Password protected modular computer method and device

Abstract

A method and device for securing a removable Attached Computer Module (“ACM”) 10 . ACM 10 inserts into a Computer Module Bay (“CMB”) 40 within a peripheral console to form a functional computer such as a desktop computer or portable computer. The present ACM 10 includes a locking system, which includes hardware and software 600, 700 , to prevent accidental removal or theft of the ACM from the peripheral console. While ACM is in transit, further security is necessary against illegal or unauthorized use. If ACM contains confidential data, a high security method is needed to safeguard against theft.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer module, said module comprising:
 an enclosure, said enclosure comprising a first connector configured to couple to a second connector through a cable, said second connector being insertable into a console; 
 a central processing unit in said enclosure, said central processing unit comprising a microprocessor based integrated circuit chip and an interface controller integrated in said chip, said interface controller being configured to transmit and receive serial bits of Peripheral Component Interconnect (“PCI”) bus transaction, said serial bits of PCI bus transaction comprising PCI address and data bits; 
 a low voltage differential signal (“LVDS”) channel in said enclosure, said LVDS channel comprising a first unidirectional, differential signal pair to convey data in a first direction and a second unidirectional, differential signal pair to convey data in a second, opposite direction, said LVDS channel directly extending from said interface controller to convey said serial bits of PCI bus transaction; 
 a hard disk drive in said enclosure, said hard disk drive being coupled to said central processing unit; and 
 a programmable memory device in said enclosure, said programmable memory device being configurable to store a password for preventing a possibility of unauthorized use of said hard disk drive. 
 
     
     
       2. The computer module of  claim 1  further comprising a host interface controller for providing a status of a locking device in said enclosure. 
     
     
       3. The computer module of  claim 1  further comprising a mechanical locking device that is coupled to said programmable memory device. 
     
     
       4. The computer module of  claim 1  further comprising a host interface controller coupled to a mechanical locking device, said host interface controller being coupled to said programmable memory device. 
     
     
       5. The computer module of  claim 1  wherein said programmable memory device comprises a flash memory device. 
     
     
       6. The computer module of  claim 1  wherein said programmable memory device comprises a flash memory device having at least 8 Mbits of cells and greater. 
     
     
       7. The computer module of  claim 1  further comprising a security program in a main memory. 
     
     
       8. The computer module of  claim 7  wherein said security program comprises a code for storing a password on said programmable memory device. 
     
     
       9. The computer module of  claim 8  wherein said security program comprises a code for checking a time from said real-time clock circuit. 
     
     
       10. The computer module of  claim 1  further comprising a host interface controller coupled to a solenoid that drives a mechanical lock in a first position to a second position. 
     
     
       11. The computer module of  claim 10  wherein said solenoid also drives said mechanical lock from said second position to said first position. 
     
     
       12. The computer module of  claim 1  further comprising a real-time clock circuit coupled to said central processing unit. 
     
     
       13. The computer module of  claim 12  further comprising a battery coupled to a host interface controller that includes said real-time clock. 
     
     
       14. A method for operating a computer system, said method comprising:
 inserting an attached computer module (“ACM”) into a bay of a console of a modular computer system, said ACM comprising
 a low voltage differential signal (“LVDS”) channel comprising at least two unidirectional serial bit channels to convey data in opposite directions; and 
 a microprocessor unit coupled to a mass memory storage device, said microprocessor unit comprising an interface controller coupled to said LVDS channel to communicate Peripheral Component Interconnect (“PCI”) bus transaction in serial form over said LVDS channel; 
 
 applying power to said computer system and said ACM to execute a security program, said security program being stored in said mass memory storage device; and 
 prompting for a user password from a user on a display. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14  wherein said ACM comprises an enclosure that houses said microprocessor unit and said mass memory storage device. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 14  further comprising providing a user password to said security program. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 14  further comprising wherein said mass memory storage device comprises a flash memory device for storing a desired password for said ACM. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17  wherein said flash memory device maintains said desired password when power is removed from said ACM. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18  wherein said flash memory device is coupled to a host interface controller that is coupled to said microprocessor based unit. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 14  wherein said mass memory storage device comprises a code directed to comparing said user password with a desired password. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 14  further comprising identifying a permanent password or user code on said attached computer module. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 21  wherein said permanent password or user code is stored in said microprocessor unit. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 21  wherein said permanent password or user code is stored in a flash memory device coupled to said microprocessor unit. 
     
     
       24. The computer module of claim 1 wherein said central processing unit comprises a graphics controller integrated in said chip. 
     
