Developer switch

• US 8,813,244 B1
• Filed: 02/27/2012
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Spangler, Randall R., Richardson, William F., Lyon, Christopher T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dada, Beemnet
• Assistant Examiner(s): BEHESHTI SHIRAZI, SAYED ARESH
• Application Number:
  US13/406,393
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 713/1, 713/2, 713/100, 713/164, 713/176, 726/27
• US Class Current: 726/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/74 operating in dual or compartmented mode, i.e. at least one secure mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/86 Secure or tamper-resistant housings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss

Abstract

A computing device comprising a security slot integral with an external surface of the computing device, wherein the security slot is configured to receive and mechanically cooperate with a blocking mechanism. In certain aspects, the computing device further comprises a switch mounted behind the security slot and integral to the computing device and configured to permit access to a developer mode when the switch is in a first position and to restrict access to the developer mode when the switch is in a second position.

Claims

1. A computing device comprising:

a security slot integral with an external surface of the computing device, wherein the security slot is configured to receive and mechanically cooperate with a removable blocking mechanism; and

a switch electrically coupled to the computing device and configured to permit access to a developer mode when the switch is in a first state and to restrict access to the developer mode when the switch is in a second state, wherein the security slot is configured to obstruct access to the switch when the removable blocking mechanism is mechanically cooperated with the security slot, wherein the security slot is configured to allow access to the switch by a user'"'"'s hand via the security slot when the removable blocking mechanism is absent,

wherein the removable blocking mechanism comprises a lock.

2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the developer mode relates to a mode of operation for one or more software programs executable by the computing device.

3. The computing device of claim 2, wherein the one or more software programs comprise one or more operating systems of the computing device.

4. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the switch comprises a mechanically movable element and wherein the switch is configured to be in the first state when the mechanically movable element is in a first position and the switch is configured to be in the second state when the mechanically movable element is in a second position.

5. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the removable blocking mechanism is configured to place the switch into the second state when the removable blocking mechanism is mechanically cooperated with the security slot.

6. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the removable blocking mechanism comprises a lock.

7. A method of controlling access to a developer switch, comprising:

integrating a security slot with an external surface of a computing device, wherein the security slot is configured to receive and mechanically cooperate with a removable blocking mechanism; and

electrically coupling a switch to the computing device, wherein the switch is configured to permit access to a developer mode when the switch is in a first state and to restrict access to the developer mode when the switch is in a second state and wherein the removable blocking mechanism is configured to prevent changing a state of the switch when the removable blocking mechanism is mechanically cooperated with the security slot, wherein the security slot is configured to allow access to the switch by a user'"'"'s hand via the security slot when the removable blocking mechanism is absent,

wherein the security slot is an opening sized and shaped to receive the removable blocking device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the developer mode relates to a mode of operation for one or more firmware or software routines executable by the computing device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more firmware or software routines comprise one or more operating systems of the computing device.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the switch comprises a mechanically movable element and wherein the switch is configured to be in the first state when the mechanically movable element is in a first position and the switch is configured to be in the second state when the mechanically movable element is in a second position.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the security slot is configured to obstruct access to the switch when the removable blocking mechanism is mechanically cooperated with the security slot.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the removable blocking mechanism is configured to prevent movement of the switch when the removable blocking mechanism is mechanically cooperated with the security slot.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the removable blocking mechanism is configured to place the switch into the second state when the removable blocking mechanism is mechanically cooperated with the security slot.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein the removable blocking mechanism comprises a lock.

15. A computing device comprising:

a security slot integral with an external surface of the computing device, wherein the security slot is configured to receive and mechanically cooperate with a removable blocking mechanism; and

a switch electrically coupled to the computing device and configured to permit access to a developer mode when the switch is in a first state and to restrict access to the developer mode when the switch is in a second state, wherein the removable blocking mechanism is configured to prevent movement of the switch when the removable blocking mechanism is mechanically cooperated with the security slot, wherein the security slot is configured to allow access to the switch by a user'"'"'s hand via the security slot when the removable blocking mechanism is absent,

wherein the removable blocking mechanism comprises a lock.

16. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the developer mode relates to a mode of operation for one or more software programs executable by the computing device.

17. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the switch comprises a mechanically movable element and wherein the switch is configured to be in the first state when the mechanically movable element is in a first position and the switch is configured to be in the second state when the mechanically movable element is in a second position.

18. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the security slot is configured to obstruct access to the switch when the removable blocking mechanism is mechanically cooperated with the security slot.

19. A computing device comprising:

a switch electrically coupled to a computing device and configured to permit access to a developer mode; and

a security slot integral with an external surface of the computing device, wherein the security slot is configured to receive and mechanically cooperate with a removable blocking mechanism and wherein the removable blocking mechanism is configured to prevent changing a state of the switch when the removable blocking mechanism is mechanically cooperated with the security slot, wherein the security slot is configured to allow access to the switch by a user'"'"'s hand via the security slot when the removable blocking mechanism is absent,

wherein the security slot is an opening sized and shaped to match the size and shape of the received portion of the removable blocking device.