Data and access protection system for computers

Claim 2

A data and access protection system for controlling access to a computer during a boot-up operation on the basis of availability of an external device, comprising: (a) a non-volatile memory for storing an access control routine and a first access code; (b) a hardware key having a second access code, said hardware key being a multi-pin connector having a plurality of grounding and non-grounding connection pins wherein at least some of said grounding connection pins are electrically connected to at least some of said non-grounding connection pins in a preselected configuration that encodes said second access code in said multi-pin connector; (c) means for communicating with and receiving the second access code from the hardware key, said communicating and receiving means including a port of a computer having a plurality of storage registers with bits which are set to match said second access code encoded in said multi-pin connector in response to communication of said multi-pin connector with said port; (d) means for receiving said second access code from said storage registers of said port and for comparing the first access code and the second access code; (e) means for altering a partition entry table stored in the computer; and (f) means for disabling the computer when the first access code does not match the second access code.

Claim 3

A system according to claim 1 , wherein the hardware key is compact and portable.

Claim 4

A system according to claim 2 , wherein the hardware key may be adapted for carrying on a key chain.

Claim 5

A system according to claim 1 wherein said communicating and receiving means includes a connecting means for detachably connecting the hardware key to said port of the computer.

Claim 6

A system according to claim 4 , wherein the connecting means comprises a parallel port, a printer port, a serial port, a mouse port, or a joystick port of the computer.

Claim 7

A system according to claim 1 wherein said communicating and receiving means includes a transmitting means for transmitting the second access code to said port of the computer.

Claim 8

A system according to claim 6 , wherein the transmitting means comprises a RF transmitter.

Claim 9

A system according to claim 7 , wherein the means for communicating and receiving the second access code comprises a RF receiver and a ROM chip containing instructions for booting up the computer.

Claim 10

A system according to claim 7 , wherein the means for communicating and receiving the second access code comprises a PCMCIA card with a RF receiver, said card further including a ROM chip containing instructions for booting up the computer.

Claim 11

A data and access protection system for controlling access to a computer during a boot-up operation, comprising: (a) first storing means for storing an access control routine; (b) second storing means for storing a first identification code; (c) means for executing the access control routine after the computer is powered on; (d) a hardware key having a second identification code, said hardware key being a multi-pin connector having a plurality of grounding and non-grounding connection pins wherein at least some of said grounding connection pins are electrically connected to at least some of said non-grounding connection pins in a preselected configuration that encodes said second identification code in said multi-pin connector; (e) connecting means for detachably connecting the hardware key to the computer, said connecting means including a port of a computer having a plurality of storage registers with bits which are set to match said second identification code encoded in said multi-pin connector in response to the connecting of the hardware key to said port; (f) detecting means for detecting whether the hardware key is connected to the computer; (g) means for generating a first status signal if the detecting means detects that the hardware key is connected to the computer and a second status signal if the detecting means detects that the hardware key is not connected to the computer; (h) means for halting the boot-up operation of the computer if the second status signal is generated; (i) means for retrieving the second identification code from the hardware key in response to the generation of the first status signal; (j) means for comparing the second identification code with the first identification code to determine if there is a match between the second identification code and the first identification code; (k) means for altering a partition entry table stored in the computer thereby rendering impossible any boot-up operation using an external boot disk; and (l) means for halting the boot-up operation of the computer if there is no match between the second identification number and the first identification number.

Claim 12

A data and access protection system for controlling access to a computer during a boot-up operation, comprising: (a) first storing means for storing an access control routine; (b) second storing means for storing a first identification code; (c) means for executing the access control routine after the computer is powered on; (d) a hardware key having a second identification code, said hardware key being a multi-pin connector having a plurality of grounding and non-grounding connection pins wherein at least some of said grounding connection pins are electrically connected to at least some of said non-grounding connection pins in a preselected configuration that encodes said second identification code in said multi-pin connector; (e) connecting means for detachably connecting the hardware key to the computer, said connecting means including a port of a computer having a plurality of storage registers with bits which are set to match said second identification code encoded in said multi-pin connector in response to the connecting of the hardware key to said port; (f) detecting means for detecting whether the hardware key is connected to the computer; (g) means for generating a first status signal if the detecting means detects that the hardware key is connected to the computer and a second status signal if the detecting means detects that the hardware key is not connected to the computer; (h) means for halting the boot-up operation of the computer if the second status signal is generated; (i) means for retrieving the second identification code from the hardware key in response to the generation of the first status signal; (j) means for comparing the second identification code with the first identification code to determine if there is a match between the second identification code and the first identification code; (k) means for altering a partition entry table stored in the computer thereby rendering impossible any boot-up operation using an external boot disk; and (l) means for halting the boot-up operation of the computer if there is no match between the second identification number and the first identification number.

