# US 2008/0189539 A1 · Computer system for authenticating requested software application through operating system and method thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2008/0189539 A1 - Document ID: US20080189539A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 11/670,425 - Filed: 2007-02-02 - Published: 2008-08-07 - Earliest claimed: 2007-02-02 - Inventors: Ming-Tso Hsu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080189539A1 ## CPC - G06F 15/177: Initialisation or configuration control {(processor initialisation G06F9/4405)} - G06F 9/4406: {Loading of operating system} - G06F 9/445: Program loading or initiating (bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57) - G06F 21/575: {Secure boot} - G06F 8/63: {Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract The present invention discloses a computer system. The computer system includes a storage device and a processor. The storage device stores a loader authenticator, a boot loader, an operating system, and at least a software application. The processor is coupled to the storage device for executing the loader authenticator to authenticate the boot loader. When the boot loader passes the authentication, the boot loader is executed to authenticate at least the operating system, wherein the at least one software application is not authenticated by the boot loader. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer system, comprising: a storage device, storing a loader authenticator, a boot loader, an operating system, and at least a software application; and a processor, coupled to the storage device, for executing the loader authenticator to authenticate the boot loader; wherein when the boot loader passes the authentication, the boot loader is executed to authenticate at least the operating system, and the at least one software application is not authenticated by the boot loader. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer system of claim 1, wherein the boot loader executed by the processor authenticates the operating system only, and when the operating system passes the authentication, the processor further executes the operating system. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The computer system of claim 2, wherein the operating system comprises a secure execution determinator executed by the processor for determining whether a specific software application can be executed by the processor when the specific software application is requested for execution. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The computer system of claim 3, wherein the secure execution determinator comprises: a checking execution code, executed by the processor for checking whether the specific software application has been authenticated; and an authenticating execution code, executed by the processor for authenticating the specific software application if the checking execution code identifies that the specific software application is not authenticated yet. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The computer system of claim 4, wherein if the checking execution code executed by the processor identifies that the specific software application has been authenticated, the processor then executes the authenticated specific software application; if the specific software application passes the authentication performed by the authenticating execution code executed by the processor, the authenticating execution code executed by the processor marks the specific software application authenticated and then the processor executes the specific software application; and if the specific software application fails to pass the authentication performed by the authenticating execution code executed by the processor, the processor is prevented from executing the specific software application. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The computer system of claim 1, being a set-top box (STB). ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The computer system of claim 6, wherein the STB is a DTV STB. ### Claim 8 A method of operating a computer system, the computer system comprising a storage device for storing a loader authenticator, a boot loader, an operating system, and at least a software application; the method comprising: executing the loader authenticator to authenticate the boot loader; and when the boot loader passes the authentication, executing the boot loader to authenticate the operating system, wherein the at least one software application stored in the storage device is not authenticated by the boot loader. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the boot loader authenticates the operating system only, and when the operating system passes the authentication, executing the operating system. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising: executing the operating system to determine whether a specific software application can be executed when the specific software application is requested for execution. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the step of executing the operating system to determine whether the specific software application can be executed comprises: checking whether the specific software application has been authenticated; and authenticating the specific software application if the specific software application is not authenticated yet. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: if the specific software application has been authenticated, executing the authenticated specific software application; if the specific software application passes the authentication, marking the specific software application authenticated and then executing the specific software application; and if the specific software application fails to pass the authentication, preventing the specific software application from executed. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, being utilized in a set-top box (STB). ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the STB is a DTV STB.