Accessing a Serial Number of a Removable Non-Volatile Memory Device

• US 20100332724A1
• Filed: 06/23/2010
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mo-DV, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mo-DV, Inc.
• Inventors: Widergren, Robert D., Douglas, John L., Hamilton, Eric R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,552,855 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/102
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/14 Protection against unauthorised use of memory or access to memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1416 by checking the object accessibility, e.g. type of access defined by the memory independently of subject rights G06F12/1458 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/00 Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0622 in relation to access
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0637 Permissions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0659 Command handling arrangements, e.g. command buffers, queues, command scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0679 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/16 Storage of analogue signals in digital stores using an arrangement comprising analogue/digital [A/D] converters, digital memories and digital/analogue [D/A] converters
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/24 Memory cell safety or protection circuits, e.g. arrangements for preventing inadvertent reading or writing; Status cells; Test cells

Abstract

A removable non-volatile memory device durably stores a serial number or identifier, which is used to mark multimedia content legally stored on the removable non-volatile memory device. In order to retrieve the serial number, a host electronic system coupled to the removable non-volatile memory device sends a sequence of multiple file access commands to access a predefined target file stored on the removable non-volatile memory device. In accordance with the executed predefined sequence of multiple file access commands, a corresponding sequence of data access commands are received at the removable non-volatile memory device and are interpreted as a request by the host electronic device to read the serial number. The removable non-volatile memory device outputs the serial number in response to the sequence of data access commands.

Claims

1. A removable non-volatile memory device, comprising:

an interface for removably coupling the removable non-volatile memory device to a host electronic system;

non-volatile memory for storing data, including a multimedia content file;

a serial number durably stored in the removable non-volatile memory device;

a memory controller;

a plurality of programs configured for execution by the memory controller, including;

a serial number access program, for accessing the stored serial number and providing the serial number to the host electronic system, and

a trigger function, responsive to a predefined sequence of multiple data access commands received from the host electronic system to activate the serial number access program; and

a content access program, for execution by the host electronic system, the content access program including;

first instructions for reading the serial number from the removable non-volatile memory device by sending to the removable non-volatile memory device the predefined sequence of multiple data access commands.

2. The removable non-volatile memory device of claim 1, further including:

a file directory stored in the non-volatile memory, the file directory including an entry specifying a predefined storage location for a predefined target file stored within the non-volatile memory,

wherein the predefined sequence of multiple data access commands comprises a sequence of data access commands that access the predefined target file, and

wherein the predefined sequence of multiple data access commands to access the predefined target file is interpreted by the trigger function as a request by the host electronic device to read the stored serial number.

3. The removable non-volatile memory device of claim 1, wherein the predefined sequence of multiple data access commands corresponds to a predefined sequence of multiple file access commands executed at the host electronic system.

4. The removable non-volatile memory device of claim 1, wherein the serial number is unique to the removable non-volatile memory device.

5. The removable non-volatile memory device of claim 4, the content access program including:

second instructions for accessing multimedia content of the multimedia content file stored on the removable non-volatile memory device only when the serial number read from the removable non-volatile memory device matches a serial number associated with the multimedia content file.

6. The removable non-volatile memory device of claim 5, wherein the serial number associated with the multimedia content file is stored in a file header of the multimedia content file.

7. The removable non-volatile memory device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of programs configured for execution by the memory controller includes a program for accessing and conveying the multimedia content file to the host electronic system.

8. The removable non-volatile memory device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of programs configured for execution by the memory controller includes a program for accessing and conveying to the host electronic system specified portions of data stored in the non-volatile memory.

9. A method of enabling access by a host electronic system to a multimedia content file stored on non-volatile memory of a removable non-volatile memory device, the method comprising:

at the removable non-volatile memory device;

receiving a predefined sequence of multiple data access commands from the host electronic system; and

responsive to the predefined sequence of multiple data access commands, reading a stored serial number and providing the read serial number to the host electronic system, wherein;

the serial number is durably stored in the removable non-volatile memory device, and

the host electronic system is configured to access multimedia content of the multimedia content file only when the provided serial number matches a serial number associated with the multimedia content file.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

storing, in the non-volatile memory, a file directory that includes an entry specifying a predefined storage location for a predefined target file, the predefined target file stored within non-volatile memory, wherein the predefined sequence of multiple data access commands comprises a sequence of data access commands that access the predefined target file; and

interpreting the predefined sequence of multiple data access commands to access the predefined target file as a request by the host electronic device to read the stored serial number.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the serial number is unique to the removable non-volatile memory device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

storing the serial number associated with the multimedia content file in a file header of the multimedia content file.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the predefined sequence of multiple data access commands received at the removable non-volatile memory device corresponds to a predefined sequence of multiple file access commands executed at the host electronic system.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

accessing and conveying the multimedia content file to the host electronic system.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

accessing and conveying to the host electronic system specified portions of data stored in the non-volatile memory.

16. A method of accessing multimedia content of a multimedia content file stored on non-volatile memory of a removable non-volatile memory device, the method comprising:

at a host electronic device having one or more processors,

executing a predefined sequence of multiple file access commands;

in accordance with the executed predefined sequence of multiple file access commands, sending to the removable non-volatile memory device a corresponding sequence of data access commands;

after sending a last data access command of the sequence of multiple data access commands, receiving from the removable non-volatile memory device a first serial number that is durably stored in the removable non-volatile memory device; and

accessing the multimedia content of the multimedia content file only when the received first serial number matches a second serial number associated with the multimedia content file.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the predefined sequence of multiple file access commands are commands to access a predefined target file stored on the removable non-volatile memory device, and wherein the sequence of multiple data access commands sent to the removable non-volatile memory device are interpreted by the removable non-volatile memory device as a request by the host electronic device to read the first serial number.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprises:

accessing a file directory stored on the removable non-volatile memory device, the file directory including an entry for the predefined target file that specifies a storage location for the predefined target file that is a predefined storage location,

wherein the sequence of multiple data access commands comprise commands to access the predefined storage location.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the serial number is unique to the removable non-volatile memory device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the second serial number associated with the multimedia content file is included in a file header of the multimedia content file.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving the multimedia content file from the removable non-volatile memory device.

22. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving specified portions of data stored in the non-volatile memory of the removable non-volatile memory device.