Storing and synchronizing data on a removable storage medium

• US 20050136979A1
• Filed: 12/18/2003
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Dietl, Josef, Arend, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,260,380 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/558
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32

Abstract

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for storing data for use on a mobile device on a removable storage medium. To access the data, credentials are received from a user of a mobile device. An encrypted set of data is transferred to the mobile device from the removable storage medium, which is in communication with the mobile device, in response to instructions from an application associated with the data. The encrypted set of data is decrypted based on the credentials, and the decrypted set of data is automatically erased from the mobile device. The removable storage medium can be removed from the mobile device, and the encrypted data can be synchronized with a central database using a proxy device.

Claims

1. A method for accessing data for use on a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving credentials from a user of a mobile device;

transferring an encrypted set of data to the mobile device from a removable storage medium in communication with the mobile device in response to instructions from an application associated with the data;

decrypting the encrypted set of data based on the credentials, with the decryption performed by the application; and

automatically erasing the decrypted set of data from the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving new data on the mobile device;

changing the decrypted set of data based on the received new data;

encrypting the changed set of data based on the credentials; and

storing the encrypted changed set of data from the mobile device on the removable storage medium.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein automatically erasing the decrypted set of data is performed in response to storing the encrypted changed set of data on the removable storage medium.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing access to the decrypted set of data using the application to enable changes to be made to the data, wherein the decrypted set of data is automatically erased subsequent to providing access.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein automatically erasing the decrypted set of data is performed in response to closing the application.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

disconnecting the removable storage medium from the mobile device;

connecting the removable storage medium to a proxy device;

receiving credentials from a user of the proxy device;

transferring the encrypted set of data from the removable storage medium to the proxy device in response to instructions from a second application on the proxy device;

decrypting the encrypted set of data based on the credentials using the proxy device, with the decryption performed by the second application; and

synchronizing the decrypted set of data with a central data set.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein synchronizing includes transferring at least part of the decrypted set of data to a remote database.

8. A computer program product, tangibly stored on a computer-readable medium, for accessing data for use on a mobile device, the product comprising instructions operable to cause a data processing apparatus to:

receive credentials from a user of a mobile device;

transfer an encrypted set of data to the mobile device from a removable storage medium in communication with the mobile device, wherein the transfer is performed in response to instructions from an application associated with the data;

decrypt the encrypted set of data based on the credentials, with the decryption performed by the application; and

automatically erase the decrypted set of data from the mobile device.

9. The product of claim 8 further comprising instructions operable to cause a data processing apparatus to:

receive new data on the mobile device;

change the decrypted set of data based on the received new data;

encrypt the changed set of data based on the credentials; and

store the encrypted changed set of data from the mobile device on the removable storage medium.

10. The product of claim 8 further comprising instructions operable to cause a data processing apparatus to:

provide access to the decrypted set of data data using the application to enable changes to be made to the data, wherein the instructions operable to cause a data processing apparatus to automatically erase the decrypted set of data are operable to cause the data processing apparatus to automatically erase the decrypted set of data subsequent to providing access to the decrypted set of data.

11. The product of claim 8 wherein automatically erasing the decrypted set of data is performed in response to storing the encrypted changed set of data on the removable storage medium.

12. The product of claim 8 wherein automatically erasing the decrypted set of data is performed in response to closing the application.

13. An apparatus for accessing data for use on a mobile device, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving credentials from a user of a mobile device;

means for transferring an encrypted set of data to the mobile device from a removable storage medium in communication with the mobile device in response to instructions from an application associated with the data;

means for decrypting the encrypted set of data based on the credentials, with the decryption performed by the application; and

means for automatically erasing the decrypted set of data from the mobile device.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising:

means for receiving new data on the mobile device;

means for changing the decrypted set of data based on the received new data;

means for encrypting the changed set of data based on the credentials; and

means for storing the encrypted changed set of data from the mobile device on the removable storage medium.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein automatically erasing the decrypted set of data is performed in response to storing the encrypted changed set of data on the removable storage medium.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising:

means for providing access to the decrypted set of data using the application to enable changes to be made to the data, wherein the decrypted set of data is automatically erased subsequent to providing access.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein automatically erasing the decrypted set of data is performed in response to closing the application.

18. A method for sharing a mobile device, the method comprising:

providing a first user with a mobile device and with a first removable storage medium;

connecting the first removable storage medium to the mobile device;

providing a first set of credentials to the mobile device, the first set of credentials being associated with the first user;

decrypting encrypted data stored on the first removable storage medium based on the first set of credentials to form a first set of decrypted data;

using the mobile device with the first set of decrypted data;

automatically erasing at least part of the first set of decrypted data;

disconnecting the first removable storage medium from the mobile device;

providing a second user with the mobile device and a second removable storage medium;

connecting the second removable storage medium to the mobile device;

providing a second set of credentials to the mobile device, the second set of credentials being associated with the second user;

decrypting encrypted data stored on the second removable storage medium based on the second set of credentials to form a second set of decrypted data; and

using the mobile device with the second set of decrypted data.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

encrypting data from the mobile device using the first set of credentials to form a first set of encrypted data; and

storing the first set of encrypted data on the first removable storage medium prior to disconnecting the first removable storage medium.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

connecting the first removable storage medium to a proxy device after disconnecting the first removable storage medium from the mobile device;

providing the first set of credentials to the proxy device;

decrypting the first set of encrypted data using the proxy device; and

synchronizing at least part of the decrypted first set of encrypted data with a database.