when execution of the software
`is designated, converts the software to executable form
`using the license information stored in the license file
`and expands it into memory, and commences operation
`in accordance with the expanded software.
`That is, in the third licensee notification system, the
`software, which is presented to the user in non-execut(cid:173)
`able form, is converted to executable form in accord(cid:173)
`ance with the license information containing the user
`identification information every time execution is desig-
`50 nated.
`The fourth licensee notification system according to
`this invention is constituted of management center and
`user terminal. The subject of the system is software
`which judges the legitimacy of user identification infor-
`55 mation on the basis of signature information stored in a
`license file on commencement of operation and, if the
`user identification information is legitimate, commences
`proper operation after notifying this user identification
`information to the user, and, if the user identification
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`information is not legitimate, terminates operation.
`The management center comprises a license infor(cid:173)
`mation generating unit that generates license informa(cid:173)
`tion combining in integral form the user identification
`information identifying the user and signature informa-
`tion whose content is determined in accordance with
`the user identification information.
`The user terminal comprises a storage unit for stor-
`ing the license file and a license file creating unit that
`creates the license file containing the user identification
`information contained in the license information gener(cid:173)
`ated by the license information generating unit and
`stores the license file in the storage unit.
`That is, in the fourth licensee notification system,
`the license information which is necessary for running
`the software normally is generated on the basis of the
`user identification information
`in
`the management
`center and is informed to the user terminal.
`It may be noted that although in the first to the
`fourth licensee notification system any means could be
`employed for notification of the license information, if
`notification of license information is performed using a
`communication circuit, a system that is simple to oper-
`ate can be formed.
`Also, it is possible to employ information including
`the name of the user as user identification information.
`It is also possible to employ a unit that generates license
`information including user identification information
`encoded with a characteristic key of the software. In this
`case, software is presented to user which including
`instructions that command the user terminal to notify to
`the user the result of decoding the user identification
`information using the characteristic key.
`In the first to the third licensee notification systems,
`it is also possible to make the software that is presented
`to the user encoded, and to make the conversion infor(cid:173)
`mation for decoding the encoded software. Also, it is
`possible to employ, in such a licensee notification sys(cid:173)
`tem, license information containing the user identifica-
`tion information in a form that cannot be separated
`without special information. For example, it is possible
`to employ information, as license information, which is
`the result of encoding the conversion information and
`user identification information, combined in integrated
`manner.
`Also, it is possible to make the first to third licensee
`notification system a system whose subject is software
`that, if the signature information stored in the license file
`does not correspond to the user identification informa(cid:173)
`tion, terminates operation, and, as the license file creat-
`ing unit, to employ a unit that generates signature
`information whose content is determined in accordance
`with the content of the user identification information,
`and creates the license file containing the signature
`information. In this case, it can be made more difficult to
`alter the user identification information that is notified to
`the user on start-up of the software. Also, in the case of
`such software, it is possible to employ as license infor(cid:173)
`mation generating unit a unit that generates license
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`information containing signature information whose
`contents are determined in accordance with the con(cid:173)
`tents of the user identification information, and, as
`license file creating unit, to employ a unit that creates
`the license file containing signature information con(cid:173)
`tained in the license information.
`Also, it is possible to make the second licensee
`notification system a system whose subject is software
`that, if signature information stored in the second prede-
`termined location does not correspond to user identifi(cid:173)
`cation information stored in a prescribed location,
`terminates its operation, and, as software rewriting unit,
`to employ a unit that rewrites the information of the pre(cid:173)
`scribed location of the software with the user identifica-
`tion information contained in the license information and
`that rewrites the information at the second prescribed
`location of the software with signature information
`whose content is determined in accordance with the
`user identification information. Also, in the case of such
`software, it is possible to employ as license information
`generating unit a unit that generates license information
`containing signature information whose content is
`determined in accordance with the content of the user
`identification information, and, as software rewriting
`25 unit, to employ a unit that rewrites information of the
`prescribed location with user identification information
`contained in the license information and that rewrites
`the information at the second prescribed location in the
`software by signature information contained in the
`license information.
