Anti-piracy system for software and digital entertainment

摘要

An invention for protecting intellectual property in digital form from unauthorized sharing, transfer and re-distribution. Examples of intellectual property that might be protected by the invention are computer programs, music, movies, e-books and video games. The invention operates by requiring for the successful installation, use or enjoyment of the intellectual property some piece of information such as a credit card number that an authorized user has provided to the intellectual property publisher, but is generally unwilling to disclose to acquaintances, associates, and others. Unauthorized individuals who might receive a copy of the intellectual property are therefore unable to make use of it because they do not have the enabling piece of information that the authorized user is unwilling to share. Thus, unauthorized sharing, transfer, and re-distribution of the intellectual property are precluded.