Abstract:
A method for managing access authorization of peripherals of an electronic apparatus is provided. The method includes the step of: providing a data storage for storing a peripheral registry table which stores hardware IDs of the peripherals; reading the hardware ID of the peripheral when the peripheral is connected to the electronic apparatus; determining whether the hardware ID is recorded in the peripheral registry table; activating an access of the peripheral when the hardware ID is recorded in the peripheral registry table; and registering the hardware ID of the peripheral into the peripheral registry table when the hardware ID is not recorded in the peripheral registry table.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus with a peripheral access management system and method for managing access authorization of peripherals. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    In order to ensure data security of computers, data security control systems, such as setting authorizations for a user to access data stored in the computer, are adopted. The data security control systems have been implemented in software form either as part of a computer&#39;s operating system or as specific application software. However, the reliability of software implementation of data security control system can often be compromised. It is difficult to design and implement reliable and robust data security software. 
         [0005]    Therefore, what is needed is an electronic apparatus and method that provides better data security management. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    An electronic apparatus with an access authorization management function for peripherals is provided. The electronic apparatus includes a data storage, an authorized peripheral determining module, an access authorization management module, and a peripheral registering module. The data storage is for storing a peripheral registry table for recording hardware IDs of the peripherals of the electronic apparatus. The authorized peripheral determining module is for reading the hardware ID of a peripheral when the peripheral is connected to the electronic apparatus and determining whether the hardware ID is recorded in the peripheral registry table. The access authorization management module is for allowing use of the peripheral when the hardware ID is recorded in the peripheral registry table. The peripheral registering module is for registering the hardware ID of the electronic apparatus in the peripheral registry table when the hardware ID is not recorded in the peripheral registry table. 
         [0007]    Other advantages and novel features will be drawn from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the attached drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The components of the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the electronic apparatus. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout several views. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an electronic apparatus with a peripheral access management system in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart of a method for managing peripheral access authorization by the electronic apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0011]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an electronic apparatus with a peripheral access management system (hereinafter “the apparatus”) in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus includes a host  11  and a plurality of peripherals  12 . The peripherals  12  include, but are not limited to, a keyboard, a display, and a sound box. The host  11  includes a data storage  111 , a processing unit  112 , and a plurality of peripheral interfaces  113 . The peripherals  12  connect to the host  11  via the corresponding peripheral interfaces  113 . The data storage  111  includes a peripheral registry table  1111 , a host access control list (ACL)  1112 , and a peripheral ACL  1113 . The peripheral registry table  1111  is configured for recording hardware IDs (identifiers) of the peripherals  12 . The peripheral registry table  1111  includes a peripheral column and a hardware ID column. Each entry under the peripheral column records the name of the peripheral  12  that is recorded in the peripheral registry table  1111 . Each entry under the hardware ID column records corresponding hardware ID of each recorded peripheral  12 . The hardware ID is configured for identifying the peripheral  12 . 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 Peripheral Registry Table 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Peripheral 
                 Hardware ID 
               
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Keyboard 1 
                 XXXXXXX1 
               
               
                   
                 Keyboard 2 
                 XXXXXXX2 
               
               
                   
                 Mouse 1 
                 XXXXXXX3 
               
               
                   
                 Mouse 2 
                 XXXXXXX4 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0012]    The host ACL  1112  is configured for determining access authorization to the host  11  for registered users. The host ACL includes an account column and a password column. Each entry under the account column records the access accounts of each authorized user. Each entry under the password column records a corresponding password of each access account. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 Host ACL 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Account 
                 Password 
               
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 John 
                 XXXXXXX 
               
               
                   
                 Heaven 
                 XXXXXXX 
               
               
                   
                 Rose 
                 XXXXXXX 
               
               
                   
                 Sheep 
                 XXXXXXX 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0013]    The peripheral ACL  1113  is configured for recording access passwords of the peripherals  12 . The peripheral ACL includes an account column, a hardware ID column, and a password column. Each entry under the account column records the access account to the host  11  of each user and is the same as that in Host ACL  1112 . Each entry under the hardware ID column records the hardware ID of each peripheral  12  of the apparatus. Each entry under the password column records a corresponding password of each peripheral  12 . The users set the password of each peripheral  12  according to the access account. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 Peripheral ACL 
               
             
          
           
               
                 Account 
                 Hardware ID 
                 Password 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 John 
                 XXXXXXX 
                 134568 
               
               
                   
                 XXXXXXX 
                 756219 
               
               
                   
                 XXXXXXX 
                 563218 
               
               
                   
                 XXXXXXX 
                 773256 
               
               
                 Heaven 
                 . . . 
                 . . . 
               
