GB2211880A

GB2211880A - Harddisk lock

Info

Publication number: GB2211880A
Application number: GB8725430A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lam So David Wai
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-10-30
Filing date: 1987-10-30
Publication date: 1989-07-12
Also published as: GB8725430D0

Abstract

A key operated locking device 8 operates to make or break connections in the cable between a harddisk and its controller. Sockets 1 and 2 connect to harddisk and controller and the 26th and 28th pins of these sockets are connected via junction 6 and cable 7 to the device 8. A bracket 3 mounted in use on the back panel of a computer receives the junction 6. <IMAGE>

Description

llARDDISK LOCK This invention relates to a harddisk lock.

Harddisk is also known as Winchester disk or fixed disk. A harddisk is installed together with a harddisk controller card to form a part of a microcomputer system.Harddisk provides the microcomputer users fast and large storage means to keep data. A harddisk is readily accessible when the microcomputer system in which the harddisk is installed is powered on. The data stored therein can be retrieved by any person who uses the microcomputer system and thus are subject to damages or alterations done by unauthorised or unscrupulous users.

There are softwares specially designed to protect the data within the harddisk from such damages. However, they are expensive and too complicated for average microcomputer users to use. There are also security locks available for locking the power switch or keyboard of microcomputer system. By such means, the entire microcomputer system is locked and thus not only the harddisk but also the floppy disk drives, being part of the microcomputer system, are not accessible by users. This is not economical in a working environment where a microcomputer system is shared among several users.

According to the present invention there is provided a harddisk lock which is a hardware apparatus designed to protect data stored in a harddisk from unauthorised access or alterations. The harddisk lock comprises a locking device housed in a box, a pair of keys provided for the locking device, a coiled cable, a capsule for housing the cable connection between the coiled cable and a flat cable, a bracket with a longitudinal opening through which the flat cable is passed and at the two ends of the opening there are hexagonal screw-locks for the capsule to be fastened thereto, a flat cable with receptacle connector at one end and a broad edge receptacle connector at another, and of which the conductors connected to the 26th and 28th pins of the receptacle connectors are dissected and connected to the conductors of the coiled cable.

A specific embodiment of the invention is now described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 shows in perspective the harddisk lock; Figure 2 shows the cross-section of the harddisk lock; Figure 3 shows the front view and rear view of the bracket Figure 4 shows the front and rear views and the cross section of the capsule Diagram A shows the open circuit when the harddisk lock is in the locked position Diagram B shows the closed circuit when the hardddisk lock is in the unlocked position.

In the two diagrams are only shown the relevant conductors of the flat cable 5 and coiled cable 7 connecting pins 26 and 28 of the connectors.By means ofthe conductors drive select signals are sent from the harddisk controller card to the harddisk via the connectors and the locking device.Other pins for other functions are not relevant to this invention and thus not shown in the diagrams.

Referring to the drawings the harddisk lock comprises: i) a locking device 8 housed in a box 9; ii) a pair of keys provided for the locking device 8; iii)a coiled cable 7 with one end connected to the locking device 8 and another to the conductors of the flat cable 5, which are connected to the 26th and 28th pins of the receptacle connectors 1 & 2 at the ends of the flat cable 5; iv) a capsule 6 for housing the cable connection(i.e.

where the conductors of the coiled cable 7 are connected to the dissected conductors of the flat cable 5, which are connected to the 26th and 28th pins of the receptacle connectors 1 & 2 at the ends of the flat cable 5 ) between the coiled cable 7 and the flat cable 5; v) a bracket 3 with a longitudinal opening through which the flat cable 5 is passed and at the ends of the opening there are hexagonal screw-locks 4 for the capsule 6 to be fastened thereto; vi) a flat cable 5 with a receptacle connector 1 at one end and a broad edge receptacle connector 2 at another, and of which the conductors connected to the 26th and 28th pins of the connectors 1 & 2 are dissected and connected to the conductors of the coiled cable 7.

Before installing the harddisk lock in a microcomputer system, the microcomputer system must be powered off and the cover is removed. Then the following steps are carried out to install the harddisk lock in place: 1) To select an open expansion slot within the microcomputer system, preferrably the short slot close to the power supply because this slot is usually not used for putting other enhancement cards.

