Patent ID: 7178167

Claim:
A method for preventing an unauthorized access to information equipment in addition to the use of a password comprising the steps of: storing utilization information of previous access to the information equipment along with at least one password in an electrically writeable read only memory having access controls that control access to reading and/or writing the utilization information and the password; informing a current user of the utilization information of previous accesses when the current user obtains access to the information equipment; writing utilization information of the current user's access into the electrically writeable read only memory for informing a future user of the current user's access and using the access controls to read and/or write utilization information and to block access of the current user for modification of such utilization information; and writing the utilization information when the information equipment resumes from a power saving mode, wherein the current utilization information includes one of: the number of power-on times of the information equipment; the number of resumes of the information equipment from a power saving modes; the number of activation times of the information equipment including the number of power-on times and the number of resumes from the power saving mode; the last date and time of power-on or the last date and time of power-off of the information equipment; the last date and time of shifting the information equipment to the power saving mode or the last date and time of resuming the information equipment from the power saving mode; and the total use time of the information equipment.