JPH07234784A - Program execution device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent operation excepting for a sales region by comparing sales area information in a storage unit which is freely attachable and detachable to a main body unit and sales area information in the storage means of the main body unit by the execution of a basic program so as to judge the possibility of the execution of an application program. CONSTITUTION:CPU 10 reads out and compares an area discrimination code in an area discrimination code storage memory 12 and an area corresponding code in a program memory 14. When they are coincident, the checking of an area code is started. CPU 10 reads out and compares a cipher code for area discrimination in the area discrimination code storage memory 12 and the area code in the program memory 14. When they are coincident, CPU 10 starts the execution of a game program in the program memory 4 but when they are not coincident, CPU 10 executes a program excepting for the game program. For example, the impossibility of the usage of this program is displayed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

(Table of Contents) Industrial Application Field of the Invention Prior Art Problems to be Solved by the Invention Means for Solving the Problems Action Example (a) Description of One Example (FIGS. 1 to 4) (b) Others Description of Embodiments of the Invention

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a program execution device in which a storage unit storing an application program is removable from a main unit.

Program execution devices such as video game devices and personal computers are widely used. In such a program execution device, it is desirable to execute various application programs. For this reason,
Store the application program in the storage unit,
This storage unit is removable from the main unit. For example, in a video game device, a game program is stored in a storage unit such as a memory cassette or an optical disc. The storage unit is detachably attached to the main body unit. In such a device, it is desired that the correspondence between the storage unit and the main body unit is appropriate.

[0004]

2. Description of the Related Art There is a conventional program execution device in which an issue approval code is stored in a storage unit such as a memory cassette. This method is on the main unit side,
This is a method of confirming that the storage unit has been released by an authorized issuer by checking the issue approval code of the storage unit. According to this method, it is possible to prevent illegal creation of a storage unit.

[0005]

However, the prior art has the following problems. Storage units (software) released in a certain area are sold at a reasonable price in that area. For example, software release prices may differ in Japan, North America, Europe, Southeast Asia, and the like. Therefore, a third party other than the selling company purchased the storage unit in an area with low prices,
You can make a profit by selling in an area with high prices. This is a disadvantage to software development companies and sales companies.

Similarly, there are many cases in which the release timing of software differs depending on the region. Also in this case, if a third party other than the selling company purchases in the selling area and sells in the non-selling area, a profit can be obtained.

Further, when software is created in consideration of the characteristics of a region, it may not be desired to operate in another region. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a program execution device for preventing software from operating outside of the sales area.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a program execution device for preventing unfair sale by a third party.

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, in a program executing device for executing a program, a main body unit 1, an application program and release area information indicating a release area are stored, and The main body unit 1 has a detachable storage unit 14, and the main body unit 1 stores a sales area 12 indicating a sales area of the main body unit, a non-volatile memory 13 storing a basic program, It is characterized by including a processor 10 that compares the sales area information of the storage unit 14 with the sales area information of the storage unit 12 by executing the basic program, and determines whether or not the application program can be executed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the program execution device according to the first aspect, the application program stored in the storage unit 14 is a game program.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the program execution device according to the first or second aspect, the video generator 1 for generating the video content to be displayed on the display device 18 according to the execution of the application program of the processor 10.
7 is further included.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the program execution device according to the first, second or third aspect, the storage unit 1
The sales area information stored in 4 is a plurality of kinds of sales area information, the sales area information stored in the storage unit 12 is a plurality of kinds of sales area information, and the processor 10 is a plurality of kinds of the sales area information. It is characterized in that each of the sales area information is compared and whether or not the application program can be executed is determined based on a plurality of comparison results.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the program execution device according to the first, second, third, or fourth aspect, the processor 10 determines whether or not the application program can be executed at the time of reset or power-on. And

[0014]

In the present invention, the storage unit 14 stores the sales area information indicating the sales area of the storage unit 14. On the other hand, the main unit 1 stores the sales area information indicating the sales area of the main unit 1. Then, when the software of the storage unit 14 is executed, this storage unit 1
The sales area information of No. 4 and the sales area information of the main unit 1 are checked.

