Accessing Specialized Fileserver

• US 20110179083A1
• Filed: 09/30/2010
• Published: 07/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Mireku, Kwasi G., Galloway, Curtis C., Masputra, Adi, Wright, John Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 10,305,910 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/783
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/176 Support for shared access to files; File sharing support
• 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 21/629 to features or functions of an application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/74 operating in dual or compartmented mode, i.e. at least one secure mode
• 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 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring

Abstract

A method and apparatus of a host that accesses files from a portable storage device with a shared filesystem is described. In an exemplary method, the host transmits a request to access the shared filesystem, where the shared filesystem includes a security policy that disallows one application accessing a file in the shared filesystem corresponding to another application. The host further receives an indication of the result of the request.

Claims

1. A computerized method of accessing a shared filesystem on a portable storage device by a host coupled to the portable storage device, the computerized method comprising:

transmitting a request, by the host, to access the shared filesystem, wherein the shared filesystem includes files corresponding to a plurality of applications and a security policy that disallows one of the plurality applications accessing a file in the shared filesystem corresponding to another one of the plurality of applications; and

receiving an indication of the result of the request.

2. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the security policy is implemented with a sandbox for each of the plurality of applications.

3. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of applications are resident on the portable storage device.

4. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the request to access the shared filesystem is a request selected from a group consisting of writing a file to the shared filesystem, reading a file from the shared filesystem, and listing one of more files in the shared filesystem.

5. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the shared filesystem appears as a shared volume on the host.

6. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the portable storage device is coupled to the host with a universal serial bus link.

7. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the shared filesystem comprises a plurality of links and each link in the plurality of links references a private filesystem of an application resident on the portable storage device.

8. The computerized method of claim 7, wherein the reference to the private filesystem is a reference to a shared directory in the private filesystem.

9. A non-transitory machine-readable medium having executable instructions to cause one or more processing units to perform a method of accessing a shared filesystem on a portable storage device by a host coupled to the portable storage device, the computerized method comprising:

transmitting a request, by the host, to access the shared filesystem, wherein the shared filesystem includes files corresponding to a plurality of applications and a security policy that disallows one of the plurality applications accessing a file in the shared filesystem corresponding to another one of the plurality of applications; and

receiving an indication of the result of the request.

10. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the security policy is implemented with a sandbox for each of the plurality of applications.

11. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the plurality of applications are resident on the portable storage device.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the request to access the shared filesystem is a request selected from a group consisting of writing a file to the shared filesystem, reading a file from the shared filesystem, and listing one of more files in the shared filesystem.

13. The computerized method of claim 9, wherein the shared filesystem appears as a shared volume on the host.

14. The computerized method of claim 9, wherein the portable storage device is coupled to the host with a universal serial bus link.

15. The computerized method of claim 9, wherein the shared filesystem comprises a plurality of links and each link in the plurality of links references a private filesystem of an application resident on the portable storage device.

16. An apparatus comprising:

means for transmitting a request, by the host, to access the shared filesystem, wherein the shared filesystem includes files corresponding to a plurality of applications and a security policy that disallows one of the plurality applications accessing a file in the shared filesystem corresponding to another one of the plurality of applications; and

means for receiving an indication of the result of the request.