Abstract: A system and method that marks whenever a sector on a hard drive is altered. A protected archive bit is maintained for each sector on the hard drive in a secured fashion. Authenticated requests are able to reset the protected archive bit. When a file is changed, the hard drive marks the sectors of the program that have been altered. When the virus protection application executes, it retrieves the sectors that have been altered, identifies the files that correspond to such sectors, and scans the identified files. If a virus has attacked the computer and attached itself to one of the files, the file is identified and scanned and the virus is discovered with appropriate eradication actions performed. An authentication scheme is assigned to a hard drive with a secret that is shared between the drive and the virus protection program and stored in a secure location.

Abstract: A method for adjusting failover intervals in a computer network is provided. In one embodiment of the present invention transport protocol requests are sent to a backup server, receiving response messages from the server, and then the rate of transport protocol requests is adjusted according to the response messages.

Abstract: A system includes a processor that separates an email message into a public message component and at least one private message component and memory for storing the public message component and the at least one private message component. The email message includes a public message block having a public message for a plurality of public recipients and at least one private message block having a private message for at least one private message recipient, and the at least one private message recipient is a subset of the plurality of public recipients. The public message component includes the public message from the public message block and the private message includes the public message and the at least one private message from the public message block and the private message block.

Abstract: A system and method for authenticating suspect code includes steps of: receiving the suspect code for a first instance of a trusted platform module; loading the suspect code into a trusted platform module device operatively associated with a processor, wherein the suspect code is loaded outside of a shielded location within the trusted platform module device; retrieving a validation public key from a table and storing it in a register in the trusted platform module device, the validation public key indexed by the suspect code; and retrieving a hash algorithm from the table, the hash algorithm indexed by the suspect code. The hash algorithm is run to derive a first hash value; then, using the validation public key, the second hash value is decrypted to derive a second decrypted hash value. The two hash values are compared; and upon determining a match, the suspect code is loaded into the shielded location of the processor for execution by the processor.

Abstract: A method and structure for positioning the cursor on a computer which uses a touch pad for cursor control wherein a cursor jumps from one point to another point on the screen without being in between, and wherein a cursor is displayed and a touchpad is connected to the screen, comprising the steps of: associating a coordinate system on the touchpad with a coordinate system on said screen to generate locations on the screen corresponding to given locations on the touchpad; causing the setting of time and pressure on the touchpad for a valid response; causing the determination of an average point with reference to a finger on the touchpad and, thus, a point on the screen for movement of the cursor to the point responsive to the set pressure and time on a given location on the touchpad.

Abstract: A mounting device for computer peripheral equipment. Preferably included are two spring arms, friction boots mounted on the ends of the spring arms, a non-skid pad and a rotating platform. The rotating platform ensures that the non-skid pad can be positioned between a first position, where the pad and friction boots cooperate to grip computer display bezels over a first range of bezel thicknesses and a second position, where the pad and friction boots cooperated to grip computer display bezels over a second range of bezel thicknesses. Also, the pad and friction boots are preferably dimensioned so as to render the entire mounting device self-standing when desired.

Abstract: A data processing system capable of specifying impeding factors that impede power savings is disclosed. The data processing system includes a central processing unit, an operation mode detection unit, and an impeding factors specifying unit. The central processing unit has multiple operation modes, and each of the operation modes has a different rate of power consumption. The operation mode detection unit detects an operation mode of the central processing unit. Based on a history of operation modes of the central processing unit that was detected by the operation mode detection unit, the impeding factors specifying unit specifies a device that is considered as an impeding factor to power savings for the data processing system.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for managing versioning data for memory segments. Responsive to a request from a requester to allocate a memory segment, the memory segment is allocated. A versioning data structure is created for the memory segment. The versioning data structure is used to store changes in data for the memory segment, and the memory segment includes a pointer to the versioning data structure. When a change in the data is detected for the memory segment, wherein the change in the data forms the delta data. Responsive to detecting the change in the data for the memory segment, the delta data is stored in the versioning data structure, wherein the versioning data structure is used to return the data in the memory segment to a prior state.

Abstract: A method for providing an image of software installed on a computer system is disclosed. The method includes the steps of deconstructing the image into at least one portion and creating at least one module from the at least one portion of the image. The deconstructing step can include the steps of scanning an image and identifying at least one portion of the image to be modularized. The creating step can include the steps of extracting the at least one portion of the image identified to be modularized, generating at least one module from the extracted portion of the image. The modules that are created in accordance with the present invention can be formatted for use in a new image or part of a new image to be used with a software program such as with a hardware-independent imaging tool. Further, the modules can be used with hardware-independent technologies.

Abstract: Access to secure data through a portable computing system is provided only when a timer within the system is running. The timer is reset with the portable system connected to a base system, either directly, as by a cable, or indirectly, as through a telephone network. In an initialization process, the portable and base systems exchange data, such as public cryptographic keys, which are later used to confirm that the portable system is connected to the same base system. In one embodiment, the initialization process also includes storing a password transmitted from the portable system within the base system, with this password later being required within the reset process.

