JPH05119865A - Actuating system and power source turn-off system for electronic computer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To give an actuation permission only when an actuation cipher code and an input code coincide with each other by depressing a power source key, and also, depressing simultaneously a cipher key stored by a supervisor, when the supervisor actuates an electronic computer. CONSTITUTION:In an actuation cipher code registration mode, supervisor operates one arbitrary key of a keyboard 6 as an actuation cipher key, while looking at a screen of a display 12. As a result, in accordance with its cipher key, a code which a CPU 1 reads out of a main storage device 2 is stored and held in a memory 4 as an actuation cipher code. Also a power source turn-off cipher code registration, the supervisor operates other key than a power source key as a power source turn-off cipher key. In such a way, a power source turn-off cipher code is stored in the memory 4. The actuation and power source turn-off cipher codes are stored and held by a backup power source 5, even in a state that the power source is disconnected.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a technique for improving the starting method when the power is turned on and for improving the power off method in electronic calculators such as electronic notebooks and portable personal computers.

[0002]

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

The operation performed when the power is turned off will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 5. In the power key monitoring subroutine, it is determined in step S31 whether or not the power key is "OFF". Return to. If it is off, step S3
After proceeding to step 2 and notifying the OS of power-off, the process returns to the main routine. In the latter case, the OS performs necessary processing associated with power-off, and power-offs at an appropriate timing.

[0004]

In the above-described conventional power-on processing method, when the power is turned on while the power is off, the electronic computer is always started. Therefore, a third party other than the administrator may start the electronic computer without permission. In this case, the data may be intercepted, copied arbitrarily, or the data may be altered, destroyed, or lost by mistake or intentionally.

Further, there is a possibility that a third party may come to a place where the administrator is absent during the operation of the electronic computer and inadvertently turn off the power key. Also in this case, the data may be destroyed or lost.

The present invention was created in view of such circumstances, and a first object thereof is to prevent a third party other than the administrator of the computer from starting the computer without permission. Similarly, the second purpose is to prohibit the third party from turning off the power of the operating computer without permission.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A computer startup system according to the present invention comprises a nonvolatile memory for storing a code generated by pressing an arbitrary encryption key as a startup encryption code, and a power key being pressed at the same time. Means to determine whether the code generated by the depressed key matches the activation encryption code, means to prohibit activation when the two do not match, and activation only when both match And a means for permitting the above.

Further, the power-off method of the electronic computer according to the present invention is a non-volatile memory in which each individual code generated by independent depression of a plurality of cryptographic keys other than the power key is stored as a power-off cryptographic code. Sex memory,
Means for determining whether or not each of the codes generated by each key when pressing down a plurality of keys at the same time matches all the power-off encryption codes, and powering off only when all match Is provided.

[0009]

[Function] A large number of keys are present on the keyboard and touch panel of an electronic computer. Which key among them is used as the encryption key is arbitrary for the administrator and unknown to the third party. Of course, the administrator needs to remember which key is the encryption key.

According to the computer start-up method of the present invention, when the administrator attempts to start the computer, he depresses the power key and the cryptographic key he remembers at the same time. Then, the encryption code stored in the non-volatile memory in advance and the code generated by the key pressed as the encryption key will match, so the startup permission will be given and the computer will start up. become.

However, a third party normally believes that it can be activated only by turning on the power key. Therefore, when trying to start the electronic computer, only the power key is depressed. In this case, of course, the electronic computer does not start.

Even a third party who knows that the power key and the encryption key must be pressed down at the same time 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 depressed by a third party matches the encryption key is sufficiently small. Therefore, even in this case, the possibility that the electronic computer will be unexpectedly started is sufficiently low.

Next, according to the power-off method of the computer according to the present invention, when the administrator attempts to power off the computer, a plurality of ciphers remembering that the power-off needs to be depressed. Press the keys at the same time. Then, the plurality of power-off cryptographic codes stored in advance in the non-volatile memory and all the codes generated by each of the plurality of keys pressed as the cryptographic keys match, so the power-off command is issued. Given, the computer is automatically powered off.

