Use of biometrics to provide physical and logic access to computer devices

• US 20030046553A1
• Filed: 08/29/2001
• Published: 03/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valtrus Innovations Limited (f/k/a Dolya Holdco 9 Limited) (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Angelo, Michael F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,167,987 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/186
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition

Abstract

Biometric sensors are used to control physical and logical access to various computer components or subsystems comprising a computer system. The biometric sensors may comprise fingerprint scanners, iris scanners or any other type of biometric sensor that can uniquely identify a person. The biometric sensors can be used to activate electromagnetic locks, which lock individual components within the system, or enabling locks which prevent devices from receiving power or being enabled (such as disk drives, network cards, etc.).

Claims

1. A security method for a computer system, comprising:

(a) using a biometric sensor to verify the authenticity of a person; and

(b) activating a lock associated with a computer component if the person is successfully verified, said lock preventing said computer component from being removed from said computer system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said biometric sensor comprises a fingerprint sensor.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said biometric sensor comprises an iris scanner.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said lock comprises an electromagnetic lock associated with said biometric sensor.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein (c) includes unlocking said lock.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said computer component comprises a server computer located in a rack containing a plurality of computer equipment.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said computer component comprises a server computer located in a rack containing a plurality of server computers.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said computer component comprises a power supply unit located in a rack containing a plurality of power supply units.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said computer component comprises a power supply unit located in a rack containing a plurality of computer equipment.

10. The method of claim 1 further including maintaining a lock associated with the biometric sensor in a locked state if the person is not successfully verified.

11. A locking system for a computer system comprising a plurality of computer equipment, said locking system comprising:

a biometric sensor;

a control unit coupled to said biometric sensor; and

a lock coupled to and controlled by said control unit;

wherein said biometric sensor and said lock are associated with one of said plurality of computer equipment comprising said computer system, said lock preventing said computer equipment from being removed from said computer system.

12. The locking system of claim 11 wherein said biometric sensor comprises a fingerprint scanner.

13. The locking system of claim 11 wherein said biometric sensor comprises an iris scanner.

14. The locking system of claim 11 wherein said lock comprises an electromechanical lock.

15. The locking system of claim 11 further including a registry stored in memory accessible by said control unit, said registry including a template for each person authorized to unlock a lock.

16. The locking system of claim 15 wherein said control unit verifies the authenticity of a person that has activated a biometric sensor by using the templates stored in said registry.

17. The locking system of claim 16 wherein said control unit unlocks a lock if said control unit successfully verifies the authenticity of a person.

18. The locking system of claim 16 wherein said control unit maintains a lock in a locked state if said control unit cannot verify the authenticity of a person.

19. A computer system, comprising:

a plurality of computer components;

a biometric sensor;

a control unit coupled to said biometric sensor; and

a lock coupled to and controlled by said control unit;

wherein said biometric sensor and said lock are associated with a computer component and said lock prevents said computer component from being removed from said computer system.

20. The computer system of claim 19 wherein said biometric sensor comprises a fingerprint scanner.

21. The computer system of claim 19 wherein said biometric sensor comprises an iris scanner.

22. The computer system of claim 19 wherein said lock comprises an electromechanical lock.

23. The computer system of claim 19 further including a registry stored in memory accessible by said control unit, said registry including a biometric template for each person authorized to unlock a lock.

24. The computer system of claim 23 wherein said control unit verifies the authenticity of a person that has activated a biometric sensor by using the templates stored in said registry.

25. The computer system of claim 24 wherein said control unit unlocks a lock if said control unit successfully verifies the authenticity of a person.

26. The computer system of claim 23 wherein said control unit maintains a lock in a locked state if said control unit cannot verify the authenticity of a person.

27. The computer system of claim 19 wherein said biometric sensor is associated with a plurality of computer components.

28. A security method for a computer system including a plurality of computer components, comprising:

(a) using a biometric sensor to verify the authenticity of a person; and

(b) permitting use of a computer component if the person is successfully verified.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein said biometric sensor comprises a fingerprint sensor.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein said biometric sensor comprises an iris scanner.

