Microchips with inner firewalls, faraday cages, and/or photovoltaic cells

• US 7,805,756 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2004
• Issued: 09/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Frampton E. Ellis
• Original Assignee: Frampton E. Ellis
• Inventors: Ellis, Frampton E
• Primary Examiner(s): Moazzami; Nasser
• Assistant Examiner(s): Louie; Oscar A
• Application Number:
  US10/802,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20040215931A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,386 Days
• Field of Search: 726/11
• US Class Current: 726/11
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 25/30 characterised by the surfactants
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1666 where the redundant component is memory or memory area
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2035 without idle spare hardware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/76 Architectures of general purpose stored program computers with program plugboard G06F15/08; multicomputers G06F15/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/00 Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5072 Grid computing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• 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 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/14 Multichannel or multilink protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/00 Systems for electrical power generation, transmission, distribution or end-user application management characterised by the use of communication or information technologies, or communication or information technology specific aspects supporting them

Abstract

A system comprising a personal computer configured to operate with another computer connected to a network of computers. The personal computer includes a microchip having a microprocessor with a control unit and at least two processing units, the control unit being configured to allow a user of the personal computer to control the two processing units, and the microchip including a power management component. The personal computer includes an internal firewall configured to allow and/or deny access to portions of the microchip both to the user of the personal computer and to a user of the microchip from the network of computers during a shared use of the microchip; and the internal firewall is configured to deny access to portions of the microchip from the network of computers.

Claims

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

a microchip including a microprocessor, said microprocessor including a master control unit and at least two processing units, the master control unit configured to control the processing units;

at least one Faraday Cage surrounding said microchip;

said microchip further including at least on inner firewall, located between the master control unit and at least one processing unit, configured with hardware to make the master control unit and one of the processing units inaccessible from the network including the Internet when the computer is connected to the network including the Internet; and

said at least one inner firewall is further configured in a manner that permits access by another computer in the network including the Internet to at least one of the processing units of the microprocessor for an operation with said another computer in the network including the Internet when the computer is connected to the network including the Internet.

2. The computer of claim 1, wherein said operation is parallel processing and/or multitasking.

3. The computer of claim 1, wherein the microchip is a personal computer and the master control unit is configured for receiving input from an individual user of the personal computer.

4. The computer of claim 1, wherein the computer is configured such that an individual computer user has preemptive control of use of the computer.

5. The computer of claim 1, wherein the master control unit includes a said processing unit.

6. The computer of claim 5, wherein an operating system of said computer includes at least two or more independent components, each component having its own inner firewall configured with hardware to make each said component inaccessible from the network including the internet when the computer is connected to the network including the internet.

7. The computer of claim 5, wherein said microchip further includes at least one special purpose microprocessor.

8. The computer of claim 5, wherein said microchip further includes

a random access memory (RAM);

an input; and

an output.

9. The computer of claim 5, wherein said Faraday Cage is configured to shield against magnetic flux, including high frequency flux.

10. The computer of claim 5, wherein said Faraday Cage is a continuous structure without holes.

11. The computer of claim 5, wherein said microchip is surrounded by at least two Faraday Cages.

12. The computer of claim 5, wherein firewall is configurable by a user of said computer or by at least one authorized local network administrator.

13. The computer of claim 12, wherein a change in said configuration of said firewall is made, at least in part, by using field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA'"'"'s).

14. The computer of claim 12, wherein a change in said configuration of said firewall involves a motherboard.

15. The computer of claim 12, wherein a change in said configuration of said firewall involves a manual switch.

16. The computer of claim 5, wherein said microchip further includes an inner Faraday cage that surrounds only a portion of said microchip.

17. The computer of claim 5, further including a volatile memory, said firewall is further configured to permit access to at least a portion of said volatile memory by the network including the Internet to provide a network-accessible portion of said volatile memory;

and

wherein said master control unit is configured to interrupt power to said network-accessible portion of said volatile memory in order to erase all files in said network-accessible portion of said volatile memory.

