Importance

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Abstract

A technique is disclosed for preventing a computer program from being used by a computer system other than a designated system. The values of certain characteristics exhibited by the designated computer system first are stored, and then the values of those same characteristics exhibited by the computer system which is intended to use the computer program are measured and compared to the stored values. If the compared values are substantially the same, the computer program may be executed. However, if they are different, the computer system which was intended to use the program is inhibited from executing that program. The aforementioned characteristics comprise one or more, and preferably at least two, of the following: an identification of the processor included in the computer system, the clock speed of the clock generator included in that system, an identification of the ROM normally provided with the processor, the wait time assigned to the processor for accessing a RAM, the actual rotary speed of a disk drive normally provided with the computer system, the access speed of that disk drive, and the sector interleave value of that disk drive.

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First Claim