Abstract: There is a need for law enforcement officials to examine the contents of long-term storage devices, such as hard drives. This includes even hard drives that are part of video game systems, such as Microsoft's Xbox. The hard drive on an Xbox is password protected or “locked”, making examination time consuming, as the password has to be “cracked”. However, upon the Xbox being powered up, the Xbox unlocks its drive. The present invention makes use of this feature and teaches systems and methods of allowing the Xbox (and similar devices) to unlock their drives, and then switching control of the drive to a second host.

Abstract: The present novel Game System is directed toward inserting a player into a virtual world, where the player's real world actions, articulated movements, activities and skills determine what actions and activities his Avatar in the virtual world does. Conversely, experiences of the Avatar in the Virtual World are translated back into the real world as feedback. The critical observation is: the contestants undergo the physical challenge of an epic adventure with none of the dangers. For example, the present Game System is able to simulate the physical challenge of a jungle adventure without biting insects, poisonous snakes, leaches, anacondas and piranhas, not to mention the enormous expense a real jungle adventure would entail. Our current invention teaches a Multi-player Virtual World Game suitable for reality TV and/or location based entertainment. The present Game System is a unique combination of elements consisting of: 1. Motion Capturing of contestants, 2. Two-way interaction with the virtual world, 3.

Abstract: The current invention is a blocking device that provides read and write protection for computer long-term storage devices, such as hard drives. The blocking device is placed between a host computer and the storage device. The blocking device intercepts communications between the host and the storage device and examines commands from the host to the storage device. Certain commands, such as commands that may modify the storage device, may be discarded. The current invention enables multiple host computers to communicate to the blocking device. The current invention selectively blocks only specified host computers.

Abstract: A protection device provides write-once, read many capabilities for computer long-term storage devices, such as hard drives. The blocking device is placed between a host computer and a storage device. The blocking device intercepts communications between the host and the storage device and examines any commands from the host to the storage device. Certain commands, such as commands that may modify the storage device, may be discarded. Additionally, commands that may modify the state of previously written storage areas on the storage device may be discarded.

Abstract: An application specific device for erasing data from a long-term storage device includes a power supply, a control circuit, and an interface to the storage device. The control circuit controls the long-term storage device to irretrievably remove data from the storage device. The storage device may be, for example, a hard disk drive or compact flash memory. The application specific device is physically small, is operating system independent, and has simple interface that is useable by non-computer professionals.

Abstract: A Simple Device for creating exact copies of computer long-term memory devices such as hard drives and compact flash memory. Our current invention is a stand-alone device. A user connects a long-term memory device he desires to make a copy of (source) to our device. The user also connects a long-term memory device to receive this copy (destination). Our device contains logic and circuitry, which perform operations on both the source and destination device to make an exact copy of the Source Data to the Destination Device, while protecting the Source device from any changes. Our device has a very simple user interface. This simplified user interface makes it difficult and unlikely to use our device incorrectly.

Abstract: A restoring device provides a means to reset data in a computer long-term storage device's controller, such as hard drives. There is a need to, on occasion, change information on a device's controller. For example to access data on long-term storage devices such as hard drives that is hidden. Accessing this hidden data involves making a change to a device's controller. There is an addition requirement, on occasion, to reset the device's controller to its original state. Our current invention has systems and methods to restore a long-term storage device controller to a previous state.

Abstract: An improved air circulation control device for circulation fans, such as attic and greenhouse fans, to increase their efficiency. The current invention includes a self-contained system consisting of: a power delivery device, battery, temperature sensors, humidity sensors, fan system, and computational control system (CCS). The power delivery system (such as a solar collector device) produces electrical power. The invention uses this electrical power to charge the battery. The CCS monitors the temperature and humidity of the enclosed area and the charge status of the battery, and determines when to operate the fan and at what speed. The CCS also stores historical data, and in a further embodiment, can be tied into a weather predicting system to plan ahead for the collection and use of electrical energy in the system to evacuate warm air, or reverse the process to bring warm air from the outside into the enclosed area on a cold day.

Abstract: An improved high-speed password attacking device for finding the password of a long-term storage device includes a power supply, a control circuit, and an interface to the storage device. The control circuit submits potential passwords to the long-term storage device, resetting it as necessary. The storage device may be, for example, a hard disk drive or compact flash memory. The application specific device is physically small, is operating system independent, and has simple interface that is useable by non-computer professionals.

