Computer lock system with time-control function

#The present invention is related to a computer lock system with time-control function which supported by a protect card, a card reader, and several IC cards can supervise the legal use of the computer systems by authorized users during pre-set time-limit so as to efficiently manage the right and time of using the computer system, protecting the right of the users from the crackers and preventing the computer system from being occupied and overused by a single user as well.

#Nowadays, computers are indispensable for different purposes like education and entertainment. People of different ages become increasingly dependent on this useful tool in their daily lives. Sometime, people, especially the young kids, forget the importance of time-control when using the computers. Or, when in school or classes, computers are tended to be occupied and overused by a certain small number of the students. In other case, when computers are used for commercial purposes as in the inter-net café or in the video-game shop, it is quite uneconomical to count the using-time of the customers in a manual way.

#It is, therefore, the primary purpose of the present invention to provide a computer lock system with time-control function, having a main program which supported a by a protect card, a card reader, and several IC cards can supervise the legal use of the computer systems by authorized IC card holders during pre-set time-limit, and a subprogram which can process and store the basic data such as the entry of the IC card holders for ID examination and the setting of time-limit for using the computer system for each IC card holder so as to efficiently protect the right of the users from the crackers and prevent the computer system from being occupied and overused by a single user as well.

#FIGS. 1-1, 1-2 are block flow charts of the main program of the present invention.

#FIG. 2-1, 2-2 are block flow charts of the subprogram of the present invention.

#FIG. 3-1, 3-2 are another block flow charts showing the main program of the present invention.

#The present invention is related to a computer lock system with time-control function which, supported by a protect card, a card reader, and several IC cards to be distributed to different users, can supervise the legal use of the computer systems by authorized users during pre-set time-limit so as to efficiently protect the right of the users from the crackers and control the using-time of the computer system by the users.

#Please refer to FIG. 1 showing the flow chart of the main program of the present invention. When the computer is opened, a BootRom chip on the protect card will start to run and begin to check the main program of said computer lock system thereof to see if said lock system is found in the computer. If not, the BootRom chip will be reset; if yes, it will then go on to the next step. Alternatively, a manager system can be selected after said BootRom chip on the protect card is started. Inputting the password of the system administrator, a user can choose either to cancel the examination of said main program thereof or not. If said examination is canceled, the computer will proceed to a normal operation before the main program thereof is restored and the computer rebooted. But if not canceled, said examination of said main program will continue till it is found in the computer. In the next step, operating systems (WIN95/98) are opened and then the main program of said computer lock system thereof executed. The function keys of the system(Ctrl+Alt+Del, Alt+F4, Alt+Tab, Num Lock, Quit and Close keys) will be locked to prevent said main program from being closed by the users carelessly. Otherwise, the main program of said computer lock system can be saved in a hidden file without locking any function keys(because the users will not be able to find and close the main program in a hidden file). While the main program is executed, said computer lock system will constantly check the registered file of the system to see if it has been modified. If so, said computer lock system will write it back automatically.

#In the next step after the function keys are locked, an internal clock within the main program thereof will be started and synchronized with the time received from the clock of the current computer system. Then every one second, said internal clock thereof will check the time on the computer system to see if it has been changed. If so, the time on the computer system will be adjusted according to that of said internal clock by said main program thereof. After setting off said internal clock thereof, said main program thereof will start a screen saver to keep the computer locked in wait for the access of a user who has to insert an IC card and pass an ID examination before gaining access to the computer system. Without an authorized IC card, a user can only choose to close and leave the computer.