Use of biometrics to provide physical and logic access to computer devices
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A computer system, comprising:
- a computer component;
a biometric sensor;
a control unit coupled to said biometric sensor;
a lock coupled to and controlled by said control unit, wherein the control unit operates the lock by authenticating biometric data received from the biometric sensor; and
a registry stored in a memory accessible by said control unit, said registry including a first access code and a second access code,wherein the lock prevents the computer component from being removed from the computer system unless the control unit authenticates biometric data received from the biometric sensor and obtains the first access code from the registry;
wherein logical access to the computer component is prevented unless the control unit authenticates biometric data received from the biometric sensor and obtains the second access code;
wherein the first access code enables physical access to the computer component, but not logical access; and
wherein the second access code enables logical access to the computer component, but not physical access.
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Abstract
Biometric sensors are used to control physical and logical access to various computer components or subsystems comprising a computer system. The biometric sensors may comprise fingerprint scanners, iris scanners or any other type of biometric sensor that can uniquely identify a person. The biometric sensors can be used to activate electromagnetic locks, which lock individual components within the system, or enabling locks which prevent devices from receiving power or being enabled (such as disk drives, network cards, etc.).
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A computer system, comprising:
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a computer component; a biometric sensor; a control unit coupled to said biometric sensor; a lock coupled to and controlled by said control unit, wherein the control unit operates the lock by authenticating biometric data received from the biometric sensor; and a registry stored in a memory accessible by said control unit, said registry including a first access code and a second access code, wherein the lock prevents the computer component from being removed from the computer system unless the control unit authenticates biometric data received from the biometric sensor and obtains the first access code from the registry; wherein logical access to the computer component is prevented unless the control unit authenticates biometric data received from the biometric sensor and obtains the second access code; wherein the first access code enables physical access to the computer component, but not logical access; and wherein the second access code enables logical access to the computer component, but not physical access. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A security method for a computer system including a plurality of computer components, comprising:
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registering a first user'"'"'s biometric to access a computing component logically; registering a second user'"'"'s biometric to access the computer component physically; authenticating a user identity using biometrics; if the user identity is authenticated as the first user, permitting logical access to the computer component, but not physical access; and if the user identity is authenticated as the second user, permitting physical access to the computer component, but not logical access. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A biometric access system for a computer system that includes a plurality of computer devices, comprising:
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a plurality of biometric sensors; and a control unit coupled to said plurality of biometric sensors, said control unit selectively controlling logical access and physical access to the plurality of computer devices in said computer system based on signals from one or more of said biometric sensors; wherein the control unit selectively enables a first user to have logical access to at least one of the computer devices, but not physical access; wherein the control unit selectively enables a second user to have physical access to at least one of the computer devices, but not logical access. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A security system for a server rack, said security system comprising:
a biometric sensor; a control unit coupled to said biometric sensor; and a lock coupled to and controlled by said control unit; wherein the control unit selectively controls the lock to allow physical removal of a server based on data received from the biometric sensor, wherein the control unit selectively controls logical access to the server based on data received from the biometric sensor, wherein the control unit selectively enables a first user to have logical access to the server, but not physical access; wherein the control unit selectively enables a second user to have physical access to the server, but not logical access. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
Specification