Device for controlling access to computer peripherals

Claim 1

A device for preventing unauthorized access to computer peripherals attached to the input/output channel of a computer system in which a processing unit transmits an address signal along the input/output channel to the peripherals whenever a user selects any one of the peripherals for data transfer, said device comprising: storage means for storing access information regarding a user's authority to access each of the peripherals; address-responsive means for detecting the address signal transmitted along the input/output channel by the processing unit to the peripherals and for retrieving from the storage means in response to the detected address signal transmitted by the processing unit, the access information associated with the selected peripheral; and, interruption means responsive to the retrieved access information for automatically applying a signal to the input/output channel which prevents use of the selected peripheral whenever the retrieved access information indicates that access to the selected peripheral is restricted.

Claim 2

A device for preventing unauthorized access to computer peripherals attached to the input/output channel of a computer system in which a processing unit transmits an address signal along the input/output channel to the peripherals whenever a user selects any one of the peripherals for data transfer, said device comprising: storage means for storing access information regarding a user's authority to access each of the peripherals; address-responsive means for detecting the address signal transmitted along the input/output channel by the processing unit to the peripherals and for retrieving from the storage means in response to the detected address signal transmitted by the processing unit, the access information associated with the selected peripheral; and, interruption means responsive to the retrieved access information for automatically applying a signal to the input/output channel which prevents use of the selected peripheral whenever the retrieved access information indicates that access to the selected peripheral is restricted.

Claim 4

A device for preventing unauthorized access to computer peripherals attached to the input/output channel of a computer system in which a processing unit transmits an address signal along the input/output channel to the peripherals whenever a user selects any one of the peripherals for data transfer, comprising: storage means for storing access information regarding a user's authority to access each of the peripherals, said storage means comprising: main storage means having a multiplicity of storage units for storing sets of access information for preselected users of the computer system, each set comprising information regarding the preselected users authority to access each peripheral; and, secondary storage means having a multiplicity of storage units for storing the access information associated with one of the sets; address-responsive means for detecting the address signal transmitted along the input/output channel to the peripherals and for retrieving from the storage means in response to the detected address signal the access information associated with the selected peripheral; interruption means responsive to the retrieved access information for automatically applying a signal to the input/output channel which prevents use of the selected peripheral whenever the retrieved access information indicates that access to the selected peripheral is restricted; log-on means for applying signals to the input/output channel during start-up of the computer system which require entry into the computer system of a user identification code identifying one of the preselected users; and, processor means responsive to entry of the user identification code for loading into the storage units of the secondary storage means the set of access information of the main storage means associated with the user identified by the identification code.

Claim 5

A device for preventing unauthorized access to computer peripherals attached to the input/output channel of a computer system in which a processing unit transmits an address signal along the input/output channel to the peripherals whenever a user selects any one of the peripherals for data transfer, comprising: storage means for storing access information regarding a user's authority to access each of the peripherals, said storage means comprising: main storage means having a multiplicity of storage units for storing sets of access information for preselected users of the computer system, each set comprising information regarding the preselected users authority to access each peripheral; and, secondary storage means having a multiplicity of storage units for storing the access information associated with one of the sets; address-responsive means for detecting the address signal transmitted along the input/output channel to the peripherals and for retrieving from the storage means in response to the detected address signal the access information associated with the selected peripheral; interruption means responsive to the retrieved access information for automatically applying a signal to the input/output channel which prevents use of the selected peripheral whenever the retrieved access information indicates that access to the selected peripheral is restricted; log-on means for applying signals to the input/output channel during start-up of the computer system which require entry into the computer system of a user identification code identifying one of the preselected users; and, processor means responsive to entry of the user identification code for loading into the storage units of the secondary storage means the set of access information of the main storage means associated with the user identified by the identification code.

