Read-only storage device having network interface, a system including the device and a method of distributing files over a network

• US 10,122,792 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2014
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keicy Chung
• Original Assignee: Keicy Chung
• Inventors: Chung, Keicy
• Primary Examiner(s): Eskandarnia, Arvin
• Application Number:
  US14/537,030
• Publication Number:
  US 20150066984A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,457 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/162 Delete operations erasing in storage systems G06F3/0652
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/183 Provision of network file services by network file servers, e.g. by using NFS, CIFS network file access protocols H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4025 where none of the additional parallel sessions is real time or time sensitive, e.g. downloading a file in a parallel FTP session, initiating an email or combinational services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5682 Policies or rules for updating, deleting or replacing the stored data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A read-only storage device having network interface, a system including the device, and a method of distributing files. A computing device incorporating the storage device includes a computer processor and an interface bus communicably coupled to the computer processor. The storage device includes a device processor communicably coupled to the computer processor through the interface bus, storage means communicably coupled to the device processor, and a first network interface communicably coupling the device processor to a network. The device processor is configured to: communicate through the first network interface with only one or more predetermined servers; receive a file request from the computer processor, the computer processor directing the file request to the storage device, and the file request being for the computer processor to access a first file from the storage device; and retrieve the first file from a first of the one or more predetermined servers.

Claims

1. A computing device comprising:

a computer processor;

an interface bus communicably coupled to the computer processor; and

a storage device comprising;

a device processor communicably coupled to the computer processor through the interface bus;

storage means communicably coupled to the device processor; and

a first network interface communicably coupling the device processor to a network;

wherein the device processor is configured to;

communicate through the first network interface only with one or more predetermined servers;

receive a file request from the computer processor, the computer processor configured to direct the file request to the storage device and to make the file request for the computer processor to access a first file from the storage means;

if the first file is not stored on the storage means, retrieve the first file from a first of the one or more predetermined servers and store the first file on the storage means; and

provide the first file to the computer processor.

2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the device processor is further configured to:

provide the first file to the computer on a read-only basis.

3. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the device processor is further configured to remove one or more stored files from the storage means in accordance with a delete instruction received from the one or more predetermined servers.

4. The computing device of claim 1, further comprising a second network interface, wherein the computer processor is communicably connected to a network server through the second network interface.

5. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the computer processor is communicably connected to a network server through the first network interface.

6. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the device processor is further configured to communicate with the one or more predetermined servers using encrypted communications.

7. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the computing device is a telephone.

8. A storage device comprising:

a storage means;

a computer interface;

a network interface; and

a device processor communicably connected to each of the storage means, the computer interface, and the device interface, the computer interface communicably coupling the device processor to a computer processor, and the device processor being configured to;

communicate over a network through the network interface only with one or more predetermined servers;

receive a file request from the computer processor, the computer processor configured to direct the file request to the storage device and to make the file request for the computer processor to access a first file from the storage means;

if the first file is not stored on the storage means, retrieve the first file from a first of the one or more predetermined servers and store the first file on the storage means; and

provide the first file to the computer processor.

9. The storage device of claim 8, wherein the device processor is further configured to:

provide the first file to the computer on a read-only basis.

10. The storage device of claim 8, wherein the device processor is further configured to remove one or more stored files from the storage means in accordance with a delete instruction received from the one or more predetermined servers.

11. The storage device of claim 8, wherein network interface is configured to communicably connect the computer processor to a network server.

12. The storage device of claim 8, wherein the device processor is further configured to communicate with the one or more predetermined servers using encrypted communications.

13. A computer network comprising:

one or more first servers communicably coupled to a network;

a computing device including a computer processor;

a storage device comprising;

a device processor communicably coupled to the computer processor through the interface bus;

storage means communicably coupled to the device processor; and

a first network interface communicably coupling the device processor to the network;

wherein the device processor is configured to;

communicate through the first network interface only with the one or more first servers, the one or more first servers being predetermined;

receive a file request from the computer processor, the computer processor configured to direct the file request to the storage device and to make the file request for the computer processor to access a first file from the storage means;

if the first file is not stored on the storage means, retrieve the first file from a first of the one or more predetermined servers and store the first file on the storage means; and

provide the first file to the computer.

14. The computer network of claim 13, further comprising at least one second server communicably coupled to the network, the computer processor being communicably connected to at least one second server through a second network interface.

15. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the device processor is further configured to:

provide the first file to the computer on a read-only basis.

16. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the device processor is further configured to remove one or more stored files from the storage means in accordance with a delete instruction received from the one or more predetermined servers.

17. The computing device of claim 13, the computing device further including a second network interface, wherein the computer processor is communicably connected to at least one second server through the second network interface.

18. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the computer processor is communicably connected to at least one second server through the first network interface.

19. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the device processor is further configured to communicate with the one or more predetermined servers using encrypted communications.

20. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the computing device is a telephone.

21. A computing device comprising:

a computer processor disposed internal to the computing device;

an interface bus communicably coupled to the computer processor, the interface bus being disposed internal to the computing device and enabling communication between components internal to the computing device; and

a storage device disposed internal to the computing device, the storage device comprising;

a device processor communicably coupled to the computer processor through the interface bus;

storage means communicably coupled to the device processor; and

a first network interface communicably coupling the device processor to a network;

wherein the device processor is configured to;

communicate through the first network interface only with one or more predetermined servers;

receive a file request from the computer processor, the computer processor configured to direct the file request to the storage device and to make the file request for the computer processor to access a first file from the storage means;

if the first file is not stored on the storage means, retrieve the first file from a first of the one or more predetermined servers and store the first file on the storage means; and

provide the first file to the computer on a read-only basis.

22. A computing device comprising:

a computer processor;

an interface bus communicably coupled to the computer processor; and

a storage device comprising;

a device processor communicably coupled to the computer processor through the interface bus;

storage means communicably coupled to the device processor; and

a first network interface communicably coupling the device processor to a network;

wherein the device processor is configured to;

communicate through the first network interface only with one or more predetermined servers;

receive a file request from the computer processor, the computer processor configured to direct the file request to the device processor and to make the file request for the computer processor to access a first file from the storage means;

if the first file is not stored on the storage means, retrieve the first file from a first of the one or more predetermined servers and store the first file on the storage means; and

provide the first file to the computer on a read-only basis.