The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 28, 2002
Filed:
Apr. 30, 1998
Michael R. Garrett, Cypress, TX (US);
Randall L. Hess, Cypress, TX (US);
Chi W. So, Houston, TX (US);
Mohammed Anwar Ramiz, Houston, TX (US);
Compaq Computer Corporation, Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
A computer system provides a unified password prompt for accepting a user power-on password or an administrator password. A password string entered by the system administrator at the unified password prompt is compared with a stored power-on password. If the user password string matches the stored power-on password, then access to system resources is granted. If the user password string does not match the stored power-on password, then the user password string is compared to a stored administrator password. If the user password string matches the stored administrative password, then access to system resources is granted. If the user password string does not match the stored administrative password, then the system administrator is given a predetermined number of times to enter a password string matching either the stored power-on password or the stored administrator password. If a password string matching either the stored power-on password or the stored administrator password is not provided in the predetermined number of times, access to system resources is denied. The unified password prompt does not require a system administrator to know a user's power-on password in order to access system resources. The unified password prompt also permits a system administrator to configure a plurality of computer systems by providing a single administrative password rather than a plurality of user power-on passwords.