Electronic key for a data processing system

• US 6,385,737 B1
• Filed: 05/02/1996
• Issued: 05/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Benignus, Douglas Marvin, Shah, Kanti Champaklal
• Primary Examiner(s): Iqbal, Nadeem
• Application Number:
  US08/641,629
• Time in Patent Office: 2,196 Days
• Field of Search: 379/95, 395/183.22, 395/185.1, 714/22, 714/25, 714/39, 714/46, 714/47
• US Class Current: 714/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test

Abstract

A data processing system is provided with an electronic key for remote designation of the computer system into a service, secure, or normal/run mode of operation. Such a remote designation is enabled when a physical or manual key is set to a normal/run mode of operation. Setting of the electronic key to a service mode permits remote access to the system for maintenance or debug operations.

Claims

1. A data processing system comprising:

a processor,

a memory, wherein the memory includes a physical key memory location for storing a representation of a physical key having three positions corresponding to a normal/run mode, a secure mode, and a service mode and an electronic key memory location for storing a representation of an electronic key having three positions corresponding to said normal/run, secure, and service modes,

a bus for coupling said processor to said memory,

providing means for providing a key interface menu to a remote station when the representation of the physical key and representation of the electronic key indicate that the physical key and the electronic key are in said normal/run mode and a failure is encountered during self testing of the data processing system or when the representation of the physical key indicates that the physical key is in said normal/run mode and the representation of the electronic key indicates that the electronic key is in said secure mode and for providing a maintenance menu to the remote station when one of said physical key or said electronic key representations indicate that one of said physical key or said electronic key are in said service mode, and

setting means for setting the electronic key into said service mode based on information received from the remote station such that the remote station can control and monitor modes of operation of the data processing system.

2. The data processing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the providing means further functions to provide the key interface menu to a local display of the data processing system.

3. The data processing system as recited in claim 2, further comprises a manually operable key as the physical key.

4. The data processing system as recited in claim 2, further comprising means for receiving diagnostic commands from the remote station such that the remote station can invoke diagnostic routines to determine failures within the data processing system.

5. The data processing system as recited in claim 4, wherein the providing means further functions to provide diagnostic data, which is generated in response to the diagnostic routines, to the remote station and the local display.

6. The data processing system as recited in claim 5, further comprising means for terminating the diagnostic routines and resetting the electronic key to the normal/run mode when the physical key is changed from the normal/run mode.

10. The data processing system as recited in claim 1 wherein said maintenance menu includes means for diagnosing the source of a failure within the data processing system.

11. The data processing system as recited in claim 10 wherein said key interface menu includes means for changing the position of said electronic key.

7. In a data processing system, a method comprising the steps of:

determining a failure during self testing of the data processing system;

providing a physical key positionable into a normal/run mode, a secure mode, and a service mode;

providing an electronic key positionable into the normal/run mode, the secure mode, and the service mode;

providing a key interface menu to a remote station when the failure is determined and when the physical key and the electronic key are both in the normal/run mode or when the physical key is in the normal/run mode and the electronic key is in the secure mode;

providing a maintenance menu when one of the physical and electronic keys are in the service mode;

setting the electronic key to the service mode based on information received from the remote station;

executing a diagnostic routine based on prompting from the remote station when the electronic key is in the service mode.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising the step of terminating the diagnostic routine and resetting the electronic key to the normal/run mode when the physical key is changed from the normal/run mode.

9. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising the step of switching the electronic key to a secure mode such that the data processing system in placed in a secure mode.