Password protected modular computer method and device
DC CAFCFirst Claim
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1. A computer module, said module comprising:
- an enclosure, said enclosure being insertable into a console;
a central processing unit in said enclosure, said central processing unit comprising a microprocessor based integrated circuit chip;
a hard disk drive in said enclosure, said hard disk drive being coupled to said central processing unit; and
a programmable memory device in said enclosure, said programmable memory device being configurable to store a password for preventing a possibility of unauthorized use of said hard disk drive.
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Abstract
A method and device for securing a removable Attached Computer Module (“ACM”) 10. ACM 10 inserts into a Computer Module Bay (“CMB”) 40 within a peripheral console to form a functional computer such as a desktop computer or portable computer. The present ACM 10 includes a locking system, which includes hardware and software 600, 700, to prevent accidental removal or theft of the ACM from the peripheral console. While ACM is in transit, further security is necessary against illegal or unauthorized use. If ACM contains confidential data, a high security method is needed to safeguard against theft.
146 Citations
59 Claims
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1. A computer module, said module comprising:
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an enclosure, said enclosure being insertable into a console;
a central processing unit in said enclosure, said central processing unit comprising a microprocessor based integrated circuit chip;
a hard disk drive in said enclosure, said hard disk drive being coupled to said central processing unit; and
a programmable memory device in said enclosure, said programmable memory device being configurable to store a password for preventing a possibility of unauthorized use of said hard disk drive. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for operating a computer system, said method comprising:
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inserting an attached computer module (“
ACM”
) into a bay of a modular computer system, said ACM comprising a microprocessor unit coupled to a mass memory storage device;
applying power to said computer system and said ACM to execute a security program, said security program being stored in said mass memory storage device; and
prompting for a user password from a user on a display. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A computer module, said module comprising:
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an enclosure, said enclosure being insertable into a console;
a central processing unit in said enclosure, said central processing unit comprising a microprocessor based integrated circuit chip;
a hard disk drive in said enclosure, said hard disk drive being coupled to said central processing unit;
an interface controller coupled to a differential signal channel for communicating an encoded serial bit stream of Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus transaction, wherein the differential signal channel comprises two sets of unidirectional serial bit channels which transmit data in opposite directions; and
a programmable memory device in said enclosure, said programmable memory device being configurable to store a password for preventing unauthorized use of said hard disk drive. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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28. A computer module comprising:
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an enclosure insertable into a console to form a functional computer, said console comprising a first interface controller;
a central processing unit in said enclosure, said central processing unit comprising a microprocessor based integrated circuit chip;
a hard disk drive in said enclosure, said hard disk drive being coupled to said central processing unit;
a second interface controller coupled to the first interface controller through a differential signal channel comprising two sets of unidirectional serial bit channels in opposite directions which transmit data in 10 bit packets; and
a programmable memory device in said enclosure, said programmable memory device being configurable to store a password for preventing unauthorized use of said hard disk drive. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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31. A computer module comprising:
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an enclosure being insertable into a console;
a central processing unit in said enclosure, said central processing unit comprising a microprocessor based integrated circuit chip;
a hard disk drive in said enclosure, said hard disk drive being coupled to said central processing unit;
an interface controller coupled to a differential signal channel for communicating an encoded serial bit stream of Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus transaction, wherein the differential signal channel comprises two sets of unidirectional serial bit channels which transmit data in opposite directions; and
a programmable memory device in said enclosure, said programmable memory device being configurable to store a password for preventing unauthorized use of said hard disk drive;
wherein the computer module communicates to the console through serial bit based lines transmitting data packets in Universal Serial Bus (USB) protocol.
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32. A method for operating a computer system, said method comprising:
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inserting an attached computer module (“
ACM”
) into a bay of a modular computer system, said ACM comprising,an interface controller coupled to a differential signal channel for communicating encoded serial bit stream of Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus transaction, the differential signal channel transmitting data in two sets of unidirectional serial bit channels in opposite directions, and a microprocessor unit coupled to a mass memory storage device;
applying power to said computer system and said ACM to execute a security program, said security program being stored in said mass memory storage device; and
prompting for a user password from a user on a display. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35)
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36. A method for operating a computer system, said method comprising:
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inserting an attached computer module (“
ACM”
) into a bay of a modular computer system housed in a console, said console comprising a first interface controller;
said ACM comprising,a microprocessor unit coupled to a mass memory storage device including a plurality of application software program files, the microprocessor unit configured to execute the plurality of application software program files, and a second interface controller;
applying power to said computer system such that said ACM communicates with the console through said interface controllers, the ACM executing a security program, said security program being stored in said mass storage device;
storing a user password in said ACM; and
prompting for said user password from a user on a display coupled to the console;
wherein said interface controllers communicates through a differential signal channel for communicating an encoded serial bit stream of Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus transaction, the differential signal channel transmitting data in two sets of unidirectional serial bit channels in opposite directions. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A computer module comprising:
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an enclosure configured to be inserted into a console to form a functional computer;
a central processing unit in said enclosure, said central processing unit comprising a microprocessor based integrated circuit chip;
a hard disk drive in said enclosure, said hard disk drive coupled to said central processing unit;
a differential signal channel in said enclosure, said differential signal channel comprising two sets of unidirectional serial bit channels in opposite directions;
a first interface controller configured to be coupled to the console upon insertion of the enclosure into the console, the first interface controller configured to transmit Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus transaction on the differential signal channel; and
a programmable memory device in said enclosure, said programmable memory device being configurable to store a password for preventing unauthorized use of said hard disk drive. - View Dependent Claims (42)
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43. A computer module comprising:
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an enclosure configured to be inserted into a console;
a central processing unit in said enclosure, said central processing unit comprising a microprocessor based integrated circuit chip;
a hard disk drive in said enclosure, said hard disk drive being coupled to said central processing unit;
a differential signal channel in said enclosure, said differential signal channel comprising two sets of unidirectional serial channels in opposite directions;
an interface controller coupled to the differential signal channels and configured to communicate data in a form of encoded bit stream of Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus transaction; and
a programmable memory device in said enclosure, said programmable memory device being configurable to store a password for preventing unauthorized use of said hard disk drive.
