System, method, and software for removable-media security

• US 6,910,137 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2002
• Issued: 06/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Carlson, Carrie A., Liebenow, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Moise, Emmanuel L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Revak, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US10/106,596
• Publication Number:
  US 20020104028A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,183 Days
• Field of Search: 713/200, 713/202, 713/300, 713/310, 713/320, 713/324, 711/163, 711/164, 361683-686, 361724-727
• US Class Current: 726/34
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/122 involving the detection of an identification or authentication mark record carriers indicating unauthorised or prior use G11B23/28
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00152 involving a password
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10 Digital recording or reproducing

Abstract

A system and method for preventing access to a drive opening of a disk drive or unauthorized removal of a disk from the disk drive opening. The system comprises a drive having a drive opening and a disk tray movable between a retracted position preventing access to the opening and extended position allowing access to the opening. A software or hardware security module prevents the disk tray from being moved to the extended position to prevent access to the drive opening. The method for preventing a disk from being removed from a drive includes determining whether the disk is in the drive, determining whether a correct password has been entered, and preventing ejection of the disk by an ejector based upon those determinations.

Claims

1. A method for preventing a medium from being removed from a drive configured to read from and write to the medium, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) determining whether the medium is in the drive upon reception of an ejection signal from a user, wherein the medium is selected from the group of a compact disc (CD) disk,a digital versatile disk (DVD) disk, a 5.25 inch disk, or a 3.5 inch disk;

(b) requesting a password when the medium is in the drive; and

(c) preventing ejection of the medium by an ejector configured to eject the medium from the drive based if an incorrect password has been entered.

2. The method, as recited in claim 1, wherein step (c) includes the step of preventing ejection of the medium from the drive if the medium is in the drive and if an incorrect password has been entered.

3. The method, as recited in claim 1, further including the step of determining, prior to steps (a)-(c), whether media-eject button has been pressed.

4. The method, as recited in claim 3, further including the step of notifying a software program if the media-eject button has been pressed.

5. The method, as recited in claim 4, further including the step of determining, by the software program, whether a password has been set.

6. The method, as recited in claim 5, further including the step of performing, by the software program, steps (a)-(c) if a password has been set.

7. The method, as recited in claim 5, further including the step of activating, by the software program, the ejector if a password has not been set.

8. The method, as recited in claim 5, further including the step of disabling the media-eject button if the password has been set and if the medium is in the drive.

9. The method, as recited in claim 8, further including the step of enabling the media-eject button if a correct password has been entered.

10. The method, as recited in claim 5, further including the step of locking the drive whenever a user closes a door of drive with the medium in the drive if the password has been set.

11. The method, as recited in claim 1, wherein step (c) includes disabling a media-eject button.

12. A computer readable medium tangibly embodying a program of instructions for preventing a removable medium from being removed from a drive configured to read from or write to the removable medium, said program of instructions implementing the following method:

(a) determining whether the removable medium is in the drive upon reception of an ejection signal from a user, wherein the removable medium is selected from the group of a compact disc (CD) disk, a digital versatile disk (DVD) disk, a 5.25 inch disk, or a 3.5 inch disk;

(b) requesting a password when the removable medium is in the drive; and

(c) preventing ejection of the removable medium by an ejector configured to eject the removable medium from the drive based if an incorrect password has been entered.

13. The computer readable medium, as recited in claim 12, further including the step of determining, prior to steps (a)-(c), whether a media-eject button has been pressed.

14. The computer readable medium, as recited in claim 13, further including the step of notifying a software program if the media-eject button has been pressed.

15. The computer readable medium, as recited in claim 14, further including the step of determining, by the software program, whether a password has been set.

16. The computer readable medium, as recited in claim 15, further including the step of performing, by the software program, steps (a)-(c) if a password has been set.

17. The computer readable medium, as recited in claim 16, further including the step of disabling the media-eject button if the password has been act and if the medium is in the drive.

18. The computer readable medium, as recited in claim 17, further including the step of enabling the media-eject button if a correct password has been entered.

19. The computer readable medium, as recited in claim 16, further including the step of locking the drive whenever the user closes a door of the drive with the medium in the drive if the password has been set.

20. The computer readable medium, as recited in claim 18, further including the step of activating, by the software program, the ejector is a password has not been set.

21. The computer readable medium, as recited in claim 12, wherein step (c) includes disabling a media-eject button.

22. A media drive, comprising:

a drive opening suitable for receiving a removable medium, the removable medium capable of storing electronic data, wherein the removable medium is selected from the group of a compact disc (CD) disk, a digital versatile disk (DVD) disk, a 5.25 inch disk, or a 3.5 inch disk;

a component movable between a first position and a second position, wherein the first position allows access to a drive opening and the second position prevents access to the drive opening; and

a security module suitable for controlling operation of the movable component, wherein access is permitted by the security module to the drive opening if a removable medium is not present in the drive opening and access to a removable medium is denied by the security module if a removable medium is present in the drive opening, the security module further suitable for requesting a password if access to the removable medium is denied due to presence of a removable medium in the drive opening.

23. The media drive as described in claim 22, further comprising a button suitable for actuation by a user to access the drive opening.

24. The media drive as described in claim 22, wherein the security module includes a sensor suitable for detecting presence of a removable medium in the drive opening.

25. The media drive as described in claim 22, wherein a correct password is not entered, the security module prevents the component from moving to the first position.

