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images/news/microsoft.jpg The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office this week granted to Microsoft this a patent on technology that apparently already underlies some of the company's efforts to limit piracy and is also used to make it easier for users to upgrade from one edition of Windows to another.
"The invention relates to "restricting usage of software and hardware on a computer . making more features available in exchange for an agreed upon sum of money," according to the patent certificate, dated May 19, 2009.
If there's something familiar about that description, it's because Microsoft has been using this or possibly related technologies for several years for anti-piracy measures and more recently to simplify users' ability to upgrade from one edition of Windows to another, thus helping the company make more money.
WinInsider
"The invention relates to "restricting usage of software and hardware on a computer . making more features available in exchange for an agreed upon sum of money," according to the patent certificate, dated May 19, 2009.
If there's something familiar about that description, it's because Microsoft has been using this or possibly related technologies for several years for anti-piracy measures and more recently to simplify users' ability to upgrade from one edition of Windows to another, thus helping the company make more money.
WinInsider
