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Description  |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the duplication of computer software program
materials which are susceptible to unauthorized duplication or copying
using the medium of floppy or hard disks.
Copying computer software is illegal but prosecution is extremely
difficult. The initial development of computer programs is costly and time
consuming resulting in a fee of several hundred dollars for programs. A
blank floppy diskette costs under $5.00 and a program may be copied onto
the blank diskette within a few minutes. Copy protection has existed by
incorporating periodic unused sector or track on the disk and by placing
part of the program out of sequence in a number of tracks. This system of
placing the program in a random order confuses the computer and brings the
copying to a halt. The problem with the existing copy protection program
is that software programs have been developed to allow the user's computer
to unscramble the copy protecting program to allow it to be copied.
The present invention provides a copyprotecting system that allows a floppy
or hard disk to be reproduced but when the unauthorized disk is run the
copied software program will delete intself from the floppy disk and makes
the disk unusable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a means for copy protecting software
programs. The rampant copying of software programs is crippling the
development of new software programs by preventing the originator of the
software program to recoup research and development costs of developing a
software program. The present invention relates to a means for
copyprotecting a user software program by providing a target disk with
permanent input/output errors and an input/output error trap module in
conjunction with the user software program. Although the target disk may
be readily copied, the copied or pirated disk will be rendered useless
upon running the copied or pirated disk.
It is an object of this invention to prevent the unauthorized copying of
software programs. It is a further object of this invention to provide a
method for preparing original disks to prevent the running of copied or
pirated disks.
In accordance with these and other objects which will be apparent
hereinafter, the instant invention will now be described with particular
reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a flow chart demonstrating the creation of the non-copyable
target disk.
FIG. 2 is a flow chart demonstrating the execution of the input/output
error trap routine.
FIG. 3A is a block diagram of a disk drive with computer input shown.
FIG. 3B is a diagram of the disk error maker.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The copy protecting system may be used on both initialized floppy or hard
disks and uninitialized floppy or hard disks. The term disk refers to a
floppy disk or a hard disk or diskette and is not restricted to any size.
This allows the copy protecting system to be used on blank floppy or hard
disks and also to be incorporated on floppy or hard disks that have an
existing software program on them. The copy protecting system provides a
target disk. The target disk may include a disk that has an existing
software program or a software program may be added to the target disk.
The target disk may be prepared by placing a permanent input/output error
on either a blank disk or a disk with an existing software program. The
permanent input/output error may be placed on the target disk by
physically removing the iron oxide from the target disk thus rendering
that location useless for storing magnetically encoded information. The
location of the track and sector on the target may be determined by a
software program through use of a disk drive 50 as shown in FIG. 3A. A
conventional disk drive such as an Apple Disk II may be utilized. The
unused track and sector are located. The permanent input/output error may
be imprinted on the target disk manually or by a disk arm 55 as shown in
FIG. 3B that is attached to a disk drive, 50 and is under the direction of
a program to locate a particular track and sector location. The target
disk, 56, is permanently marked (marred) by physically removing the
magnetic medium use as but not limited to iron oxide from the target disk
56, by using a head, 57. The head, 57, may include a means for physically
placing a scratch or hole on the target disk, 56. The process of locating
an unused track and sector and removing the iron oxide from the target
disk may be repeated to provide a plurality of permanent input/output
errors. The permanently marked track and sector location may be referred
to as a permanent input/output error. The permanent input/output error may
be accomplished by physically marking the target disk with a scratch,
punched hole or other means of making a permanent mark on the target disk.
The permanent input/output error may include a plurality of permanent
input/output errors identifiable by track and sector locations.
The permanent input/output errors have been placed on either an
uninitialized or initialized target disk. The volume table of contents
(VTOC) of said target disk may be programmed to indicate that the location
of the permanent I/O error(s) is no longer available for program storage
or data storage. Each target disk may include at least one permanent
input/output error. A plurality of permanent input/output errors may be
randomly placed on a target disk and the VTOC updated to include each
permanent input/output error. The random permanent input/output error
serve as a fingerprint for each target disk. The tracks and sectors where
permanent input/output errors are located are no longer available for
storage of program or data information.
Once the VTOC is programmed to reflect the location of each input/output
error, a permanent input/output error trap program is placed on the disk.
