Internal firewall for a personal computer to deny access by a network to a user's secure portion

• US 7,047,275 B1
• Filed: 09/26/2000
• Issued: 05/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Frampton E. Ellis
• Original Assignee: Frampton E. Ellis
• Inventors: Ellis, Frampton E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Dung C.
• Application Number:
  US09/669,730
• Time in Patent Office: 2,058 Days
• Field of Search: 709200-203, 709208-211
• US Class Current: 709/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/71 to assure secure computing or processing of information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5072 Grid computing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0852 Delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0209 Architectural arrangements, e.g. perimeter networks or demilitarized zones
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/14 Multichannel or multilink protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A system and method is provided for an internal firewall configured to operate in a personal computer, which is configured to operate with other computers connected to a network. The personal computer includes at least two microprocessors. The firewall is configured to deny access to a first microprocessor of the personal computer by one of the other computers of the network during a shared operation involving the personal computer and the other computers of the network. The firewall is also configured to allow access to a second microprocessor of the personal computer by the other computers during the shared operation.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a firewall configured to operate in a personal computer, which is configured to operate with other computers connected in a network;

said personal computer including at least two microprocessors;

said firewall configured to deny access to at least a first microprocessor of said personal computer by at least one of said other computers of said network during a shared operation involving said personal computer and said at least one of said other computers of said network; and

said firewall configured to allow access to at least a second microprocessor of said personal computer by said at least one of said other computers of said network during said shared operation.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said firewall is configured to deny access to at least a first microprocessor of said personal computer by said other computers of said network during a shared operation involving said personal computer and at least one of said other computers of said network.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

said firewall is configured to allow access to at least a second microprocessor of said personal computer by said other computers of said network during said shared operation.

4. An apparatus, comprising:

a firewall configured to operate in a personal computer, which is configured to operate with other computers connected in a network;

said personal computer including at least two microprocessors and at least two memory hardware components;

said firewall configured to deny access to at least a first microprocessor and at least a first memory hardware component of said personal computer by at least one of said other computers during a shared operation involving said personal computer and said at least one of said other computers of said network; and

said firewall configured to allow access to at least a second microprocessor and at least a second memory hardware component of said personal computer by said at least one of said other computers of said network during said shared operation.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein:

said firewall configured to deny access to at least a first microprocessor and at least a first memory hardware component of said personal computer by said other computers of said network during a shared operation involving said personal computer and at least one of said other computers of said network.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

said firewall is configured to allow access to at least a second microprocessor and at least a second memory hardware component of said personal computer by said other computers of said network during said shared operation.

7. An apparatus, comprising:

a firewall configured to operate in a personal computer, which is configured to operate with other computers connected in a network;

said personal computer including at least one microprocessor and at least two memory hardware components;

said firewall configured to deny access to at least a first memory hardware component of said personal computer by at least one of said other computers during a shared operation involving said personal computer and said at least one of said other computers of said network; and

said firewall configured to allow access to at least a second memory hardware component of said personal computer by said at least one of said other computers of said network during said shared operation.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

said firewall is configured to deny access to at least a first memory hardware component of said personal computer by said other computers of said network during a shared operation involving said personal computer and at least one of said other computers of said network.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

said firewall is configured to allow access to at least a second memory hardware component of said personal computer by said other computers of said network during said shared operation.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

said firewall is configured to deny access to at least said second memory hardware component of said personal computer by said personal computer during said shared operation.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said first memory hardware component is accessible only by a user of said personal computer.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said personal computer microprocessor is controlled by a user of said personal computer through operation of a wireless controller by said user.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said access to said personal computer by said other computers of said network is controlled electromechanically.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a user of said personal computer preemptively controls access to said personal computer by said other computers of said network through operation of a manually activated switch.

15. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said manually activated switch is a keyboard of said personal computer.

16. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said firewall includes a hardware component.

17. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said firewall includes a software component.

18. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said firewall includes a firmware component.

19. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said shared operation is initiated by a user of said personal computer.

20. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said shared operation is initiated by said at least one said other computer.

21. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said access is allowed to at least said second memory hardware component of said personal computer when said personal computer is idled by a user of said personal computer.

22. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said firewall denies access at least temporarily to a microprocessor of said personal computer by at least one said other computer during said shared operation.

23. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said firewall allows access at least temporarily to a microprocessor of said personal computer by at least one said other computer during said shared operation.

24. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said first memory hardware component is a hard drive device.

25. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said first memory hardware component is a flash memory device.

26. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said second memory hardware component is a random access memory (RAM) device.

27. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said second memory hardware component is a hard drive device.

28. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said second memory hardware component is a read-only compact disk drive (CD-ROM) device.

29. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said second memory hardware component is a read-only digital video disk drive (DVD) device.

30. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said personal computer includes a plurality of microprocessors.

31. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said personal computer includes a microchip with a plurality of microprocessors.

32. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said personal computer is substantially contained in a respective single microchip.

33. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said personal computer is substantially contained in a single respective microchip including a plurality of microprocessors.

34. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said network of computers includes an Internet.

35. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said network of computers includes a World Wide Web.

36. The apparatus of claims 8, wherein said personal computer is an appliance with a microprocessor.

37. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said personal computer includes an optical fiber connection to said network.

38. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein said microchip includes an optical fiber connection to said network.

39. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said microchip includes an optical fiber connection to said network.

40. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said shared operation is one of parallel processing or multitasking.

41. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein at least one said other computer and said personal computer are connected via a peer-to-peer relationship.

42. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

said personal computer is an appliance with a microprocessor, and

said appliance includes one of a handheld personal digital assistant, a telephone, a pager, a television, a game, a videotape player/recorder, a video camera, a compact disk (CD) player/recorder, a digital video disk (DVD) player/recorder, a radio, a camera, a printer, a fax machine, and an automobile.

43. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a user of said personal computer retains preemptive control of at least said second memory hardware component.

44. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a user of said personal computer retains preemptive control of all components of said personal computer.

45. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein at least a part of said personal computer is configured to function as a master in said shared operation.

46. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein at least a part of said personal computer is configured to function as a slave in said shared operation.

47. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said second memory hardware component is volatile memory.

48. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said first memory hardware component is non-volatile memory.

49. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said second memory hardware component is a same type of hardware component as said first memory hardware component, said type being one of a flash memory device, a flash bios, a random access memory (RAM), a hard drive device, a read-only compact disk drive (CD-ROM), a read-only compact digital video disk (DVD) device, a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory, a read and write memory, and a read-only memory.

50. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said first memory hardware component is read and write memory.

51. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said second memory hardware component is read-only memory.

52. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said personal computer is configured to communicate with said network through a connection having a speed of data transmission that is greater than a peak data processing speed of said personal computer.

53. The apparatus of claims 8, wherein at least one microprocessor of said personal computer is configured to communicate with said network through a connection having a speed of data transmission that is greater than a peak data processing speed of said at least one microprocessor.

54. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said personal computer includes at least four microprocessors.

55. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said personal computer includes at least eight microprocessors.

56. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said personal computer includes at least 16 microprocessors.

57. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said personal computer includes at least 32 microprocessors.

58. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said personal computer includes at least 64 microprocessors.

59. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said personal computer includes at least 128 microprocessors.

60. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said personal computer includes at least 256 microprocessors.

61. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said personal computer includes at least 512 microprocessors.

62. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said personal computer includes at least 1024 microprocessors.

63. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said another computer and said personal computer are connected via a client/server relationship.

64. A machine-readable medium having information recorded therein such that when said information is read and executed by a processor within a personal computer arranged to operate with other computers connected in a network, said processor is caused to:

perform a firewall function within said personal computer;

said firewall function being configured to deny access to at least a first memory hardware component of said personal computer by at least one of said other computers during a shared operation involving said personal computer and said at least one of said other computers of said network;

said firewall function being configured to allow access to at least a second memory hardware component of said personal computer by said at least one of said other computers of said network during said shared operation.

65. The machine-readable medium of claim 64, wherein:

said firewall function is configured to deny access to at least a first memory hardware component of said personal computer by said other computers of said network during a shared operation involving said personal computer and at least one of said other computers of said network; and

said firewall function is configured to allow access to at least a second memory hardware component of said personal computer by said at least one of said other computers of said network during said shared operation.