System and method for protecting a computer system from malicious software
DCFirst Claim
1. A method of operating a computer system having at least a first and second electronic data processor capable of executing instructions using a common operating system, comprising the steps of:
- executing instructions in a first logical process within the common operating system using the first electronic data processor, wherein the first logical process is capable of accessing data contained in a first memory space and a second memory space;
executing instructions in a second logical process within the common operating system using the second electronic data processor, wherein the second logical process is capable of accessing data contained in the second memory space, the second logical process being further capable of exchanging data across a network of one or more computers;
displaying, in a windowed format on a display terminal, data from the first logical process and the second logical process, wherein a video processor is adapted to combine data from the first and second logical processes and transmit the combined data to the display terminal;
wherein the computer system is configured such that the second electronic data processor is operating in a protected mode and data residing on the first memory space is protected from corruption by a malware process downloaded from the network and executing as part of the second logical process.
3 Assignments
Litigations
2 Petitions
Reexamination
Accused Products
Abstract
In a computer system, a first electronic data processor is communicatively coupled to a first memory space and a second memory space. A second electronic data processor is communicatively coupled the second memory space and to a network interface device. The second electronic data processor is capable of exchanging data across a network of one or more computers via the network interface device. A video processor is adapted to combine video data from the first and second electronic data processors and transmit the combined video data to a display terminal for displaying the combined video data in a windowed format. The computer system is configured such that a malware program downloaded from the network and executing on the second electronic data processor is incapable of initiating access to the first memory space.
116 Citations
71 Claims
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1. A method of operating a computer system having at least a first and second electronic data processor capable of executing instructions using a common operating system, comprising the steps of:
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executing instructions in a first logical process within the common operating system using the first electronic data processor, wherein the first logical process is capable of accessing data contained in a first memory space and a second memory space; executing instructions in a second logical process within the common operating system using the second electronic data processor, wherein the second logical process is capable of accessing data contained in the second memory space, the second logical process being further capable of exchanging data across a network of one or more computers; displaying, in a windowed format on a display terminal, data from the first logical process and the second logical process, wherein a video processor is adapted to combine data from the first and second logical processes and transmit the combined data to the display terminal; wherein the computer system is configured such that the second electronic data processor is operating in a protected mode and data residing on the first memory space is protected from corruption by a malware process downloaded from the network and executing as part of the second logical process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A multi-processor computer system using a common operating system, comprising:
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a first electronic data processor capable of executing instructions using the common operating system and communicatively coupled to a first memory space and a second memory space; a second electronic data processor capable of executing instructions using the common operating system and communicatively coupled to the second memory space and to a network interface device, wherein the second electronic data processor is capable of exchanging data across a network of one or more computers via the network interface device; a video processor adapted to combine video data from the first and second electronic data processors and transmit the combined video data to a display terminal for displaying the combined video data in a windowed format; wherein the computer system is configured such that the second electronic data processor is operating in a protected mode and data residing on the first memory space is protected from corruption by a malware process downloaded from the network and executing on the second electronic data processor. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A multi-processor computer system using a common operating system, comprising:
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at least a first and second electronic data processor capable of executing instructions using the common operating system; at least a first and second memory space; a video processor; wherein the first and second electronic data processors, first and second memory space, and video processor are configured for performing the steps of; executing instructions in a first logical process with the first electronic data processor, wherein the first logical process is executing within the common operating system and is capable of accessing data contained in the first memory space and the second memory space; executing instructions in a second logical process with the second electronic data processor, wherein the second logical process is executing within the common operating system and is capable of accessing data contained in the second memory space, the second logical process being further capable of exchanging data across a network of one or more computers; displaying, in a windowed format on a display terminal, data from the first logical process and the second logical process, wherein the video processor is adapted to combine data from the first and second logical processes and transmit the combined data to the display terminal; wherein the computer system is configured such that the second electronic data processor is operating in a protected mode and data residing on the first memory space is protected from corruption by a malware process downloaded from the network and executing as part of the second logical process. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A portable computing and communication device capable of executing instructions using a common operating system, comprising:
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a network interface device configured to exchange data across a network of one or more computers using a wireless connection; an intelligent cellular telephone capability with a secure web browser including a first web browser process and a second web browser process; at least a first memory space and a second memory space, the first memory space containing at least one system file; and at least one electronic data processor communicatively coupled to the network interface device and to the first and second memory space; the at least one electronic data processor configured to execute the first web browser process within the common operating system, wherein the first web browser process is capable of accessing data of a website via the network, accessing data contained in the first memory space and is further capable of initializing the second web browser process; the at least one electronic data processor further configured to execute the second web browser process within the common operating system, wherein the second web browser process is capable of accessing data contained in the second memory space and is further capable of generating data; the at least one electronic data processor further configured to pass data from the first web browser process to the second web browser process; wherein the portable computing and communication device is configured such that the at least one system file residing on the first memory space is protected from corruption by a malware process downloaded from the network and executing within the second web browser process. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 56, 57, 60, 61, 66, 67)
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30. A method of operating a portable computing and communication device capable of executing instructions using a common operating system, comprising:
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exchanging data across a network of one or more computers with a network interface device using a wireless connection; providing an intelligent cellular telephone capability with a secure web browser including a first web browser process and a second web browser process; storing at least one system file within a first memory space; executing the first web browser process within the common operating system using at least one electronic data processor, wherein the first web browser process is configured to access data of a website via the network, access data contained in the first memory space and is further configured to initialize the second web browser process; executing the second web browser process within the common operating system using the at least one electronic data processor, wherein the second web browser process is configured to access data contained in the second memory space and is capable of generating data; passing data from the first web browser process to the second web browser process; and displaying data from the second web browser process; wherein the portable computing and communication device is configured such that the at least one system file residing on the first memory space is protected from corruption by a malware process downloaded from the network and executing as part of the second web browser process. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 58, 59, 62, 63, 68, 69)
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41. A computer program product comprising a program code stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium operable on a portable computer and communication device capable of executing instructions using a common operating system and having at least one electronic data processor communicatively coupled to a first memory space with at least one system file and a second memory space, the portable computer and communication device including a network interface device configured to exchange data across a network of one or more computers using a wireless connection, and an intelligent cellular telephone capability with a secure web browser including a first web browser process and a second web browser process, configured to:
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open the first web browser process within the common operating system, wherein the first web browser process is capable of accessing data of a website via the network and accessing data contained in the first memory space; open the second web browser process within the common operating system on command from the first web browser process, wherein the second web browser process is capable of accessing data contained in the second memory space and is further capable of generating data; pass data from the first web browser process to the second web browser process; and process data from the second web browser process; wherein the at least one system file residing on the first memory space is protected from corruption by a malware process downloaded from the network and executing as part of the second web browser process. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 64, 65, 70, 71)
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Specification