Abstract: An improved comparing device for comparing computer long-term memory devices such as hard drives and compact flash memory, to determine if they are exact copies. Our current invention is a stand-alone device. A user connects long-term memory devices he desires to compare to our device. Our device contains logic and circuitry that perform operations on these devices to determine if they are exact copies, including “hidden” areas, while protecting the devices from any changes. Our device has a very simple user interface. This simplified user interface makes it difficult and unlikely to use our device incorrectly.

Abstract: A testing device to test how computer systems interact with computer long-term storage devices, such as hard drives. The testing device is placed between a host computer and the storage device. The testing device intercepts communications between the host and the storage device and examines any commands from the host to the storage device. The testing device may respond to an Information ID request from the host with predetermined data, not the storage device's actual data. The testing device may respond to a read or write command to a specific sector with an error message from a predetermined list of sectors and errors.

Abstract: Systems and methods for wagering on personal information, such as birth days, anniversaries, phone numbers, state of birth, license plate numbers, etc. The preferred embodiment is a slot machine. The slot machines have different numbers of reels and different reel symbols depending upon the type of personal information being wagered on. A player selects personal information to wager upon. A player may wager on one or multiplies of like personal information. For example, a player may wish to wager on the birthdays of her three children. Systems and methods for calculating payoff odds for the different games are disclosed. In addition, other wagering games are disclosed.

Abstract: Our current invention provides a means to have full access to a long-term storage device attached to a tailgate device. A tailgate device is a device which bridges between different drive interfaces, see FIG. 1. Different interfaces may not have identical command sets. For example the USB command set does not support the IDE HPA command. Therefore a host may not be able to issue commands to have full access to a long-term storage device connected to a tailgate device. Our current invention overcomes this restriction in numerous ways. Referring to FIG. 1, the host may issue encoded commands to the tailgate device. The tailgate device decodes these commands and subsequently issues them to the storage device. For example, if interface “a” is a USB interface and interface “b” an IDE interface, the host may issue an encoded HPA command, which is not supported by the USB protocol.

Abstract: A blocking device provides read and write protection for computer long-term storage devices, such as hard drives. The blocking device is placed between a host computer and the storage device. The blocking device intercepts communications between the host and the storage device and examines any commands from the host to the storage device. Certain commands, such as commands that may modify the storage device, may be discarded.

Abstract: Our current invention is an improvement of our pending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/961417. As previously disclosed, the blocking device (203) provides read and write protection for computer long-term storage devices (205), such as hard drives. The blocking device is placed between a host computer (201) and the storage device (205). The blocking device (203) intercepts communications between the host (201) and the storage device (205) and examines any commands from the host to the storage device. Certain commands, such as commands that may modify the storage device, may be discarded.

Abstract: A restoring device provides a means to reset data in a computer long-term storage device's controller, such as hard drives. There is a need to, on occasion, change information on a device's controller. For example to access data on long-term storage devices such as hard drives that is hidden. Accessing this hidden data involves making a change to a device's controller. There is an addition requirement, on occasion, to reset the device's controller to its original state. Our current invention has systems and methods to restore a long-term storage device controller to a previous state.

Abstract: A Simple Device for creating exact copies of computer long-term memory devices such as hard drives and compact flash memory. Our current invention is a stand-alone device. A user connects a long-term memory device he desires to make a copy of (source) to our device. The user also connects a long-term memory device to receive this copy (destination). Our device contains logic and circuitry, which perform operations on both the source and destination device to make an exact copy of the Source Data to the Destination Device, while protecting the Source device from any changes. Our device has a very simple user interface. This simplified user interface makes it difficult and unlikely to use our device incorrectly.

Abstract: An application specific device for retrieving identification and capabilities information from a long-term storage device includes a power supply, a control circuit, and an interface to the storage device. The control circuit controls the long-term storage device to retrieve identification and capabilities information data from the storage device. The storage device may be, for example, a hard disk drive or compact flash memory. The application specific device is physically small, is operating system independent, and has simple interface that is useable by non-computer professionals.

Abstract: An application specific device for erasing data from a long-term storage device includes a power supply, a control circuit, and an interface to the storage device. The control circuit controls the long-term storage device to irretrievably remove data from the storage device. The storage device may be, for example, a hard disk drive or compact flash memory. The application specific device is physically small, is operating system independent, and has simple interface that is useable by non-computer professionals.

Abstract: A blocking device provides read and write protection for computer long-term storage devices, such as hard drives. The blocking device is placed between a host computer and the storage device. The blocking device intercepts communications between the host and the storage device and examines any commands from the host to the storage device. Certain commands, such as commands that may modify the storage device, may be discarded.