Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – Specific condition
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-22
2001-10-23
Mullen, Thomas (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
Specific condition
C340S005850, C340S571000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06307470
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an antitheft apparatus, an antitheft method and a recording medium recording thereon an antitheft program for preventing personal computers (PCs) and personal digital assistants (PDAs) from being stolen.
2. Description of the Related Art
Today's compact and light PCs and PDAs are portable enough to be readily brought out of offices.
However, the memories of these PCs and PDAs may store vital confidential information for the corporation they belong to, and this implies the problem that, if a PC or a PDA storing such confidential information is illegitimately carried out of the corporate premises by an outside party, the stored confidential information may be inappropriately exploited.
In order to solve this problem, it is conceivable to have the user enter a password into the PC or PDA when turning on its power supply or when accessing a file storing confidential information.
However, it is very troublesome for the legitimate user of the PC or PDA to have to enter a password into the PC or PDA every time he or she turns on its power supply or accesses a file storing confidential information irrespective of whether the PC or PDA is used in or out of the office.
SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
Another object of the invention is to make it possible to process authorization only when a data processing apparatus that can be readily carried out of the office is actually brought out of the office.
A first data processing apparatus according to the invention comprises a setting storage means for storing instruction information that, if the data processing apparatus is moved from its usual location, an alarm should be issued; a determining means for detecting the movement of the data processing apparatus from its usual location; and an alarming means for issuing an alarm if notified by the determining means of the movement of the data processing apparatus, if the setting storage means stores the instruction information.
A second data processing apparatus according to the invention comprises a setting storage means for storing instruction information that, at the time of turning on power supply to the data processing apparatus, a password should be entered; a determining means for detecting the movement of the data processing apparatus from its usual location; and a power supply password requesting means for requesting, if the instruction information is stored in the setting storage means at the time of turning on power supply to the data processing apparatus and the determining means has detected the movement of the data processing apparatus, the user of the data processing apparatus to enter his or her password and, if the entered password is not found identical with a prescribed password, stopping the processing to start up the data processing apparatus.
A third data processing apparatus according to the invention comprises a setting storage means for storing instruction information that a password should be entered if an access to ciphered information stored in a file storage means is requested; a determining means for detecting the movement of the data processing apparatus from its usual location; and a deciphering password requesting means for requesting, if the instruction information is stored in the setting storage means at the time of receiving an access request as stated above and the determining means has detected the movement of the data processing apparatus, the user of the data processing apparatus to enter his or her password and, if the entered password is not found identical with a prescribed password, refraining from executing the requested access.
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Mullen Thomas
NEC Corporation
Young & Thompson
LandOfFree
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