Remote control and secure access for personal computers

• US 5,198,806 A
• Filed: 12/31/1990
• Issued: 03/30/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lord & Sebastian Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Lord & Sebastian Incorporated
• Inventors: Lord, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yusko, Donald J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Magistre, Dervis
• Application Number:
  US07/636,135
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.3, 340/825.31, 340/825.34, 379/93, 379/95, 379/102, 379/105
• US Class Current: 726/36
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/82 Protecting input, output or interconnection devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

A computer activation device comprised of at least one local computer system and at least one remote computer system, the computer systems are connected via a standard data communication interface by their own modems. An activator device is in electrical communication with the data communication interfaces of the local and remote computer systems, such that the activator device controls the application of operative power to the local computer system on receipt and recognition of a secure coded signal from the data communication interface of the remote computer system.

Claims

1. A secure activator device for use in activating computer equipment remotely, comprising:

a first computer system having an interconnect means for communicating with other computers remotely, said first computer system having a first modem in electrical communication with said interconnect means;

at least one second computer system having an interconnect means for communicating with other computers remotely, said at least one second computer system having a second modem in electrical communication with said interconnect means; and

activator means for providing power to said first computer system, said activator means in electrical communication between said first modem and said second modem by said interconnect means, such that when at least one said second computer system requests data communication with said first computer system by communicating a password to said activator means, which upon recognition thereof said activator means provides power to said first computer system and thereupon authentication of the password by computer software stored in said first computer system, said activator means provides electrical communication access to said first computer system.

2. The secure activator device of claim 1, wherein said activator means is comprised of circuitry having a power activating triac which is conditioned by a carrier signal generated by said second modem.

3. The secure activator device of claim 1, wherein said activator means is comprised of circuitry having a power activating triac which first is conditioned by a carrier detect signal generated by said first modem.

4. The secure activator device of claim 3 wherein said activator means is further comprised of an optically isolated triac.

5. A secure activator device for use in activating computer equipment remotely, comprising:

a first computer system having an interconnect means for communicating with other computers remotely, said first computer system having a first modem in electrical communication with said interconnect means;

at least one second computer system having an interconnect means for communicating with other computers remotely, said at least one second computer system having a second modem in electrical communication with said interconnect means; and

activator means for providing power to said first computer system, said activator means in electrical communication between said first modem and said second modem by said interconnect means, such that when at least one said second computer system requests data communication with said first computer system by communicating a password to said activator means, which upon recognition and authentication of the password by computer software stored in said first computer system, said activator means provides electrical communication access to said first computer system.

6. The secure activator device of claim 5 wherein said activator means is comprised of circuitry having a power activating triac which is conditioned by a carrier signal generated by said second modem.

7. The secure activator device of claim 5 wherein said activator means is comprised of circuitry having a power activating triac which first is conditioned by a carrier detect signal generated by said first modem.

8. The secure activator device of claim 6 wherein said activator means is further comprised of an optically isolated triac.

9. The secure activator device of claim 7 wherein said activator means is further comprised of an optically isolated triac.

10. A secure computer activation device for use in activating a local computer system by a remote computer system comprising:

interconnect interface means for electronically communicating data between the local computer system and the remote computer system; and

activator means for controlling the power to the local computer system, said activator means in electrical communication with said interconnect interface means between the local computer system and the remote computer system, said activator means supplies power to the local computer system and further electrical communication access via recognition of a password electrically communicated from the remote computer system through said interconnect interface means to the local computer system, wherein said password is recognized and authenticated by computer software stored in the local computer system.

11. The secure computer activation device of claim 10 wherein said interconnect interface means is further comprised of at least two modem.

12. The secure computer activation device of claim 10, wherein said activator means is comprised of circuitry having a power activating triac which is conditioned by a carrier detect signal generated by said interconnect interface means.

13. The secure computer activation device of claim 11 wherein said activator means is comprised of circuitry having a power activating triac which is conditioned by a carrier detect signal generated by said at least two modems.

14. The secure computer activation device of claim 13 wherein said power activating triac is an optically isolated triac.

15. The secure computer activation device of claim 10 wherein said password is a set of electronic signals recognized by said software stored in the local computer system.

16. A computer activation device for use in securely activating a local computer system with modem by a signal communicated utilizing standard interconnect lines from a remote computer system with modem, comprising:

activator means for controlling the power to the local computer system, said activator means in data communication with the modems of the remote and local computer systems;

said activator means provides the power to the local computer system upon receipt and recognition by the local computer system of a required password from the remote computer system via the standard interconnect lines.

17. The computer activation device of claim 16 wherein said activator means is comprised of circuitry having a power activating triac which is conditioned by a carrier signal generated by the modem of remote computer system.

18. The computer activation device of claim 17 wherein said power activated triac is an optical activated triac.

19. The computer activation device of claim 16 wherein said activator means comprises a relay to apply operative power to the local computer system.