Importance

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Abstract

A peripheral device--a mouse assembly--is disclosed which can be used to communicate with the processing capabilities of a computer to first establish that the user of that device is an authenticated user prior to allowing access to computer resources. The mouse incorporates left and right controlling buttons. The underside of the mouse incorporates a trackball and a recessed numeric keypad. Movement of the buttons and trackball are communicated to a computer via a first communication link connected to a first port of the computer. Security data is read from a data-containing medium and communicated to the computer via a second communication link connected to a second port of the computer. On initial power-up of the computer, the operation of the buttons and trackball are disabled. After the security data is used to grant access to the computer, the mouse buttons and trackball are enabled.

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First Claim