US 7,321,977 B2
Information processing apparatus and method
Tamaki Kojima, Kanagawa (Japan)
Assigned to Sony Corporation, Tokyo (Japan)
Appl. No. 10/504,095
PCT Filed Feb. 12, 2003, PCT No. PCT/JP03/01418
§ 371(c)(1), (2), (4) Date Aug. 11, 2004,
PCT Pub. No. WO03/075137, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 12, 2003.
Claims priority of application No. 2002-057929 (JP), filed on Mar. 04, 2002.
Prior Publication US 2005/0182982 A1, Aug. 18, 2005
Int. Cl. G06F 7/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 713—500  [713/322] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An information processing apparatus that operates with a clock having a predetermined frequency, said information processing apparatus comprising:
changing means for changing the frequency of the clock;
storing means for storing information indicating whether or not change of the frequency of the clock by the changing means is permissible;
a Basic Input Output System (BIOS);
means for determining whether the BIOS has a control right for the information processing apparatus;
updating means for, when the information stored in the storing means is information indicating that the change of the frequency of the clock is not permissible and the BIOS does not have the control right, updating the information stored in the storing means into information indicating that the change of the frequency of the clock is permissible when the changing means changes the frequency of the clock; and
resetting means for resetting the information stored in the storing means to the information indicating that the change of the frequency of the clock is not permissible after the information has been updated by the updating means and after the frequency of the clock has been changed by the changing means.