Method and apparatus for preventing un-authorized attachment of computer peripherals
US7409563B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 22, 2003 |
| Grant date | Aug 5, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 8, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F21/445
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A technique is disclosed for preventing un-authorized attachment of computer peripherals to a computer or computer network. Illustrative embodiments comprise two mating keyed-adapters between network/host computer ports and peripheral ports. One or both adapters can contain hardware for enabling and disabling communications to and from peripherals under software control from a host computer. The peripheral-side adapter contains a first hardware for storing a unique identifier corresponding to the attached peripheral. The host computer retrieves this stored identifier and compares it to a database of authorized identifiers. If a match is found, then communication to and from the peripheral is enabled either in a second hardware within the adapter or software within the host computer. If a match is not found, then communication to and from the peripheral is not permitted.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.