Patent ID: 8156331

Claim:
A method comprising: receiving at an apparatus encrypted information from a server, wherein the apparatus is operating under the control of an operating system; in a first storing step, storing the received information into a memory, wherein the apparatus is operating under the control of the operating system; in a first switching step, switching operation of the apparatus from under the control of the operating system to under the control of a BIOS, wherein the first switching step includes one of: shifting the apparatus to a suspended state; and immediately resuming the apparatus from the suspended state to under the control of the BIOS; and permitting the apparatus to perform hibernation; and immediately resuming the apparatus from the hibernation to under the control of the BIOS; decrypting, at the apparatus, the information stored in the memory, wherein the apparatus is operating under the control of the BIOS; generating, at the apparatus, processing information based on the information decrypted, wherein the apparatus is operating under the control of the BIOS; storing the processing information in an encrypted form in the memory, wherein the apparatus is operating under the control of the BIOS; and transferring the processing information from the apparatus to the server responsive to switching operation of the apparatus from under the control of the BIOS to under the control of the operating system.