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`Fig. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating the
`layout of a licensee notification system according to
`a first embodiment of the present invention;
`Fig. 2 is a diagram given in explanation of the con(cid:173)
`tent of the user database provided in the manage(cid:173)
`ment center comprised in the licensee notification
`system according to the first embodiment;
`Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating the content of the
`software database provided in the management
`center comprised in the licensee notification sys(cid:173)
`tem according to the first embodiment;
`Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating the content of a
`license file provided in a user terminal comprised in
`the licensee notification system according to the
`first embodiment;
`Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating the structure of soft(cid:173)
`ware that is the subject of the licensee notification
`system according to the first embodiment;
`Fig. 6 is a flow chart illustrating the operating
`sequence of software that is the subject of the licen(cid:173)
`see notification system according to the first
`embodiment;
`Fig. 7 is a function block diagram illustrating the
`organization of a user terminal employed in the
`licensee notification system according to a second
`embodiment;
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`Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating the structure of soft(cid:173)
`ware that is the subject of the licensee notification
`system according to the second embodiment;
`Fig. 9 is a flow chart showing the operating
`sequence of software that is the subject of the licen-
`see notification system according to the second
`embodiment; and
`Fig. 1 O is a functional block diagram showing the
`structure of the licensee notification system used in
`a prior art locked software sales system.
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`DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODI(cid:173)
`MENTS
`
`The present invention is described in detail below
`with reference to the drawings.
`
`First embodiment
`
`Fig. 1 is a functional block diagram of a licensee
`notification system according to a first embodiment of
`the present invention. This licensee notification system
`is a system where CD-ROMs storing a large number of
`software items of restricted function are sold cheaply,
`and software sales are effected by selling the informa-
`tion needed to cancel the function restrictions of the
`software in this CD-ROM. Payment of the fee could be
`effected by for example notification of the subscriber
`number of a cash card or notification of a bank account
`withdrawal number or the like.
`As shown in the drawings, the licensee notification
`system is constituted by user terminals 11 and manage(cid:173)
`ment center 12 connected by means of a communica-
`tion circuit. User terminals 11 and management center
`12 may be described as computers and commence
`operation as an ensemble of the function blocks illus(cid:173)
`trated when prescribed programs are run.
`First of all, the operation of management center 12
`will be described.
`Management center 12 is provided with two data(cid:173)
`bases, called user database (user DB) 13 and software
`database (software DB) 14. As shown in Fig. 2, user DB
`13 stores the correspondence relationship between the
`user ID, which is identification information given to users
`of this system by the manager, and the user name,
`which is the identification information of the user as
`employed in ordinary society. As shown in Fig. 3, soft(cid:173)
`ware DB 14 stores the correspondence relationship
`between the contents ID, which is the identification infor(cid:173)
`mation of each software item supplied and stored in the
`CD ROM, and the software decoding key, which is the
`decoding information needed to decode this software
`item.
`A link-up unit 15 in management center 12 gener(cid:173)
`ates license information by combining the two data
`items: user name and software decoding key. An encod-
`ing unit 16 generates a user's individual key by encod-
`ing with key "Ks" the user characteristic information
`(details to be explained later) from user terminal 11. An
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`encoding unit 17 generates coded license information
`by encoding the license information from link-up unit 15
`using the user's individual key generated by encoding
`unit 16. In the present licensee notification system, a
`DES (data encryption standard) algorithm is employed
`for encoding and decoding.
`The various function blocks that are not in manage(cid:173)
`ment center 12 are arranged to operate synchronously
`when there is a request from user terminal 11 for infor-
`10 mation for removal of the function restrictions. Specifi(cid:173)
`cally, when management center 12 receives a request
`for information for removal of function restrictions relat(cid:173)
`ing to a software item from user terminal 11, it transmits
`to user terminal 11 coded license information containing
`the user's name and the software decoding key needed
`to remove the functional restrictions on the software
`item.
`Next, the operation of user terminal 11 will be
`described. When user terminal 11 runs the programs for
`20 communication and installation, it executes the opera(cid:173)
`tion described below.
`A request transmission unit 18 in user terminal 11
`transmits to management center 12 information includ(cid:173)
`ing the user ID, contents ID, and user's characteristic
`information. Request transmission unit 18 commences
`operation when the keyboard (not shown) of user termi-
`nal 11 is operated in accordance with a prescribed pro(cid:173)
`cedure that is predetermined as the procedure for
`request of information for removal of functional restric-
`tions. This request procedure includes keyboard input of
`the user ID and contents ID; request transmission unit
`18 transmits to management center 12 the keyboard
`input information and the user's characteristic informa(cid:173)
`tion, which is constituted by the ID of the CPU which is
`35 employed in user terminal 11.
`As already explained, when a request for informa(cid:173)
`tion for removal of functional restrictions is received
`from user terminal 11, management center 12 sends to
`user terminal 11 encoded license information. As a
`result, after request transmission unit 18 has been oper(cid:173)
`ated, user terminal 11 receives encoded license infor(cid:173)
`mation from management center 12.
