Software Activation via Local Branding and Dependency Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Software manufacturers face challenges in activating software products on computers that lack access to remote servers, due to design or location constraints, preventing authorized access.
Innovation Solution
A software license on the computing device includes a branding identifier and component dependency information, which are used to verify the software product's version, allowing activation without external communication by comparing these identifiers with the software product's components, ensuring only authorized versions are activated.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If remote server access is required for software activation, then software protection and authorization control are improved, but devices without network connectivity or with limited access cannot activate the software
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the activation verification logic from the remote server and embeds it directly into the computing device. The device contains a software protection service that performs activation checks locally using stored licensing information, eliminating the mandatory remote server connection while maintaining security.
Solution Approach 2:
The computing device performs self-verification of software licensing by comparing local software identifiers with stored licensing information. The device autonomously determines activation status without requiring external server intervention, enabling activation on isolated or offline systems.
2Measurement precision
If version-specific activation is implemented, then software authorization accuracy is improved, but the complexity of comparing branding identifiers and component dependency information increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the activation verification into distinct comparison steps: first comparing the branding identifier between the software product and licensing information, then comparing component dependency information. This segmentation makes the complex version verification process more manageable and systematic.
Solution Approach 2:
The licensing information is pre-stored in the computing device during manufacturing or initial setup. This preliminary storage of branding identifiers and component dependency information eliminates the need for complex real-time verification processes, simplifying the activation check while maintaining precision.
Data Source
AI summary
A software license for a particular version of a software product on a computing device includes both a branding identifier that identifies the particular version of the software product and component dependency information that identifies one or more aspects of the particular version of the software product. To activate a software product on the computing device, the branding identifier is compared to a portion of the software product on the computing device. If the branding identifier matches the portion of the software product, then the component dependency information is compared to one or more aspects of the software product on the computing device. If the component dependency information matches the one or more aspects of the software product then the software product is activated. Otherwise, the a license state of the software product is kept unchanged.