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US 7,600,132 B1Granted
System and method for authentication of embedded RAID on a motherboard
AssigneeAdaptec, Inc.
InventorFadi A. Mahmoud
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Various embodiments are provided for authenticating an embedded device on a motherboard. An exemplary embodiment includes generating a unique authentication code (UAC) based on a serial number for a motherboard, and providing the UAC to a computer system having the motherboard. A determination is then made as to whether the provided UAC is correct for the motherboard, and an option ROM BIOS designed for the embedded device is executed when the provided UAC is correct for the motherboard.
Claims18
A method for authenticating an embedded device on a motherboard of a computer system to enable the embedded device, comprising the operations of:
- generating a unique authentication code (UAC) database storing a plurality of motherboard serial numbers and a corresponding UAC generated for each motherboard serial number, wherein the generated UAC for each motherboard is unique to the particular motherboard serial number and the UAC database is maintained by an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of the embedded device;
- receiving a motherboard serial number pre-defined for the motherboard from a user of the computer system to enable the embedded device by the OEM, wherein the embedded device is disabled before being enabled;
- providing a UAC to the user by the OEM by entering the motherboard serial number received from the user to look up the corresponding UAC in the generated UAC database maintained by the OEM to provide the UAC;
- determining whether the provided UAC is correct for the motherboard;
- setting a UAC approved bit of a non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM), wherein the UAC approved bit is set when the received UAC is correct for the motherboard to indicate that the embedded device is enabled for usage, otherwise not setting the UAC approved bit when the provided UAC is not correct for the motherboard;
- storing identification information of peripheral component interconnect (PCI) of the computer system in a memory of a controller of the embedded device when the UAC approved bit is set to allow controller of the embedded device to identify, to communicate with, and to control devices connected to the embedded device;
- and
- executing an option read only memory (ROM) basic input output system (BIOS) designed for the embedded device when the UAC approved bit is set, otherwise not executing the option ROM BIOS when the UAC approved is not set.
5 more elements
A system for authenticating an embedded device on a motherboard of a computer system to enable the embedded device, comprising:
- a motherboard having a basic input output system (BIOS) for the system, wherein the BIOS is capable of receiving a unique authentication code (UAC) and determining whether the received UAC is correct for the motherboard, wherein the received UAC is provided to an user of the computer system by an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of the embedded device after the OEM receives a motherboard serial number pre-defined for the motherboard from the user and uses the motherboard serial number to look up a UAC database storing a plurality of motherboard serial numbers and with a corresponding UAC generated for each motherboard serial number for the UAC to provide;
- a non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) having a UAC approved bit, wherein the UAC approved bit is set when the received UAC is correct for the motherboard to indicate that the embedded device is enabled for usage, and the embedded device is disabled before being enabled;
- the embedded device having a memory, wherein device identification information of peripheral component interconnect (PCI) of the computer system is stored in the embedded device memory when the UAC approved bit is set to allow the embedded device to identify, to communicate with, and to control devices connected to the embedded device, and wherein an option ROM BIOS designed for the embedded device is executed when the UAC approved bit is set.
A computer program stored on a computer readable physical storage medium of a computer system for authenticating an embedded device on a motherboard of the computer system to enable the embedded device, comprising:
- program instructions that receive a unique authentication code (UAC) for a computer system having the motherboard, wherein the UAC is provided to an user of the computer system by an original equipment manufacturer OEM of the embedded device after the OEM receives a motherboard serial number pre-defined for the motherboard from the user of the computer system and using the motherboard serial number to look up a UAC database storing a plurality of motherboard serial numbers and with a corresponding UAC generated for each motherboard serial number for the UAC to provide, wherein the motherboard serial number is read by a system BIOS of the motherboard from memory located on the motherboard;
- program instructions that determine whether the received UAC is correct for the motherboard;
- program instructions that set a UAC approved bit of a non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM), wherein the UAC approved bit is set when the received UAC is correct for the motherboard to indicate that the embedded device is enabled for usage, otherwise not setting the UAC approved bit when the provided UAC is not correct for the motherboard;
- program instructions that stores identification information of peripheral component interconnect (PCI) of the computer system in a memory of a controller of the embedded device when the UAC approved bit is set to allow controller of the embedded device to identify, to communicate with, and to control devices connected to the embedded device;
- and
- program instructions that execute an option ROM BIOS designed for the embedded device when the UAC approved bit is set, otherwise not executing the option ROM BIOS when the UAC approved is not set.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.