`As shown in the drawings, the encoded license
`information is input to decoding unit 20 in user terminal
`45 11. Decoding unit 20 also inputs the user's individual
`key, which is generated by encoding unit 19 using the
`user's characteristic information and "Ks". Using this
`user's individual key, decoding unit 20 decodes the
`encoded license information from center terminal 12.
`The license information, which is the result of this
`decoding, is input to separating unit 21, which is a unit
`that performs reverse processing against link-up unit 15
`in management center 12. Separating unit 21 separates
`and extracts the software decoding key and user name
`from the license information, and respectively supplies
`the extracted software decoding key and user name to
`installation unit 22 and license file compilation unit 23.
`Installation unit 22, using the software decoding key
`from separating unit 21, removes the functional restric-
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`tions on the specific software item (details to be
`described later) in accordance with the contents ID
`transmitted by request transmission unit 18. License file
`compilation unit 23 compiles a license file 24 using the
`user name and contents ID from separating unit 21.
`Fig. 4 shows diagrammatically the contents of
`license file 24. As shown in the drawing, license file 24
`stores information consisting of contents ID and user
`name, and signature information, which is information
`encoded using a signature key.
`Further detailed description of the operation of
`installation unit 22 and the operation of the software
`installed by installation unit 22 is given below using Fig.
`5 and Fig. 6. Of these Figures, Fig. 5 is a view showing
`diagrammatically the structure of software that is the
`subject of the present licensee notification system and
`Fig. 6 is a flow chart showing the operating sequence of
`the CPU in the user terminal when the software that is
`the subject of the present licensee notification system is
`actuated.
`As shown in Fig. 5, the software that is the subject
`of the present system includes a license display routine
`25 and main program 26. In the main program there are
`defined the operating procedures relating to the proper
`functions of this software; in license display routine 25,
`there is defined the content to be executed prior to exe(cid:173)
`cution of main program 26.
`When this software is actuated, as shown in Fig. 6,
`the CPU, first of all, by checking the contents ID in the
`license file, decides whether or not data corresponding
`to the software that is being actuated is present in the
`license file (step 8101). Then, if the corresponding data
`exists (step S101 :Y), the CPU performs a check of the
`legitimacy of the corresponding data (step 102). In this
`step, the CPU encodes the information consisting of
`contents ID and user name stored in the license file
`using the signature key that is set as data in license dis(cid:173)
`play routine 25, and if the result of this encoding agrees
`with the signature information, decides that the data is
`legitimate.
`If it is legitimate (step S102:0K), the CPU displays
`the user name which is read from the license file (step
`8103), and commences operation in accordance with
`the main program (step 8104).
`Also, if the corresponding data is not present in the
`license file (step S101 :N) or if the content of the license
`file is found to be not legitimate (step S102:NG), i.e. if
`the content of the license file is found to be different
`from the result of the compilation performed by license
`file compilation unit 23, the CPU terminates operation
`without displaying the user name or executing the main
`program.
`As described above, with the licensee notification
`system according to the first embodiment, in the user
`terminal, installation of the software is performed such
`that the user name is displayed on start-up, using the
`encoded license information supplied from the manage(cid:173)
`ment center. Also, the installed software is executed
`only when the legitimacy of the license file is verified. As
`
`5
`
`10
`
`15
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`a result, with this licensee notification system, even if
`the software and license file are copied illicitly after
`being installed, it is difficult to change the user name
`appearing on start-up of the software. The person who
`has made the illicit copy has no alternative but to use
`the software with the name of another person being dis(cid:173)
`played. As a result, illicit copying of the software can be
`prevented if the present licensee notification system is
`employed.
`It should be noted that the licensee notification sys(cid:173)
`tem of the first embodiment could be modified in various
`ways.
`It would for example be possible to constitute the
`system such that notification of the contents ID etc to
`the management center and notification of the encoded
`license information to the user terminal were performed
`by another information transmission unit, such as the
`post. In this case, the user terminal is constituted such
`that installation is effected using encoded license infor-
`20 mation input from the keyboard. It is also possible to
`constitute the system such that the license information
`is notified in un-encoded form.
`It is also possible to arrange that the signature infor(cid:173)
`mation is generated at the management center end,
`25 and encoded license information containing this signa(cid:173)
`ture information is notified to the user terminal.
`It is also possible to constitute the system such that,
`instead of the user name and signature information,
`information representing the user name in encoded
`form is stored in the license file, and, when the installed
`software is executed, the information in the license file is
`decoded by the software and displayed.
`It would also be possible to arrange that the soft(cid:173)
`ware was converted into executable condition not on
`installation of the software but rather every time execu(cid:173)
`tion of the software was specified, the software then
`being expanded i