Claim 10

A device for preventing unauthorized access to computer peripherals attached to the input/output channel of a computer system in which a processing unit transmits an address signal along the input/output channel to the peripherals whenever a user selects any one of the peripherals for data transfer, comprising: storage means for storage access information regarding a user's authority to access each of the peripherals; address-responsive means for detecting the address signal transmitted along the input/output channel to the peripherals and for retrieving from the storage means in response to the detected address signal the access information associated with the selected peripheral; and, interruption means responsive to the retrieved access information for automatically applying a signal to the input/output channel which prevents use of the selected peripheral whenever the retrieved access information indicates that access to the selected peripheral is restricted, said device for use with a computer system in which an address validation signal is transmitted by the processing unit along the input/output channel to the peripherals together with the address signal, the address-responsive means comprising: decoder means for receiving the address signal from the input/output channel and locating in the storage means the access information associated with the selected peripheral, the decoder means being adapted to cause the storage means to generate an output signal corresponding to the access information; triggerable latching means for producing from the storage means output signal a latched output signal indicating whether the access to the selected peripheral is restricted; and, trigger means for triggering the latching means to produce the latched output signal in response to the address validation signal conducted by the input/output channel.

Claim 11

A device for preventing unauthorized access to computer peripherals attached to the input/output channel of a computer system in which a processing unit transmits an address signal along the input/output channel to the peripherals whenever a user selects any one of the peripherals for data transfer, comprising: storage means for storage access information regarding a user's authority to access each of the peripherals; address-responsive means for detecting the address signal transmitted along the input/output channel to the peripherals and for retrieving from the storage means in response to the detected address signal the access information associated with the selected peripheral; and, interruption means responsive to the retrieved access information for automatically applying a signal to the input/output channel which prevents use of the selected peripheral whenever the retrieved access information indicates that access to the selected peripheral is restricted, said device for use with a computer system in which an address validation signal is transmitted by the processing unit along the input/output channel to the peripherals together with the address signal, the address-responsive means comprising: decoder means for receiving the address signal from the input/output channel and locating in the storage means the access information associated with the selected peripheral, the decoder means being adapted to cause the storage means to generate an output signal corresponding to the access information; triggerable latching means for producing from the storage means output signal a latched output signal indicating whether the access to the selected peripheral is restricted; and, trigger means for triggering the latching means to produce the latched output signal in response to the address validation signal conducted by the input/output channel.

Claim 12

A device for preventing unauthorized access to computer peripherals connected to the input/output channel of a computer system in which a processing unit transmits an address signal along the input/output channel to the peripherals whenever a user selects any one of the peripherals for data transfer comprising: access information generating means which can be actuated to generate information regarding a user's authority to access each peripheral; address-responsive means for detecting the address signal in the input/output channel and actuating the access information generating means in response to the detected address signal to generate the access information for the selected peripheral; and, interruption means responsive to the generated, access information for automatically applying a signal to the input/output channel which prevents use of the selected peripheral whenever the generated access information indicates that access to the selected peripheral is restricted, wherein an address validation signal is transmitted by the processing unit along the input/output channel to the peripherals together with the address signal, in which: the access information generating means comprise storage means having a multiplicity of memory units for storing the access information associated with the peripherals; the address-responsive means comprise decoder means for receiving the address signal and locating the memory units in the storage means where the access information for the selected peripheral is located, the decoder means being adapted to cause the storage means to generate an output signal corresponding to the access information; latching means for producing from the storage means output signal, when triggered, a latched output signal indicating whether access to the selected peripheral is restricted; and, trigger means for triggering the latching means to produce the latched output signal in response to the address validation signal.

Claim 13

A device for preventing unauthorized access to computer peripherals connected to the input/output channel of a computer system in which a processing unit transmits an address signal along the input/output channel to the peripherals whenever a user selects any one of the peripherals for data transfer comprising: access information generating means which can be actuated to generate information regarding a user's authority to access each peripheral; address-responsive means for detecting the address signal in the input/output channel and actuating the access information generating means in response to the detected address signal to generate the access information for the selected peripheral; and, interruption means responsive to the generated, access information for automatically applying a signal to the input/output channel which prevents use of the selected peripheral whenever the generated access information indicates that access to the selected peripheral is restricted, wherein an address validation signal is transmitted by the processing unit along the input/output channel to the peripherals together with the address signal, in which: the access information generating means comprise storage means having a multiplicity of memory units for storing the access information associated with the peripherals; the address-responsive means comprise decoder means for receiving the address signal and locating the memory units in the storage means where the access information for the selected peripheral is located, the decoder means being adapted to cause the storage means to generate an output signal corresponding to the access information; latching means for producing from the storage means output signal, when triggered, a latched output signal indicating whether access to the selected peripheral is restricted; and, trigger means for triggering the latching means to produce the latched output signal in response to the address validation signal.