Patent US4584641A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4584641A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Copyprotecting system for software protection
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1983-08-29
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Granted: 1986-04-22
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Expires: 2003-08-29
Abstract
Abstract A means for copyprotecting disks. The present invention may be utilized with both blank and programmed disks. Permanent random input/output errors such as an absence of magnetic material are placed on a disk by removal of material or by other methods and an input/output error trap routine or program is placed on the disk. The input/output error trap routine or program runs during the use of the user software program. A copied disk will not contain the permanent input/output error that existed on the original target disk because the input/output errors are not reproduced because they are not machine readable. When the copied disk is run, the input/output error trap routine cannot locate the permanent input/output error that existed on the original target disk. When the permanent input/output error is not located by the input/output error trap routine the volume table of contents on the disk is scrambled, the input/output error trap routine is deleted and the copied or pirated user software program is scrambled both in memory and on the disk. Location of the permanent input/output error by the input/output error trap routine on the target disk allows the user software program to continue normal processing.
Inventors
- 👤 Paul Guglielmino
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 18:30
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F21/00; G06F21/70; G06F21/78; G06F21/80; G06F2211/00; G06F2211/007; G11; G11B; G11B20/00; G11B20/00086; G11B20/0092; G11B20/00927; G11B20/00949
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
61 words
A target disk that is not copyable, comprising: magnetic material; at least one input/output error means untransferable for copying purposes by machine readable computers; a physical magnetic readable signal; said physical magnetic readable signal inducing a signal means for allowing bypassing said input/output error means to allow continuous use of said target disk but to prevent use of a copied disk.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
61 words
A target disk that is not copyable, comprising: magnetic material; at least one input/output error means untransferable for copying purposes by machine readable computers; a physical magnetic readable signal; said physical magnetic readable signal inducing a signal means for allowing bypassing said input/output error means to allow continuous use of said target disk but to prevent use of a copied disk.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
A target disk as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said input/output error is permanent.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
A target disk as set forth in claim 2, wherein: said magnetic material including magnetic medium; said input/output error may be provided by physically removing a portion of said magnetic medium from said target disk.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
68 words
A target disk as set forth in claim 2, wherein: said target disk includes sectors and a target disk loaded with an existing software program; one of said sectors of said target disk including at least one unused sector; said unused sector located to allow placing at least one said permanent input/output error on said target disk; modifying said existing software program to integrate said input/output error means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
67 words
A copyprotecting method as set forth in claim 2, wherein: said target disk includes sectors and a target disk loaded with an existing software program; one of said sectors of said target disk including at least one unused sector; said unused sector located to allow placing at least one said permanent input/output error on said target disk; modifying said existing software program to integrate said input/output error.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
A target disk as set forth in claim 2, wherein: said input/output error is a permanent physical error.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
88 words
A copyprotecting method for preventing the pirating of computer software programs, comprising: placing at least one permanent input/output error on the target disk in a random pattern; updating said permanent input/output error on the Volume Table of Contents of said disk; loading an error software program on said target disk; updating said error software program to acknowledge said permanent input/output error; such that said error software program deletes the copied program on the reproduced disk based on the absence of said permanent input/output error on the reproduced disk.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
88 words
A copyprotecting method for preventing the pirating of computer software programs, comprising: placing at least one permanent input/output error on the target disk in a random pattern; updating said permanent input/output error on the Volume Table of Contents of said disk; loading an error software program on said target disk; updating said error software program to acknowledge said permanent input/output error; such that said error software program deletes the copied program on the reproduced disk based on the absence of said permanent input/output error on the reproduced disk.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
56 words
A method as set forth in claim 7 wherein said target disk being copied onto a disk searching by said input/output error trap software program missing said permanent input/output error; instructing said Volume Table of Contents to be scrambled; instructing said input/output error software program to be deleted; instructing said existing software program to be scrambled.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
68 words
A method for copyprotecting a computer software program on a disk to prevent pirating of computer software programs comprising the following steps: placing at least one permanent input/output error on at least one sector of a target disk; updating the volume table of contents of said target disk to indicate said sector with said permanent input/output error; loading the input/output error trap software program on said target disk;
Claim 12
Independent Claim
68 words
A method for copyprotecting a computer software program on a disk to prevent pirating of computer software programs comprising the following steps: placing at least one permanent input/output error on at least one sector of a target disk; updating the volume table of contents of said target disk to indicate said sector with said permanent input/output error; loading the input/output error trap software program on said target disk;
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
49 words
updating said input/output error trap software program to read said sector with said permanent input/output error; searching by said input/output error trap software program for said permanent input/output error during the use of said target disk; encountering said permanent input/output error; continuing with normal processing of user software programs.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
49 words
updating said input/output error trap software program to read said sector with said permanent input/output error; searching by said input/output error trap software program for said permanent input/output error during the use of said target disk; encountering said permanent input/output error; continuing with normal processing of user software programs.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
114 words
A method for copyprotecting user software programs comprising: a target disk; said target disk including at least one input/output error means; a software means so constructed and arranged to locate said input/output error means on said target disk; such that a copied disk would not include said input/output error means; said copied disk would be rendered useless upon running of said copied disk; said input/output error means cannot be stored or read and therefore is not machine readable and thereby not transferable for copying purposes; said software means includes means to bypass the located input/output error means to allow continuous use of the target disk but to prevent further use of a copied disk.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
