Devices and Methods for Auditing and Enforcing Computer Game Licenses

Abstract

Techniques are provided for monitoring and controlling use of a computer game on a remote computing device. One such technique employs a processor with memory and transceiver configured to receive from the device, in response to an attempt to play the game on the device, a combination of a game identifier for the game and a device identifier for the device, the device identifier based on a combination of user-configurable parameter and non-user-configurable parameters, and to access a database of known game identifiers, each known game identifier being associated with a device count corresponding to a total number of known devices on which a known game was previously played and with known device identifiers for the known devices, to control remote access to games, for example, according to licensing constraints.

1 . An apparatus for monitoring use of a computer game, comprising:
 a transceiver component for communicating with a computing device of a user;   at least one processor operatively coupled with the transceiver component; and   a memory component operatively coupled with the at least one processor and comprising executable code for the at least one processor to:
 in response to the user attempting to play the game on the device, receive from the device a combination of (a) a game identifier for the game and (b) a device identifier for the device, the device identifier being based on a combination of at least one user-configurable parameter and at least one non-user-configurable parameter of the device; 
 access a database of known game identifiers, each known game identifier being associated with (a) a device count corresponding to a total number of known devices on which a known game was previously played and (b) the known device identifiers for the known devices; 
 update the database in response to the combination of the game identifier and the device identifier being unique from known combinations of the known game identifiers and the known device identifiers; and 
 monitor the database for at least one of distribution and for at least one use of the game. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the device count is capped at a maximum device count to curb sharing of the game. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one processor, in response to the device count having reached the maximum device count, instructs the device to disallow the user from playing the game on the device. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one processor, in response to the device count being reset, instructs the device to allow the user to play the game on the device. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein, in response to the game identifier not matching any of the known game identifiers in the database, the at least one processor:
 adds the game identifier to the database;   associates the device identifier with the game identifier in the database; and   creates a corresponding device count for the game.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein, in response to the game identifier matching a given known game identifier, the at least one processor:
 in response to the device identifier not matching any known device identifiers associated with the given known game identifier, (a) associates the device identifier with the given known game identifier and (b) increments a given device count for the given known game identifier by one.   
     
     
         7 . An apparatus for monitoring use of a computer game, comprising:
 a transceiver component for communicating with a license authority;   at least one processor operatively coupled with the transceiver component; and   a memory component operatively coupled with the at least one processor and comprising executable code for the at least one processor to:
 collect machine parameters of a computing device, the machine parameters comprising a combination of at least one user-configurable parameter and at least one non-user-configurable parameter of the device; 
 generate a device identifier for the device based at least in part on the machine parameters; and 
 in response to a user attempting to play the game on the device, instructs the transceiver to send a game identifier for the game and the device identifier to the license authority. 
   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the transceiver receives one of an allow instruction and a disallow instruction from the license authority based on a device count associated with the game identifier, the device count corresponding to a total number of known devices on which the game was previously played, the allow instruction allowing the user to play the game on the device, the disallow instruction preventing the user from playing the game on the device. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the memory component further comprises executable code for the at least one processor to associate the game identifier with the device identifier to generate an audit number; and   the transceiver sends the audit number to the license authority.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor associates the software identifier with the device identifier by concatenating the software identifier with the device identifier. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor:
 determines a geo-location code for the device; and   associates the geo-location code with at least one of the software identifier and the device identifier to generate the audit number.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one processor generates the device identifier by implementing at least one irreversible transformation such that the machine parameters cannot be derived from the device identifier. 
     
     
         13 . A method for monitoring use of a computer game, comprising:
 in response to a user attempting to play the game on a computing device, receiving from the device a combination of (a) a game identifier for the game and (b) a device identifier for the device, the device identifier being based on a combination of at least one user-configurable parameter and at least one non-user-configurable parameter of the device;   accessing a database of known game identifiers, each known game identifier being associated with (a) a device count corresponding to a total number of known devices on which a known game was previously played and (b) the known device identifiers for the known devices; and   updating the database in response to the combination of the game identifier and the device identifier being unique from known combinations of the known game identifiers and the known device identifiers; and   using the database to monitor at least one of distribution and the use of the game.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising, in response to the device count having reached a maximum device count, instructing the device to disallow the user from playing the game on the device. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising, in response to the device count being reset, instructing the device to allow the user to play the game on the device. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising, in response to the game identifier not matching any of the known game identifiers in the database:
 adding the game identifier to the database;   associating the device identifier with the game identifier in the database; and   creating a corresponding device count for the game.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising, in response to the game identifier matching a given known game identifier:
 in response to the device identifier not matching any known device identifiers associated with the given known game identifier, (a) associating the device identifier with the given known game identifier and (b) incrementing a given device count for the given known game identifier by one.   
     
     
         18 . A computer program product, comprising:
 a computer-readable medium comprising:
 code for causing a computer to, in response to a user attempting to play a computer game on a computing device, receive from the computing device a combination of (a) a game identifier for the game and (b) a device identifier for the device, the device identifier being based on a combination of at least one user-configurable parameter and at least one non-user-configurable parameter of the device; 
 code for causing a computer to access a database of known game identifiers, each known game identifier being associated with (a) a device count corresponding to a total number of known devices on which a known game was previously played and (b) the known device identifiers for the known devices; 
 code for causing a computer to update the database in response to the combination of the game identifier and the device identifier being unique from known combinations of the known game identifiers and the known device identifiers; and 
 code for causing a computer to use the database to monitor at least one of distribution and the use of the game. 
   
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 18 , wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for:
 determining a geo-location code for the computing device; and   associating the geo-location code with at least one of the game identifier and the device identifier.   
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 18 , wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for generating the device identifier by implementing at least one irreversible transformation such that the at least one user-configurable parameter and the at least one non-user-configurable parameter cannot be derived from the device identifier.