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44. A method for operating a computer system, said method comprising:
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inserting an attached computer module (“
ACM”
) into a bay of a modular computer system, said ACM comprising,a microprocessor unit coupled to a mass memory storage device;
a differential signal channel comprising two sets of unidirectional serial channels in opposite directions; and
an interface controller coupled to the differential signal channel and configured to communicate data on the serial channels comprising encoded bit stream of Peripheral Component Interconnect ( PCI) bus transaction;
applying power to said computer system and said ACM to execute a security program, said security program being stored in said mass memory storage device; and
prompting for a user password from a user on a display.
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45. A method for operating a computer system, said method comprising:
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inserting an attached computer module (“
ACM”
) into a bay of a modular computer system, said ACM comprising,a microprocessor unit coupled to a mass memory storage device;
a differential signal channel comprising two sets of unidirectional serial channels in opposite directions, and an interface controller coupled to a connector through the differential signal channel, wherein data communication to the serial channels comprises an encoded bit stream of Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus transaction;
applying power to said computer system and said ACM to execute a security program, said security program being stored in said mass memory storage device; and
prompting for a user password from a user on a display.
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46. A computer module comprising:
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an enclosure configured to be inserted into a slot of a console comprising a power supply;
a central processing unit in said enclosure, said central processing unit comprising a microprocessor based integrated circuit chip;
a hard disk drive in said enclosure, said hard disk drive being coupled to said central processing unit;
a low voltage differential signal (LVDS) channel in said enclosure, said low voltage differential signal channel comprising two sets of multiple unidirectional serial differential signal channels in opposite directions;
an interface controller coupled to a connector through the low voltage differential signal channel and configured to communicate data in a form of encoded bit stream of Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus transaction; and
a programmable memory device in said enclosure, said programmable memory device being configurable to store a password for preventing unauthorized use of said hard disk drive. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49)
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50. A computer module comprising:
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an enclosure insertable into a slot of a console to form a functional computer, said console comprising a first interface controller;
a central processing unit in said enclosure, said central processing unit comprising a microprocessor based integrated circuit chip;
a hard disk drive in said enclosure, said hard disk drive being coupled to said central processing unit;
a second interface controller coupled to the first interface controller through a low voltage differential signal (LVDS) channel comprising two sets of multiple unidirectional serial differential signal channels in opposite directions and configured to communicate data in a form of encoded bit stream of Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus transaction; and
a programmable memory device in said enclosure, said programmable memory device being configurable to store a password for preventing unauthorized use of said hard disk drive. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52)
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53. A computer module comprising:
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an enclosure insertable into a slot of a console to form a functional computer, said console comprising a power supply;
a central processing unit in said enclosure, said central processing unit comprising a microprocessor based integrated circuit chip;
a hard disk drive in said enclosure, said hard disk drive being coupled to said central processing unit;
an interface controller coupled to the console upon insertion through a low voltage differential signal (LVDS) channel comprising two sets of multiple unidirectional serial differential signal channels in opposite directions and configured to communicate data in a form of encoded bit stream of Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus transaction; and
a programmable memory device in said enclosure, said programmable memory device being configurable to store a password for preventing unauthorized use of said hard disk drive. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56)
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57. A computer module comprising:
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an enclosure configured to be inserted into a slot of a console comprising a LAN communication device;
a central processing unit in said enclosure, said central processing unit comprising a microprocessor based integrated circuit chip;
a hard disk drive in said enclosure, said hard disk drive being coupled to said central processing unit;
a low voltage differential signal (LVDS) channel in said enclosure, said low voltage differential signal channel comprising two sets of multiple unidirectional serial bit channels in opposite directions and configured to communicate data in a form of encoded bit stream of Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus transaction;
an interface controller coupled to the low voltage differential signal channel; and
a programmable memory device in said enclosure, said programmable memory device being configurable to store a password for preventing unauthorized use of said hard disk drive. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59)
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Specification