Hardware theft-protection architecture
AssigneeCompaq Computer Corporation
InventorsSompong P. Olarig, Michael F. Angelo, Kenneth A. Jansen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of theft protection for computers and computer related hardware. Warranty fraud, theft of proprietary technology, and hardware theft are minimized by encoding the hardware components such that a digitally authenticated handshake must be performed between the system and the component at power-up. If the handshake is successful, normal operation continues with all enhancements. If the handshake is unsuccessful, the device is disabled or shifted into a lower performance mode.
Claims29
A method of theft protection, comprising the steps of:
- (a.) when a system is powered up, sending a site code, which at least partially identifies said system, to one or more protected components connected to said system;
- and
- (b.) in a protected component which contains memory space reserved for a unique authentication code which is not the same as the component's serial number:
- if said memory space contains an authentication code, testing said site code against said authentication code by a digital verification test, and enabling full operation of said component only if said testing is successful;
- and
- if said memory space does not contain said authentication code, then automatically generating said authentication code by digitally combining said site code with a unique serial number which is readably stored in nonvolatile memory on said component, and storing said authentication code in said memory space.
A method of theft protection in a computer system which includes a memory, at least-one processor unit, a non-volatile storage unit, a user input, and a user output, comprising the steps of:
- (a.) sending a site code from said processor unit to at least one protected component at power up;
- (b.) testing said site code, in combination with a unique serial number of said protected component, against a stored authentication code, in a digital verification test;
- and
- (c.) enabling full performance of said component only when said testing (b.) is successful.
A method of configuration control in a computer system which includes a memory, at least one processor unit, a non-volatile storage unit, a user input, and a user output, comprising, the steps of:
- (a.) reading a unique number from at least one protected component connected to said computer system;
- (b.) testing said unique number, in combination with a site code which at least partially identifies said system, against a stored authentication code which is different from said site code and from said unique number, using a digital verification test;
- and
- (c.) enabling full performance of said component in partial dependence on the outcome of said testing step (b.).
A computer system, comprising:
- a plurality of components comprising a memory, a system CPU, a nonvolatile storage unit, a user input, and a user output;
- wherein at least one said component comprises
- a microcontroller;
- first and second unique numbers stored in readable memory locations;
- wherein said first unique number uniquely identifies said component, and said second unique number is derived both from said first unique number, and also from a site code which at least partially identifies the system, in a predetermined transformation relationship;
- and wherein said microcontroller is programmed to digitally authenticate a system site code whenever a full power-up initialization occurs, using said second unique number, and in dependence thereon to enable full performance of said component.
A component, comprising:
- a microcontroller;
- a first unique number nonvolatilely stored at a readable address;
- and
- a nonvolatile memory operatively connected to said microcontroller;
- wherein upon first power-up in a system which provides a site code to said component, said microcontroller writes to said memory a second unique number which is not equal to said first unique number, and which is derived from said first unique number by a digital transformation which is dependent on said site code.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.