Patent · US Expired

Data storage device with full access by all users

US7237046B2 · kind B2 · utility

84Cited by
4References
5Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 29, 2004
Grant dateJun 26, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 29, 2024

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F3/0662
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A peripheral device of a host computer includes a microcontroller and two virtual devices. The first virtual device passes, to the microcontroller, commands of a first command set from any user of the host computer and preferably also commands of a second command set from only privileged users of the host computer. The second virtual device passes, to the microcontroller, commands of the second set from any user of the host computer. In one physical implementation of the invention, the two virtual devices are implemented as separate physical devices, and the second device is connected to an interface to the host computer only if the user is not privileged. In another physical implementation of the invention, the two virtual devices are implemented in a common physical device, and a sector of a memory of the peripheral device is reserved for handling commands of the second set from non-privileged users.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.