26. A method of providing access by a media drive having a drive opening suitable for receiving a removable medium, comprising the steps of:

receiving a request to access a drive opening of a media drive;

determining whether a removable medium is present in said drive opening of the media drive, if not, enabling access to the drive opening to place the removable medium in the medium drive, otherwise denying access to the removable medium to prevent removal of the removable medium from the media drive, wherein the removable medium is selected from the group of a compact disc (CD) disk, a digital versatile disk (DVD) disk, a 5.25 inch disk, or a 3.5 inch disk; and

requesting a password if access to the removable medium is denied by the security module due to presence of a removable medium in the drive opening of the media drive.

27. The method as described in claim 26, wherein the request is received by pressing a button.

28. The method as described in claim 26, wherein access is controlled by utilizing a component movable between a first position and a second position, wherein tho first position allows access to a drive opening and the second position prevents access to the drive opening;

and

a security module suitable for controlling operation of the movable component.

29. The method as described in claim 26, wherein determining is performed through use of a sensor suitable for detecting a removable medium disposed in the drive opening of the media drive.

30. The method as described in claim 26, wherein a correct password is not entered, the security module prevents a component from moving to a first position enabling access to a drive opening of the media drive from a second position which prevents access to a drive opening of the media drive.

31. An information handling system, comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory operably associated with the processor; and

a media drive suitable for removable medium, wherein the removable medium is selected from the group of a compact disc (CD) disk, a digital versatile disk (DVD) disk, a 5.25 inch disk, or a 3.5 inch disk, including;

a drive opening suitable for receiving a removable medium, the removable medium capable of storing electronic data;

a component movable between a first position and a second position, wherein the first position allows access to a drive opening and the second position prevents access to the drive opening; and

a security module suitable for controlling operation of the movable component, wherein access is permitted by the security module to the drive opening if a removable medium is not present in the drive opening and access to a removable medium is denied by the security module if a removable medium is present in the drive opening, the security module further suitable for requesting a password if access to the removable medium is denied due to presence of a removable medium in the drive opening.

32. The information handling system as described in claim 31, further comprising a button suitable for actuation by a user to access the drive opening.

33. The information handling system as described in claim 31, wherein the security module includes a sensor suitable for detecting presence of a removable medium in the drive opening.

34. The information handling system as described in claim 31, wherein a correct password is not entered, the security module prevents the component from moving to the first position.

35. A media drive, comprising:

a drive opening suitable for receiving a removable medium, the removable medium capable of storing electronic data, wherein the removable medium is selected from the group of a compact disc (CD) disk, a digital versatile disk (DVD) disk, a 5.25 inch disk, or a 3.5 inch disk;

a component movable between a first position and a second position, wherein the first position allows access in a drive opening and the second position prevents access to the drive opening; and

a security module suitable for controlling operation of the movable component, wherein access is denied by the security module to the drive opening if a removable medium is present in the drive opening and if a password has been set and access is granted by the security module to the drive opening if a user enters a correct password.

36. The media drive of claim 35, wherein access is permitted by the security module to the drive opening if no removable medium is present in the drive opening.

37. The media drive of claim 36, wherein access is permitted by the security module to the drive opening if no password has been set.

38. The media drive of claim 36, wherein a media-eject button is enabled when access is permitted by the security module to the drive opening.

39. The media drive of claim 38, wherein the media-eject button is implemented in software.

40. The media drive of claim 38, wherein the media-eject button is physically located on the outside of a computer housing the media drive.

41. The media drive of claim 35, wherein the drive is locked whenever the user closes a door of the drive with a removable medium in the drive.

42. An information handling system, comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory operably associated with the processor; and

a media drive suitable for removable medium, wherein the removable medium is selected from the group of a compact disc (CD) disk, a digital versatile disk (DVD) disk, a 5.25 inch disk, or a 3.5 inch disk including;

a drive opening suitable for receiving a removable medium, the removable medium capable of storing electronic data;

a component movable between a first position and a second position;

wherein the first position allows access to a drive opening and the second position prevents access to the drive opening; and

a security module suitable for controlling operation of the movable component, wherein access is denied by the security module to the drive opening if a removable medium is present in the drive opening and if a password has been set, wherein access is permitted by the security module to the drive opening if no removable medium is present in the drive opening and access is permitted by the security module to the drive opening if no password has been set and access granted by the security module to the drive opening if a user enters a correct password.

43. The information handling system of claim 42, wherein a media-eject button is enabled when access is permitted by the security module to the drive opening.

44. The information handling system of claim 43, wherein media-eject button is implemented in software.

45. The information handling system of claim 43, wherein the media-eject button is physically located on the outside of a computer housing the media drive.

46. The information handling system of claim 42, wherein the media drive further comprises a sensor to determine the presence of the removable medium.

47. The information handling system of claim 46, wherein the sensor is photo optical.

48. The information handling system of claim 46, wherein the sensor is capacitive.

49. The information-handling system of claim 42, further comprising the step of locking the media drive whenever the user closes a door of the media drive with the removable medium in the media drive.

50. A method for preventing a medium from being removed from a drive, said method comprising the stops of:

determining whether a password has been set for accessing the drive, wherein a user may select a security mode for a drive by setting the password for the drive;

determining whether the medium is in the drive upon reception of an ejection signal from the user, wherein the medium is selected from the group of a compact disc (CD) disk, a digital versatile disk (DVD) disk, a 5.25 inch disk, or a 3.5 inch disk;

requesting a password if the password has been set for the drive and the medium is in the drive;

locking the drive to prevent an access to the drive if an incorrect password has been entered; and

unlocking the drive to allow the access to the drive if a correct password has been entered.

51. The method for preventing a medium from being removed from a drive as in claim 50, further comprising the step of locking the drive whenever a user close a door of the drive with the medium in the drive.

52. The method for preventing a medium from being removed from a drive as in claim 51, further comprising the step of unlocking the drive if a password has not been set for accessing the drive.