Behavioral Biometric Software Anti-Piracy System

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Solution Overview

Problem

Software piracy and counterfeiting pose significant financial and operational challenges for software vendors and users, resulting in substantial losses and increased risks due to incompatibility issues, malware risks, and legal liabilities, necessitating an effective anti-piracy protection system.

Innovation Solution

A software anti-piracy system that automatically identifies and corrects or removes exploited software by periodically updating definitions for known exploits and checking the integrity of licensing components, ensuring they are genuine and functioning correctly, with minimal user interaction and disruption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional licensing mechanisms are used to protect software, then software vendors can control software usage, but users can easily bypass these mechanisms using counterfeit product keys, key generators, or crack tools

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelicensing protection effectivenessVSAvoidanti-piracy system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical licensing mechanisms (product keys, activation codes) with a behavioral biometric authentication system. The system captures user interaction patterns (keystroke dynamics, mouse movements, scrolling behavior) and uses machine learning algorithms to create behavioral profiles that authenticate users without requiring traditional licensing inputs that can be easily replicated or bypassed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces behavioral biometrics as an intermediary layer between the user and the software licensing system. Instead of directly verifying product keys or activation codes, the system uses behavioral patterns as a mediator to authenticate users, making it significantly harder for pirates to bypass the licensing mechanism since behavioral patterns are difficult to replicate compared to static product keys.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If behavioral biometrics are used to authenticate users, then software piracy can be effectively prevented, but the system requires extensive user interaction and data collection

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepiracy prevention effectivenessVSAvoiduser interaction requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements continuous, passive collection of behavioral biometric data during normal software usage. Instead of requiring separate authentication steps or user actions to capture biometric data, the system continuously monitors keystroke patterns, mouse movements, and scrolling behavior as users naturally interact with the software, transforming routine operations into data collection opportunities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The system automatically captures and processes behavioral biometric data without requiring user intervention. The authentication process happens seamlessly in the background as users work, with the system self-managing data collection, profile creation, and verification without prompting users or requiring them to understand the underlying mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Measurement precision

If behavioral biometric data is collected and processed, then accurate user authentication can be achieved, but significant computing resources and processing power are required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveauthentication accuracyVSAvoidcomputational resource consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary processing of behavioral biometric data by capturing raw interaction patterns and immediately extracting relevant features during normal software usage. Behavioral profiles are created and updated in real-time as users work, so that when authentication is needed, the system only needs to compare current behavior against pre-established profiles rather than processing raw data from scratch.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements incremental profile updates rather than complete re-analysis of all behavioral data. Instead of excessively processing the entire behavioral history continuously, the system makes partial updates based on recent interactions, maintaining authentication accuracy while significantly reducing computational overhead by processing only necessary portions of behavioral data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS8095987B2Software anti-piracy protection
Publication Date: 2012.01.10 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC
  • US8095987B2 patent drawing
  • US8095987B2 patent drawing
  • US8095987B2 patent drawing

AI summary

Licensing aspects of vendor software packages can be protected with reduced user interaction and effort by automating licensing exploit identification, and if allowed, exploit correction. Automating licensing exploit detection ensures that known exploits are more quickly and efficiently discovered to help maintain genuine software status. Minimizing user interaction in licensing exploit detection and correction involves less disruption to users and generally supports increased user satisfaction with vendor software package usage.