Abstract: A system and method for concurrent WLAN and WPAN wireless modes from a single device is presented. A client uses a Wi-Fi device's infrastructure mode to communicate in a WLAN environment and, during idle WLAN times, uses the Wi-Fi device's adhoc mode to communicate in a WPAN environment. The Wi-Fi device uses a watchdog timer to switch between infrastructure mode and adhoc mode. When the client's Wi-Fi device switches to infrastructure mode, the client's Wi-Fi device uses an infrastructure register and an infrastructure device driver to transfer data over the WLAN environment. Likewise, when the client's Wi-Fi device switches to adhoc mode, the client's Wi-Fi device uses an adhoc register and an adhoc device driver to transfer data over the WLAN environment. The client uses a code shim to act as a virtual device driver at times when either the infrastructure device driver or the adhoc device driver is inactive.

Abstract: Methods and devices for securely providing personalities to reconfigurable hardware. Reconfigurable hardware is provided with one or more domains. At least one domain serves as a gatekeeper domain and another domain serves as a task domain. A service provider provides an authentication and security personality to the gatekeeper domain. The hardware is shipped to the user. A user then accesses the service provider via a network connection and downloads a task personality into the task domain, but only if the personality in the gatekeeper domain allows the download to take place. Once the task personality completes a task, the user may download another task personality into the task domain, if permitted by the personality loaded in the gatekeeper domain. The domains and personalities are managed and made available by the service provider.

Abstract: A device that requires a regulatory label includes a label affixed to a surface of the device and a marking mechanism in the device that detects a configuration setting associated with the device and alters a portion of the label based on the configuration setting such that the label indicates information related to the configuration setting of the device.

Abstract: An ergonomic computer mouse has an arcuate top surface, a front end, a rear end, and left and right sidewalls. The top surface has a circular side view profile that extends from the front end to the rear end and is contiguous with finger buttons on the mouse. The surface of the left or thumb sidewall is uniquely contoured for the left side of the user's hand and thumb. A large thumb ball support protrudes from the rear half of the left sidewall at an incline. The thumb ball support and rear end have a circular shape when viewed from above. The left sidewall also has a concave thumb channel for the thumb of the user. An elongated thumb button is located above the thumb channel in order to avoid accidental thumb button actuations. The mouse also has a pair of finger buttons and a scroll tab at the front of its top surface. Each of these features on the mouse are ergonomically designed to conform to the natural shapes and positions of the user's hand during use.

Abstract: For communication between a display device and a processing apparatus (host), two connection modes are prepared, a wired connection mode, for communication along a wired connection path, and a wireless connection mode, for communication along a wireless connection path. Before entering the wireless connection mode, the processing apparatus (host) transmits, along the wired connection path to the display device, data required for the wireless connection of the display device 50 along the wireless connection path, and data required for authentication to permit information to be accessed using the wireless connection path.

Abstract: There are provided methods and arrangements for communication in which, even in a case where an antenna that is not correctly connected is present in a wireless module provided with a plurality of antennas, high-performance data communication can be performed without using such antennas. RSSI values are detected from a plurality of receiving circuits of a wireless module, respectively, and a computer judges whether or not there is a significant difference between a first RSSI value detected from one receiving circuit and a second RSSI value detected from another receiving circuit. In a case where it is judged that there is the significant difference, the computer recognizes that the receiving circuit from which a larger RSSI value has been detected is connected to an antenna and the receiving circuit from which a smaller RSSI value has been detected is not connected to the antenna, and the receiving circuit recognized to be unconnected to the antenna is set to operation stop.

Abstract: The loss of a computer's primary O.S. password, BIOS password, or HDD password (or even an application password) is sensed by a secondary O.S. based on a number of failed log on attempts to the affected component. The password can be reset by having the secondary O.S. generate an intermediate password automatically, verify user authorization, and then make the intermediate password available to, e.g., the primary O.S., so that the affected component can be accessed and its password reset without help desk personnel intervention.

Abstract: Power usage of computing device components is controlled in a holistic manner. The projected total power consumption for the computing device to satisfy a power consumption policy for the device is determined. Power usage of each component of the computing device is controlled in a holistic manner—i.e., balancing the power usage of the component against the power usage of other components—so that the total power usage of the computing device falls within the projected total power consumption needed to satisfy the power consumption policy. How the user is currently utilizing the computing device may be periodically detected, based at least on a power consumption distribution of the components of the computing device. A current usage model is determined based on how the user is currently utilizing the computing device. The power usage of each component of the computing device is controlled based on the current usage model.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system of accessing at least one target file in a computer system with an operating system with file locking implemented with byte-range locking. In an exemplary embodiment, the method and system include obtaining a set of handles that corresponds to a set of all files that are open in the computer system, determining within the kernel of the operating system a set of file identifiers that corresponds to the set of handles, identifying from the set of file identifiers a file identifier that corresponds to the target file, sending the identified file identifier to the kernel, initializing within the kernel file caching for the identified file identifier, and requesting within the kernel the cache manager of the operating system to obtain by using the identified file identifier a region of the target file from the file system driver of the operating system.

Abstract: An antenna unit is provided with an inverted F-type antenna element provided with a feeding point and a ground connection point, and a non-feed antenna element configured so as to resonate with the inverted F-type antenna element through electrical coupling. In addition, the antenna unit may also be provided with a ground part which is grounded to the earth and connected to the ground connection point provided on one edge of the inverted F-type antenna element, and a resonance element, one edge of which is connected to the ground part, resonated by the non-feed antenna element through electrical coupling.