MEMORY CONTROLLER THAT INCLUDES SUPPORT FOR AUTORUN OF SOFTWARE OR DATA

• US 20140082604A1
• Filed: 11/25/2013
• Published: 03/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FlexiJet Technologies Inc..
• Original Assignee: Flexiworld Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, William Ho, Viswanathan, Vinaynathan
• Granted Patent: US 9,116,723 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/173
• 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. An integrated circuit memory device connectable to a host computing device by a user for running computer software on the host computing device and not providing means for the user to run the computer software without connecting the integrated circuit memory device to the host computing device, and providing copy protection of the computer software, 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 storing the computer software operable on the host computing device, the memory component including a protected or private memory component storing a protected data, the protected data being associated with the computer software for running on the host computing device, the protected memory component not being accessible or viewable by the user of the integrated circuit memory device, and the protected data stored in the protected memory component being prevented from being copied by the user, and the protected data stored in the protected memory component being permitted to be executed by the host computing device upon connection and activation of the integrated circuit memory device on the host computing device;

autorun firmware embedded in the integrated circuit memory device having;

means to facilitate interaction between the integrated circuit memory device and the host computing device,

means to facilitate access of the protected memory component of the integrated circuit memory device,

means to facilitate the integrated circuit memory device identifying itself with the host computing device in accordance with a first device interface description, and

means to facilitate the integrated circuit memory device for identifying itself to the host computing device with a second device interface description subsequent to identifying itself with the host computing device with a first device interface description; and

autorun software stored on the integrated circuit memory device for running automatically on the host computing device upon connection of the integrated circuit memory device to the host computing device, the autorun software, when executed, providing;

means to load from the protected memory component the protected data associated with the computer software by interacting with the autorun firmware embedded in the integrated circuit memory device, and

means to run the computer software on the host computing device that includes the protected data access from the protected memory component subsequent to connection and activation of the integrated circuit memory device to the host computing device.

2. The integrated circuit memory device of claim 1, further comprising a wireless component for adding a wireless interface to the host computing device with the wireless component, and the computer software running on the host computing device relating to wireless software for running on the host computing device.

3. The integrated circuit memory device of claim 2, in which the wireless component conforms to one or more of a Bluetooth®

, a Wifi, and an IrDa standard of wireless communication, individually or in any combination.

4. The integrated circuit memory device of claim 1, in which the means to load from the protected memory component the protected data by the autorun software authenticates access of the autorun software.

5. The integrated circuit memory device of claim 4, in which authentication of access of the autorun software includes one or more of a unique identifier, a Bluetooth address, and a MAC address, individually, or in any combination.

6. A USB (Universal Serial Bus) device connectable to the host computing device and including the integrated circuit memory device of claim 1.

7. The integrated circuit memory device of claim 1 being at least one of a USB (Universal Serial Bus) storage device and a wireless adapter device, individually, or in any combination.

8. The integrated circuit memory device of claim 1, in which the memory component further includes a public memory section, the contents of which can be viewed and accessed by a user.

9. The integrated circuit memory device of claim 8, in which at least part of the computer software is stored in the public memory section of the memory component.

10. An autorun method for running on a host computing device selected software or data using an integrated circuit memory device that is connectable by a user to an external port of the host computing device, the integrated circuit memory device including:

a memory component storing selected software or data operable on the host computing device, and

a controller for controlling interaction between the integrated circuit memory device and the host computing device, the controller including autorun firmware to support loading of the selected software or data from the memory component of the integrated circuit memory device for running on the host computing device, the method comprising;

activating the integrated circuit memory device upon connection of the integrated circuit memory device to the host computing device;

informing the host computing device of the presence of the autorun software on the integrated circuit memory device;

executing, automatically, the autorun software on the host computing device, the autorun software running on the host computing device interacting with the autorun firmware included in the controller of the integrated circuit memory device for accessing the selected software or data stored in the memory component of the integrated circuit memory device;

loading, by the autorun software, the selected software or data stored in the memory component of the integrated circuit memory device;

running, by the autorun software, the selected software or data loaded from the memory component of the integrated circuit memory device on the host computing device;

identifying the integrated circuit memory device to the host computing device in accordance with a first device interface description; and

querying the autorun firmware included in the controller of the integrated circuit memory device whether the integrated circuit memory device is to be re-enumerated, and in dependence on the response to the query;

re-enumerating the integrated circuit memory device for identifying the integrated circuit memory device to the host computing with a second device interface description.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising a wireless component for adding a wireless interface to the host computing device and the second device interface description being related to a wireless networking device.

12. The method of claim 10 in which the first device interface description identifies the integrated circuit memory device in a manner analogous to that of a CD-ROM drive or a mass storage class device.

13. The method of claim 10, in which the integrated circuit memory device includes a public memory section where at least part of the selected software or data operable on the host computer is stored, the contents of the public memory section being viewable and accessable by the user.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing the integrated circuit memory device with a user operable manual switch that allows a user to select from among two or more operating states.

15. In a computer readable memory medium, non-transitory autorun software stored in an integrated circuit memory device connectable by a user to an external port of a host computing device for running on the host computing device protected software or data that can be executed by the host computing device using the integrated circuit memory device, and the protected software or data is not able to be copied by said user, the medium comprising:

software for automatically running on the host computing device autorun software upon connection of the integrated circuit memory device to the host computing device;

software for identifying the integrated circuit memory device to the host computer with a first device interface description;

software for interacting with autorun firmware embedded in the integrated circuit memory device for accessing a protected memory component in the integrated circuit memory device, the protected memory component not being accessible or viewable by the user but being accessible by the autorun software upon connection and activation of the integrated circuit memory device to the host computing device;

software for loading at least part of the protected software or data from the protected memory component of the integrated circuit memory device;

software for running and executing the protected software or data by the autorun software on the host computer;

software for querying the autorun firmware embedded in the integrated circuit memory device whether the integrated circuit memory device is to be re-enumerated; and

software for re-enumerating the integrated circuit memory device to the host computer with a second device interface description such that the integrated circuit memory device operates with the host computer in accordance with the second device interface description.

16. The medium of claim 15, in which loading at least part of the protected software or data on the host computer from the protected memory component includes authenticating the autorun software by a security application feature stored in the Integrated circuit memory device.

17. The medium of claim 15, further comprising a non-protected or public memory section, the contents of which can be viewed and accessed by the user.

18. The medium of claim 17, in which at least part of the protected software or data is stored in the non-protected or public memory section, and the medium further comprising software for loading at least part of the protected software or data on the host computer from the non-protected or public memory section of the Integrated circuit memory device.

19. The medium of claim 15, further comprising software for determining an operating state from among plural operating states using an user operable manual switch.

20. The medium of claim 15, in which the protected software or data is related to wireless software running on the host computing device.