Apparatus and method for programmably and flexibly assigning passwords to unlock devices of a computer system intended to remain secure
US6460139B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 20, 1998 |
| Grant date | Oct 1, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 20, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F21/71
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A computer system, bus interface unit, and method is provided for programmably modifying securable resources of the computer. Those resources may be devices which can be coupled to peripheral buses of the computer, or which may contain or allow access to sensitive information that must be secured against improper access. The security system thereby functions to block accesses to certain devices based on the status of the user seeking access. Passwords stored in the security system are matched against locally and distally entered passwords from either the user of that particular computer system, an administrator of a subset of localized computer systems, or a system administrator in charge of all networked computer systems. The present security system is thereby hierarchical in nature and can be programmed by the system administrator such that the assignment of unlocked signals arising from password comparisons can be programmably mapped to various securable devices. In this fashion, a user can gain access to certain resources at one time and then later, based on the system administrator re-programming a slot assignment register, the user may no longer be given access to that device…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.