Claim 13

A system according to claim 10 , wherein the first storing means and the second storing means consist essentially of a non-volatile memory.

Claim 14

A system according to claim 10 , wherein the connecting means comprises a parallel port, a printer port, a serial port, a mouse port, or a joystick port of the computer.

Claim 15

A system according to claim 10 , wherein the hardware key is compact and portable.

Claim 16

A system according to claim 13 , wherein the hardware key may be adapted for carrying on a key chain.

Claim 17

A data and access protection system for controlling a boot-up operation of a computer, comprising: (a) a first storing means for storing an access control routine; (b) a second storing means for storing a first identification code; (c) means for executing the access control routine after the computer is powered on; (d) a hardware key having a second identification code, said hardware key being a multi-pin connector having a plurality of grounding and non-grounding connection pins wherein at least some of said grounding connection pins are electrically connected to at least some of said non-grounding connection pins in a preselected configuration that encodes said second identification code in said multi-pin connector; (e) means for communicating with and receiving the second identification code from the hardware key, said communicating and receiving means including a port of a computer having a plurality of storage registers with bits which are set to match said second access code encoded in said multi-pin connector in response to communication of said multi-pin connector with said port; (f) means for comparing the second identification code with the first identification code to determine if there is a match between the second identification code and the first identification code; (g) means for altering a partition entry table stored in the computer thereby rendering impossible any boot-up operation using an external boot disk; and (h) means for halting the boot-up operation of the computer if there is no match between the second identification code and the first identification code.

Claim 18

A data and access protection system for controlling a boot-up operation of a computer, comprising: (a) a first storing means for storing an access control routine; (b) a second storing means for storing a first identification code; (c) means for executing the access control routine after the computer is powered on; (d) a hardware key having a second identification code, said hardware key being a multi-pin connector having a plurality of grounding and non-grounding connection pins wherein at least some of said grounding connection pins are electrically connected to at least some of said non-grounding connection pins in a preselected configuration that encodes said second identification code in said multi-pin connector; (e) means for communicating with and receiving the second identification code from the hardware key, said communicating and receiving means including a port of a computer having a plurality of storage registers with bits which are set to match said second access code encoded in said multi-pin connector in response to communication of said multi-pin connector with said port; (f) means for comparing the second identification code with the first identification code to determine if there is a match between the second identification code and the first identification code; (g) means for altering a partition entry table stored in the computer thereby rendering impossible any boot-up operation using an external boot disk; and (h) means for halting the boot-up operation of the computer if there is no match between the second identification code and the first identification code.

Claim 19

A system according to claim 15 , wherein the hardware key is compact and portable.

Claim 20

A system according to claim 16 , wherein the hardware key may be adapted for carrying on a key chain.

Claim 21

A system according to claim 15 , wherein the communicating and receiving means comprises a RF transmitter.

Claim 22

A system according to claim 18 , wherein the means for communicating and receiving the second identification code comprises a RF receiver and a ROM chip containing instructions for booting up the computer.

Claim 23

A system according to claim 18 , wherein the means for receiving the second identification code comprises a PCMCIA card with a RF receiver, said card further including a ROM chip containing instructions for booting up the computer.

