JP3008856B2 - How to approve connection at docking station - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connection approval method in a docking station which can prevent a malicious user from using the docking station illegally when connecting the computer and the docking station.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There has been known an apparatus in which a notebook personal computer can be used as a desktop personal computer by connecting the notebook personal computer to a docking station having a magnetic disk drive, a CRT interface, and the like. Have been. By the way, in this type of conventional device, when another person connects a notebook personal computer of the same type to the docking station, there is a problem that the docking station is used improperly and data is stolen.

To cope with such a problem, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
In the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 75862, a computer is provided with a read-only memory in which a device-specific identifier unique to the computer is registered, and a list of device-specific identifiers of computers that approve connection is registered in a docking station. When the computer and the docking station are connected, the software of the computer reads out the device unique identifier of the own computer from the read-only memory and retrieves the identifier list from the identifier list memory in the docking station. The connection with the docking station is approved only when the readout and the device unique identifier of the own computer are included in the identifier list.

[0004]

As described above, conventionally, whether or not to connect a computer to a docking station is determined by software of the computer. Software
Even if the device unique identifier of the computer is not included in the identifier list, if the device is modified so as to approve the connection with the docking station, there is a problem that the docking station is illegally used by the computer.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a docking station.
If there are multiple computers for which you want to approve the connection with the
The configuration of the docking station is
It is an object of the present invention to provide a connection approval method in a docking station that can prevent the docking station from being illegally used by a malicious user without complicating the operation .

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a computer system comprising a computer and a docking station having a storage device and an input / output device connectable to the computer. When trying to connect the computer to the docking station, the device unique identifier of the computer and the docking station
To any of the multiple device unique identifiers
Instruction information indicating whether or not to compare
The docking station
If the connection is not approved, another device-specific identifier
The docking station sends instructing information to the docking station, and the docking station includes, among the device-specific identifiers of a plurality of computers that are held by the docking station and that approve the connection with the docking station .
The device unique identifier indicated by the instruction information
When, a device-specific identifier sent from said computer ratio
Then, only when the two match, the connection is approved for the computer.

[0007]

[0008]

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a computer system embodying the present invention. A computer (PC) 101 such as a notebook-type personal computer, a docking station (DS) 102, and signals for connecting the two are provided. And a line 103.

The computer 101 has a CPU (central processing unit).
104, a main memory 105, a display device 106 such as a liquid crystal display, and an input device 107 such as a keyboard.
And a ROM (read only memory) 108.

When connecting the computer 101 and the docking station 102, the main memory 105 stores an operating system including a program for performing the processing shown in the flowchart of FIG.

The ROM 108 is a non-erasable and rewritable memory composed of a plurality of word cells each having an address, and a device-specific identifier unique to the computer 101 is registered at the time of production. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of the ROM 108. In this embodiment, the device unique identifier “aabbccdd” of the computer 101 is registered at the address i.

The docking station 102 includes a secondary storage device 109 such as a magnetic disk device, an input device 110 such as a keyboard, an output device 111 such as a printer,
An OM 112 and a comparison circuit 113 are provided.

In the ROM 112, device-specific identifiers of a plurality of computers that approve connection with the docking station 102 are registered. FIG. 4 shows an example of the contents of the ROM 112.
FIG.
Connection to docking station 102
The device unique identifiers of the n computers that approve
I have.

When the power of the docking station 102 is turned on, the comparison circuit 113 starts supplying a reset signal to the secondary storage device 109, the input device 110, and the output device 111. And then, Calculator 1
01, the device unique identifier , the address of the ROM 112, and the transmitted device unique identifier and RO.
M112 is compared with the device unique identifier registered in the above address , and only when both match, the supply of the reset signal is stopped, and the secondary storage device 109 and the input device 11 are stopped.
0, make the output device 111 usable from the computer 101.

The operation of this embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0018]

[0019]

[0020]

[0021]

[0022]

[0023]

[0024]

[0025]

[0026]

[0027]

[0028]

The computer 101 user, when using the docking station 102, along with connecting the calculation unit 101 and the docking station 102 by a signal line 103 turns on the power of the docking station 102.

When the power is turned on, the comparison circuit 113 in the docking station 102
9. The supply of the reset signal to the input device 110 and the output device 111 is started so that the computer 101 cannot use them.

When the computer 101 and the docking station 102 are connected by the signal line 103, the CPU 104 of the computer 101 performs the processing shown in the flowchart of FIG. 2 according to the operating system stored in the main memory 105.

First, the CPU 104 reads the device unique identifier "aabbccdd" of the computer 101 registered at the predetermined address i in the ROM 108 (S11).

Thereafter, the CPU 104 stores the read device unique identifier “aabbccdd”, information indicating the address “j” (in this case, address “0”) of the ROM 112, and the address indicating the comparison circuit 113 of the transmission destination. The signal is sent to the docking station 102 via the signal line 103 (S12, S13).

