Dynamic trace elements

A first integrated circuit comprising:

• first circuit which performs a predetermined function;
• tracer circuitry means, connected to said first circuit, for electrically processing at least one signal generated by said first circuit, said tracer circuitry performing a function independent of said predetermined function;
• and
• means for producing at least one detectable output signal from said tracer circuitry, wherein said at least one detectable output signal does not modify said predetermined function of said first integrated circuit, whereby said tracer circuitry means, by its presence in at least one other integrated circuit, provides an indication that said other integrated circuit has been copied from said first integrated circuit.

A dynamic tracer means including a computer, and a first software product running on said computer comprising:

• software code means for providing a predetermined function;
• software tracer code means, imbedded in said software code means, for performing a function independent of said software code means and not affecting the operation of said first software product;
• means, in said software tracer code means, for receiving and processing at least one instruction from said software code means;
• and
• means for producing from the processed instruction at least one traceable output signal, which does not affect the operation of said software code means, whereby said software tracer code means, by its presence in at least one other software product provides an indication that said other software product has been copied from said first software product.

A computing system comprising:

• a computer means for running software means for detecting the presence of a dynamic product tracer located within a product which is comprised of a first portion which provides at least one predetermined output to perform a predetermined function, and said dynamic product tracer comprised of tracer means located within said product and interacting with said first portion for providing at least one tracer output;
• means for detecting the presence of said at least one tracer output in said product;
• and
• means for providing an indication of the presence of said at least one tracer output to thereby detect the presence of said dynamic product tracer, whereby said dynamic product tracer, by its presence in at least one other product provides an indication that said at least one other product has been copied from said software product.

A method of dynamically tracing the origin of an electronic hardware component comprising the steps of:

• (a) defining a first portion of said electronic hardware component which performs a predetermined function;
• (b) obtaining at least one output signal from said first portion;
• (c) defining a second portion of said electronic hardware component which is functional but which does not modify the operation of said first portion;
• (d) connecting said first portion to said second portion so that said second portion operates on said at least one output signal to produce a dynamic output signal;
• and
• (e) detecting the existence of said dynamic tracer output signal to thereby determine the presence, within the electronic hardware component, of said second portion to thereby determine the origin of said electronic hardware component.

A method of dynamically tracing the origin of a software product comprising the steps of:

• (a) running said software product on a computer,
• (b) defining a first portion of said software product which performs a predetermined function;
• (c) obtaining at least one output from said first portion;
• (d) defining a second portion of said software product which is functional but which does not interact to modify the operation of said first portion;
• (e) using said at least one output from said first portion to control said second portion to produce from said second portion a dynamic tracer output;
• and
• (f) detecting said dynamic tracer output by means of said computer to thereby detect the presence, within said software product, of said second portion to thereby determine the origin of said software product.