Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss
Software patent on program activation
11 views
Skip to first unread message
rior...@gmail.com
May 23, 2012, 6:40:54 PM5/23/12
to
Hello.
A company named Uniloc has a patent (US Patent 7,024,696) covering activation of software using a product license key. They are suing many companies for damages. I'm looking for prior art for this patent, in hopes of invalidating it.
Does anyone know of software activation mechanisms prior to 14 June 2000?
The salient features of the patent are that:
-- The software is provided with a license key that is unique to that copy of the software.
-- You activate your copy of the software by transmitting the license key to the vendor, with the vendor's server ensuring that that license key has not already been activate.
Of course, this scenario is very common today, having been reinvented and used by many software vendors. That's why Uniloc has such ripe pickings for its lawsuits, which, of course, are filed in the infamous Eastern District of Texas. The question is whether anyone was using a similar scheme prior to 14 June 2000.
Thanks for any pointers you can give.
A company named Uniloc has a patent (US Patent 7,024,696) covering activation of software using a product license key. They are suing many companies for damages. I'm looking for prior art for this patent, in hopes of invalidating it.
Does anyone know of software activation mechanisms prior to 14 June 2000?
The salient features of the patent are that:
-- The software is provided with a license key that is unique to that copy of the software.
-- You activate your copy of the software by transmitting the license key to the vendor, with the vendor's server ensuring that that license key has not already been activate.
Of course, this scenario is very common today, having been reinvented and used by many software vendors. That's why Uniloc has such ripe pickings for its lawsuits, which, of course, are filed in the infamous Eastern District of Texas. The question is whether anyone was using a similar scheme prior to 14 June 2000.
Thanks for any pointers you can give.
0 new messages