COPY PROTECTION OF SOFTWARE AND/OR DATA

• US 20110016280A1
• Filed: 09/24/2010
• Published: 01/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FlexiJet Technologies Inc..
• Original Assignee: Flexiworld Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Viswanathan, Vinaynathan, Chang, William Ho
• Granted Patent: US 8,296,757 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/161
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/602 Providing cryptographic facilities or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/79 in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/061 for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Autorun functionality is incorporated into an integrated circuit memory device such as any USB peripheral, which has a memory component interfaced to a USB microcontroller. This provides autorun of one or more executables or application installers from a memory component with a USB interface without an intermediate hardware-based autorun feature. USB peripheral devices internally include a USB microcontroller that performs the functionality associated with identifying the device to a host computing device, such as a personal computer. Autorun firmware is embedded into the USB microcontroller. The autorun firmware enables autorun of an installable or executable application stored on the memory component of the USB device. The firmware acts as bridge component translating all commands and interactions between a host PC and the memory component.

Claims

1. A portable memory device connectable by a user to a host computing device for enabling said user to run or execute at the host computing device a protected software or data and not enabling said user to copy the protected software or data, the portable memory device comprising:

a controller for controlling interaction between the portable memory device and the host computing device;

a memory component that includes a protected memory component storing at least part of a protected software or data that is installable or executable on the host computing device by said user and the protected software or data stored in the protected memory component cannot be accessed and copied by said user from the protected memory component; and

an autorun software stored on the memory device and executable on the host computing device upon connection and activation of the portable memory device to the host computing device, the autorun software stored on the portable memory device including;

software for running automatically on the host computing device upon connection and activation of the portable memory device with the host computing device;

software for accessing, by the autorun software, the protected software or data from the protected memory component of the portable memory device in dependence of a successful authentication of the autorun software; and

software for installing, executing, or running, on the host computing device the protected software or data accessed from the protected memory component of the portable memory device;

whereby the portable memory device enables said user to operate, to run or to execute protected software or data on the host computing device upon connection and activation of the portable memory device with the host computing device and not enabling said user access to the protected memory component for copying the protected software or data from the protected memory component of the portable memory device.

2. The portable memory device of claim 1 in which the memory device is further operable with the host computing device in accordance with a first device interface description for identifying with the host computing device with the first device interface description, and

subsequent to an autorun operation upon plugging the portable memory device to the host computing device,

the memory device re-enumerates itself with a second device interface description and identifies to the host computing device with the second device interface description.

3. The portable memory device of claim 1 further including a public memory component that can be viewed or accessed by the user.

4. The portable memory device of claim 1, further comprising a wireless component for adding a wireless interface to the host computing with the wireless component.

5. The portable memory device of claim 1 further comprising a user operable external manual switch on the portable memory device that is accessible and operable by said user to select from among plural operating states.

6. The portable memory device of claim 1 further comprising one upstream port for interfacing or connecting with the host computing device and two or more downstream ports.

7. The portable memory device of claim 1 further comprising a connection that is connectable to a host computing device over a Universal Serial Bus connection port.

8. A method of distributing protected data or software with a portable memory device for copy protection of the protected data or software, the portable memory device including,

a controller for controlling interaction between the portable memory device and a host computing device;

a memory component that includes a protected memory component storing at least part of the protected software or data that is installable or executable on the host computing device by a user and the protected data or software stored in the protected memory component cannot be accessed and copied by said user from the protected memory component; and

an autorun software stored on the memory device and executable on the host computing device upon connection and activation of the portable memory device to the host computing device, the method comprising;

running automatically at least part of the autorun software on the host computing device upon connection and activation of the portable memory device with the host computing device;

accessing, by the autorun software, the protected software or data from the protected memory component of the portable memory device in dependence of a successful authentication of the autorun software; and

installing, executing or running, on the host computing device, by the autorun software, the protected data or software accessed from the protected memory component of the portable memory device;

whereby, the portable memory device enables said user to operate, to run or to execute protected software or data on the host computing device stored in the protected memory component of the portable memory device and not enabling said user access to the protected memory component for copying the protected software or data from the protected memory component of the portable memory device.

9. The method of claim 8 in which the portable memory device further includes a public memory component that can be viewed or accessed by the said user.

10. The method of claim 8 in which the portable memory device further comprises a wireless component for adding a wireless interface to the host computing device with the wireless component.

11. The method of claim 8 in which the portable memory device further comprises a user operable external manual switch on the portable memory device that is accessible and operable by said user to select from among plural operating states.

12. The method of claim 8 in which the portable memory device further comprises one upstream port for interfacing or connecting with the host computing device and two or more downstream ports.

13. The method of claim 8 in which the protected data or software is associated with a wireless software running or executing at the host computing device.

14. An integrated circuit memory device connectable by a user to a host computing device for running or executing a protected data or software on the host computing device without providing said user means to copy at least part of the protected data or software from the integrated circuit memory device, the integrated circuit memory device comprising:

a controller for controlling interaction between the integrated circuit memory device and the host computing device;

a memory component that includes a protected memory component storing at least part of a protected data or software that is installable or executable on the host computing device by said user and the protected memory component is not viewable or accessible by said user;

the integrated circuit memory device being further configurable to include;

means to enumerate with a first device interface description for identifying itself to the host computing device with the first device interface description upon connection to the host computing device,

means to install, execute, or run automatically one or more autorun software on the host computing device upon connecting the integrated circuit memory device to the host computing device by said user,

means to re-enumerate itself with a second device interface description for identifying to the host computing device with the second device interface description;

means to access at least part of the protected data or software, by the one or more autorun software, from the protected memory component of the integrated circuit memory device for installing, executing, or running the protected software or data on the host computing device employing the at least part of the protected data or software accessed from the protected memory component of the integrated circuit memory device;

whereby the integrated memory device enables said user to run or to execute on the host computing device the protected data or software stored in the protected memory component of the integrated circuit memory device and the integrated memory device does not enable said user means to access the protected memory component and to copy the at least part of the protected data or software from the protected memory component.

15. The integrated circuit memory device of claim 14 in which accessing the protected memory component by the autorun software includes an authenticated step by the autorun software.

16. The integrated circuit memory device of claim 14 in which the means to re-enumerate itself with a second device interface description for identifying to the host computing device with the second device interface description is in response to a query and subsequent to running or executing autorun software on the host computing device;

17. The integrated circuit memory device of claim 14 further comprising a user operable external manual switch that allows a user to select from among plural operating states of the integrated circuit memory device.

18. The integrated circuit memory device of claim 14 further comprising a wireless component for adding a wireless interface to the host computing device.

19. The integrated circuit memory device of claim 14 further comprising a connection that is connectable to a Universal Serial Bus port of the host computing device.

20. The integrated circuit memory device of claim 14 in which the memory component includes an external memory added to the integrated circuit memory device.