     
       25. The computer module of claim 24 wherein said console comprises a display, and said graphics controller is configured to couple to said display upon insertion of said second connector into said console. 
     
     
       26. The computer module of claim 1 wherein said interface controller is configured to output encoded address and data bits of PCI bus transaction in serial form that are conveyed over said LVDS channel. 
     
     
       27. The computer module of claim 1 wherein said LVDS channel corresponds to a first LVDS channel, said console comprises a second LVDS channel, and said first LVDS channel is configured to couple to said second LVDS channel upon insertion of said second connector into said console. 
     
     
       28. The method of claim 14 wherein said interface controller is configured to output an encoded serial bit stream of PCI address and data information, said LVDS channel directly extends from said interface controller, and further comprising conveying said encoded serial bit stream over said LVDS channel. 
     
     
       29. The method of claim 14 wherein said microprocessor unit comprises a graphics controller integrated with said microprocessor unit in a single chip, and further comprising coupling said graphics controller to said display upon insertion of said ACM. 
     
     
       30. A computer module, said module comprising:
 an enclosure, said enclosure comprising a first connector configured to couple to a second connector through a cable, said second connector being insertable into a console, said console comprising a Universal Serial Bus;   a central processing unit in said enclosure, said central processing unit comprising a microprocessor based integrated circuit chip and an interface controller integrated in said chip;   a low voltage differential signal (“LVDS”) channel directly extending from said interface controller, said LVDS channel comprising two sets of unidirectional serial bit channels to convey data in opposite directions;   a hard disk drive in said enclosure, said hard disk drive being coupled to said central processing unit; and   a programmable memory device in said enclosure, said programmable memory device being configurable to store a password for preventing a possibility of unauthorized use of said hard disk drive.   
     
     
       31. The computer module of claim 30 wherein said interface controller is configured to output an encoded serial bit stream that is conveyed over said LVDS channel. 
     
     
       32. The computer module of claim 31 wherein said encoded serial bit stream is conveyed over said LVDS channel as 10-bit packets. 
     
     
       33. The computer module of claim 31 wherein said encoded serial bit stream comprises encoded address and data bits of Peripheral Component Interconnect (“PCI”) bus transaction. 
     
     
       34. The computer module of claim 31 wherein said encoded serial bit stream comprises information of Universal Serial Bus protocol. 
     
     
       35. The computer module of claim 34 wherein said LVDS channel is configured to couple to said Universal Serial Bus upon insertion of said second connector into said console. 
     
     
       36. The computer module of claim 31 further comprising a main memory in said enclosure, said main memory being directly coupled to said central processing unit. 
     
     
       37. A computer module, said module comprising:
 an enclosure, said enclosure comprising a first connector configured to couple to a second connector through a cable, said second connector being insertable into a console, said console comprising a mass storage device and a first channel comprising two low voltage differential signal (“LVDS”), unidirectional serial bit channels to convey data in opposite directions;   a central processing unit in said enclosure, said central processing unit comprising a microprocessor based integrated circuit chip and an interface controller integrated in said chip, said interface controller being configured to communicate address and data of Peripheral Component Interconnect (“PCI”) bus transaction in serial form;   a second channel directly coupled to said interface controller, said second channel comprising two LVDS, unidirectional, multiple serial bit channels to convey data in opposite directions;   a hard disk drive in said enclosure, said hard disk drive being coupled to said central processing unit; and   a programmable memory device in said enclosure, said programmable memory device being configurable to store a password for preventing a possibility of unauthorized use of said hard disk drive.   
     
     
       38. The computer module of claim 37 wherein, upon insertion of said second connector into said console, said first channel is configured to couple to said second channel to communicate said address and data of PCI bus transaction. 
     
     
       39. The computer module of claim 37 wherein, upon insertion of said second connector into said console, said central processing unit is configured to couple to said mass storage device through said first channel and said second channel. 
     
     
       40. The computer module of claim 37 wherein said interface controller is configured to output said address and data of PCI bus transaction as 10-bit packets that are conveyed over said second channel. 
     
     
       41. The computer module of claim 37 further comprising a main memory in said enclosure, said main memory being directly coupled to said central processing unit. 
     
