An optical-based hardware encryption device for software protection is proposed. Software piracy and illegal usage requirethat software operation is secured through a form of hardware protection. Electronic-based hardware keys such as dongle keysmay be vulnerable to attacks through reverse engineered technology. A simple optical device can be included as part of thehardware key where it can be used as an encryption device. Software users will require specific hardware key with built opticaldevice in order to operate the software. The LED activated optical device can produce encrypted signals via generated optical codessolely based on the geometrical feature of the optical device. A suitable form of optical code generating device is presented in theform of 1xN asymmetric waveguide coupler.