Abstract: A computer or other electronic device requiring physical integrity of its components, for example, a pay-per-use computer may use a master security device in communication with a plurality of slave security devices, known as security beans. Each security bean may be given a cryptographic key or keys for use in authenticating communication with the master security device. Each security bean may be coupled to an associated component and may have the ability to disable that associated component. In one embodiment, security bean has an analog switch that may be configured to block or attenuate a critical signal used by the associated component. The security bean may start up in the disable mode and respond to a verified signal from the master security device to enable its corresponding component.

Abstract: A pay-per-use computer, or other electronic device that uses local security, may use a security module or other circuit for monitoring and enforcement of a usage policy. To help prevent physical attacks on the security module, or the circuit board near the security module, a second circuit may be mounted over the security module to help prevent access to the security module. Both circuits may be mounted on a interposer and the interposer mounted to the circuit board, creating a stack including the first circuit, the interposer, the security module, and a main PC board. When the PC board includes dense signal traces under the security module a three dimensional envelope is created around the security module. When the first circuit is a high value circuit, such as a Northbridge, the risk/reward of attacking the security module is increased substantially and may deter all but the most determined hackers.

Abstract: A pay-per-use computer, or other electronic device that uses local security, may use a security module or other circuit for monitoring and enforcement of a usage policy. To help prevent physical attacks on the security module, or the circuit board near the security module, a second circuit may be mounted over the security module to help prevent access to the security module. Both circuits may be mounted on a interposer and the interposer mounted to the circuit board, creating a stack including the first circuit, the interposer, the security module, and a main PC board. When the PC board includes dense signal traces under the security module a three dimensional envelope is created around the security module. When the first circuit is a high value circuit, such as a Northbridge, the risk/reward of attacking the security module is increased substantially and may deter all but the most determined hackers.

Abstract: To protect against software piracy, a storage media has a cryptographically protected area that stores software to be installed onto a target device, such as a computer. The storage media may include a non-secure area holding boot files and an installation program. The installation program may gather target device-specific data for use by a certifying authority in generating a key that allows access to the secure area of the storage media only during the installation process. In this manner, a user never has access to the raw installation files, limiting the ability to copy and distribute those files for installation on non-authorized computers. The certifying authority may also prepare target device-specific data applied to the software before installation to create a custom software image that will only execute on the target device and that can be verified by the host OS prior to execution, allowing integrity confirmation.

Abstract: A computer or other electronic device may use a security module to securely control a system or processor clock to set a predetermined performance level. In an exemplary embodiment, the performance level may be high, medium, or low, supporting a range of application performance requirements. Changes to the performance level may be authorized by a third party presenting cryptographic rights to alter the performance level. Alternatively, postpaid ro pre-paid value may be accumulated at a rate corresponding to the predetermined performance level set by the security module.

Abstract: A computer with scalable performance level components and selectable software and service options has a user interface that allows individual performance levels to be selected. The scalable performance level components may include a processor, memory, graphics controller, etc. Software and services may include word processing, email, browsing, database access, etc. To support a pay-per-use business model, each selectable item may have a cost associated with it, allowing a user to pay for the services actually selected and that presumably correspond to the task or tasks being performed. An administrator may use a similar user interface to set performance levels for each computer in a network, allowing performance and cost to be set according to a user's requirements.

Abstract: A trust provider uses established relationships with a client device and a server of an e-commerce merchant or service provider to assure the identity of each to the other. The e-commerce merchant can request an encrypted token from the client. The client may use a trust-provider key to generate the encrypted token. The server then passes the token to the trust provider, who only accepts tokens from known, authenticated entities. The trust provider then verifies the token and returns a response to the server. The response may include a client verification for use by the server and an encrypted server verification that is forwarded by the server to the client. In this fashion, both the server and client may be authenticated without prior knowledge of each other.

Abstract: A computer or other electronic device requiring physical integrity of its components, for example, a pay-per-use computer may use a master security device in communication with a plurality of slave security devices, known as security beans. Each security bean may be given a cryptographic key or keys for use in authenticating communication with the master security device. Each security bean may be coupled to an associated component and may have the ability to disable that associated component. In one embodiment, security bean has an analog switch that may be configured to block or attenuate a critical signal used by the associated component. The security bean may start up in the disable mode and respond to a verified signal from the master security device to enable its corresponding component.

Abstract: A metered-use computer is operable in a number of states or modes to accommodate manufacture, test, operation and end-of-life. During manufacturing, a security module may be set to a non-metered mode, where no measurements are taken. At the end of the manufacturing process, the security module may be set to an active mode where metering and measurement of the computer are enforced. When terms of a purchase contract or other user agreement are satisfied, the computer may be set to a non-enforcement state where all metering and metering-related security are disabled. A one-time reset of the active mode is supported to allow end-of-line quality assurance testing.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for use in a multiprocessor system (10) having a plurality of processing nodes (P0-P3) each of which includes a local data processor (22a, 28a). The apparatus includes an interface (42) to a controller (14), the interface including a register (48) for storing a function received from the controller, such as a diagnostic function. The interface further includes circuitry (50) for providing the diagnostic function as a packet to an input terminal of a bit serial communication bus (40). The communication bus is threaded through each of the plurality of processing nodes and has an output terminal that terminates at the interface.