Digital content security system

• US 20040255139A1
• Filed: 05/17/2004
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Proxense, LLC
• Original Assignee: Proxense, LLC
• Inventors: Giobbi, John J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,305,560 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/193
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6227 where protection concerns the structure of data, e.g. records, types, queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/80 in storage media based on magnetic or optical technology, e.g. disks with sectors preventing unauthorised reproduction or copying of disc-type recordable media G11B20/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2347 involving video stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/254 Management at additional data server, e.g. shopping server, rights management server arrangements for maintenance or administration in data networks H04L41/00; network services using third party service providers H04L67/53
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/418 External card to be used in combination with the client device, e.g. for conditional access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/63345 by transmitting keys key distribution for secret or secure communication H04L9/08; network support of key management H04L63/06

Abstract

A Personal Digital Key Digital Content Security System (PDK-DCSS) is used to protect computers from unauthorized use and protect the digital content stored on computers from being wrongfully accessed, copied, and/or distributed. The basic components of the PDK-DCSS are (1) a standard hard drive device, with the addition of a PDK Receiver/Decoder Circuit (PDK-RDC) optionally integrated into the hard drive'"'"'s controller, and (2) a PDK-Key associated with the PDK-RDC. The PDK-Key and RDC technology is utilized to provide two categories of protection: (1) hard drive access control for providing Drive-Level and Sector-Level protection and (2) operating system-level independent file protection for providing File-Level and Network-Level protection.

Claims

1. A method of securing a storage device, comprising:

detecting a portable, physical key with a receiver/decoder circuit associated with the hard drive;

validating the detected key with the receiver/decoder circuit; and

permitting access to the storage device or a portion thereof with the receiver/decoder circuit if the detected key is validated.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiver/decoder circuit resides in the storage device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting step includes detecting the key over a secure wireless link.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the validating step includes determining whether or not the detected key is associated with the storage device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the receiver/decoder circuit enables the storage device if the detected key is validated and disables the storage device if the detected key is not validated in order to provide device-level protection.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein digital content stored on the storage device is not encrypted with the key.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein digital content read from or written to the storage device is decrypted or encrypted by the receiver/decoder circuit using the key associated with the storage device in order to provide sector-level protection.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the key associated with the storage device is initially delivered with the storage device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage device is selected from a group consisting of PDAs, cell phones, printer, copiers, faxes, scanners, MP3 players, GPS systems, digital cameras, computer motherboards, DVR players, memory sticks, and memory cards.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein the key associated with the storage device is assigned thereto by a user.

11. A system for securing a storage device of a computer, comprising:

a portable, physical key; and

a receiver/decoder circuit for detecting and validating the key and for permitting access to the storage device or a portion thereof if the detected key is valid, the receiver/decoder circuit being associated with the storage device;

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the receiver/decoder circuit resides in the computer.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the receiver/decoder circuit detects the key over a secure wireless link.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the receiver/decoder circuit validates the key by determining whether or not the detected key is associated with the storage device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the receiver/decoder circuit enables the storage device if the detected key is validated and disables the storage device if the detected key is not validated in order to provide device level protection.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein digital content stored on the computer is not encrypted with the key.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the receiver/decoder circuit decrypts or encrypts digital content read from or written to the storage device using the key associated with the storage device in order to provide sector-level protection.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the key associated with the storage device is initially delivered with the storage device.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the storage device is selected from a group consisting of PDAs, cell phones, printer, copiers, faxes, scanners, MP3 players, GPS systems, digital cameras, computer motherboards, DVR players, memory sticks, and memory cards.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the key associated with the storage device is assigned thereto by a user.