Patent ID: 7512804

Claim:
An apparatus for controlling access to a data storage device, the apparatus comprising: an interface module configured to receive a character sequence from a user in response to providing a password prompt to the user, the character sequence comprising a plurality of passwords received in response to a single password prompt, the plurality of passwords comprising delimiters that separate each password within said plurality of passwords, wherein the number of passwords prompted is different than the number of passwords required to gain access to the data storage device and wherein each password is configured to open a corresponding gate to gain access to the data storage device, wherein a set of gates that gate access to a databus are included in said data storage device; and wherein a storage access module opens a first databus gate corresponding to a first password without notifying an accessing party that the first password is correct; and a storage access module configured to communicate a symbol stream corresponding to the character sequence to a password-protected data storage device wherein at least one selected symbol within the symbol stream is transmitted within a specified timing window.