FIG. 1 shows a flow chart of how the copy-protected target disk is created.
The segment I, identified by the dash lined (------) box, refers to the
process of locating the track and sector where the permanent input/output
error are positioned on the target disk. A software program identifies the
first available user track and the sector track is set to zero, 1. The
software program reads the track and sector location, 2. The software
program looks for a permanent input/output error, 3, at the track and
sector location, 2. If an input/output error is found as indicated by Y,
4, the software program proceeds to save the track and sector numbers, 5.
If a permanent input/output error is not found as indicated by N, 4, the
software program proceeds to increment the sector, 6. After the sector is
incremented, 6, the software program reads all sectors for the track
location, 7. If the track is located, as indicated by Y, 8, the software
program proceeds to increment the track, 10. If the track is not located,
as indicated by n, 9, the software program proceeds to position 15 before
the read track and sector command 2. The software program may repeat the
sequence from N, 9, to position 15, through read all sectors for track 7,
until a Y, 8 is indicated. When all sectors for track are read, 8, the
track is incremented, 10. The software program then reads all tracks for
disk, 13. If all tracks are read, as indicated by Y, 12, no permanent
input/output error is found on the target disk, 14. [and a target disk may
not be created.] If all tracks are not read, as indicated by N, 13, the
software program returns to position 15, and proceeds to read the track
and sector location. Once all tracks for disk are read, as indicated by Y,
12, and the software program indicated no permanent input/output error is
located the software program proceeds to the end of the program, 30.
If a permanent input/output error is located, 3, as indicated by Y, 4, the
software program proceeds to save the track number, 5, and to save the
sector number, 5. Once the track-number and sector number have been saved,
5, the software program checks the directory of the disk, 15, to determine
if the track number and sector number are located on the directory. If the
track number and sector number are located on the directory, as indicated
by Y, 16, the software program indicates that the permanent input/output
error is on the directory, 17. If the permanent input/output error is not
located on the directory of the disk as indicated by N, 18, the software
program proceeds with the steps in segment II, identified by the dash
lined (------) box. The software program [reads the sector location into
the directory memory, 19.] The software program [points to the bit map of
the track which contains the permanent input/output error and marks the
sector with the permanent input/output error used, 20.] The software
program then unites the directory sector back to the target disk and
stores the permanent input/output error location in the input/output error
trap program, 21. Once the target disk has been created, the user software
package is modified to execute the input/output error trap module. The
modified user software package is placed on the target disk. The software
program then saves the updated input/output error trap module on the
target disk, 22, which has been placed on the target disk.
The input/output error trap program may be integrated into the software
package. An existing software package may be modified to execute the
input/output error trap program. Once the target disk contains the user
software package and the input/output error trap program module, the
input/output error trap may be executed as shown in FIG. 2. Segment III,
identified by the dash lined (------) box, refers to the execution of the
input/output error routine of the input/output error trap module. The
software program sets the input/output error [re-try to one, 23]. [The
software program locates the track number and sector number of the
permanent input/output error location of the disk]. The input/output error
trap routine writes some information onto the track and sector locations
where the permanent input/output error is located, 24, according to the
disk directory. The software program then reads the information, 25, that
was written onto the track and sector location identified as containing a
permanent input/output error. If the software program locates the
permanent input/output error, 25, as indicted by Y, 27, the software
program returns to the user software program, 28, and normal processing
continues, 28. If a permanent input/output error, 26, is not found, as
indicated by N, 29, the software program proceeds to segment IV,
identified by the dash lined (------) box. If the software program's
ability to write information on the track and sector location identified
as a permanent input/output error location, 24, indicates that the
software program is no longer on the target disk but instead on a copied
or pirated disk, the input/output error trap program deletes the user
software package from the computer memory, writes random data which
overlays the volume table of contents (VTOC) of the copied or pirated
disk, 31, writes random data on every sector of the copied or pirated
disk, 32, which destroys any information on the disk and deletes the
input/output error trap program from the disk, 32. The program also is
deleted from the computer memory.
The instant invention has been shown and described herein in what is
considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment. It is
recognized, however, that departures may be made therefrom within the
scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a
person skilled in the art.
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