     
       42. A computer module, said module comprising:
 an enclosure, said enclosure comprising a first connector configured to couple to a second connector through a cable, said second connector being insertable into a console, said console comprising a mass storage device and a first channel comprising two low voltage differential signal (“LVDS”), unidirectional serial bit channels to convey data in opposite directions;   a central processing unit in said enclosure, said central processing unit comprising a microprocessor based integrated circuit chip;   a second channel in said enclosure, said second channel comprising two LVDS, unidirectional, multiple serial bit channels to convey data in opposite directions;   a peripheral bridge to communicate address and data of Peripheral Component Interconnect (“PCI”) bus transaction in serial form over said second channel, said peripheral bridge coupled to said central processing unit without any intervening PCI bus;   a hard disk drive in said enclosure, said hard disk drive being coupled to said central processing unit; and   a programmable memory device in said enclosure, said programmable memory device being configurable to store a password for preventing a possibility of unauthorized use of said hard disk drive.   
     
     
       43. The computer module of claim 42 wherein, upon insertion of said second connector into said console, said first channel is configured to couple to said second channel to communicate said address and data of PCI bus transaction. 
     
     
       44. The computer module of claim 42 wherein, upon insertion of said second connector into said console, said central processing unit is configured to couple to said mass storage device through said second channel. 
     
     
       45. The computer module of claim 42 wherein said second channel directly extends from said peripheral bridge. 
     
     
       46. The computer module of claim 45 wherein said peripheral bridge is configured to output said address and data of PCI bus transaction as 10-bit packets that are conveyed over said second channel. 
     
     
       47. A computer module, said module comprising:
 an enclosure, said enclosure comprising a first connector configured to couple to a second connector through a cable, said second connector being insertable into a console;   a central processing unit in said enclosure, said central processing unit comprising a microprocessor based integrated circuit chip and an interface controller integrated in said chip, said interface controller being configured to transmit and receive serial bits of Peripheral Component Interconnect (“PCI”) bus transaction as 10-bit packets, said serial bits of PCI bus transaction comprising encoded PCI address and data bits;   a low voltage differential signal (“LVDS”) channel in said enclosure, said LVDS channel comprising a first unidirectional, differential signal pair to convey data in a first direction and a second unidirectional, differential signal pair to convey data in a second, opposite direction, said LVDS channel directly extending from said interface controller to convey said serial bits of PCI bus transaction;   a hard disk drive in said enclosure, said hard disk drive being coupled to said central processing unit; and   a programmable memory device in said enclosure, said programmable memory device being configurable to store a password for preventing a possibility of unauthorized use of said hard disk drive.   
     
     
       48. The computer module of claim 47 wherein said console comprises a mass storage device, and, upon insertion of said second connector into said console, said central processing unit is configured to communicate with said mass storage device through said LVDS channel. 
     
     
       49. The computer module of claim 47 wherein said LVDS channel extends through said first connector to convey said serial bits of PCI bus transaction between said computer module and said console. 
     
     
       50. The computer module of claim 47 wherein said console comprises a display, and said first connector is configured to convey video signals between said computer module and said console. 
     
     
       51. The computer module of claim 50 wherein said central processing unit comprises a graphics controller integrated in said chip. 
     
     
       52. The computer module of claim 51 wherein said graphics controller is configured to communicate with said display through said first connector. 
     
     
       53. A method for operating a computer system, said method comprising:
 inserting an attached computer module (“ACM”) into a bay of a console of a modular computer system, said console comprising an input device, said ACM comprising
 a microprocessor unit coupled to a mass memory storage device, said microprocessor unit comprising an interface controller to communicate Peripheral Component Interconnect (“PCI”) bus transaction in serial form; and 
 a low voltage differential signal (“LVDS”) channel comprising at least two unidirectional serial bit channels to convey data in opposite directions, said LVDS channel directly extending from said interface controller to convey said PCI bus transaction in serial form; 
   conveying data packets of Universal Serial Bus protocol between said ACM and said console;   applying power to said computer system and said ACM to execute a security program, said security program being stored in said mass memory storage device; and   prompting for a user password from a user on a display.   
     
     
       54. The method of claim 53 wherein said interface controller is configured to output a serial bit stream of PCI address and data information, and further comprising conveying said serial bit stream over said LVDS channel. 
     
     
       55. The method of claim 53 wherein said mass memory storage device comprises a flash memory device. 
     
     
       56. The method of claim 53 wherein conveying said data packets of Universal Serial Bus protocol comprises conveying said data packets over serial bit lines. 
     
     
       57. The method of claim 53 wherein conveying said data packets of Universal Serial Bus protocol comprises conveying said data packets between said ACM and said input device. 
     
     
       58. The method of claim 53 wherein said microprocessor unit comprises a graphics controller integrated with said microprocessor unit in a single chip, and further comprising coupling said graphics controller to said display upon insertion of said ACM. 
     
     
       59. The computer module of claim l wherein said LVDS channel extends through said first connector to convey said serial bits of PCI bus transaction between said computer module and said console.