2) To remove the bracket covering the cutout at the back panel of the microcomputer system for the selected slot.

3) To pass the flat cable 5 and the bracket 3 of the harddisk lock from outside through the cutout at the back panel until the capsule 6 is pulled against the back panel.

4) To mount the bracket 3 of the harddisk lock to the back panel to cover the cutout and screw it to the chassis of the microcomputer.

5) To fasten the capsule 6 to the bracket 3 by securing the screws at the ends of the capsule 6 to the hexagonal screw-locks 4 at the ends of the opening of the bracket 3.

6) To locate the 34-conductor control cable connecting the harddisk controller card and the harddisk within the microcomputer and disconnect it from the harddisk controller card and the harddisk. To substitute it with the flat cable 5 of the harddisk lock.

7) To ensure that pin 1 of the 34-pin connector on the harddisk controller card corresponds to pin 1 of the receptacle connector 1 of the flat cable 5 when the connectors are plugged together, similarly for the broad edge connector of the harddisk and the broad edge receptacle connector 2 of the flat cable 5.

8) To reinstall the cover onto the chassis of the microcomputer system.

9) To bring the locking device 8 housed in a box 9 to the front for the ease of inserting the key into the locking device to lock or unlock the harddisk.

If the harddisk lock is locked when the microcomputer system is powered on, there will be message prompted up on the screen to instruct the user to insert a diskette with the relevant operating system into the floppy drive A to boot up the system. Under such circumstance, the harddisk is locked and not accessible . To access the harddisk, the harddisk lock must be unlocked before the system is reset or boot up again.

The harddisk lock can be locked after the microcomputer is powered up. Under such circumstance, only the floppy disk drive is usable while the harddisk is locked.

Claims

1. A harddisk lock, being a hardware apparatus designed to protect data stored in a harddisk from unauthorised access or alterations, comprises a locking device 8 housed in a box 9,a pair of keys provided for the locking device 8, a coiled cable 7 connected to the locking device 8 at one end and to a flat cable 5 at another, a capsule 6 for housing the cable connection between the coiled cable 7 and the flat cable 5, a bracket 3 with a longitudinal opening through which the flat cable 5 is passed and at the ends of the opening there are hexagonal screw-locks 4 for the capsule 6 to be fastened thereto, and a flat cable 5 with a receptacle connector 1 at one end and a broad edge receptacle connector 2 at another and , of which the conductors connecting to the 26th and 28th pins of the receptacle connectors 1 & 2 are dissected and connected to the conductors of the coiled cable 7.

2. A harddisk lock as claimed in Claim 1 wherein a bracket is provided for mounting on the back panel of the chassis of a microcomputer so that the capsule provided as part of the harddisk lock can be secured to the bracket at the back panel of the microcomputer.

3. A harddisk lock as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the conductors of the flat cable 5, connecting to the 26th and 28th pins of the receptacle connectors 1 & 2 at the end of the flat cable 5, are dissected and connected to the conductors of the coil cable 7 which are in turn connected to the locking device 8 as described herein with reference to Figure 1 and Diagram A and B of the accompanying drawing.

4. A harddisk lock as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 3. wherein a coiled cable 7,of which the conductors at one end are connected to the dissected conductors of the flat cable 5 connecting to the 26th and 28th pins of the receptacle connectors 1 & 2 at the ends of the flat cable 5, and at another end to the locking device 8, is provided for permitting the locking device 8 to move freely.

5. A harddisk lock as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein a capsule 6 is provided for housing the cable connection between the coiled cable 7 and the flat cable 5, where the conductors of the coiled cable 7 are connected to the dissected conductors of the flat cable 5 connecting to the 26th and 28th pins of the receptacle connectors 1 & 2 at the ends thereof.

6. A harddisk lock as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 3, wherein the locking device 8 is provided for intercepting signals passing between the receptacle connectors 1 & 2 through the conductors of the flat cable 5 connecting to the 26th and 28th pins of the receptacle connectors 1 & 2 at the ends of the flat cable 5 by setting the locking device to the locked position as illustrated in Diagram A of the accompanying drawing.