In this way, the storage unit 14 sold in a region other than the sales area of the main unit 1 will not operate in the main unit 1. Similarly, the storage unit 14
The storage unit 14 of the main body unit 1 that is released in a region other than the region where the product is released does not operate. Therefore, the storage unit 14 and the main unit 1 purchased in a certain sales area are
Selling in other regions can be pointless.
As a result, it is possible to prevent an unfair third party from obtaining unfair profits, and protect the profits of the development company and the sales company.

Next, this check program is provided on the main unit 1 side. When this check program is provided in the storage unit 14, it is possible that the program is invalidated by improper analysis of the software of the storage unit 14. In the present invention, since the check program is provided as a part of the basic program of the main body unit 1, invalidation due to analysis can be prevented.

[0017]

【Example】

(A) Description of one embodiment FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an illustration of the sales area information of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is an illustration of the sales area code of FIG. 1, and FIG. It is a processing flow figure of one example of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the game main unit 1
Is a CPU (processor) 10, a bus 11, an area discrimination code storage memory 12, an execution ROM (read only memory) 13, and a RAM (random access memory).
It has a memory) 15, an I / O device 16, and a video generator 17.

The CPU 10 executes the execution RO via the bus 11.
The program of M13 and the program memory 14 is read and executed. Area discrimination code storage memory 1
Reference numeral 2 is a nonvolatile memory such as an S-RAM (static RAM) or a RAM backed up by a battery, and stores information peculiar to the region where the main unit 1 is sold.

The execution ROM 13 stores a basic program such as a boot program executed by the CPU 10. This basic program includes the check program described in FIG. RAM15 is a CPU
It is for storing data necessary for execution of 10.

The I / O device 16 is composed of, for example, a game input unit. The video generator 17 is C
A video signal is generated under the instruction of the PU 10. Then, the video generator 17 outputs the video signal to the television (display means) 18 connected thereto.

The program memory 14 is the main unit 1
It is a removable storage unit. The program memory 14 is configured by a storage device such as a ROM, a back-up RAM, a floppy disk, a magnetic tape, a magnetic card, an optical card, an optical disk, and a magneto-optical disk. When a floppy disk, magnetic tape, magnetic card, optical card, optical disk, or magneto-optical disk is used, its drive mechanism is connected to the bus 11. In this example, a CD-ROM (optical disk) is used.

As shown in FIG. 2 (A), the program memory 14 has a first area 20 for storing regional codes.
And a second area 21 for storing an area code and a third area 22 for storing an application program such as a game program.

The regional code stored in the first area 20 is the code of the region where the program is released.
For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the sales area is “0” in Japan, “1” in North America, “2” in Europe, and P in Southeast Asia.
AL region is "3", Southeast Asia NTSC region is "4"
Is determined. In the example of FIG. 2B, since “0” and “1” of Japan and North America are stored, the storage unit 1
4 has been released in Japan and North America.

The area code stored in the second area 21 is a program or data peculiar to the sales area. In the example of FIG. 2B, encrypted data is used. That is, if the storage unit 14 is sold in Japan and the United States, the Japanese code and the North American code are stored.
Also, as a program, there is a program that displays "This program is for local areas." This program is executed if it is a check target and the check result is good.

The application program stored in the third area 22 is a game program, and the CPU
This is what 10 executes. In the area discrimination code storage memory 12 described above, the sales area of the main body unit 1 is stored with the code shown in FIG. 3, and the encryption code of the sales area of the main body unit 1 is stored.

The sale area check process will be described with reference to FIG. (S1) The main unit 1 is powered on or I
When a reset signal is generated from the I / O device 16, the CPU
10, the execution of the basic program in the execution ROM 13 is started.

(S2) The CPU 10 reads the area discrimination code from the area discrimination code storage memory 12. CPU10
Reads the area corresponding code from the program memory 14 and compares the area identifying code with the area corresponding code. That is, it is determined whether the area discrimination code is included in the area corresponding code.

(S3) If the area discriminating code of the main unit 1 and the area corresponding code of the program memory 14 match, the area code is checked. That is, CPU
Reference numeral 10 reads the area discrimination code in the area discrimination code storage memory 12. The CPU 10 reads the area code of the program memory 14 and compares the area code with the area discrimination code. That is, the area code is
It is determined whether the code is included in the area identification code.

