System and method for protecting a computer system from malicious software
DCFirst Claim
1. A method of operating a computer system capable of exchanging data across a network of one or more computers and 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 a first web browser process, capable of accessing data of a website via the network, 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 a second web browser process 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;
and 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 a 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 web browser 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.
115 Citations
73 Claims
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1. A method of operating a computer system capable of exchanging data across a network of one or more computers and 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 a first web browser process, capable of accessing data of a website via the network, 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 a second web browser process 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;
anddisplaying, 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 a 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 web browser 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 capable of exchanging data across a network of one or more computers via a network interface device, comprising:
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a first electronic data processor capable of executing instructions a first web browser process using the common operating system and communicatively coupled to a first memory space and a second memory space, the first web browser process capable of accessing data of a website via the network; a second electronic data processor capable of executing instructions a second web browser process using the common operating system and communicatively coupled to the a 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;
anda 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 as part of the second web browser process. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A multi-processor computer system using a common operating system capable of exchanging data across a network of one or more computers, 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;
anda 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;
to;executing instructionsexecute a first web browser process, capable of accessing data of a website via the network, 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 instructionsexecute a second web browser process 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;
anddisplaying, in a windowed format on a display terminal,display 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 thea 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 web browser process. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A portable computer 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 and access at least one website; at least a first memory space and a second memory space, the first memory space containing at least one system file; at least one electronic data processor communicatively coupled to the network interface device, the first and second memory space, and to a user interface, wherein the user interface is configured to receive input from a computer user; the at least one electronic data processor configured to execute a first web browser process, capable of accessing data of the at least one website via the network, in a first logical process within the common operating system, wherein the first logical process is capable of accessing data contained in the first memory space; the at least one electronic data processor further configured to execute a second web browser process in a second logical process within the common operating system, wherein the second logical process is capable of accessing data contained in the second memory space and is further capable of generating video data from the at least one website accessed via the network; and a video processor configured to process video data from the second web browser process for display; wherein the first web browser process is capable of opening the second web browser process and is further capable of passing data to the second web browser process; wherein further the portable computer 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, 30, 31, 58, 59)
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32. A method of operating a portable computer capable of executing instructions using a common operating system and having at least one electronic data processor communicatively coupled to a first and second memory space and to a network interface device, comprising:
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exchanging data across a network of one or more computers with the network interface device and accessing at least one website; storing at least one system file within the first memory space; executing a first web browser process, capable of accessing data of the at least one website via the network, in a first logical process within the common operating system using the at least one electronic data processor, wherein the first logical process is configured to access data contained in the first memory space; executing a second web browser process in a second logical process within the common operating system using the at least one electronic data processor, wherein the second logical process is configured to access data contained in the second memory space and is further configured to generate video data; opening the second web browser process on instruction from the first web browser process; passing data from the first web browser process to the second web browser process; and displaying website video data from the second web browser process; wherein the portable computer 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 (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 60, 61)
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44. A method of operating a portable computer capable of executing instructions using a common operating system and comprising a network interface device, at least a first memory space and a second memory space, and at least one electronic data processor communicatively coupled to the network interface device, the first and second memory space, and to a user interface, comprising:
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exchanging data across a network of one or more computers with the network interface device and accessing at least one website; storing at least one system file in the first memory space; opening a first web browser process capable of accessing data of the at least one website via the network, wherein the first web browser process is capable of accessing data contained in the first memory space; opening a second 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 for video display; and passing data from the first web browser process to the second web browser process; wherein the portable computer 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 (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 62, 63)
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64. A computer program product comprising a program code stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium operable on computer capable of executing instructions using a common operating system and having at least one electronic data processor communicatively coupled to a first and second memory space and to a network interface device configured to exchange data across a network of one or more computers and access at least one website, configured to:
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store at least one system file within the first memory space; open a first web browser process, capable of accessing data of the at least one website via the network, in a first logical process, the first logical process being configured to access data contained in the first memory space; open a second web browser process in a second logical process, the second logical process being configured to access data contained in the second memory space; and pass data from the first web browser process to 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 (65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73)
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Specification