Method and apparatus for protecting information and privacy

A method of re-establishing ownership of a tag table, comprising the steps of:

• a. securely sending, by a user device, a message to an authorized server, the message including a new tag table identifier, a tag table identifier, an original tag table identifier and an ownership certificate pertaining to the original tag table identifier, where the new tag table identifier identifies a tag table having one or more tags, the tags indicating a right to use protected software;
• b. verifying, by the authorized server, that said ownership certificate pertains to the original tag table identifier and securely sending to the user device a digitally signed message allowing the user device to employ the new tag table identifier;
• c. creating, by the authorized server, an association between said new tag table identifier and said original tag table identifier, said new tag table identifier and said tag table identifier both related to said original tag table identifier;
• d. processing, by the authorized server, call-up messages to detect use of an infringing copy of software on the user device, where a call-up message is used to prevent a tag table identifier from being used simultaneously on multiple user devices, the call-up message including a concealed portion to protect the privacy of a user associated with the user device;
• and
• e. ensuring, by the authorized server, that call-up messages including said tag table identifier without said new tag table identifier are rejected.

A method of re-establishing ownership of a tag table employing a one-way function, comprising the steps of:

• a. securely sending, by a user device, a message to an authorized server, the message including a new tag table identifier, where the new tag table identifier identifies a tag table having one or more tags, the tags indicating a right to use protected software;
• b. verifying, by the authorized server, that applying one-way function to the new tag table identifier yields a tag table identifier, the tag table identifier stored on the authorized server and associated with an original tag table identifier, said new tag table identifier and said tag table identifier both related to said original tag table identifier;
• c. creating, by the authorized server, an association between said new tag table identifier and said original tag table identifier;
• d. processing, by the authorized server, call-up messages to detect use of an infringing copy of software on the user device, where a call-up message is used to prevent a tag table identifier from being used simultaneously on multiple user devices, the call-up message including a concealed portion to protect the privacy of a user associated with the user device;
• and
• e. ensuring, by the authorized server, that call-up messages including said tag table identifier without said new tag table identifier are rejected.