Method and apparatus for hardware platform identification with privacy protection

• US 6,952,770 B1
• Filed: 03/14/2000
• Issued: 10/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Mi, James, Mittal, Millind
• Primary Examiner(s): Morse, Gregory
• Application Number:
  US09/525,702
• Time in Patent Office: 2,030 Days
• Field of Search: 713/168, 713/169, 713/200, 713/185, 713/201, 713/193, 713/189, 709/229
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/123 by using dedicated hardware, e.g. dongles, smart cards, cryptographic processors, global positioning systems [GPS] devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/73 by creating or determining hardware identification, e.g. serial numbers

Abstract

A method and apparatus for enabling hardware platform identification while ensuring privacy protection. The apparatus comprises a computer-readable medium that stores computer-executable instructions. Those instructions, when executed by a microprocessor, cause an expected hash value, which is derived from a key and a first identifier for a computer system; to be compared with a hash value, which is derived from the key and a second identifier for a computer system. A microprocessor for executing those instructions may comprise an identifier that identifies the microprocessor, and embedded instructions for comparing a hash value, derived from the identifier and a key, to an expected hash value.

Claims

1. A microprocessor comprising:

an identifier that identifies the microprocessor;

embedded instructions that comprise microcode for comparing a hash value, derived from the identifier and a key, to an expected hash value; and

embedded instructions that comprise microcode for producing a hash value that is a function of the identifier and a key.

2. The microprocessor of claim 1 wherein the identifier comprises a processor number.