Delivering secured media using a portable memory device

• US 20100161889A1
• Filed: 12/31/2009
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Dunstan
• Original Assignee: Robert Dunstan
• Inventors: Dunstan, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 9,021,202 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1433 for a module or a part of a module
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1066 Hiding content
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/78 to assure secure storage of data address-based protection against unauthorised use of memory G06F12/14; record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/2022 Flash memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2107 File encryption
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2119 Authenticating web pages, e.g. with suspicious links
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0679 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP]

Abstract

In some embodiments an interface of a portable memory device is used to store content information in a hidden memory region of the portable memory device. The interface is also used to store information in a visible memory region of the portable memory device. The information stored in the visible memory region allows the content information stored in the hidden memory region to be accessed. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1-27. -27. (canceled)

28. A portable memory device comprising:

a first interface;

a second interface that is a standard interface;

wherein the first interface has a higher interface speed than the second interface, and wherein media content may be transferred to the portable memory device via the first interface using the higher interface speed.

29. The portable memory device of claim 28, further comprising:

a first memory region; and

a second memory region;

wherein the first interface is to store content information in the first memory region and to store information in the second memory region, and wherein the information stored in the second region allows the content information stored in the first region to be accessed.

30. The portable memory device of claim 29, wherein the first memory region is a hidden memory region and the second memory region is a visible memory region.

31. The portable memory device of claim 29, wherein the first interface is further to read the information from the second memory region in order to provide the content information from the first memory region to a media player to be coupled to the portable memory device via the first interface while maintaining content protection of the content information.

32. The portable memory device of claim 29, wherein the second interface is to read the information from the second memory region in order to provide the content information from the first memory region to a media player to be coupled to the portable memory device via the second interface while maintaining content protection of the content information.

33. The portable memory device of claim 32, wherein the first interface is an interface to be used only by a supplier of the content information to be stored in the first memory region of the portable memory device.

34. The portable memory device of claim 29, wherein the first interface is an interface to be used by a user to play the content information stored in the first memory region of the portable memory device while maintaining content protection of the content information.

35. The portable memory device of claim 28, wherein the portable memory device is a flash memory device.

36. The portable memory device of claim 28, wherein the first interface is at least one of a fast flash interface, a SATA interface, and/or a USB interface.

37. The portable memory device of claim 28, wherein the first interface and the second interface do not allow simultaneous access of the portable memory device.

38. The portable memory device of claim 29, the first interface to scrub the first memory region prior to storing the content information in the first memory region.

39. The portable memory device of claim 29, wherein the first interface is to store the content information in the first memory region using one atomic operation.

40. The portable memory device of claim 29, wherein the first interface has write only access to the first memory region.

41. A portable memory device comprising:

a memory region to store media content;

a first interface to the memory region having a first interface speed;

a second interface that is a standard interface having a second interface speed, wherein the first interface speed is a higher interface speed than the second, standard interface speed.

42. The portable memory device of claim 41, wherein the memory region is a hidden memory region.

43. The portable memory device of claim 41, wherein the first interface is further to read information from the portable memory device in order to provide the media content from the memory region to a media player to be coupled to the portable memory device via the first interface while maintaining content protection of the media content.

44. The portable memory device of claim 41, wherein the first interface is an interface to be used only by a supplier of the media content to be stored in the memory region of the portable memory device.

45. The portable memory device of claim 41, wherein the first interface is an interface to be used by a user to play the media content stored in the memory region of the portable memory device while maintaining content protection of the media content.

46. The portable memory device of claim 41, wherein the portable memory device is a flash memory device.

47. The portable memory device of claim 41, wherein the first interface does not allow simultaneous access of the portable memory device with any other interface.

48. The portable memory device of claim 41, the first interface to scrub the memory region prior to storing the media content in the memory region.

49. The portable memory device of claim 41, wherein the first interface is to store the media content in the memory region using one atomic operation.

50. The portable memory device of claim 41, wherein the first interface has write only access to the memory region.

51. A method comprising:

receiving media content in a memory region of a portable memory device using a first interface that has a higher interface speed than a second standard interface of the portable memory device.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the memory region is a hidden memory region.

53. The method of claim 51, wherein the first interface is further to read information from the portable memory device in order to provide the media content from the memory region to a media player to be coupled to the portable memory device via the first interface while maintaining content protection of the media content.

54. The method of claim 51, wherein the first interface is an interface to be used only by a supplier of the media content to be stored in the memory region of the portable memory device.

55. The method of claim 51, wherein the first interface is an interface to be used by a user to play the media content stored in the memory region of the portable memory device while maintaining content protection of the media content.

56. The method of claim 51, wherein the portable memory device is a flash memory device.

57. The method of claim 51, wherein the first interface does not allow simultaneous access of the portable memory device with any other interface.

58. The method of claim 51, the first interface to scrub the memory region prior to storing the media content in the memory region.

59. The method of claim 51, wherein the first interface is to store the media content in the memory region using one atomic operation.

60. The method of claim 51, wherein the first interface has write only access to the memory region.

61. An apparatus comprising:

an interface to provide media content to a memory region of a portable memory device, wherein the interface has a higher interface speed than a second standard interface of the portable memory device.

62. The apparatus of claim 61, wherein the memory region is a hidden memory region.

63. The apparatus of claim 61, wherein the interface is further to read information from the portable memory device in order to provide the media content from the memory region to a media player to be coupled to the portable memory device via the interface while maintaining content protection of the media content.

64. The apparatus of claim 61, wherein the interface is an interface to be used only by a supplier of the media content to be stored in the memory region of the portable memory device.

65. The apparatus of claim 61, wherein the interface is an interface to be used by a user to play the media content stored in the memory region of the portable memory device while maintaining content protection of the media content.

66. The apparatus of claim 61, wherein the portable memory device is a flash memory device.

67. The apparatus of claim 61, wherein the interface does not allow simultaneous access of the portable memory device with the second interface.

68. The apparatus of claim 61, the interface to scrub the memory region prior to storing the media content in the memory region.

69. The apparatus of claim 61, wherein the interface is to store the media content in the memory region using one atomic operation.

70. The apparatus of claim 61, wherein the interface has write only access to the memory region.

71. A method comprising:

providing media content to a memory region of a portable memory device using a first interface that has a higher interface speed than a second standard interface of the portable memory device.

72. The method of claim 71, wherein the memory region is a hidden memory region.

73. The method of claim 71, wherein the first interface is further to read information from the portable memory device in order to provide the media content from the memory region to a media player to be coupled to the portable memory device via the first interface while maintaining content protection of the media content.

74. The method of claim 71, wherein the first interface is an interface to be used only by a supplier of the media content to be stored in the memory region of the portable memory device.

75. The method of claim 71, wherein the first interface is an interface to be used by a user to play the media content stored in the memory region of the portable memory device while maintaining content protection of the media content.

76. The method of claim 71, wherein the portable memory device is a flash memory device.

77. The method of claim 71, wherein the first interface does not allow simultaneous access of the portable memory device with any other interface.

78. The method of claim 71, the first interface to scrub the memory region prior to storing the media content in the memory region.

79. The method of claim 71, wherein the first interface is to help to store the media content in the memory region using one atomic operation.

80. The method of claim 71, wherein the first interface has write only access to the memory region.