Data security device

• US 20040235514A1
• Filed: 01/15/2004
• Published: 11/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Data Transfer & Communications Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Data Transfer & Communications Ltd.
• Inventors: Curry, Alistair, Bloch, Stephen, Demirbasa, Saban
• Granted Patent: US 7,054,594 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/550.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/30 Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations for resetting only G06F1/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1456 Hardware arrangements for backup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/64 file transfer between terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/126 Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A method of safeguarding against loss of data stored in a portable data storage device or loss of the data storage device itself is described. A user-carried backup device having memory and a wireless communication link for communicating with the portable data storage device is provided. The backup device and the portable data storage device communicate periodically or quasi-continuously over the wireless communication link and may backup data entered into the portable data storage device and check for removal of the portable data storage device. An alarm is activated to alert a user to loss of the portable data storage device if the portable data storage device is out of range of communication for a predetermined period.

Claims

1-105. -105. (cancelled)

106. A method of safeguarding against loss of data stored in a portable data storage device, the method comprising providing a user-carried backup device having memory and a wireless communication link for communicating with the portable data storage device;

communicating periodically or quasi-continuously between the backup device and the portable data storage device over the wireless communication link to backup data entered into the portable data storage device and to check for removal of the portable data storage device;

signalling an alarm to alert a user to loss of the portable data storage device in the absence of communication between the portable data storage device and the backup device for a predetermined period.

107. A method according to claim 106 wherein said wireless communication link is a Bluetooth (RTM) link.

108. A method according to claim 106 wherein signalling of the alarm is suspended if the wireless communication link is being used by the portable data storage device.

109. A method according to claim 106 wherein an alarm is signalled in the event of interruption of communication between the portable data storage device and the backup device of about one second or more.

110. A method according to claim 106 further comprising receiving a user input to disable the alarm.

111. A method according to claim 106 further comprising triggering an alert procedure on the portable data storage device if the portable data storage device is out of range of communication with the backup device for a predetermined period.

112. A method according to claim 106 further comprising inhibiting operation of the portable data storage device in the absence of communication with the backup device.

113. A method according to claim 106 wherein data is backed up in response to entering of new data into the portable data storage device.

114. A method according to claim 106 wherein data stored in the backup device is accessible by another data storage device via a machine interface.

115. A method according to claim 106 further comprising registering the backup device with the portable data storage device.

116. A method according to claim 106 further comprising communicating between the backup device and a network wherein the network is a telecommunications network and wherein the backup device signals to a remote station in the telecommunications network if the portable data storage device is out of range of communication.

117. A method according to claim 106 wherein communicating between the backup device and the portable data storage device over the wireless communication link operates at a selected one of a plurality of power levels.

118. A method according to claim 117 wherein communication initially operates at a first power level but switches to operating at a second power level if the portable data storage device does not pass out of range of communication with the backup device throughout a predetermined time period, wherein the second power level is lower than the first power level.

119. A method according to claim 106 further comprising communicating at least one unique identifier of the portable data storage device over the wireless communication link to the backup device wherein the at least one unique identifier comprises at least one of:

the International Mobile Equipment Identity number (IMEI) of the portable data storage device;

the Bluetooth (RTM) serial number of the Bluetooth (RTM) chip within the portable data storage device.

120. A method of operating a portable data storage device, the method comprising:

periodically or quasi-continuously communicating with a backup device over a wireless communication link to backup data stored in the portable data storage device;

triggering an alert procedure in the absence of communication from the backup device for a predetermined period.

121. A method according to claim 120 wherein an audible, visible, or vibrating alarm is triggered on one or both of the portable data storage device or the backup device.

122. A method according to claim 120 wherein the alert procedure comprises disabling at least one function of the portable data storage device.

123. A method according to claim 120 wherein the alert procedure comprises communicating a unique identifier of the portable data storage device to a network.

124. A method of operating a backup device, the method comprising periodically communicating with a portable data storage device over a wireless communication link to backup data stored in the portable data storage device;

and triggering an alert procedure when the portable data storage device is out of range.

125. A method according to claim 124 further comprising communicating data stored in the backup device to restore data to the portable data storage device or to a replacement portable data storage device.

126. A method according to claim 124 further comprising communicating with a telecommunications network and wherein the alert procedure comprises signalling from the backup device to a remote station within the telecommunications network.

127. A method according to claim 124 further comprising pre-registering the portable data storage device with the backup device to authorise pairing of the backup device and the portable data storage device.