18. The computer of claim 5, further including a non-volatile memory, said firewall is further configured to permit access to at least a portion of said non-volatile memory by the network including the Internet to provide a network-accessible portion of said non-volatile memory;

and

wherein said master control unit is configured to overwrite all files in said network-accessible portion of said non-volatile memory to erase all files in said network-accessible portion of said non-volatile memory.

19. The computer of claim 5, wherein a personal computer system is contained on said microchip.

20. The computer of claim 19, wherein said microchip includes more than one said microprocessor.

21. The computer of claim 5, wherein said computer is an appliance that includes at least one of a handheld personal digital assistant, a telephone, a pager, a television, a game, a videotape player/recorder, a video camera, a compact disk (CD) player/recorder, a digital video disk (DVD) player/recorder, a radio, a camera, a printer, a fax machine, and an automobile.

22. The computer of claim 5, wherein said at least one inner firewall includes at least one hardware component;

the at least one inner firewall being configured to allow and/or deny access to portions of the microchip both to a user of the computer and to a user of the microchip from the network including the Internet during a shared use of the microchip.

23. The computer of claim 22, wherein the shared use comprises shared file resources and/or message passing.

24. The personal computer of claim 22, wherein the shared use includes unauthorized shared use, including intrusion by hackers from outside the computer.

25. The computer of claim 5, wherein the master control unit includes a random access memory (RAM) that is configured to be inaccessible from the Internet when the computer is connected to the Internet.

26. The computer of claim 5, wherein the master control unit is further configured to control access to the computer by the network including the Internet for said operation when the computer is connected to the network including the Internet.

27. The computer of claim 5, wherein the master control unit is further configured to initiate, and control execution of, said operation with said at least one of the processing units of the microprocessor when the computer is connected to the network including the Internet.

28. The computer of claim 5, wherein the master control unit is further configured to permit execution of said operation as requested by said another computer with said at least one of the processing units of the microprocessor when the computer is connected to the network including the Internet.

29. The computer of claim 5, wherein the microprocessor is a general purpose microprocessor.

30. The computer of claim 1, wherein a wired connection to the computer includes one or more ferrite beads.

31. The computer of claim 1, wherein a wired connection to the computer is surrounded by a Faraday cage.

32. The computer of claim 1, wherein the computer includes an external antenna that includes one or more ferrite beads.

33. The computer of claim 1, wherein the computer is powered by one or more photovoltaic cells, one or more batteries, or one or more fuel cells, all of which are surrounded by Faraday cage.

34. The computer of claim 1, wherein the computer is powered by one or more batteries and said one or more batteries are configured to provide a connection to a power grid only when charging of said batteries is required.

35. The computer of claim 1, wherein the Faraday cage includes a heat sink.

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

a microchip including a microprocessor, said microprocessor including a master control unit that is configured using hardware and firmware and including at least two processing units, the master control unit further configured to control the processing units;

a Faraday Cage surrounding said microchip;

said microchip including at least two inner firewalls;

a first of said at least two inner firewalls is configured with hardware to make the master control unit and a first one of the processing units inaccessible from the network including the Internet when the computer is connected to the network including the Internet; and

a second of said at least two inner firewalls, located between the master control unit and a second one of the at least two processing units, is configured with hardware to make the second one of the processing units of the microprocessor inaccessible from the network including the Internet when the computer is connected to the network including the Internet.

37. The personal computer of claim 36, wherein said at least one firewall includes at least one hardware component.

38. The computer of claim 36, wherein at least one of said at least two firewalls includes a software component.

39. The computer of claim 36, wherein at least one of said at least two firewalls includes a firmware component.

40. The computer of claim 36, wherein said computer is configured in a manner such that an operation with another computer from the network including the Internet is initiated by a user of said computer.