Claim 24

An access protection system for controlling and securing access to electronic transactions conducted over the Internet, comprising: (a) a first access routine residing on a first computer; (b) means for transferring a second access control routine from the first computer onto a second computer; (c) means for storing a first identification code on the first computer; (d) a hardware key having a second identification code, said hardware key being a multi-pin connector having a plurality of grounding and non-grounding connection pins wherein at least some of said grounding connection pins are electrically connected to at least some of said non-grounding connection pins in a preselected configuration that encodes said second identification code in said multi-pin connector: (e) connecting means for detachably connecting the hardware key to the second computer, said connecting means including a port of the second computer having a plurality of storage registers with bits which are set to match said second identification code encoded in said multi-pin connector in response to the connecting of the hardware key to said port; (f) detecting means for detecting whether the hardware key is connected to the second computer; (g) means for generating a first status signal if the detecting means detects that the hardware key is connected to the second computer and a second status signal if the detecting means detects that the hardware key is not connected to the second computer; (g) means for denying access to the first computer if the second status signal is generated; (h) means for retrieving the second identification code from the hardware key in response to the generation of the first status signal; (i) means for comparing the second identification code with the first identification code to determine if there is a match between the second identification code and the first identification code; and (j) means for denying access to the first computer if there is no match between the second identification code and the first identification code.

Claim 25

An access protection system for controlling and securing access to electronic transactions conducted over the Internet, comprising: (a) a first access routine residing on a first computer; (b) means for transferring a second access control routine from the first computer onto a second computer; (c) means for storing a first identification code on the first computer; (d) a hardware key having a second identification code, said hardware key being a multi-pin connector having a plurality of grounding and non-grounding connection pins wherein at least some of said grounding connection pins are electrically connected to at least some of said non-grounding connection pins in a preselected configuration that encodes said second identification code in said multi-pin connector: (e) connecting means for detachably connecting the hardware key to the second computer, said connecting means including a port of the second computer having a plurality of storage registers with bits which are set to match said second identification code encoded in said multi-pin connector in response to the connecting of the hardware key to said port; (f) detecting means for detecting whether the hardware key is connected to the second computer; (g) means for generating a first status signal if the detecting means detects that the hardware key is connected to the second computer and a second status signal if the detecting means detects that the hardware key is not connected to the second computer; (g) means for denying access to the first computer if the second status signal is generated; (h) means for retrieving the second identification code from the hardware key in response to the generation of the first status signal; (i) means for comparing the second identification code with the first identification code to determine if there is a match between the second identification code and the first identification code; and (j) means for denying access to the first computer if there is no match between the second identification code and the first identification code.

Claim 26

A system according to claim 21 wherein the hardware key is compact and portable.

Claim 27

A system according to claim 22 wherein the hardware key may be adapted for carrying on a key chain.

Claim 28

An access protection system for controlling and securing access to electronic transactions conducted over the Internet, comprising: (a) a first access routine residing on a first computer; (b) means for transferring a second access control routine from the first computer to a second computer; (c) means for storing a first identification code on the first computer; (d) a hardware key being a multi-pin connector having a plurality of grounding and non-grounding connection pins wherein at least some of said grounding connection pins are electrically connected to at least some of said non-grounding connection pins in a preselected configuration that encodes said second identification code in said multi-pin connector; (e) means for connecting the hardware key to the second computer, said connecting means including a port of the second computer having a plurality of storage registers with bits which are set to match said second identification code encoded in said multi-pin connector in response to the connecting of the hardware key to said port; (f) means for retrieving the second identification to the first computer; (g) means for determining whether the first identification code matches the second identification code; and (h) means for denying access to the first computer if there is no match between the first identification code and the second identification code.

Claim 29

An access protection system for controlling and securing access to electronic transactions conducted over the Internet, comprising: (a) a first access routine residing on a first computer; (b) means for transferring a second access control routine from the first computer to a second computer; (c) means for storing a first identification code on the first computer; (d) a hardware key being a multi-pin connector having a plurality of grounding and non-grounding connection pins wherein at least some of said grounding connection pins are electrically connected to at least some of said non-grounding connection pins in a preselected configuration that encodes said second identification code in said multi-pin connector; (e) means for connecting the hardware key to the second computer, said connecting means including a port of the second computer having a plurality of storage registers with bits which are set to match said second identification code encoded in said multi-pin connector in response to the connecting of the hardware key to said port; (f) means for retrieving the second identification to the first computer; (g) means for determining whether the first identification code matches the second identification code; and (h) means for denying access to the first computer if there is no match between the first identification code and the second identification code.