Restricted access computer system
First Claim
1. A method of converting a general purpose computing platform into a limited access computer system that allows a user limited access to at least one application program installed on the general purpose computing platform, the method comprising the steps of:
- connecting a control hardware device to a communications port of the general purpose computing platform, where the control hardware device comprises means for booting up the general purpose computing platform;
installing a control software program on the general purpose computing platform;
altering the general purpose computing platform such that the control software program runs whenever the general purpose software program boots up;
booting up the general purpose computing platform to form the limited access computer system; and
establishing a communication link between the control software program and the control hardware device, where the control hardware device re-boots the general purpose computing platform to form the limited access computer system whenever the communication link between the control software program and the control hardware device is disrupted.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A restricted access computer system. The system comprises a general purpose computing platform and a control system comprising a control hardware device and a control software program. The control hardware device is connected to the computing platform and to an access-status device such as a coin hopper or the like. The control software program runs on the computing platform and, in a secure mode, replaces the graphical user interface portion of the operating system of the general purpose computing platform. The control hardware device and control software program interoperate to allow access to application software programs on the computing platform only when certain conditions are satisfied. The control hardware device resets the computing platform if the control software program fails to communicate therewith. The control hardware device also restricts operation of the user keyboard and display monitor to reduce the possibility of unauthorized use of the computer system.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method of converting a general purpose computing platform into a limited access computer system that allows a user limited access to at least one application program installed on the general purpose computing platform, the method comprising the steps of:
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connecting a control hardware device to a communications port of the general purpose computing platform, where the control hardware device comprises means for booting up the general purpose computing platform; installing a control software program on the general purpose computing platform; altering the general purpose computing platform such that the control software program runs whenever the general purpose software program boots up; booting up the general purpose computing platform to form the limited access computer system; and establishing a communication link between the control software program and the control hardware device, where the control hardware device re-boots the general purpose computing platform to form the limited access computer system whenever the communication link between the control software program and the control hardware device is disrupted. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A computer system in which access by a user to software applications running on the computer system is restricted, comprising:
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a general purpose computing platform comprising processing means for running an operating system software program; communications port means for controlling transfer of hardware data between the processing means and external hardware devices, user input means connected to the processing means for transferring input data from the user to the processing means, and user output means connected to the processing means for communicating output data from the processing means to the user; an access-status device; a control hardware device connected to the port means of the general purpose computing platform and to the access-status device; at least one application software program adapted to run on the general purpose computing platform; a control software program adapted to run on the general purpose computing platform, the control software program being in communication with the control hardware device through the port means;
whereinthe control hardware device determines a status of the access-status device; the control software program controls the user'"'"'s access to the at least one application software program based on the status of the access-status device; the control software program operates in a superuser mode, where certain features of the control software program are available only when the control software program operates in the superuser mode; and the control hardware device comprises a superuser button that must be manually depressed for the control software program to operate in the superuser mode.
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11. A computer system in which access by a user to software applications running on the computer system is restricted, comprising:
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a general purpose computing platform comprising processing means for running an operating system software program; communications port means for controlling transfer of hardware data between the processing means and external hardware devices, user input means connected to the processing means for transferring input data from the user to the processing means, and user output means connected to the processing means for communicating output data from the processing means to the user; an access-status device; a control hardware device connected to the port means of the general purpose computing platform and to the access-status device; at least one application software program adapted to run on the general purpose computing platform; a control software program adapted to run on the general purpose computing platform, the control software program being in communication with the control hardware device through the port means;
whereinthe control hardware device determines a status of the access-status device; the control software program controls the user'"'"'s access to the at least one application software program based on the status of the access-status device; the control software program operates in an attract mode and in a paid mode based on the status of the access-status device, where the user can access the at least one application software program when the control software program is in the paid mode and the user cannot access the at least one application software program when the control program is in the attract mode; the control software program operates in a superuser mode, where certain features of the control software program are available only when the control software program operates in the superuser mode; and the control hardware device comprises a superuser button that must be manually depressed for the control software program to operate in the superuser mode.
