Computer or microchip protected from the internet by internal hardware

• US 7,926,097 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2005
• Issued: 04/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Frampton E. Ellis III
• Original Assignee: Frampton E. Ellis III
• Inventors: Ellis, Frampton E. III
• Primary Examiner(s): STRANGE, AARON N
• Application Number:
  US11/196,527
• Publication Number:
  US 20060095497A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,077 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/220, 709/250, 726/11
• US Class Current: 726/11
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/70 Protecting specific internal or peripheral components, in which the protection of a component leads to protection of the entire computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/74 operating in dual or compartmented mode, i.e. at least one secure mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5072 Grid computing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5077 Logical partitioning of resources; Management or configuration of virtualized resources specific details on emulation or internal functioning of virtual machines G06F9/455
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/00 Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism healthcare informatics G16H
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• 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

Abstract

This invention generally relates to one or more computer networks having computers like personal computers or network servers with microprocessors linked by broadband transmission means and having hardware, software, firmware, and other means such that at least one parallel processing operation occurs that involve at least two computers in the network. More particularly, this invention relates to one or more large networks composed of smaller networks and large numbers of computers connected, like the Internet, wherein more than one separate parallel processing operation involving more than one different set of computers occurs simultaneously and wherein ongoing processing linkages can be established between virtually any microprocessors of separate computers connected to the network. Still more particularly, this invention relates to business arrangements enabling the shared used of network microprocessors for parallel and other processing, wherein personal computer owners provide microprocessor processing power to a network, preferably for parallel processing, in exchange for network linkage to other personal and other computers supplied by network providers, including linkage to other microprocessors for parallel or other processing; the basis of the exchange between owners and providers being whatever terms to which the parties agree, subject to governing laws, regulations, or rules, including payment from either party to the other based on periodic measurement of net use or provision of processing power.

Claims

1. A computer that is configured for a connection to a network of computers including the Internet, comprising:

a microchip including

a microprocessor, the microprocessor including

a master control unit that is configured using hardware, and

at least two processing units, which are separate from any specialized processors; and

the master control unit of the microprocessor being further configured to allow a user of the computer to control the processing units of the microprocessor;

an internal hardware firewall that is separate from and located between the master control unit and at least a first one of the processing units of the microprocessor; and

the internal hardware firewall defining a portion of the microchip that is protected by the internal hardware firewall and a portion of the microchip that is unprotected by the internal hardware firewall;

said protected portion of the microchip including

at least said master control unit of the microprocessor and

at least a second one of the processing units of the microprocessor,

said unprotected portion of the microchip including at least the first one of the processing units of the microprocessor;

said hardware firewall is configured to deny access to said protected portion of the microchip by a network of computers including the Internet when the computer is connected to the network of computers including the Internet; and

said hardware firewall is further configured to permit access by the network of computers including the Internet to at least the first one of the processing units included in the unprotected portion of the microchip when the computer is connected to the network of computers including the Internet.

2. The computer of claim 1, wherein said protected portion of the microchip includes a non-volatile memory.

3. The microchip of claim 2, wherein the separate specialized processor is a digital signal processor, a field programmable gate array, a modem or a hardware component for encryption, network communications, graphics, sound or video processing.

4. The microchip of claim 2, wherein the master control unit is also configured using firmware.

5. The computer of claim 1, wherein the internal hardware firewall is configured using firmware.

6. The computer of claim 1, wherein said unprotected portion of the microchip includes a volatile memory.

7. The computer of claim 1, wherein said unprotected portion of the microchip includes a non-volatile memory.

8. The computer of claim 1, wherein said unprotected portion of the microchip includes at least four or eight or 16 or 64 or 128 or 256 or 512 or 1024 of said processing units of the microprocessor.

9. The computer of claim 1, wherein the protected portion of the microchip is temporarily inaccessible from the network of computers including the Internet when the computer is connected to the network of computers including the Internet.

10. The computer of claim 1, wherein the protected portion of the microchip is permanently inaccessible from the network of computers including the Internet when the computer is connected to the network of computers including the Internet.

11. The computer of claim 1, wherein the computer is a personal computer and the master control unit is configured for use by an individual user of the personal computer.

12. The computer of claim 11, wherein the personal computer is configured so that the individual user has preemptive control of use of the personal computer.

13. The computer of claim 1, wherein the master control unit is configured to permit and to deny access to the unprotected portion of the microchip by the network including the Internet for an operation when the computer is connected to the network of computers including the Internet.

14. The computer of claim 1, wherein the master control unit is configured to initiate and control execution of an operation of at least the first one of the processing units included in the unprotected portion of the microchip with another computer in the network of computers including the Internet when the computer is connected to the network of computers including the Internet.

15. The computer of claim 1, wherein the master control unit is configured to permit execution of an operation of at least the first one of the processing units included in the unprotected portion of the microchip with another computer in the network of computers including the Internet as requested by said another computer when the computer is connected to the network of computers including the Internet.

16. A computer that is configured for a connection to a network of computers including the Internet, comprising:

a master controlling device that is configured using hardware,

at least two microprocessors, which are separate from any specialized processors; and

the master controlling device being further configured to allow a user of the computer to control the processing units of the microprocessor; and

an internal hardware firewall that is separate from and located between the master controlling device and at least a first one of the microprocessors; and

the internal hardware firewall defining a portion of the computer that is protected by the internal hardware firewall and a portion of the computer that is unprotected by the internal hardware firewall;

said protected portion of the computer including

at least said master controlling device and

at least a second one of the microprocessors,

said unprotected portion of the computer including at least the first one of the microprocessors;

said hardware firewall is configured to deny access to said protected portion of the computer by a network of computers including the Internet when computer is connected to the network of computers including the Internet; and

said hardware firewall is further configured to permit access by the network of computers including the Internet to at least the first one of the microprocessors included in the unprotected portion of the computer when the computer is connected to the network of computers including the Internet.