However, a third party usually thinks that the operation ends only by turning off the power key. Even if the power key is inadvertently turned off, the power is not turned off in the case of the present invention, so an unexpected situation can be avoided. Further, even if a third person intentionally turns off the power key, the power does not turn off.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the operation ending method and power-off method of a computer according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the entire electronic 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 non-volatile memory,
5 is a backup power source 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
Is a hard disk, 11 is a liquid crystal controller, 12 is a liquid crystal display, and 13 is a bus line. ROM3
Also stores a program for loading the BOOT program and a program for determining whether the code by the input key and the encryption code match.

Next, the operation will be described.

In the activation encryption code registration mode, the administrator depresses any one key on the keyboard 6 as an activation encryption key while looking at the screen of the liquid crystal display 12. As a result, the code read from the main memory 2 by the CPU 1 corresponding to the encryption key is used as the activation encryption code D _ON and the bus line 13
It is stored and held in the non-volatile memory 4 via.

In the power-off encryption code registration mode, the administrator first pushes down any one key other than the power key as a 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 non-volatile memory 4 as the first power-off encryption code D _END1 .
Similarly, if any one of the encryption keys other than the above power key is pushed down, the code corresponding to the encryption key is non-volatile as the second power-off encryption code D _END2. The memory 4 stores and holds the data.

In this electronic computer, even when the power is off, the non-volatile memory 4 is protected by the backup power supply 5 from the above-mentioned start-up cryptographic code D _ON and the first and second power-off cryptographic codes D _END1 , It holds D _END2 .

Next, the initial operation for starting up the electronic computer from the power-off state will be described with reference to the flow chart of FIG.

With the pressing of the power key on the keyboard 6, the operation from step S1 is started. First,
In step S1, a hardware diagnosis process is performed, and in step S2, the state of the keyboard 6 is read, and the key that is pressed down at the same time as the power key is read. In step S3, it is determined whether or not the activation encryption code D _ON is set and stored in the non-volatile memory 4. If it is not set, the process skips to step S5, but if it is set, the process proceeds to step S4.

In step S4, it is determined whether or not the code D _IN generated by the key that is pressed down at the same time as the power key coincides with the activation cipher code D _ON read from the nonvolatile memory 4. If they do not match,
Prohibit startup of electronic calculators. As a result, the operation of the electronic computer is stopped, and the power is restored.

When the code D _IN matches the activation cipher code D _ON , the process proceeds to step S5, the BOOT program is read from the floppy disk 8 or the hard disk 10 and loaded in the main storage device 2, and step S
In step 6, the OS is loaded into the main storage device 2 in accordance with the operation of the BOOT program. Then, in step S7 and thereafter, the normal operation is started based on the OS.

The step S3 to step S5 is skipped when the activation encryption code D _ON is not protected.

When the process proceeds from step S4 to step S5, the administrator depresses the power-on key and the activation encryption key that he / she remembers at the same time. At this time, the electronic computer is started as intended by the operator.

From step S4, activation is prohibited only when the operator depresses only the power key, or when the power key and another key are depressed at the same time, but the key is not an encryption key for activation. is there. This is a case where a third party who is not the administrator is trying to start the computer, and in such a case the startup of the computer is prohibited, so it is possible to steal or copy the data, or by mistake or intentionally. It is possible to reliably prevent data modification, destruction, and loss.

Next, the operation when the power of the electronic 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 the depressed state is released, the OS starts the operation of the key input subroutine of FIG.

First, in step S11, the operated key is the power-off encryption key corresponding to the first or second power-off encryption code D _END1 or D _END2 set and stored in the non-volatile memory 4. To determine if. That is, the code D _IN1 generated by the operated key
Is the first or second power-off cryptographic code D _END1 , D
Determine if any of _END2 matches. If they do not match, the process skips to step S16, notifies the OS of the code of the operated key, and then returns to the main routine.

