JP2711419B2 - Computer startup method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates, in an electronic computer, such as an electronic notebook and portable personal computer, about the improvements of technology start-up system at the time of the power is turned on.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional portable electronic computer, an initial operation performed when power is turned on will be described with reference to a flowchart of FIG.
The operation from 1 is started. First, in step S21,
A hardware diagnosis process is performed, and in step S22, B
The OOT program is read from the disk and loaded into the main storage device (bootstrap). Step S23
Then, an OS (operating system: basic program) is loaded into the main storage device according to the operation of the BOOT program. Then, after step S24, O
The operation shifts to the normal operation based on S.

The operation performed when the power is turned off will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 5. In a power key monitoring subroutine, it is determined in step S31 whether or not the power key has been turned off. Return to If it is cut, step S3
The process proceeds to step 2 to notify the OS of the power-off, and then returns to the main routine. In the latter case, the OS performs necessary processing accompanying the power-off, and turns off the power at an appropriate timing.

[0004]

In the above-described conventional power-on processing method, when the power is turned on in a power-off state, the computer always starts. Therefore, there is a possibility that a third party other than the administrator may start the computer without permission. In this case, there is a risk that the data is stolen, copied without permission, or the data is altered, destroyed, or lost by negligence or intention.

[0005]

[0006] The present invention, which has been developed in view of such circumstances, that you as a third party other than the administrator of the computer can not start the computer without permission
And purpose.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided a computer starting system comprising: a nonvolatile memory for storing a code generated by depressing an arbitrary encryption key as a starting encryption code; Means for determining whether the code generated by the depressed key matches the activation code, means for prohibiting activation when the two do not match, and activation only when both match. And means for permitting

[0008]

[0009]

There are many keys on a keyboard and a touch panel in an electronic computer. Which of the keys is used as the encryption key is arbitrary for the administrator and is unknown to third parties. Of course, the administrator needs to remember which key is the encryption key.

According to the computer activation method of the present invention, when the administrator attempts to activate the computer, the administrator depresses the power key and simultaneously depresses the encryption key that he or she remembers. Then, the start-up encryption code stored in the nonvolatile memory in advance matches the code generated by the key depressed as the encryption key, so that the start-up permission is given and the computer starts up. become.

[0011] However, a third party generally assumes that it can be started only by turning on the power key. Therefore, when trying to start the computer, only the power key is pressed down. In this case, the computer naturally does not start.

Even a third party who knows that the power key must be depressed at the same time as the power key to activate, does not know which key is the encryption key. Since there are many keys other than the power key, the probability that a key appropriately pressed by a third party matches the encryption key is sufficiently small. Therefore, also in this case, the possibility that the computer is unexpectedly started is sufficiently low.

[0013]

[0014]

[0015]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a computer according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the entire computer system.

In the figure, 1 is a CPU, 2 is a main storage device, 3 is a ROM for initial loading, 4 is a nonvolatile memory,
5 is a backup power supply for the non-volatile memory 4, 6 is a keyboard, 7 is a floppy disk driver, 8 is a floppy disk, 9 is a hard disk driver, 10
Denotes a hard disk, 11 denotes a liquid crystal controller, 12 denotes a liquid crystal display, and 13 denotes a bus line. ROM3
Also stores a program for loading a BOOT program and a program for determining whether or not a code by an input key matches an encryption code.

Next, the operation will be described.

In the startup encryption code registration mode, the administrator presses any one of the keys on the keyboard 6 as a startup encryption key while looking at the screen of the liquid crystal display 12. As a result, the code read from the main storage device 2 by the CPU 1 corresponding to the encryption key is set as the startup encryption code D _ON on the bus line 13.
Is stored in the non-volatile memory 4 via the.

In the power-off encryption code registration mode, the administrator first depresses any one key other than the power key as the power-off encryption key.
As a result, the code read from the main storage device 2 by the CPU 1 corresponding to the encryption key is stored and held in the nonvolatile memory 4 as the first power-off encryption code D _END1 .
Similarly, when an arbitrary key other than the above and other than the power key is pressed down, the code corresponding to the key is nonvolatile as the second power-off encryption code D _END2. Stored in the memory 4.

In this electronic computer, even when the power is off, the non-volatile memory 4 uses the backup power supply 5 to store the above-mentioned activation code D _ON and the first and second power-off code D _END1 , D _END2 .

Next, an initial operation when the computer is started from a power-off state will be described with reference to a flowchart of FIG.

When the power key on the keyboard 6 is depressed, the operation from step S1 is started. First,
In step S1, hardware diagnostic processing is performed, and in step S2, the state of the keyboard 6 is read, and the key being pressed at the same time as the power key is read. In step S3, it is determined whether or not the startup encryption code D _ON is set and stored in the nonvolatile memory 4. If not set, the process skips to step S5. If set, the process proceeds to step S4.

In step S4, it is determined whether or not the code D _IN generated by the key being depressed at the same time as the power key matches the activation code D _ON read from the nonvolatile memory 4. If they do not match,
Prohibit starting the computer. As a result, the operation of the computer is stopped, and the computer returns to the power-off state.

