Error-detectable license key fragmentation to facilitate errorless manual entry

A method for using a plurality of friendly error-detectable key fragments of an original license key string for authorizing use of software, comprising:

• fragmenting the original key string into a plurality of key fragments;
• calculating for each key fragment corresponding check data;
• and
• combining each key fragment with its corresponding check data to form said friendly error-detectable key fragments, wherein combining each key fragment with its corresponding check data to form friendly error-detectable key fragments further comprises:
• generating a first partial friendly error-detectable key fragment from said key fragment;
• generating a second partial friendly error-detectable key fragment from said corresponding check data;
• and
• generating said friendly error-detectable key fragment from said first partial friendly error-detectable key fragment and said second partial friendly error-detectable key fragment.

A method of segmenting a license key string for authorizing use of software into a plurality of error-correctable key fragments, comprising:

• fragmenting the key string into a plurality of key fragments;
• calculating for each key fragment corresponding error-correction data;
• combining each key fragment with said corresponding error-correction data to form a plurality of error-correctable key fragments;
• at least one of calculating and retrieving from a dictionary one or more partial friendly key fragment for each of said error-correctable key fragments;
• and
• generating friendly error-correctable key fragments from said one or more partial friendly key fragments and said error-correctable key fragments.

An article of manufacture, comprising:

• a computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions capable of segmenting a key string for authorizing use of software into a plurality of friendly error-detectable key fragments, comprising:
• fragmenting the original key string into a plurality of key fragments;
• calculating for each key fragment corresponding check data;
• combining each key fragment with its corresponding check data to form error-detectable key fragments;
• at least one of calculating and retrieving from a dictionary one or more partial friendly key fragments for each of said error-detectable key fragments;
• and
• generating said friendly error-detectable key fragments from said one or more partial friendly error-detectable key fragments and said error-detectable fragments.

An article of manufacture, comprising:

• a computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions capable of segmenting a key string for authorizing use of software into a plurality of friendly error-correctable key fragments, comprising:
• fragmenting the key string into a plurality of key fragments;
• calculating for each key fragment corresponding error-correction data;
• combining each key fragment with said corresponding error-correction data to form a plurality of error-correctable key fragments, wherein said error-correction data permits the identification of errors in said error-correctable key fragments;
• at least one of calculating and retrieving from a dictionary one or more partial friendly key fragments for each of said error-correctable key fragments;
• and
• generating said friendly error-correctable key fragments from said one or more partial friendly key fragments and said error-correctable key fragments.

A key fragment generator for segmenting a key string M

• authorizing use of software into a plurality of friendly error-detectable key fragments, comprising:
• a key fragmenter adapted to input the key string and produce key fragments;
• a check data generator configured to calculate check data corresponding to said key fragments, wherein said check data can be subsequently used to detect if said corresponding key fragment is entered incorrectly;
• a combiner configured to combine said key fragments and said corresponding check data to provide error-detectable key fragments;
• and
• a friendly key-generator configured to at least one of calculate or retrieve from a dictionary one or more partial friendly key fragments, and to generate said friendly error-detectable key fragments from said one or more partial friendly key fragments and said error-detectable key fragments.

A key fragment generator for segmenting a key string for authorizing use of software into a plurality of friendly error-correctable key fragments, comprising:

• a key fragmenter configured to fragment the original key string into a plurality of key fragments;
• an error correction module configured to calculate error correction data corresponding to each key fragment, wherein error correction data can subsequently be used to determine the accuracy of said corresponding key data;
• a combiner configured to combine each key fragments with its corresponding error correction data to provide error-correctable key fragments;
• a dictionary configured to provide one or more partial friendly key fragments;
• a friendly key generator configured to generate said friendly error-correctable key fragments from said one or more partial friendly key fragments and said error-correctable key fragments.