17. The computer of claim 16, wherein said protected portion of the computer includes a non-volatile memory.

18. The microchip of claim 17, wherein the separate specialized processor is a digital signal processor, a field programmable gate array, a modem or a hardware component for encryption, network communications, graphics, sound or video processing.

19. The computer of claim 17, wherein the master controlling device is also configured using firmware.

20. The computer of claim 16, wherein the internal hardware firewall is configured using firmware.

21. The computer of claim 16, wherein said unprotected portion of the computer includes a volatile memory.

22. The computer of claim 16, wherein said unprotected portion of the computer includes a non-volatile memory.

23. The computer of claim 16, wherein said unprotected portion of the computer includes at least four or eight or 16 or 64 or 128 or 256 or 512 or 1024 of said microprocessors.

24. The computer of claim 16, wherein the protected portion of the computer is temporarily inaccessible from the network of computers including the Internet when the computer is connected to the network of computers including the Internet.

25. The computer of claim 16, wherein the protected portion of the computer is permanently inaccessible from the network of computers including the Internet when the computer is connected to the network of computers including the Internet.

26. The computer of claim 16, wherein the computer is a personal computer and the master controlling device is configured for use by an individual user of the personal computer.

27. The computer of claim 26, wherein the personal computer is configured so that the individual user has preemptive control of use of the personal computer.

28. The computer of claim 16, wherein the master controlling device is configured to permit and to deny access to the unprotected portion of the computer by the network of computers including the Internet for an operation when the computer is connected to the network of computers including the Internet.

29. The computer of claim 16, wherein the master controlling device is configured to initiate, and control execution of, an operation at least the first one of the microprocessors in the unprotected portion of the computer with another computer in the network of computers including the Internet when the computer is connected to the network of computers including the Internet.

30. The computer of claim 16, wherein the master controlling device is configured to permit execution of an operation of at least the first one of the microprocessors in the unprotected portion of the computer as requested by said another computer when the computer is connected to the network of computers including the Internet.

31. A microchip configured for a connection to a network of computers including the Internet, comprising:

a microprocessor, the microprocessor including

a master control unit that is configured using hardware, and

at least two processing units, which are separate from any specialized processors;

the master control unit of the microprocessor being further configured to allow a user of the personal computer to control the processing units of the microprocessor; and

an internal hardware firewall that is separate from and located between the master control unit and at least a first one of the processing units of the microprocessor; and

the internal hardware firewall defining a portion of the microchip that is protected by the internal hardware firewall and a portion of the microchip that is unprotected by the internal hardware firewall;

said protected portion of the microchip including

at least said master control unit of the microprocessor and

at least a second one of the processing units of the microprocessor,

said unprotected portion of the microchip including at least the first one of the processing units of the microprocessor;

said hardware firewall is configured to deny access to said protected portion of the microchip by a network of computers including the Internet when the personal computer is connected to the network of computers including the Internet; and

said hardware firewall is further configured to permit access by the network of computers including the Internet to at least the first one of the processing units included in the unprotected portion of the microchip when the computer is connected to the network of computers including the Internet.

32. The microchip of claim 31, wherein said protected portion of the micro Previously presented chip includes a non-volatile memory.

33. The microchip of claim 32, wherein the separate specialized processor is a digital signal processor, a field programmable gate array, a modem or a hardware component for encryption, network communications, graphics, sound or video processing.

34. The computer of claim 32, wherein the master controlling device is also configured using firmware.

35. The microchip of claim 31, wherein the internal hardware firewall is configured using firmware.

36. The microchip of claim 31, wherein said unprotected portion of the microchip includes a volatile memory.

37. The microchip of claim 31, wherein said unprotected portion of the microchip includes a non-volatile memory.

38. The microchip of claim 31, wherein said unprotected portion of the microchip includes at least four or eight or 16 or 64 or 128 or 256 or 512 or 1024 of said processing units of the microprocessor.

39. The microchip of claim 31, wherein the protected portion of the microchip is temporarily inaccessible from the network of computers including the Internet when the computer is connected to the network of computers including the Internet.

40. The microchip of claim 31, wherein the protected portion of the microchip is permanently inaccessible from the network of computers including the Internet when the computer is connected to the network of computers including the Internet.

41. The microchip of claim 31, wherein the microchip is used in a personal computer and the master control unit is configured for use by an individual user of the personal computer.

42. The microchip of claim 41, wherein the personal computer is configured so that the individual user has preemptive control of use of the personal computer.

43. The microchip of claim 31, wherein the master control unit is configured to permit and to deny access to the unprotected portion of the microchip by the network of computers including the Internet for an operation when the computer is connected to the network of computers including the Internet.

44. The microchip of claim 31, wherein the master control unit is configured to initiate, and control execution of, an operation of at least the first one of the processing units in the unprotected portion of the microchip with another computer in the network of computers including the Internet when the computer is connected to the network of computers including the Internet.

45. The microchip of claim 31, wherein the master control unit is configured to permit execution of an operation of at least the first one of the processing units in the unprotected portion of the microchip with another computer in the network of computers including the Internet as requested by said another computer when the computer is connected to the network of computers including the Internet.