If the determination in step S11 is affirmative, that is, if the operated key is an encryption key for powering off, the process proceeds to step S12, and it is determined whether the key operation is pressing or releasing. When the key is pressed, the process proceeds to step S13, and the first flag F ₁ indicating that the first power-off encryption key is being pressed is set to "1". Next, in step S14, it is determined whether the first and second flags F ₁ and F ₂ indicating that the power-off cryptographic key is being pressed are both set to “1”, that is, two power-offs are performed. Determine if both cryptographic keys are depressed.

If neither of the two power-off cryptographic keys has been depressed, the process proceeds to step S16, the code of the depressed key is notified to the OS, and the process returns to the main routine.

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

When one power-off cryptographic key is pushed down and the other power-off cryptographic key is pushed down, 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 cryptographic code D _END1 , D _END2.
This is because the one that coincides with the code D _IN1 of the previous time coincides with another power-off code. Then, in step S13, the second flag F ₂ indicating that the second power-off encryption key is being pressed is set to "1". Next, in step S14, it is determined whether or not both the first and second flags F ₁ and F ₂ indicating that the power-off cryptographic key is being pressed are set to “1”, that is, two power-offs are performed. Determine if both cryptographic keys are depressed. In this case, since the two power-off cryptographic keys are pressed at the same time, the process proceeds to step S17, the power-off is notified to the OS, and then the process returns to the main routine. In this case, the OS
Performs the necessary processing when the power is turned off, terminates all operations of the computer at an appropriate timing, and shuts off the power.

As described above, the power of the electronic computer can be cut off only when two preset power-off encryption keys are simultaneously pressed down.
When the operator is absent while the computer is operating,
Even if a third person inadvertently or intentionally turns off the power key, the power does not turn off, so it is possible to avoid an unexpected situation such as data destruction or loss.

When the computer is started up, the activation encryption key which should be depressed simultaneously with the power key is 1
The number is not limited to one and may be two or more.
The number of power-off cryptographic keys that should be pressed down at the same time when powering off the electronic computer is not limited to two, and may be three or more.

[0038]

According to the computer booting method of the present invention, only an administrator who knows the encryption key for booting can boot the computer. That is, since a third party other than the administrator does not know the encryption key for activation,
It is extremely unlikely that a computer will be accidentally started when an administrator attempts to start it without the administrator's absence, and thus data can be stolen, copied arbitrarily, or neglected. Or, there is almost no risk that the data will be modified, destroyed, or lost by design.

Further, according to the power-off system of the computer according to the present invention, only the administrator who knows a plurality of encryption keys for power-off can turn off the power of the computer. In other words, since a third party other than the administrator does not know the multiple encryption keys for powering off, the third party who came when the administrator was absent while the computer was operating was inadvertently inadvertently used by the computer. It is possible to eliminate the risk of destroying or erasing data by turning off the power of the device without permission.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an initial operation when starting up an electronic computer in the embodiment.

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

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

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

[Explanation of Codes] 1 CPU 2 Main storage device 3 BOOT program ROM 4 Nonvolatile memory 5 Backup power supply 6 Keyboard

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Koji Nishida 1-5-9 Kudankita, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Sedan Kudan Building Kudan Business Computer Software Co., Ltd.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A non-volatile memory for storing a code generated by pressing down an arbitrary encryption key as a startup encryption code, and a code generated by a key pressed down at the same time as pressing down a power key is the startup encryption code. And a means for determining whether or not they coincide with each other, a means for prohibiting activation when the both do not coincide, and a means for permitting activation only when both coincide with each other. Startup method. 2. A non-volatile memory for storing each of individual codes generated by independent depression of a plurality of cryptographic keys other than the power key as a power-off cryptographic code, and a plurality of keys being depressed at the same time. And a means for judging whether or not each of the codes generated by the respective keys coincides with each of the power-off encryption codes, and a means for instructing the power-off only when all of them coincide with each other. A power-off method for electronic computers, which is characterized in that