[0025] When the code D _IN matches the cryptographic code D _ON startup loads from the floppy disk 8 or the hard disk 10 to the main memory 2 reads the BOOT program proceeds to step S5, step S
At 6, the OS is loaded into the main storage device 2 according to the operation of the BOOT program. Then, after step S7, the operation shifts to the normal operation based on the OS.

The process skips from step S3 to step S5 when the protection by the activation encryption code D _ON is not applied.

The process proceeds from step S4 to step S5 when the administrator depresses the power supply key and the activation encryption key that he or she remembers. At this time, the computer starts up as intended by the operator.

The activation prohibition from step S4 occurs when the operator presses down only the power key or when the power key and another key are simultaneously depressed but the key is not the activation encryption key. is there. This is the case where a third party who is not the administrator is trying to start the computer.In such a case, starting the computer is prohibited. Modification, destruction, and loss of data can be reliably prevented.

Next, the operation when the power of the computer is turned off will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

When a key other than the power key on the keyboard 6 is depressed, or when the depressed state is released, the operation of the key input subroutine of FIG. 3 is started by the OS.

First, in step S11, the operated key is a power-off encryption key corresponding to the first or second power-off encryption code D _END1 or D _END2 stored and set in the nonvolatile memory 4. Is determined. That is, the code D _IN1 generated by the operated key
_Are the first or second power-off encryption code D _END1 , D
Determine if it matches any of _END2 . If not, the process skips to step S16, notifies the OS of the code of the operated key, and returns to the main routine.

If the determination in step S11 is affirmative, that is, if the operated key is a power-off encryption key, the flow advances to step S12 to determine whether the key operation is depressed or released. When depressed, the process proceeds to step S13, is set to "1" first flag F ₁ indicating that the first power-off encryption key is being depressed. Subsequently, the procedure proceeds to step S14, whether the first and second flag F _1, F ₂ indicates that the power-off encryption key is being depressed is set to both "1", that is, two power-off Determine if both encryption keys are depressed.

If the two power-off encryption keys have not been depressed, the flow advances to step S16 to notify the OS of the code of the key being depressed, and then returns to the main routine.

If one power off encryption key is depressed and then the same power off encryption key is released,
The process proceeds from step S11 to S12 to S15. Step S1
In 5, after resetting first the first flag F ₁ indicating that the power-off encryption key is being pushed down to "0", and returns to the main routine via step S16.

When one power-off encryption key is depressed while one power-off encryption key is depressed, the process proceeds to steps S11 → S12 → S13. That is, the code D _IN2 generated by the operated key is the first or second power-off encryption code D _END1 , D _END2
This is because the power-off code coincides with another power-off encryption code that is different from the code that coincides with the previous code D _IN1 . Then, in step S13, it is set to "1" to the second flag F ₂ indicating that the second power-off encryption key is being depressed. Subsequently, the procedure proceeds to step S14, whether the first and second flag F _1, F ₂ indicates that the power-off encryption key is being depressed is set to both "1", that is, two power-off Determine if both encryption keys are depressed. In this case, since the two power-off encryption keys are depressed at the same time, the process proceeds to step S17, and after notifying the OS of the power-off, the process returns to the main routine. In this case, the OS
Performs necessary processing in response to power-off, terminates all operations of the computer at an appropriate timing, and shuts off the power.

As described above, the power of the computer can be cut off only when the two preset power-off encryption keys are simultaneously depressed.
When the operator is absent during operation of the computer,
Even if a third party inadvertently or intentionally turns off the power key, the power is not turned off, so that unexpected situations such as data destruction or loss can be avoided.

When the computer is started, the starting encryption key to be pressed simultaneously with the power key is one.
The number is not limited to two and may be two or more.
The number of power-off encryption keys to be simultaneously depressed when the power of the computer is turned off is not limited to two, but may be three or more.

[0038]

According to the computer starting method according to the present invention, only the administrator who knows the encryption key for starting can start the computer. That is, since the third party other than the administrator does not know the encryption key for activation,
It is extremely unlikely that a third party will attempt to start the computer without permission when the administrator is absent, and that it will not be accidentally started. Alternatively, there is almost no possibility that data is intentionally altered, destroyed, or lost.

[0039]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a computer system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an initial operation when the computer is started in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation associated with a power-off process in the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an initial operation performed when power is turned on in a conventional example.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation performed when power is turned off in a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 CPU 2 Main storage device 3 BOOT program ROM 4 Non-volatile memory 5 Backup power supply 6 Keyboard

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Koji Nishida, Inventor 1-5-9 Kudankita, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Kudan Seiwa Building Inside Sharp Business Computer Software Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-51- 85321 (JP, A) JP-A-56-63659 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A non-volatile memory for storing a code generated by depressing an arbitrary encryption key as a start-up encryption code, and a code generated by a key depressed at the same time when a power key is depressed is a start-up encryption code. A computer for determining whether or not they match, a means for prohibiting activation when they do not match, and a means for permitting activation only when both match. Startup method.