Method and system for activating a computer system

• US 20040225892A1
• Filed: 05/05/2003
• Published: 11/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Chandley, Adrian, Ledbetter, Carl, Adams, Aditha May, Kaneko, Steve, Magendanz, Chad, Westerinen, William J., Schoppa, Chris, Bear, Eric Gould
• Granted Patent: US 7,424,740 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/575 Secure boot

Abstract

A system and method for improved activation of a personal computer and/or other processing devices is provided. Power and security states are combined and further reduced to three activation states which may be operated by a single secure device. The system may include any number of activation states for operating the computer using only the single secure device. The secure access device handles both security and power management by authenticating physical access to the computer and the identity of the user. For this purpose, a device containing a biometric reader may be integrated with a smart card and the biometric identification used as an authentication code to secure the smartcard. The secure access device may be inserted into a locking mechanism used by the user to transition between activation states.

Claims

1. A system for secure activation of a computer, comprising:

a computer having an operating system with a power management subsystem;

the power management subsystem having one or more power states; and

a single device for transitioning the computer into at least one of the power states.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the power states use at least one member of the set comprising an on state, an off state, and a standby state.

3. A system for secure activation of a computer, comprising:

a computer having an operating system with a security management subsystem;

the security management subsystem having one or more security states; and

a single device for transitioning the computer into at least one of the security states.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the security states use at least one member of the set comprising an on state, an off state, and a standby state.

5. A system for secure activation of a computer, comprising:

a computer having an operating system with a power management subsystem and a security subsystem;

the power management subsystem having one or more power states;

the security management subsystem having one or more security states; and

a single device for transitioning the computer into at least one state representing a power state and a security state.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the one state representing a power state and a security state uses at least one member of the set comprising an on state, an off state, and a standby state.

7. A method for secure activation of a computer, comprising:

activating a computer having one or more power states with a device; and

logging onto the computer having one or more security states using the same device.

8. A system for secure activation of a computer, comprising:

means for activating a computer having one or more power states with a device; and

means for logging onto the computer having one or more security states using the same device.

9. An input device for secure activation of a computer, comprising:

a housing containing an authentication device; and

a biometric sensor coupled to the housing.

10. The input device of claim 9 wherein the authentication device comprises a smartcard.

11. An input device interface comprising:

an input port for receiving an input device; and

a mechanism coupled to the input port, the mechanism having one or more settings.

12. The interface of claim 11, wherein the settings comprise positions.

13. The interface of claim 12 wherein the mechanism switches between the positions.

14. The interface of claim 12 wherein the positions use at least one member of the set comprising on, off, and standby.

15. The interface of claim 11, wherein the interface resides on a computer monitor.

16. The interface of claim 11, wherein the interface resides on a computer keyboard.

17. The interface of claim 11, wherein the interface resides on a computer housing.