International Business Machines Corporation

Lenovo (singapore) Pte. Ltd.

Masahiko Nomura

Takashi Inui

Rod D Waltermann

Randall Scott Springfield

Scott Edwards Kelso

Jun Tanaka

Seiichi Kawano

Seita Horikoshi

Takashi Yanagisawa

Hideyuki Usui

Noritoshi Yoshiyama

Fumio Tamura

Hideto Horikoshi

Shinji Matsushima

David Andrew Sawin

Toshiaki Fukushima

Shinji Ohishi

Computer implemented method, system and computer program product for controlling software entitlement. A computer implemented method for controlling software entitlement includes receiving a request to install a software item on a designated machine. A determination is made if the designated machine is of a machine type authorized for installation of the software item. If the designated machine is of a machine type authorized for installation of the software item, a determination is made, using stored configuration data, if at least one additional criterion specified for entitlement to install the software item on the designated machine is satisfied using stored configuration data. If the at least one additional criterion specified for entitlement to install the software item on the designated machine is satisfied, installation of the software item on the designated machine is enabled in accordance with the at least one additional criterion.

Computer implemented method, system and computer program product for controlling software entitlement

A computer apparatus provides control for automatically switching the apparatus between various operating modes requiring varying levels of power consumption. An embedded controller determines whether or not the computer apparatus is in motion (vibration, acceleration, rotation, etc.) on the basis of acceleration information obtained through an accelerometer provided in the computer apparatus. If the computer apparatus is in motion, the embedded controller provides control so as to prevent switching between system operating modes in order to protect certain components of the apparatus from damage which might be caused by switching operating modes while in motion.

Method and apparatus for preventing the transitioning of computer system power modes while the system is in motion

A user specifies, in advance, the expansion devices which he/she does not want to remove among the expansion devices which are attachable/detachable with respect to the PC, and the specified expansion devices are excluded from a list displayed later for the user to select an expansion device to remove. Besides, whether to display expansion devices in the list is specified to an BIOS and the information referenced by the BIOS is stored in an NVRAM.

Computer device, expansion device management method, and computer program

A technique for prohibiting access to a computer having a security function when a security device is illegally removed from the computer. The security device is a hardware component that constitutes a part of a security function for a computer. When the security device is illegally removed from the computer, access to the computer is prohibited. Data indicating that the security device is attached to the computer are stored in a nonvolatile memory. Then, when a specific event, such as a power-ON event, is used as a trigger, the procedure for prohibiting the access to the computer is initiated. Following this, based on the data stored in the memory, it is detected that the security device was once attached to the computer and that it has now been removed. If currently the security device is not attached to the computer, although it was attached before, the access to the computer is prohibited.

Computer with security function and method therefor

To provide an expansion unit that implements a WOL (Wake-On-LAN) security function at a low cost in a multi-user environment wherein one expansion unit is used in common by an unspecified number of notebook PCs. An expansion unit includes a LAN adapter having WOL function for connection to a LAN. Since power is constantly supplied to the LAN adapter by an auxiliary power source, the LAN adapter asserts a WOL signal in response to the receipt through the LAN of a wake-up packet. Since a WOL status register and a logic circuit are provided for the expansion unit, network security is ensured for the information processing system. The information processing system can issue an instruction to permit or to inhibit a WOL by writing a predetermined value in the WOL status register. Upon receipt of a WOL signal from the LAN adapter, the logic circuit refers to the WOL status register. When a wake-up is permitted, the logic circuit issues a power-on operation to a notebook PC, and when a wake-up is inhibited, the logic circuit ignores the WOL signal and inhibits the WOL function.

Expansion unit for differentiating wake-up packets received in an information processing system

A memory access control apparatus, which is employed for a computer system in which an expansion memory can be installed in addition to a standard memory and which controls the access to the memory by one or more signal lines, comprises an identification circuit for reading identification data of the installed expansion memory, a determination circuit for determining the optimal output current values for the signal lines based on the identification data; and a memory controller for adjusting the output current values of the signal lines based on the results obtained by the determination means. Even when multiple types of expansion memories (DIMM cards) whose memory capacities and memory chip arrangements are different are installed, the waveforms and the timings for the output signal lines (RAS, CAS, WE, and MA) of the memory controller can be dynamically compensated for.

Method and apparatus for adjusting output current values for expansion

Growing community of inventors

Sagamihara, Japan

Masahiko Nomura