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12. A computer system in which access by a user to software applications running on the computer system is restricted, comprising:
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a general purpose computing platform comprising processing means for running an operating system software program; communications port means for controlling transfer of hardware data between the processing means and external hardware devices, user input means connected to the processing means for transferring input data from the user to the processing means, and user output means connected to the processing means for communicating output data from the processing means to the user; an access-status device; a control hardware device connected to the port means of the general purpose computing platform and to the access-status device; at least one application software program adapted to run on the general purpose computing platform; a control software program adapted to run on the general purpose computing platform, the control software program being in communication with the control hardware device through the port means;
whereinthe control hardware device determines a status of the access-status device; the control software program controls the user'"'"'s access to the at least one application software program based on the status of the access-status device; and the control software program further comprises a dialer program, where the dialer program establishes a connection with an appropriate internet service provider without generating any user output data. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A computer system in which access by a user to software applications running on the computer system is restricted, comprising:
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a general purpose computing platform comprising processing means for running an operating system software program; communications port means for controlling transfer of hardware data between the processing means and external hardware devices, user input means connected to the processing means for transferring input data from the user to the processing means, and user output means connected to the processing means for communicating output data from the processing means to the user; an access-status device; a control hardware device connected to the port means of the general purpose computing platform and to the access-status device; at least one application software program adapted to run on the general purpose computing platform; a control software program adapted to run on the general purpose computing platform, the control software program being in communication with the control hardware device through the port means;
whereinthe control hardware device determines a status of the access-status device; the control software program controls the user'"'"'s access to the at least one application software program based on the status of the access-status device; and the control hardware device comprises a reset means for initiating a hardware reboot of the general purpose computing platform. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A computer system in which access by a user to software applications running on the computer system is restricted, comprising:
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a general purpose computing platform comprising processing means for running an operating system software program; communications port means for controlling transfer of hardware data between the processing means and external hardware devices, user input means connected to the processing means for transferring input data from the user to the processing means, and user output means connected to the processing means for communicating output data from the processing means to the user; an access-status device; a control hardware device connected to the port means of the general purpose computing platform and to the access-status device; at least one application software program adapted to run on the general purpose computing platform; a control software program adapted to run on the general purpose computing platform, the control software program being in communication with the control hardware device through the port means;
whereinthe control hardware device determines a status of the access-status device;
the control software program controls the user'"'"'s access to the at least one application software program based on the status of the access-status device; andthe control hardware device comprises an online detect circuit for detecting when the general purpose computing platform is accessing a communications network.
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19. A computer system in which access by a user to software applications running on the computer system is restricted, comprising:
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a general purpose computing platform comprising processing means for running an operating system software program; communications port means for controlling transfer of hardware data between the processing means and external hardware devices, user input means connected to the processing means for transferring input data from the user to the processing means, and user output means connected to the processing means for communicating output data from the processing means to the user; an access-status device; a control hardware device connected to the port means of the general purpose computing platform and to the access-status device; at least one application software program adapted to run on the general purpose computing platform; a control software program adapted to run on the general purpose computing platform, the control software program being in communication with the control hardware device through the port means;
whereinthe control hardware device determines a status of the access-status device; the control software program controls the user'"'"'s access to the at least one application software program based on the status of the access-status device; and the control hardware device determines an amount of use time that the user can access the at least one application program based on the status of the access-status device. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A computer system in which access by a user to software applications running on the computer system is restricted, comprising:
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a general purpose computing platform comprising processing means for running an operating system software program; communications port means for controlling transfer of hardware data between the processing means and external hardware devices, user input means connected to the processing means for transferring input data from the user to the processing means, and user output means connected to the processing means for communicating output data from the processing means to the user; an access-status device; a control hardware device connected to the port means of the general purpose computing platform and to the access-status device; at least one application software program adapted to run on the general purpose computing platform; a control software program adapted to run on the general purpose computing platform, the control software program being in communication with the control hardware device through the port means;
whereinthe control hardware device determines a status of the access-status device; and the control software program controls the user'"'"'s access to the at least one application software program based on the status of the access-status device; the hardware control device inhibits operation of the user input means based on at least one of a list of conditions comprising the status of the access-status device, normal operation of the control software program, and the user'"'"'s decision to quit the at least one application program; and the control hardware device further comprises dummy input means for simulating the presence of the user input means, and means for connecting the dummy input means to the processing means when the control hardware device inhibits operation of the user input means.
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23. A computer system in which access by a user to software applications running on the computer system is restricted, comprising:
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a general purpose computing platform comprising processing means for running an operating system software program; communications port means for controlling transfer of hardware data between the processing means and external hardware devices, user input means connected to the processing means for transferring input data from the user to the processing means, and user output means connected to the processing means for communicating output data from the processing means to the user; an access-status device; a control hardware device connected to the port means of the general purpose computing platform and to the access-status device; at least one application software program adapted to run on the general purpose computing platform; a control software program adapted to run on the general purpose computing platform, the control software program being in communication with the control hardware device through the port means;
whereinthe control hardware device determines a status of the access-status device; the control software program controls the user'"'"'s access to the at least one application software program based on the status of the access-status device; and the access-status device comprises; money handling means for generating a credit signal indicative of an amount of money credited to the user; and the control hardware device comprises credit control means for controlling the money handling means to accept and refund money.
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24. A computer system in which access by a user to software applications running on the computer system is restricted, comprising:
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a general purpose computing platform comprising processing means for running an operating system software program; communications port means for controlling transfer of hardware data between the processing means and external hardware devices, user input means connected to the processing means for transferring input data from the user to the processing means, and user output means connected to the processing means for communicating output data from the processing means to the user; an access-status device; a control hardware device connected to the port means of the general purpose computing platform and to the access-status device; at least one application software program adapted to run on the general purpose computing platform; a control software program adapted to run on the general purpose computing platform, the control software program being in communication with the control hardware device through the port means;
whereinthe control hardware device determines a status of the access-status device; the control software program controls the user'"'"'s access to the at least one application software program based on the status of the access-status device; and the hardware control device further comprises a dummy input means, wherein the hardware control device disconnects the user input means from the processing means, connects the dummy input means to the processing means, and inhibits operation of the user output means based on at least one of a list of conditions comprising the status of the access-status device, normal operation of the control software program, and the user'"'"'s decision to quit the at least one application program.
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Specification