Portable device comprising a BIOS setting

• US 20070208928A1
• Filed: 03/03/2006
• Published: 09/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Wang, Lan, Ali, Valiuddin, Rios, Jennifer
• Granted Patent: US 7,725,701 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4401 Bootstrapping security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

A portable device comprise non-volatile storage. The non-volatile storage comprises a basic input/output system (BIOS) setting. The BIOS setting is applied from the portable device onto a system to which the portable device can be coupled.

Claims

1. A portable device, comprising:

non-volatile storage in said portable device, said non-volatile storage comprising a basic input/output system (BIOS) setting;

wherein said BIOS setting is applied from said portable device onto an electronic system to which the portable device can be coupled.

2. The portable device of claim 1 further comprising user authentication information stored in said non-volatile storage.

3. The portable device of claim 2 wherein said setting is not applied from said portable device onto said electronic system until after a user is successfully authenticated using said authentication information, if user authentication is required.

4. The portable device of claim 1 wherein said BIOS setting comprises at least one setting selected from a group consisting of an identity of a port to be enabled or disabled, a type of input device to be enabled, a security setting, a wireless communication setting, and a boot option.

5. The portable device of claim 1 wherein said BIOS setting is applied from said portable device onto said electronic system while said electronic system is initializing.

6. The portable device of claim 1 wherein, when said BIOS setting is applied from said portable device onto said electronic system, said BIOS setting overwrites a corresponding BIOS setting previously loaded from storage internal to said electronic system.

7. An electronic system, comprising:

a processor;

a basic input/output system (BIOS) comprising code executable by said processor; and

wherein a BIOS setting is applied to said electronic system from a portable token accessible to said electronic system.

8. The electronic system of claim 7 wherein said BIOS setting comprises a setting selected from a group consisting of an identity of a port to be enabled or disabled, a type of input device to be enabled, a security setting, a wireless communication setting, and a boot option.

9. The electronic system of claim 7 wherein said BIOS setting is not applied onto said electronic system until after a user associated with said token is successfully authenticated, if user authentication is required.

10. The electronic system of claim 7 wherein a BIOS setting from said portable token overwrites a BIOS setting that was loaded from storage internal to said electronic system.

11. The electronic system of claim 7 wherein at least one BIOS setting is applied from said token and at least one BIOS setting is loaded from storage internal to said electronic system.

12. A method, comprising:

installing a portable token comprising a basic input/output system (BIOS) setting in an electronic system;

beginning a boot process;

during the boot process, determining if a token comprising a BIOS setting is installed in said electronic system; and

applying said BIOS setting from said token onto said electronic system.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising authenticating a user.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising applying said BIOS setting from said token only after a user is successfully authenticated.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein applying said BIOS setting comprises applying said BIOS setting said token instead of from storage internal to said electronic system.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein installing said portable token comprising said BIOS setting comprises installing said portable token comprising a BIOS setting that comprises a setting selected from a group consisting of an identity of a port to be enabled or disabled, a type of input device to be enabled, a security setting, and a wireless communication setting, or combinations thereof.

17. The method of claim 12 further comprising applying a BIOS setting from storage internal to said electronic system.

18. The method of claim 12 further comprising applying all BIOS settings onto said electronic system from storage internal to said electronic system.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein applying said BIOS setting from said token comprises changing a BIOS setting that had been applied from said internal storage.

20. An electronic system, comprising:

means for receiving a portable token comprising a basic input/output system (BIOS) setting;

means for booting said electronic system;

means for determining if said token has been received into said electronic system; and

means for applying said BIOS setting from said token on said electronic system.

21. The electronic system of claim 20 further comprising means for authenticating a user to permit said means for applying to apply said BIOS setting.

22. The electronic system of claim 20 further comprising means for overwriting a previously applied BIOS setting.