Abstract: A method and system for securing a removable module. Upon removal of the removable module from a computer system, the removable module is locked. The removable module may be locked by setting the removable operating system module to auto lock, by pressing a lock button on the removable module, or by setting a time delay, where the time delay determines the time after which the removable module locks after removing the removable module from the computer system. Upon reinsertion of the removable module, a user attempting to use the removable module is first authenticated. The user may be authenticated by the user entering a password and the system comparing the password to a list of authenticated passwords, by scanning the user's fingerprints using a fingerprints scanner or the user's retina using a retina scanner and comparing the image to a list of authenticated image signatures.

Abstract: A method and system for storing a running image of an operating system on a removable operating system module. The module is first inserted into a first computer system. The operating system is installed on the first computer, an execution of the operating system is initiated, and a running image of the operating system is saved to the nonvolatile memory unit of the removable module. The removable module is removed from the first computer system and inserted into the second computer system where the running image of the operating system is loaded to a second memory accessible by the one or more processors included in the second computer system. The operating system is then executed by the processors. A user can update the operating system by connecting to a manufacturer's website and downloading an update or by sending the removable operating system module to the manufacturer for an update.

Abstract: A method and system for hibernating the state of executing applications on a removable module and resuming the applications at later time using the saved applications' state. After inserting the removable module into a computer system, the applications' state information stored on the removable module is loaded. The application state information may include an application identifier, a file identifier of a file being accessed by the application, and user preferences related to the application. One or more software applications are loaded from a nonvolatile storage device accessible by the computer system to a memory accessible by the computer system, and the loaded applications are executed. The state of each of the executed software applications is set based upon the corresponding application state information.

Abstract: A method and a system for providing a processor to a computer system through a removable CPU module. The processor on the removable CPU module may be shared by multiple computer systems by inserting the module into different computer systems at different times. Upon insertion of the removable CPU module into the computer system, the computer system detects and identifies the module. The computer system may determine a compatibility between the processor and the operating system as well as an access address of the processor, an addressing mode of the processor, a data transfer mode of the processor, etc. The computer system then loads the operating system, informs the operating system of the processors attributes, and initiates execution of the operating system using the processor on the removable CPU module.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a running image of an operating system on a removable operating system module to multiple computer systems. The removable operating system module includes a memory unit for storing the running image of the operating system. Upon insertion of the module into a computer system, a BIOS loads the operating system from the removable operating system module and initiates the execution of the operating system. In response to a request by the user, the BIOS may resume or restart the operating system. The operating system may also discover any available local and remote devices, resume any available previously running applications, and perform tasks requested by the applications and the user. In response to a user's removal request, the state of the operating system is saved on the module and the removable operating system module is removed from the computer system.

Abstract: A method, program, and system for processing electronic receipts within a computer network are provided. The present invention comprises creating a customer profile for a user using a Smart Receipt application. When the user purchases items, electronic receipts (smart receipts) are sent from the point of sale to a designated database. The database may be on a credit card company server, the product manufacturer's server, a special cash receipts server, or a central clearing house server. When the customer wants a copy of a receipt, he or she enters search parameters which specify the desired receipt. The search parameters may include item type, date of purchase, and method of purchase. A Smart Receipt object is then initiated, which retrieves the specified electronic receipt from the appropriate database, according to the search parameters. A copy of the retrieved electronic receipt is then downloaded to a client machine (e.g. PDA, PC) designated by the customer profile.

Abstract: Controlling access to a resource, including creating a security object in dependence upon user-selected security control data types, the security object comprising security control data and at least one security method; receiving a request for access to the resource; receiving, over a randomly selected sequence of radio frequencies, security request data in at least one packet; and providing access to the resource in dependence upon the security control data and the security request data. Embodiments include encrypting the security request data; receiving a packet through a radio transceiver set to a frequency, wherein a radio frequency identification field in the packet identifies a next frequency; and setting the transceiver to receive on the next frequency. In many embodiments, a resource comprises information, and providing access to the resource includes transmitting information from the resource over a randomly selected sequence of radio frequencies.

Abstract: Controlling access to a resource, including creating a security object in dependence upon user-selected security control data types, the security object comprising security control data and at least one security method; receiving a request for access to the resource; receiving security request data; and providing access to the resource in dependence upon the security control data and the security request data, where the resource comprises information, and providing access to the resource further comprises encrypting the information. Embodiments include storing in the security object a user-selected encryption scheme. Embodiments include establishing a secret key and encrypting information from a resource with secret key encryption. Establishing a secret key is accomplished out of band or with public key encryption.

Abstract: Controlling access to a resource, including creating a security object in dependence upon user-selected security control data types, including asserting security control data as security facts into a security knowledge database and asserting security rules into the security knowledge database, the security object including security control data and at least one security method, receiving a request for access to the resource, and receiving security request data. Embodiments include asserting the security request data as security facts into the security knowledge database, and determining access to the resource in dependence upon the security facts and security rules in the security knowledge database.

Abstract: Controlling access to a resource including creating a security object in dependence upon user-selected security control data types, the security object implementing a security model, the security object comprising security control data, at least one security method, and a security event manager, including creating security event definitions; detecting a security event through the security event manager in dependence upon the security event definitions; altering the security model in dependence upon the security event. The security model comprises a combination of security control data, and altering the security model comprises altering the combination of security control data. The combination of security control data comprises a list of references to objects containing security control data. Creating a security object includes creating a security event manager associated by reference with the security object and creating security event definitions associated by reference with the security event manager.

Abstract: Controlling access to a resource, including creating a security object in dependence upon user-selected security control data types, the security object comprising security control data and security methods, wherein the security control data includes security object management security control data and the security methods include at least one security object management method; receiving a request for management access to the security object; receiving security object management security request data; and determining management access to the security object in dependence upon the security object management security control data and the security object management security request data.

Abstract: A method, program, and system for processing electronic receipts within a computer network are provided. The present invention comprises creating a customer profile for a user using a Smart Receipt application. When the user purchases items, electronic receipts (smart receipts) are sent from the point of sale to a designated database. The database may be on a credit card company server, the product manufacturer's server, a special cash receipts server, or a central clearing house server. When the customer wants a copy of a receipt, he or she enters search parameters which specify the desired receipt. The search parameters may include item type, date of purchase, and method of purchase. A Smart Receipt object is then initiated, which retrieves the specified electronic receipt from the appropriate database, according to the search parameters. A copy of the retrieved electronic receipt is then downloaded to a client machine (e.g. PDA, PC) designated by the customer profile.

Abstract: An apparatus, method and computer program product for creating and using a priced object are provided. The priced object according to the present invention may include an item identifier, offer terms for the sale of the item, an identifier of the goods/services provider that is making the offer, and authentication information for authenticating the priced object. The priced object may be generated and stored for later use by a client device when performing on-line shopping with another goods/services provider. The other goods/services provider may authenticate the priced object to verify that the priced object is not fraudulent and may then make determinations as to whether to meet or beat the terms of the offer described in the priced object. If the other goods/services provider decides to meet or beat the offer provided in the priced object, the client device may request a new priced object with the other goods/services provider's new offer terms.