Method and system for activating a computer system
US7424740B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 5, 2003 |
| Grant date | Sep 9, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 20, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F21/32
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system and method for improved activation of a personal computer and/or other processing devices is provided. Power and security states are combined and further reduced to three activation states which may be operated by a single secure device. The system may include any number of activation states for operating the computer using only the single secure device. The secure access device handles both security and power management by authenticating physical access to the computer and the identity of the user. For this purpose, a device containing a biometric reader may be integrated with a smart card and the biometric identification used as an authentication code to secure the smartcard. The secure access device may be inserted into a locking mechanism used by the user to transition between activation states.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.