41. The computer of claim 36, wherein said computer is configured in a manner such that an operation with another computer from the network including the Internet is initiated by said another computer.

42. The computer of claim 36, wherein said computer is configured in a manner such that at least a part of said computer is idled by a user of said computer.

43. The computer of claim 36, wherein said second firewall denies access at least temporarily to said at least one processing unit by another computer from said network including the Internet.

44. The computer of claim 36, wherein said second firewall allows access at least temporarily to said processing unit by another computer from said network including the Internet during an operation with said another computer from the network including the Internet.

45. The computer of claim 36, wherein said network including the Internet includes at least a World Wide Web.

46. The computer of claim 36, wherein said computer is connected to said network including the Internet by a network connection that includes an optical fiber connected directly to said computer.

47. The computer of claim 36, wherein said computer is configured for a dense wave division multiplexing (DWDM) network connection.

48. The computer of claim 36, wherein said computer is configured to function as one of a master and a slave in an operation with another computer from the network including the Internet.

49. The computer of claim 36, wherein said another computer is a personal computer connected via a peer-to-peer connection to said computer.

50. The computer of claim 36, wherein said microchip has at least four or eight or 16 or 32 or 64 or 128 or 256 or 512 or 1024 processing units.

51. The computer of claim 36, wherein the master control unit includes a said processing unit.

52. The computer of claim 36, wherein the master control unit includes a random access memory (RAM) that is configured to be inaccessible from the Internet when the computer is connected to the Internet.

53. The computer of claim 52, wherein the random access memory (RAM) is non-volatile.

54. The computer of claim 36, wherein said Faraday Cage is a continuous structure without holes.

55. The computer of claim 36, wherein said microchip is surrounded by at least two Faraday Cages.

56. The computer of claim 36, wherein said microchip further includes an inner Faraday cage that surrounds only a portion of said microchip.

57. The computer of claim 36, wherein the microchip further includes a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) that is configured for connection to the Internet and for control by the master control unit.

58. The computer of claim 36, wherein said computer is configured for a connection.

59. The computer of claim 58, wherein said wireless connection connects said computer to said network including the Internet.

60. The computer of claim 36, wherein a part of an operating system of said computer includes at least two separate components, each component having its own said firewall.

61. The computer of claim 36, wherein an application program of said computer includes at least two separate components, each component having its own said firewall.

62. The computer of claim 36, wherein a part of an application program of said computer includes at least two separate components, each component having its own said firewall.

63. The computer of claim 36, wherein said Faraday Cage is configured to shield against magnetic flux including high frequency flux.

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

a microchip including a microprocessor, at least two inner firewalls and at least two memory components,

said microprocessor including a master control unit that is configured using hardware and firmware and including at least two processing units, the master control unit configured to control the processing units;

a Faraday Cage surrounding said microchip;

a first of at least two inner firewalls is configured with hardware to make the master control unit, a first of said at least two processing units and a first of said at least two memory components inaccessible from the network including the Internet when the computer is connected to the network including the Internet; and

a second of said at least two inner firewalls, located between the master control unit and a second of said at least two processing units, is configured with hardware to make the second of said at least two processing units and a second of said at least two memory components inaccessible from the network including the Internet when the computer is connected to the network including the Internet.

65. The computer of claim 64, wherein said second of said at least two firewalls is configured to deny access by a user of said computer to said second of said at least two memory components of said computer during an operation with another computer from the network including the Internet.

66. The computer of claim 64, wherein said first of said at least two memory components is at least one hard drive device.

67. The computer of claim 64, wherein said first of said at least two memory components is at least one flash memory device.

68. The computer of claim 64, wherein said second of said at least two memory components is at least one flash memory device.

69. The computer of claim 64, wherein said second of said at least two memory components is at least one volatile random access memory (RAM) device.

70. The computer of claim 64, wherein said second of said at least two memory components is at least one hard drive device.

71. The computer of claim 64, wherein said second of said at least two memory components is at least one read-only memo (ROM).