               
                 . . . 
                 . . . 
                 . . . 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0014]    The processing unit  112  includes a peripheral connection detecting module  1121 , an authorized peripheral determining module  1122 , a peripheral registering module  1123 , an access authorization determining module  1124 , and an access authorization management module  1125 . Reference can be made to  FIG. 2  for functions implemented by these modules of the processing unit  112 . 
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart of a method for managing access authorization of the peripherals  12 . In step S 201 , the peripheral connection detecting module  1121  detects whether there is an unidentified peripheral X connected to a peripheral interface  113 . 
         [0016]    If there is a peripheral X connected to a peripheral interface  113 , in step S 202 , the authorized peripheral determining module  1122  reads the hardware ID of the peripheral X. 
         [0017]    In step S 203 , the authorized peripheral determining module  1122  searches for a match to the hardware ID of the peripheral X in the peripheral registry table  1111  to determine whether the hardware ID exists in the peripheral registry table  1111 . 
         [0018]    If the hardware ID of the peripheral does not exist in the peripheral registry table  1111 , in step S 204 , the peripheral registering module  1123  generates a dialog box to prompt the user to input their access account name and corresponding password. 
         [0019]    In step S 205 , the peripheral registering module  1123  determines whether the input access account exists in the host ACL  1112 . If the input access account exists in the host ACL  1112 , the peripheral registering module  1123  further determines whether the input password matches the password corresponding to that access account in the host ACL  1112 . 
         [0020]    If the input access account does not exist in the host ACL  1112  or the input password of the user does not match the corresponding password of the access account in the host ACL  1112 , in step S 206 , the peripheral registering module  1123  informs the user that the account does not exist or the password is incorrect and the access authorization management module  1125  prohibits access to or of the peripheral X. The way of prohibiting access to or of peripherals may differ according to the type of peripheral. For example, if the peripheral X is a display, the access authorization management module  1125  controls the display to display in a black screen form and a dialog box prompting the user to input a password. If the peripheral X is a keyboard, the access authorization management module  1125  only accepts a correct password input through the keyboard and nothing else. If the peripheral X is a mouse or sound box, the access authorization management module  1125  prohibits the corresponding peripheral interface  113  to transmit data. However, it should be noted that the way of prohibiting access of or to a peripheral X is not limited to the description described above. 
         [0021]    If the input access account exists in the host ACL  1112  and the input password of the user matches the corresponding password of the access account in the host ACL  1112 , In step S 207 , the peripheral registering module  1123  prompts the user to register the hardware ID of the peripheral X. If the user does not choose to register the hardware ID of the peripheral X, the procedure goes to step S 206 . 
         [0022]    If the user chooses to register the hardware ID of the peripheral X, in step S 208 , the peripheral registering module  1123  registers the hardware ID of the peripheral X in the peripheral register table  1111  and sets an access password for the peripheral X, which becomes an identified peripheral  12 , corresponding to the access account in the Peripheral ACL  1113 . 
         [0023]    In step S 209 , the access authorization management module  1125  activates access to or of the peripheral  12 . 
         [0024]    If the authorized peripheral determining module  1122  determines that the hardware ID of the peripheral exists in the peripheral registry table  1111  by step S 203 , in step S 210 , the access authorization determining module  1124  generates a dialog box to prompt the user input the access account and access password of the now identified peripheral  12 . 
         [0025]    In step S 211 , the access authorization determining module  1124  determines whether the input access account and password of the user matches the access account and password corresponding to the hardware ID in the Peripheral ACL  1113 . If the input access account and password of the user matches the access account and password corresponding to the hardware ID in the Peripheral ACL  1113 , the procedure goes to step S 209 . 
         [0026]    If the input access account and password of the user does not match the access account and password corresponding to the hardware ID in the Peripheral ACL  1113 , in step S 212 , the access authorization determining module  1124  informs the user that the input password is wrong, and the access authorization management module  1125  prohibits access to or of the peripheral  12 . 
         [0027]    Although the present invention has been specifically described on the basis of preferred embodiments, the invention is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various changes or modifications may be made to the embodiment without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.