Core Concepts Illustrated - Adaptive key patent - Chainkey

History | Abstract | Benefits | Figures

Check out how an adaptive key works.
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1. File system structures as finger prints

File system structures (how files and folders are stored in the tree structure) can be used as unique finger prints of computers in most cases.

(Exceptional cases are protected using other techniques. See the bottom of this page.)

2. Identifying a computer with its finger print
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An adaptive key has information on the finger print of the computer to which it is effective.

3. Updating a key adaptively
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As the file system structure (sometimes called "profile") changes, a daemon updates the adaptive key to keep its validity.

(Just in case the daemon fails to update the key, our Chain products offers easy to use re-issue functions of license keys.)

4. Software chained to a computer
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When protected by adaptive key, a licensed copy of software can be used only on the authorized computer, as if the copy is chained to the computer.

(Switching authorized computer can be done by invalidating the current computer and switching the profile information.)

More details on the adaptive key method can be found in white papers.

WP001 Licensing and Copy Protection with the Adaptive Key
Some peaple expressed concerns whether the adaptive key reliably authenticates valid users, and rejects invalide users. But adaptive key, combined with other techuniques, does work well.
WP002 How the Adaptive Key is Numerically Guaranteed

Further, we believe it's the best copy protection method currently available. In other words, the adaptive key combined with other techniques, as described in WP001, is better in many ways than hardware keys, product activation using hardware profiles, serial number/password, or copy protection using certain files.

Other techniques may be utilized in combination with the adaptive key,
in order to strengthen the protection of software. Such techniques includes:

On-line licensing server
One-time password
Lease type licensing
Byte code encryption
Class loader encryption
Source code obfuscation
Code tamper detection