(S4) When the area identification code of the main body unit 1 and the area code of the program memory 14 (area corresponding code) are matched, the CPU 10
The execution of the game program in the program memory 14 is started. This starts the game.

(S5) On the other hand, if no match is obtained in steps S3 and S4, the CPU 10 executes a program other than the game program in the program memory 14. For example, it is a program that causes the television 18 to display an indication that the program memory cannot be used.

In this manner, before the program in the program memory 14 is executed, the correspondence between the release area of the program memory and the release area of the main unit 1 is checked, so that the execution of the game programs having different release areas is prohibited. It Therefore, it is possible to prevent the third party from making a profit by purchasing the game program in a low-priced sales area and selling it in a high-priced area.

Similarly, it is possible to prevent a third party from making a profit by purchasing a game program and selling it in an unreleased area. As a result, the profits of the game program development company and the sales company can be protected.

Further, since the check is made in two steps, that is, the area discrimination code and the area discrimination code, it is possible to further prevent the act of tampering with the code by analyzing the program memory 14. Further, since the code check is performed by the basic program of the main unit 1, it is possible to prevent invalidation of the check routine due to the change of the program memory.

Moreover, since it is possible to set a plurality of regions, common software for a plurality of regions can be created. Therefore, the release area can be freely covered by the intention of the software creator.

(B) Description of Other Embodiments In addition to the above embodiments, the present invention can be modified as follows. In the above embodiment, two codes are stored and two-step checking is performed, but one code may be stored and one-step checking may be performed. Furthermore, three or more codes may be stored and checked in three or more steps.

In the above embodiment, the application program is described as a game program, but the application program is not limited to the game program and can be applied to other application programs. Although the main unit 1 has been described as a game device, it can be applied to other program execution devices such as a personal computer.

Although a memory is used as a storage means for storing the area discrimination code, a setting means such as a switch may be used. Although the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments, various modifications are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention, and these modifications are not excluded from the scope of the present invention.

[0039]

As described above, according to the present invention,
It has the following effects. Since the storage unit 14 released in a region other than the region where the main unit 1 is sold does not operate in the main unit 1, the storage unit 14 purchased in a certain region is released.
It is meaningless to sell the main body unit 1 in other areas. As a result, it is possible to prevent an unfair third party from obtaining unfair profits, and protect the profits of the development company and the sales company.

Since the check program is provided as a part of the basic program of the main unit 1, invalidation due to analysis can be prevented.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of sales area information of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a sales area code of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a processing flow chart of an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Main Unit 10 CPU (Processor) 11 Bus 12 Area Discrimination Code Storage Memory 13 Execution ROM 14 Program Memory (Storage Unit) 15 RAM 16 I / O Device 17 Video Generator 18 TV

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A program execution device for executing a program, which stores a main body unit (1), an application program and release area information indicating a release area, and which is removable from the main body unit (1). The main body unit (1) includes a unit (14), and the main body unit (1) includes a storage unit (12) that stores release area information indicating a release area of the main body unit, and a non-volatile memory (13) that stores a basic program.
And by executing the basic program, release area information of the storage unit (14) and the storage means (1
A processor (10) for determining whether or not the application program can be executed by comparing the sales area information of 2).
And a program execution device. 2. The program execution device according to claim 1, wherein the application program stored in the storage unit (14) is a game program. 3. The program execution device according to claim 1, further comprising a video generator (17) for generating a video content to be displayed on a display device (18) according to the execution of the application program of the processor (10). A program execution device characterized by: 4. The program execution device according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the sales area information stored in the storage unit (14) is
The sales area information of a plurality of types, the sales area information stored by the storage unit (12) is a plurality of kinds of sales area information, and the processor (10) stores the sales area information of the plurality of kinds. A program execution device, characterized in that each is compared, and whether or not the application program can be executed is determined based on a plurality of comparison results. 5. The program execution device according to claim 1, 2 or 3 or 4, wherein the processor (10) determines whether or not the application program can be executed at reset or when power is turned on. apparatus.