The comparison circuit 113 in the docking station 102 includes a device-specific identifier “aabbccdd”
When the information indicating the address “0” of the ROM 112 is sent, the device unique identifier registered at the address “0” of the ROM 112 is read. In this example, the ROM 11
2 is as shown in FIG. 5, the comparison circuit 113 sets “abcdefgh” as the device-specific identifier.
Will be read. After that, the comparison circuit 113
The device unique identifier “abcde” read from the OM 112
fgh ”and the device unique identifier“ aabbccdd ”sent from the computer 101 are compared. In this case, since the comparison does not match, the comparison circuit 113 continues to output the reset signal.

The CPU 104 in the computer 101 executes S13
After the processing of (1), it is checked whether or not the reset by the comparison circuit 113 has been released (S14). At this time, since the reset has not been released (NO in S14), CP
U104 includes a device unique identifier “aabbccdd”,
The next address “1” of the ROM 112 and the comparison circuit 113
Is sent to the docking station 102 (S16, S17, S13).

Thus, the docking station 10
The comparison circuit 113 in 2 reads the device unique identifier “aabbccdd” from the address “1” in the ROM 112 and compares it with the device unique identifier “aabbccdd” sent from the computer 101. In this case, the comparison matches, so the comparison circuit 113 uses the secondary storage device 109,
The supply of the reset signal to the input device 110 and the output device 111 is stopped, and the computer 101 can use them.

As a result, the reset for the secondary storage device 109, the input device 110, and the output device 111 is released (S14: Yes), and the CPU 104 displays on the display device 106 that the connection is approved (S15). ).

In the above example, the computer 1 is stored in the ROM 112.
01 is registered, the connection with the docking station 102 is approved. However, if the device unique identifier of the computer 101 is not registered in the ROM 112, the device unique identifier is registered. Addresses "0" to "n-1"
Is sent to the docking station 102 (Yes in S17), the reset is not released.
Sounds a warning buzzer and notifies the user that the connection has not been approved (S18).

In the above embodiment, the computer 1
01 to the docking station 102 to the computer 101
When the device unique identifier is transmitted, information indicating the address of the ROM 112 in which the device unique identifier to be compared with the device unique identifier is registered is also transmitted, thereby indicating the address at which the device unique identifier to be compared is registered. However, it is also possible to do the following.

The comparison circuit 113 is given n addresses (for example, addresses “k” to “k + n−1”),
When sending the device unique identifier of the computer 101 from the computer 101 to the docking station 102, the device unique identifier is sent to one of the n addresses. In the comparison circuit 113, the address is, for example, “k”.
In this case, the device unique identifier registered at the address “0” in the ROM 112 is compared with the transmitted device unique identifier. When the address is “k + X”, the address “X Is compared with the transmitted device unique identifier. Then, in the case of a comparison match, the comparison circuit 113 stops supplying the reset signal.

The following can also be performed. The device unique identifier of the computer 101 is sent from the computer 101 to the docking station 102 only once, and the docking station 102 searches the ROM 112 to determine whether the sent device unique identifier is registered in the ROM 112. Investigate and stop the supply of the reset signal only when it is registered. However, in this case, the configuration of the docking station 102 becomes complicated as compared with the above-described embodiment. Therefore, when the configuration of the docking station 102 is to be simplified, the configuration of the docking station 102 may be as in the embodiment. desirable.

[0042]

As described above, according to the present invention, in the docking station, the device unique identifier sent from the computer matches the device unique identifier of the computer that holds the connection held by itself. Only when it is determined that the connection is approved for the computer, so that even if the software on the computer is modified, it is possible to prevent the computer whose connection has not been approved from being connected to the docking station. As a result, unauthorized use of the docking station can be prevented.

Further, according to the present invention, the docking station holds a plurality of device unique identifiers of computers for which connection is approved, and if the device unique identifier held by the docking station matches the device unique identifier sent from the computer. Only when it exists, the connection to the computer is approved, so that it is possible to cope with the case where there are a plurality of computers whose connection to the docking station is to be approved.

Further, the present invention determines whether or not to approve the connection by comparing the device unique identifier indicated by the instruction information from the computer with the device unique identifier sent from the computer. Since no search processing is required, the configuration of the docking station can be simplified.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a computer system that implements the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing of a computer 101;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of a ROM 108;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of a ROM 112.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 ... Computer (PC) 102 ... Docking station (DS) 103 ... Signal line 104 ... CPU 105 ... Main memory 106 ... Display device 107 ... Input device 108 ... ROM 109 ... Secondary storage device 110 ... Input device 111 ... Output device 112 ... ROM 113 ... comparison circuit

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G06F 12/14 G06F 3/06 G06F 1/00 G06F 12/00 G06F 13/14 G06F 15/00 G06K 17 / 00 G06K 19/00

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] In a computer system comprising a computer and a docking station having a storage device and an input / output device connectable to the computer, when the computer attempts to connect its own computer to the docking station, A device unique identifier of the own computer ,
A plurality of devices held by the docking station
Instruction information indicating which of the unique identifiers to compare
Information to the docking station,
The connection is not approved by the switching station
Sends to the docking station instruction information indicating another device-specific identifier , the docking station holds in its own docking station, the device-specific identifier of a plurality of computers that approve the connection with its own docking station Inside, before
Comparing the device unique identifier indicated by the instruction information with the device unique identifier sent from the computer, and approving the connection to the computer only when both match. The connection approval method at the docking station.