System and method for protecting a computer system from malicious software
First Claim
1. A method of operating a computer system having at least a first and second electronic data processor capable of executing instructions using a common operating system, comprising the steps of:
- executing instructions in a first logical process within the common operating system using the first electronic data processor, wherein the first logical process is capable of accessing data contained in a first memory space and a second memory space;
executing instructions in a second logical process within the common operating system using the second electronic data processor, wherein the second logical process is capable of accessing data contained in the second memory space, the second logical process being further capable of exchanging data across a network of one or more computers;
displaying, in a windowed format on a display terminal, data from the first logical process and the second logical process, wherein a video processor is adapted to combine data from the first and second logical processes and transmit the combined data to the display terminal;
wherein the computer system is configured such that the second electronic data processor is operating in a protected mode and data residing on the first memory space is protected from corruption by a malware process downloaded from the network and executing as part of the second logical process.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a computer system, a first electronic data processor is communicatively coupled to a first memory space and a second memory space. A second electronic data processor is communicatively coupled the second memory space and to a network interface device. The second electronic data processor is capable of exchanging data across a network of one or more computers via the network interface device. A video processor is adapted to combine video data from the first and second electronic data processors and transmit the combined video data to a display terminal for displaying the combined video data in a windowed format. The computer system is configured such that a malware program downloaded from the network and executing on the second electronic data processor is incapable of initiating access to the first memory space.
121 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of operating a computer system having at least a first and second electronic data processor capable of executing instructions using a common operating system, comprising the steps of:
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executing instructions in a first logical process within the common operating system using the first electronic data processor, wherein the first logical process is capable of accessing data contained in a first memory space and a second memory space; executing instructions in a second logical process within the common operating system using the second electronic data processor, wherein the second logical process is capable of accessing data contained in the second memory space, the second logical process being further capable of exchanging data across a network of one or more computers; displaying, in a windowed format on a display terminal, data from the first logical process and the second logical process, wherein a video processor is adapted to combine data from the first and second logical processes and transmit the combined data to the display terminal; wherein the computer system is configured such that the second electronic data processor is operating in a protected mode and data residing on the first memory space is protected from corruption by a malware process downloaded from the network and executing as part of the second logical process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A multi-processor computer system using a common operating system, comprising:
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a first electronic data processor capable of executing instructions using the common operating system and communicatively coupled to a first memory space and a second memory space; a second electronic data processor capable of executing instructions using the common operating system and communicatively coupled to the second memory space and to a network interface device, wherein the second electronic data processor is capable of exchanging data across a network of one or more computers via the network interface device; a video processor adapted to combine video data from the first and second electronic data processors and transmit the combined video data to a display terminal for displaying the combined video data in a windowed format; wherein the computer system is configured such that the second electronic data processor is operating in a protected mode and data residing on the first memory space is protected from corruption by a malware process downloaded from the network and executing on the second electronic data processor. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A multi-processor computer system using a common operating system, comprising:
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at least a first and second electronic data processor capable of executing instructions using the common operating system; at least a first and second memory space; a video processor; wherein the first and second electronic data processors, first and second memory space, and video processor are configured for performing the steps of; executing instructions in a first logical process with the first electronic data processor, wherein the first logical process is executing within the common operating system and is capable of accessing data contained in the first memory space and the second memory space; executing instructions in a second logical process with the second electronic data processor, wherein the second logical process is executing within the common operating system and is capable of accessing data contained in the second memory space, the second logical process being further capable of exchanging data across a network of one or more computers; displaying, in a windowed format on a display terminal, data from the first logical process and the second logical process, wherein the video processor is adapted to combine data from the first and second logical processes and transmit the combined data to the display terminal; wherein the computer system is configured such that the second electronic data processor is operating in a protected mode and data residing on the first memory space is protected from corruption by a malware process downloaded from the network and executing as part of the second logical process. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification