USB storage device and program

• US 20030225971A1
• Filed: 05/28/2003
• Published: 12/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hagiwara Solutions Co., Ltd. (Elecom Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hagiwara Systems-Com Company Limited
• Inventors: Nakamura, Kimitoshi, Miyazaki, Kaoru, Oishi, Yuji, Tokunaga, Megumi, Fujita, Naoki, Ito, Kaihei
• Granted Patent: US 7,111,121 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0619 in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0632 by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0644 Management of space entities, e.g. partitions, extents, pools
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0655 Vertical data movement, i.e. input-output transfer; data movement between one or more hosts and one or more storage devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0679 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP]

Abstract

A USB storage device having the function of preventing stored software from being deleted by mistake achieved with as simple a structure as possible. In the USB storage device, the storage area is divided into an area in which execution of reading, writing and deleting is allowed and an area in which only execution of reading is allowed. Information to make a USB mass storage class driver recognize these areas as areas corresponding, respectively, to logical unit numbers defined in the SCSI command set of the USB mass storage class driver owned by the host is stored in the USB storage device. The information includes logical unit numbers, formats, writing/deleting allowed/not allowed flag, logical block numbers and physical block numbers. By this, the USB mass storage class driver recognizes the USB storage device as a SCSI device having two logical units.

Claims

1. A USB storage device capable of being attached to and detached from an external device, comprising:

storage means for storing information using a semiconductor memory;

communication means for performing communication according to the USB protocol with the external device; and

control means for executing reading, writing and deleting of the information to and from the storage means in accordance with a command received from the external device through the communication means,

wherein the control means divides the storage means into a first area and a second area, and executes reading, writing and deleting of the information to the first area in accordance with the command and executes only reading of the information to the second area in accordance with the command;

retains information to make the USB mass storage class driver recognize the first and second areas as areas corresponding to logical unit numbers defined in the SCSI command set of the USB mass storage class driver owned by the external device; and

makes the USB mass storage class driver recognize the USB storage device as a SCSI device having two logical units.

2. The USB storage device according to claim 1, further comprising printing means for performing printing in accordance with a command sent from the external device through the communication means.

3. The USB storage device according to claim 2, wherein the printing means provides a command to at least one of read, write, and delete information to and from the storage means to the control means.

4. The USB storage device according to claim 2, wherein the storage means stores application software for controlling the printing means of the US13 storage device by the external device in the second area.

5. The USB storage device according to claim 1, further comprising scanner means for reading a given object as image data in accordance with a command sent from the external device through the communication means.

6. The USB storage device according to claim 3, wherein the scanner means provides a command to at least one of read, write, and delete information to and from the storage means to the control means.

7. The USB storage device according to claim 3, wherein the storage means stores application software for controlling the scanner means of the USB storage device by the external device in the second area.

8. A program to make a computer function as controlling means of the USB storage device according to claim 1.