Secure mass storage device

• US 20070239990A1
• Filed: 03/29/2006
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics International N.V. (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics Incorporated (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Tamagno, David, Fruhauf, Serge, Tran, John, Newton, Sean, Uehlecke, Klaus, Dostie, Andre
• Granted Patent: US 9,081,946 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/185
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• 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

Abstract

A USB mass storage device includes a memory, USB interface and USB controller. A biometric circuit provides biometric authentication and a secure microcontroller is operatively connected to the biometric circuit and the USB controller and operative in accordance as a trusted platform and having a command set to access security functions and trust authentication of a user using the biometric circuit.

Claims

1. A USB mass storage device, comprising:

a memory for storing data;

a USB interface for coupling the USB mass storage device to a host computer;

a USB controller operatively connected to said memory and USB interface and operative for transferring mass storage data between the host computer and memory;

a biometric circuit that provides biometric authentication of a user; and

a secure controller operatively connected to said biometric circuit and said USB controller and operative in accordance as a trusted platform and having a command set to access security functions and trust authentication of a user using the biometric circuit.

2. A USB mass storage device according to claim 1, wherein said secure controller is operatively connected between said biometric circuit and said USB controller.

3. A USB mass storage device according to claim 1, wherein said secure controller is operative to access security functions performed by logic that complies with the Trusted Computing Group (TCG) specification.

4. A USB mass storage device according to claim 1, wherein said biometric circuit comprises one of a capacitance, optical and RF scanner circuit.

5. A USB mass storage device according to claim 1, wherein said memory comprises a nonvolatile memory.

6. A USB mass storage device according to claim 5, wherein said nonvolatile memory comprises an EEPROM, NVRAM or Flash memory.

7. A USB mass storage device according to claim 1, and further comprising a serial communications interface interconnecting said USB controller and said secure controller.

8. A USB mass storage device according to claim 7, wherein said serial communications interface comprises one of at least a RS232, I2C, SPI or interchip USB communications link.

9. A USB mass storage device according to claim 1, and further comprising a serial communications interface interconnecting said secure controller and said biometric circuit.

10. A USB mass storage device according to claim 9, wherein said serial communications interface comprises a SPI or interchip USB communications link.

11. A USB mass storage system, comprising:

a computer host that includes a USB interface and receives mass storage data through the USB interface; and

a USB mass storage device, comprising,

a memory for storing data;

a USB interface for coupling the USB mass storage device to the USB interface of the host computer;

a USB controller operatively connected to said memory and USB interface and operative for transferring mass storage data between the host computer and the memory;

’

a biometric circuit that provides biometric authentication of a user; and

a secure controller operatively connected to said biometric circuit and said USB controller and operative in accordance as a trusted platform and having a command set to access security functions and trust authentication of a user using the biometric circuit.

12. A USB mass storage system according to claim 11, wherein said secure controller is operatively connected between said biometric circuit and said USB controller.

13. A USB mass storage system according to claim 11, wherein said secure controller is operative to access security functions performed by logic that complies with the Trusted Computing Group (TCG) specification.

14. A USB mass storage system according to claim 11, wherein said biometric circuit comprises one of a capacitance, optical and RF scanner circuit.

15. A USB mass storage system according to claim 11, wherein said memory comprises a nonvolatile memory.

16. A USB mass storage system according to claim 15, wherein said nonvolatile memory comprises an EEPROM, NVRAM or Flash memory.

17. A USB mass storage system according to claim 11, and further comprising a serial communications interface interconnecting said USB controller and said secure controller.

18. A USB mass storage system according to claim 17, wherein said serial communications interface comprises one of at least a RS232, I2C, SPI or interchip USB communications link.

19. A USB mass storage system according to claim 11, and further comprising a serial communications interface interconnecting said secure controller and said biometric circuit.

20. A USB mass storage system according to claim 19, wherein said serial communications interface comprises a SPI or interchip USB communications link.

21. A method for securing an external USB mass storage device, which comprises:

storing data within a memory of the USB mass storage device;

transferring mass storage data between the memory and host via a USB controller operative with a USB interface;

authenticating a user using a biometric circuit; and

accessing security functions and trusting authentication of the user using a secure controller.

22. A method according to claim 21, which further comprises accessing security functions by logic that complies with the Trusted Computing Group (TCG) specification.

23. A method according to claim 21, which further comprises communicating between the USB controller and the secure controller through a serial communications interface.

24. A method according to claim 21, which further comprises communicating between the secure controller and the biometric circuit through a serial communications interface.

25. A method according to claim 21, which further comprises authenticating a user using one of a capacitance, optical and RF scanner circuit.