Method and system for prevention of piracy of a given software application via a communications network

A method of preventing piracy of a given software application comprising the steps of:

• assigning a unique identification code to each authentic copy of such software application;
• installing the software application in a data storage element on a user's computer;
• configuring the software application to require service data to activate at least part of its functionality;
• requiring the user to communicate user data over a communications network to a remote service provider, the user data being derived, at least in part, from the unique identification code;
• examining received user data to derive the unique identification code associated with said software application;
• determining the number of times an attempt has been made to obtain said service data in order to activate at least part of the functionality of said software application assigned to such unique identification code;
• selectively transmitting service data to the user's computer when the number of times an attempt has been made to obtain said service data is fewer than a predetermined threshold;
• and
• receiving the transmitted service data within the user's computer, wherein said service data is used to activate at least part of the functionality of the software application.

A method of preventing piracy of a given software application comprising the steps of:

• a. assigning a unique identification code to each authentic copy of such software application;
• b. installing the software application in a data storage element on a user's computer;
• c. configuring the software application to require service data, said service data being a necessary component to enable at least part of the software's functionality;
• d. requiring the user to communicate user data to a remote service provided, the user data being derived, at least in part, from the unique identification code;
• e. examining received user data to derive the unique identification code associated with said software application;
• f. determining the number of times an attempt has been made to obtain said service data in order to activate at least part of the functionality of said software application assigned to such unique identification code;
• g. selectively transmitting service data to the user's computer when the number of times an attempt has been made to obtain said service data in order to activate the software application assigned to such unique identification code is fewer than a predetermined threshold;
• and
• h. receiving the transmitted service data within the user's computer, wherein said service data is used to activate at least part of the functionality of the software.

A method of preventing piracy of a given software application comprising the steps of:

• a. assigning a unique identification code to each authentic copy of such software application;
• b. installing the software application in a data storage element on a user's computer;
• c. configuring the software application to require service data, said service data being a necessary component to enable at least part of the software's functionality;
• d. requiring the user to communicate user data to a service provider, the user data being derived, at least in part, from the unique identification code;
• e. examining received user data to derive the unique identification code associated with said software application;
• f. ascertaining the number of times an attempt has been made to obtain said service data in order to activate at least part of the functionality of said software application assigned to such unique identification code;
• and
• g. determining whether the number of times an attempt has been made to obtain said service data is fewer than a predetermined threshold.