114 words
A method for copyprotecting user software programs comprising: a target disk; said target disk including at least one input/output error means; a software means so constructed and arranged to locate said input/output error means on said target disk; such that a copied disk would not include said input/output error means; said copied disk would be rendered useless upon running of said copied disk; said input/output error means cannot be stored or read and therefore is not machine readable and thereby not transferable for copying purposes; said software means includes means to bypass the located input/output error means to allow continuous use of the target disk but to prevent further use of a copied disk.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
61 words
A target member that is not copyable, comprising: magnetic material; at least one input/output error means untransferable for copying purposes by machine readable computers; a physical magnetic readable signal; said physical magnetic readable signal inducing a signal means for allowing bypassing said input/output error means to allow continuous use of said target member but to prevent use of a copied member.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
61 words
A target member that is not copyable, comprising: magnetic material; at least one input/output error means untransferable for copying purposes by machine readable computers; a physical magnetic readable signal; said physical magnetic readable signal inducing a signal means for allowing bypassing said input/output error means to allow continuous use of said target member but to prevent use of a copied member.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
A target member as set forth in claim 11, wherein: said input/output error is permanent.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
35 words
A target member as set forth in claim 12, wherein: said magnetic material including magnetic medium; said input/output error may be provided by physically removing a portion of said magnetic medium from said target member.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
68 words
A target member as set forth in claim 12, wherein: said target member includes sectors and a target member loaded with an existing software program; one of said sectors of said target member including at least one unused sector; said unused sector located to allow placing at least one said permanent input/output error on said target member; modifying said existing software program to integrate said input/output error means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
67 words
A copyprotecting method as set forth in claim 12, wherein: said target member includes sectors and a target member loaded with an existing software program; one of said sectors of said target member including at least one unused sector; said unused sector located to allow placing at least one said permanent input/output error on said target member; modifying said existing software program to integrate said input/output error.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
18 words
A target member as set forth in claim 12, wherein: said input/output error is a permanent physical error.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
89 words
A copyprotecting method for preventing the pirating of computer software programs, comprising: placing at least one permanent input/output error on the target member in a random pattern; updating said permanent input/output error on the Volume Table of Contents of said target member; loading an error software program on said target member; updating said error software program to acknowledge said permanent input/output error; such that said error software program deletes the copied program on the reproduced member based on the absence of said permanent input/output error on the reproduced member.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
89 words
A copyprotecting method for preventing the pirating of computer software programs, comprising: placing at least one permanent input/output error on the target member in a random pattern; updating said permanent input/output error on the Volume Table of Contents of said target member; loading an error software program on said target member; updating said error software program to acknowledge said permanent input/output error; such that said error software program deletes the copied program on the reproduced member based on the absence of said permanent input/output error on the reproduced member.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
56 words
A method as set forth in claim 17, wherein said target member being copied onto a member searching by said input/output error trap software program missing said permanent input/output error; instructing said Volume Table of Contents to be scrambled; instructing said input/output error software program to be deleted; instructing said existing software program to be scrambled.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
117 words
A method for copyprotecting a computer software program on a member to prevent pirating of computer software program comprising the following steps: placing at least one permanent input/output error on at least one sector of a target member; updating the volume table of contents of said target member to indicate said sector with said permanent input/output error; loading the input/output error trap software program on said target member; updating said input/output error trap software program to read said sector with said permanent input/output error; searching by said input/output error trap software program for said permanent input/output error during the use of said target member; encountering said permanent input/output error; continuing with normal processing of user software programs.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
117 words
A method for copyprotecting a computer software program on a member to prevent pirating of computer software program comprising the following steps: placing at least one permanent input/output error on at least one sector of a target member; updating the volume table of contents of said target member to indicate said sector with said permanent input/output error; loading the input/output error trap software program on said target member; updating said input/output error trap software program to read said sector with said permanent input/output error; searching by said input/output error trap software program for said permanent input/output error during the use of said target member; encountering said permanent input/output error; continuing with normal processing of user software programs.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
114 words
A method for copyprotecting user software programs comprising: a target member; said target member including at least one input/output error means; a software means so constructed and arranged to locate said input/output error means on said target member; such that a copied member would not include said input/output error means; said copied member would be rendered useless upon running of said copied member; said input/output error means cannot be stored or read and therefore is not machine readable and thereby not transferable for copying purposes; said software means includes means to bypass the located input/output error means to allow continuous use of the target member but to prevent further use of a copied member.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
114 words
A method for copyprotecting user software programs comprising: a target member; said target member including at least one input/output error means; a software means so constructed and arranged to locate said input/output error means on said target member; such that a copied member would not include said input/output error means; said copied member would be rendered useless upon running of said copied member; said input/output error means cannot be stored or read and therefore is not machine readable and thereby not transferable for copying purposes; said software means includes means to bypass the located input/output error means to allow continuous use of the target member but to prevent further use of a copied member.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4086634A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-04-21 | 1989-10-21 | 1990-04-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-04-21 | 1993-10-21 | 1994-04-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-04-21 | 1997-10-21 | 1998-04-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |