METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVISIONING PORTABLE DESKTOPS

• US 20110078787A1
• Filed: 09/30/2009
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kingston Digital, Inc. (Kingston Technology Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Memory Experts International, Inc.
• Inventors: Hamid, Laurence
• Granted Patent: US 8,601,532 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/19
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3231 Biological data, e.g. fingerprint, voice or retina network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using biometrical features in a packet data network H04L63/0861

Abstract

A method is disclosed for provisioning of a peripheral portable desktop device. The peripheral portable desktop device is coupled with a workstation. A data file relating to an image for being stored within the peripheral portable desktop device is provided. The image includes secured data that is other than accessible absent user authorization data of a virtual user. Within the peripheral portable desktop device is stored data reflective of the image. A first user is then authorized to the peripheral portable desktop device by providing first user authorization data. For the first user is created a user account secured based on the first user authorization data. The account of the virtual user is accessed via the user account and the user account is configured to access the account of the virtual user upon access to the user account.

Claims

1. A method of pre-provisioning a plurality of peripheral portable desktop devices comprising:

providing the plurality of peripheral portable desktop devices;

providing a data file relating to an image for being stored within the peripheral portable desktop devices, the image including secured data that is other than accessible absent user authorization data of a virtual user; and

,

storing in parallel within each of the plurality of peripheral portable desktop devices approximately same data reflective of the image.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the peripheral portable desktop devices each comprise a universal serial bus (USB) port.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the peripheral portable desktop devices each comprise a housing sized and configured for fitting within the clothing of an individual.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein each peripheral portable desktop devices comprises a processor for preventing access to at least some of the data stored therein absent user authentication to the device.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the image comprises data relating to a virtual user account, the virtual user account protected by at least one of a password and biometric information.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein the at least one of a password and biometric information of each of the plurality of portable desktop devices is same.

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein the at least one of a password and biometric information of each of the plurality of portable desktop devices is at least one of an administrative password and biometric information of an administrator of the purchaser of the plurality of portable desktop devices.

8. A method according to claim 5 wherein the at least one of a password and biometric information comprises a password and wherein the password of each of the plurality of portable desktop devices is different.

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein data relating to the password is within the image such that of each of the plurality of portable desktop devices has a same password stored therein and comprising:

changing the password on at least some of the portable desktop devices to a password that is deterministic based on hardware of the portable desktop device.

10. A method according to claim 1 wherein the image comprises data relating to each of a plurality of virtual user accounts.

11. A peripheral portable desktop device comprising:

a housing;

a port for coupling with a host computer;

a data storage medium having portable desktop data stored therein comprising secured data for a user account of a virtual user, the secured data other than accessible absent user authorization data of a virtual user, the user authorization data of the virtual user for use in a final process for provisioning of the portable desktop device,

wherein the portable desktop is executable only once provisioned to a first user other than the virtual user.

12. A peripheral portable desktop device according to claim 11 wherein the port comprises a USB port.

13. A peripheral portable desktop device according to claim 11 comprising a processor for communicating with a system coupled to the port and for securing the portable desktop data.

14. A peripheral portable desktop device according to claim 13 comprising a user authentication data input port for receiving user authentication data of a user independent of a host computer system coupled to the port.

15. A method of provisioning a peripheral portable desktop device comprising:

receiving a pre-provisioned peripheral portable desktop device, the peripheral portable desktop device having data stored therein including secured data within a virtual user account that is other than accessible absent user authorization data of a virtual user;

authorizing a first user to the peripheral portable desktop device; and

,

modifying an account of the virtual user such that the virtual user account is secured based on the authorization data.

16. A method according to claim 15 wherein modifying comprises accessing the virtual user account via the authorization data of the virtual user and then modifying an account of the virtual user such that the virtual user account is secured based on the authorization data.

17. A method of provisioning a peripheral portable desktop device comprising:

receiving a pre-provisioned peripheral portable desktop device, the peripheral portable desktop device having data stored therein including secured data that is other than accessible absent user authorization data of a virtual user;

authorizing a first user to the peripheral portable desktop device by providing first user authorization data;

creating a user account for the first user, the user account secured based on the first user authorization data;

accessing the account of the virtual user via the user account; and

,

configuring the user account to access the account of the virtual user upon access to the user account.

18. A method according to claim 17 comprising:

changing the authorization data of the virtual user to second user authorization data.

19. A method according to claim 18 wherein changing the authorization data comprises generating one of a random and a pseudorandom password to use as the second user authorization data.

20. A method according to claim 18 comprising storing the second user authorization data within an administrator section of the peripheral portable desktop device.

21. A method according to claim 18 comprising providing the second user authorization data for storage outside the portable desktop device.

22. A method according to claim 17 wherein the first user authentication data comprises fingerprint data.

23. A method according to claim 17 comprising authenticating an administrator to the portable desktop device, the authentication for accessing the virtual user account.

24. A method according to claim 17 comprising retrieving from the peripheral portable desktop device a value and deterministically based on the value determining the authentication data for accessing the virtual user account.

25. A method according to claim 17 comprising:

authorizing a second user to the peripheral portable desktop device by providing second user authorization data;

creating a second user account for the second user, the second user account secured based on the second user authorization data;

accessing the account of the virtual user via the second user account; and

,

configuring the second user account to access the account of the virtual user upon access to the second user account.

26. A method according to claim 17 comprising:

authorizing a second user to the peripheral portable desktop device by providing second user authorization data;

creating a second user account for the second user, the second user account secured based on the second user authorization data;

accessing an account of a second virtual user via the second user account; and

,

configuring the second user account to access the account of the second virtual user upon access to the second user account.

27. A method of provisioning a peripheral portable desktop device comprising:

providing the peripheral portable desktop device;

storing within the peripheral portable desktop device data reflective of an image including secured data that is other than accessible absent user authorization data of a virtual user;

authorizing a first user to the peripheral portable desktop device by providing first user authorization data;

creating a user account for the first user, the user account secured based on the first user authorization data;

accessing the account of the virtual user via the user account; and

,

configuring the user account to access the account of the virtual user upon access to the user account.