Unified password prompt of a computer system
US6397337B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 30, 1998 |
| Grant date | May 28, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 30, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F21/31
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A computer system provides a unified password prompt for accepting a user power-on password or an administrator password. A password string entered by the system administrator at the unified password prompt is compared with a stored power-on password. If the user password string matches the stored power-on password, then access to system resources is granted. If the user password string does not match the stored power-on password, then the user password string is compared to a stored administrator password. If the user password string matches the stored administrative password, then access to system resources is granted. If the user password string does not match the stored administrative password, then the system administrator is given a predetermined number of times to enter a password string matching either the stored power-on password or the stored administrator password. If a password string matching either the stored power-on password or the stored administrator password is not provided in the predetermined number of times, access to system resources is denied. The unified password prompt does not require a system administrator to know a user's power-on password in order to a…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.