Password protected modular computer method and device
DC CAFCFirst Claim
Patent Images
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.
2 Assignments
Litigations
1 Petition
Reexamination
Accused Products
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.
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Citations
53 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 method for operating a computer system, said method comprising:
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inserting an attached computer module (“
ACM”
) into a bay of a console in a modular computer system, the console comprising a first low voltage differential signal (LVDS) channel comprising two unidirectional serial channels that transmit encoded data of Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus transaction in opposite directions;
said ACM comprisinga microprocessor unit coupled to a mass memory storage device; a north bridge to communicate address and data bits of PCI bus transaction in serial form, said north bridge directly coupled to said microprocessor unit; a main memory coupled to said microprocessor unit through said north bridge; and a second LVDS channel comprising two unidirectional serial channels that transmit data in opposite directions, said second LVDS channel extending from said north bridge to convey said address and data bits of PCI bus transaction in serial form; 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 LCD display coupled to the console. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. 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 low voltage differential signal (LVDS) channel comprising two sets of unidirectional serial channels that transmit encoded data of Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus transaction, and an interface controller coupled to the first LVDS channel;
said ACM comprisinga microprocessor unit coupled to a mass memory storage device; an integrated interface controller and bridge unit to output address and data bits of PCI bus transaction in serial form, said integrated interface controller and bridge unit directly coupled to said microprocessor unit; a main memory coupled to said microprocessor unit through said integrated interface controller and bridge unit; and a second LVDS channel comprising two sets of unidirectional serial channels that transmit data in opposite directions, said second LVDS channel extending from said integrated interface controller and bridge unit to convey said address and data bits of PCI bus transaction in serial form; applying power to said computer system, 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. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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31. 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 console in a modular computer system, said console comprising a LAN communication device and a first low voltage differential signal (LVDS) channel comprising two sets of unidirectional serial channels that transmit data in opposite directions, said ACM comprisinga microprocessor unit coupled to a mass memory storage device; a second LVDS channel comprising two sets of unidirectional serial channels that transmit data in opposite directions; and a peripheral bridge coupled to said microprocessor unit without any intervening Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, said peripheral bridge coupled to said second LVDS channel to communicate address and data bits of PCI bus transaction in serial form over said second LVDS channel; 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 (32, 33)
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34. 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 console in a modular computer system, said console comprising an integrated LCD display, and a first low voltage differential signal (LVDS) channel comprising two sets of unidirectional serial channels that transmit data in opposite directions, said ACM comprisinga microprocessor unit coupled to a mass memory storage device; a peripheral bridge to output address and data bits of Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus transaction in serial form, said peripheral bridge coupled to said microprocessor unit without any intervening PCI bus; a main memory coupled to said microprocessor unit through said peripheral bridge; and a second LVDS channel comprising two sets of unidirectional serial channels that transmit data in opposite directions, said second LVDS channel extending from said peripheral bridge to convey said address and data bits of PCI bus transaction in serial form; 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 the LCD display. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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37. A computer module, said module comprising:
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an enclosure, said enclosure being insertable into a console, said console comprising a LAN communication device, and a first channel comprising two low voltage differential signal (LVDS), unidirectional serial channels that transmit in opposite directions; a central processing unit in said enclosure, said central processing unit comprising a microprocessor based integrated circuit chip; a peripheral bridge in said enclosure, said peripheral bridge directly coupled to said central processing unit without any intervening Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, said peripheral bridge comprising an interface controller to transmit and receive address and data bits of PCI bus transaction in serial form; a second channel in said enclosure, said second channel comprising two LVDS, unidirectional serial channels that transmit in opposite directions, said second channel extending from said peripheral bridge to convey said address and data bits of PCI bus transaction in serial form; 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 unauthorized use of said hard disk drive. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
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40. A computer module comprising:
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an enclosure insertable into a console to form a functional computer, said console comprising two sets of low voltage differential signal (LVDS), unidirectional serial bit channels to transmit data in opposite directions; 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 peripheral bridge in said enclosure, said peripheral bridge directly coupled to said central processing unit without any intervening Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, said peripheral bridge comprising an interface controller coupled to the LVDS channels; 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 (41, 42)
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43. A computer module comprising:
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an enclosure being insertable into a console;
said console comprising an LCD display, and a first channel comprising two sets of low voltage differential signal (LVDS), unidirectional serial channels that transmit encoded data of Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus transaction in opposite directions;a central processing unit in said enclosure, said central processing unit comprising a microprocessor based integrated circuit chip; an integrated interface controller and bridge unit in said enclosure, said integrated interface controller and bridge unit configured to output address and data bits of PCI bus transaction in serial form, said integrated interface controller and bridge unit coupled to said central processing unit without any intervening PCI bus; a main memory in said enclosure, said main memory coupled to said central processing unit through said integrated interface controller and bridge unit; and a second channel in said enclosure, said second channel comprising two sets of LVDS, unidirectional serial channels that transmit data in opposite directions, said second channel extending from said integrated interface controller and bridge unit to convey said address and data bits of PCI bus transaction in serial form; 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 unauthorized use of said hard disk drive. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45)
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46. A computer module comprising:
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an enclosure configured to be inserted into a console to form a functional computer;
said console comprises a first channel comprising two sets of low voltage differential signal (LVDS), serial channels transmitting data in opposite directions;a central processing unit in said enclosure, said central processing unit comprising a microprocessor based integrated circuit chip; a peripheral bridge in said enclosure, said peripheral bridge configured to communicate address and data bits of Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus transaction in serial form, said peripheral bridge directly coupled to said central processing unit without any intervening PCI bus; a second channel in said enclosure, said second channel comprising two sets of LVDS, serial channels transmitting data in opposite directions, said second channel extending from said peripheral bridge to convey said address and data bits of PCI bus transaction in serial form; a hard disk drive in said enclosure, said hard disk drive coupled to said central processing unit; 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; and an interface device coupled to at least one of said first channel and said second channel. - View Dependent Claims (47)
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48. A computer module comprising:
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an enclosure insertable into a console comprising a Universal Serial Bus (USB) and an interface controller coupled to a first channel comprising two sets of low voltage differential signal (LVDS), unidirectional channels configured to communicate data in opposite directions; a central processing unit in said enclosure, said central processing unit comprising a microprocessor based integrated circuit chip; an integrated interface controller and bridge unit in said enclosure, said integrated interface controller and bridge unit configured to output address and data bits of Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus transaction in serial form, said integrated interface controller and bridge unit directly coupled to said central processing unit without any intervening PCI bus; a second channel in said enclosure, said second channel comprising two sets of LVDS, unidirectional channels configured to communicate data in opposite directions, said second channel extending from said integrated interface controller and bridge unit to convey said address and data bits of PCI bus transaction in serial form; 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 unauthorized use of said hard disk drive. - View Dependent Claims (49)
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50. 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 console of a modular computer system, said console comprising two sets of differential signal, unidirectional serial channels configured to communicate data in opposite directions, and said ACM comprisinga microprocessor unit coupled to a mass memory storage device; a peripheral bridge directly coupled to said microprocessor unit without any intervening Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus; and a low voltage differential signal (LVDS) channel comprising two sets of unidirectional, multiple serial bit channels configured to communicate data in opposite directions, said LVDS channel extending from said peripheral bridge to convey address and data bits of PCI bus transaction in serial form; applying power to said computer system and said ACM executing a security program, said security program being stored in said mass memory storage device; communicating from the computer module to the console through serial bit lines transmitting data packets in Universal Serial Bus (USB) protocol; prompting for a user password from a user on a LCD display; and wherein the mass storage device comprises a flash memory.
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51. 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 console of a modular computer system, said console comprising a LAN communication device, and differential signal, unidirectional serial channels configured to communicate data in opposite directions, and said ACM comprisinga microprocessor unit coupled to a mass memory storage device comprising a flash memory; a peripheral bridge directly coupled to said microprocessor unit without any intervening Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus; and a low voltage differential signal (LVDS) channel comprising at least two unidirectional, differential signal pairs configured to communicate data in opposite directions, said LVDS channel extending from said peripheral bridge to convey address and data bits of PCI bus transaction in serial form; applying power to said computer system and said ACM executing a security program, said security program being stored in said mass memory storage device; communicating from the computer module to the console through serial bit lines transmitting data packets in Universal Serial Bus (USB) protocol; prompting for a user password from a user on a display coupled to the console. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53)
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Specification