72. The computer of claim 64, wherein said second of said at least two memory components is at least one read-only digital video disk drive (DVD-ROM) device.

73. The computer of claim 64, wherein said first of said at least two memory components includes a Basic Input Output System (BIOS).

74. The computer of claim 64, wherein the computer is configured so that a user of said computer retains preemptive control of at least said second memory component of said at least two memory components.

75. The computer of claim 64, wherein the computer is configured so that a user of said personal computer retains preemptive control of all components of said personal computer.

76. The computer of claim 64, wherein said computer is configured to functions as a master in an operation with another computer in the network including the Internet.

77. The computer of claim 64, wherein said computer is configured to functions as a slave in an operation with another computer in the network including the Internet.

78. The computer of claim 64, wherein said second of said at least two memory components is a volatile memory component.

79. The computer of claim 64, wherein said first of said at least two memory components is a non-volatile memory component.

80. The computer of claim 79, wherein said non-volatile memory component is at least one of a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) component or an ovonic unified memory microchip.

81. The computer of claim 64, wherein said second of said at least two memory components duplicates a first of said at least two memory components.

82. The computer of claim 64, wherein said first of said at least two memory components is a read and write memory component.

83. The computer of claim 64, wherein said second of said at least two memory components is a read-only memory component.

84. The computer of claim 64, wherein at least one of each of a hardware component, software file and firmware file has its own said firewall.

85. The computer of claim 64, wherein at least two of a hardware component, a software file, or a firmware file are grouped exclusively together inside at least one said firewall.

86. The computer of claim 64, wherein said Faraday Cage is a continuous structure without holes.

87. The computer of claim 64, wherein said microchip is surrounded by at least two Faraday Cages.

88. The computer of claim 64, wherein said microchip includes an inner Faraday cage that surrounds only a portion of said microchip.

89. The computer of claim 64, wherein said Faraday Cage is configured to shield against magnetic flux including high frequency flux.

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

a microchip including a microprocessor, at least two inner firewalls and at least two memory components,

said microprocessor including a master control unit that is configured using hardware and firmware and including at least two processing units, the master control unit configured to control the processing units;

a Faraday Cage surrounding said microchip;

a first of said at least two inner firewalls is configured with hardware to make the master control unit, one of the processing units, and a first of said at least two memory components inaccessible from the network including the Internet when the computer is connected to the network including the Internet; and

a second of said at least two inner firewalls, located between the master control unit and a second of said at least two memory components, is configured with hardware to make the second of said at least two memory components inaccessible from the network including the Internet when the computer is connected to the network including the Internet.

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

a microchip including a microprocessor, including a master control unit that is configured using hardware and firmware, at least two processing units and at least one inner firewall, the master control unit configured to control the processing units;

at least one photovoltaic cell located on said microchip; and

said at least one inner firewall, located between the master control unit and one of the processing units, is configured with hardware to make the master control unit and one of the processing units inaccessible from the network including the Internet when the computer is connected to the network including the Internet.

92. The computer of claim 91, wherein

the at least one inner firewall is further configured in a manner that permits access by another computer in the network including the Internet to at least one of the processing units for an operation with said another computer in the network including the Internet when the computer is connected to the network including the Internet.

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

a microchip including a microprocessor, including a master control unit that is configured using hardware and firmware, at least two processing units and at least one inner firewall, the master control unit configured to control the processing units;

at least one photovoltaic cell located on said microchip; and

a Faraday Cage surrounding said microchip;

wherein said at least one firewall, located between the master control unit and one of the processing units, is configured with hardware to make the master control unit and one of the processing units inaccessible from the network including the Internet when the computer is connected to the network including the Internet.

94. The computer of claim 93, wherein

the at least one inner firewall is further configured in a manner that permits access by another computer in the network including the Internet to at least one of the processing units for an operation with said another computer in the network including the Internet when the computer is connected to the network including the Internet.