31. The method of claim 28 wherein said computer component comprises a storage device.

32. The method of claim 28 wherein said computer component comprises a storage device and

(b) includes permitting a user to read data from said storage device.

33. The method of claim 28 wherein said computer component comprises a storage device and

(b) includes permitting a user to write data to said storage device.

34. The method of claim 28 wherein said computer component comprises a storage device and

(b) includes permitting a user to read data from and write data to said storage device.

35. The method of claim 28 wherein said computer component comprises a CD ROM.

36. The method of claim 28 wherein said computer component comprises a hard disk drive.

37. The method of claim 28 wherein (a) is performed when a software program needs to access said computer component.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein said computer component comprises a storage device.

39. The method of claim 28 further including:

(d) associating a person with use of a computer component.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein (d) includes acquiring a biometric image from said person and associating a security access code with said biometric image.

41. A biometric access system for a computer system that includes a plurality of computer devices, comprising:

a biometric sensor;

a control unit coupled to said biometric sensor, said control unit controlling access to a computer device in said computer system based on a signal from said biometric sensor.

42. The biometric access system of claim 41 wherein said biometric sensor comprises a fingerprint scanner.

43. The biometric access system of claim 41 wherein said biometric sensor comprises an iris scanner.

44. The biometric access system of claim 41 wherein said control unit permits a person to access said computer device based on a signal from said biometric sensor.

45. The biometric access system of claim 41 wherein said control unit prevents a person from accessing said computer device based on a signal from said biometric sensor.

46. The biometric access system of claim 41 further including a registry accessible by said control unit, said registry including biometric templates of people that are permitted use of various of said computer devices.

47. The biometric access system of claim 46 wherein said control unit verifies the authenticity of a person that has activated a biometric sensor by using the templates stored in said registry.

48. The biometric access system of claim 47 wherein said control unit permits a user to use a computer device if said control unit successfully verifies the authenticity of a person.

49. The biometric access system of claim 48 wherein said computer device comprises a storage device.

50. The biometric access system of claim 47 wherein said control unit prevents a user from using a computer device if said control unit cannot verify the authenticity of the person.

51. The biometric access system of claim 41 wherein said computer device comprises a storage device.

52. A computer system, comprising:

plurality of computer components;

a biometric sensor;

a control unit coupled to said biometric sensor, said control unit controlling access to a computer component based on a signal from said biometric sensor.

53. The computer system of claim 52 wherein said biometric sensor comprises a fingerprint scanner.

54. The computer system of claim 52 wherein said biometric sensor comprises a iris scanner.

55. The computer system of claim 52 wherein said control unit permits a person to access said computer device based on a signal from said biometric sensor.

56. The computer system of claim 52 wherein said control unit prevents a person from accessing said computer component based on a signal from said biometric sensor.

57. The computer system of claim 52 further including a registry accessible by said control unit, said registry including biometric templates of people that are permitted to use various of said computer components.

58. The computer system of claim 57 wherein said control unit verifies the authenticity of a person that has activated a biometric sensor by using the templates stored in said registry.

59. The computer system of claim 58 wherein said control unit permits a user to use a computer component if said control unit successfully verifies the authenticity of a person.

60. The computer system of claim 59 wherein said computer component comprises a storage device.

61. The biometric access system of claim 58 wherein said control unit prevents a user from using a computer component if said control unit cannot verify the authenticity of the person.

62. The computer system of claim 52 wherein said computer component comprises a storage device.

63. The computer system of claim 52 further including a plurality of biometric sensors, a biometric sensor associated with each computer component.

64. A security system for a computer system comprising a plurality of computer equipment, said security system comprising:

a biometric sensor;

a control unit coupled to said biometric sensor; and

a lock coupled to and controlled by said control unit;

wherein said biometric sensor and said lock are associated with one of said plurality of computer equipment comprising said computer system, said lock preventing said computer equipment from being removed from said computer system and said lock can be unlocked upon a person being authenticated via said biometric sensor, and

wherein said computer equipment can not be used unless a person is authenticated using said biometric sensor.