System and method for backing-up data stored on a portable audio player

• US 6,577,735 B1
• Filed: 06/08/1999
• Issued: 06/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Bharat, Krishna Asur
• Primary Examiner(s): Peeso, Thomas R.
• Application Number:
  US09/327,998
• Time in Patent Office: 1,463 Days
• Field of Search: 713/153, 713/161, 713/165, 713/168, 713/189, 713/193, 713/194, 713/200, 713/201, 380/286
• US Class Current: 380/286
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0021 involving encryption or decryption of contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/213 Read-only discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/61 wherein solid state memory is used for storing A/V content storing computer data in solid state memories G06F
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier

Abstract

A system creates an encrypted backup copy of the compressed audio data downloaded onto a portable audio player. When a user loads a portable audio player with audio data from a CD inserted into a computer'"'"'s CD-ROM drive, the system creates an encrypted copy of the compressed audio data and stores the encrypted copy on the computer'"'"'s hard disk. The encrypted copy cannot be used without a cryptographic key, but the system discards the cryptographic key once the encrypted copy of the audio data is stored. To extract usable audio data from the encrypted backup copy, it is necessary to re-insert the original CD and regenerate the cryptographic key. Once the cryptographic key is regenerated, the encrypted audio data can be decrypted and re-loaded onto the portable audio player.

Claims

1. A portable jukebox programming system, comprising:

a memory unit;

a port for coupling the system to a portable jukebox having internal data storage;

a subsystem for receiving audio data from a source communicatively coupled to the subsystem;

a compression module for compressing a portion of the audio data into compressed audio data;

an encryption key generator for generating an encryption key as a predefined function of the audio data;

an encryption module for encrypting the compressed audio data with the encryption key to generate an encrypted backup copy of the compressed audio data, for storing the encrypted backup copy in the memory unit, and for discarding the encryption key, wherein the encrypted copy is not useable without the encryption key; and

a transfer module for transferring the compressed-audio data via the port to the portable jukebox for storage therein.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a backup recovery module, including,

an encryption key recovery module for regenerating the encryption key from the audio data when the source is communicatively re-coupled to the subsystem;

a decryption module for decrypting the encrypted backup copy with the regenerated encryption key to generate recovered compressed audio data;

the transfer module including means for transferring the recovered compressed audio data to the portable jukebox.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the memory unit comprises a removable storage medium.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the backup recovery module includes a portable jukebox detection module that disables operation of at least one of the encryption key recovery module, the decryption module, and the transfer module when the portable jukebox is not coupled to the port.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the backup recovery module includes a portable jukebox detection module that compares an identifier embedded in the portable jukebox with an identifier in the encrypted backup copy and disables the transfer module from transferring the recovered compressed audio data to the portable jukebox when the embedded identifier does not match the identifier in the encrypted backup copy.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the decryption module further comprises decryption verification means for verifying similarity of the compressed audio data and the recovered compressed audio data before enabling the transfer module to transfer the recovered compressed audio data to the portable jukebox.

7. A portable jukebox programming subsystem for use in conjunction with a computer having a memory unit, a port for coupling the system to a portable jukebox having internal data storage, and another subsystem for receiving audio data from a source communicatively coupled to the subsystem;

the portable jukebox programming subsystem, comprising;

a compression module for compressing a portion of the audio data into compressed audio data;

an encryption key generator for generating an encryption key as a predefined function of the audio data;

an encryption module for encrypting the compressed audio data with the encryption key to generate an encrypted backup copy of the compressed audio data, for storing the encrypted backup copy in the memory unit, and for discarding the encryption key, wherein the encrypted backup copy is not useable without the encryption key;

a transfer module executable by the computer for transferring the compressed audio data via the port to the portable jukebox for storage therein; and

a backup recovery module, including,

an encryption key recovery module for regenerating the encryption key from the audio data when the source is communicatively re-coupled to the subsystem;

a decryption module for decrypting the encrypted backup copy with the regenerated encryption key to generate recovered compressed audio data;

the transfer module including executable instructions for transferring the recovered compressed audio data to the portable jukebox.

8. The portable jukebox programming subsystem of claim 7, wherein the backup recovery module includes a portable jukebox detection module that disables operation of at least one of the encryption key recovery module, the decryption module, and the transfer module when the portable jukebox is not coupled to the port.

9. The portable jukebox programming subsystem of claim 7, wherein the backup recovery module includes a portable jukebox detection module that compares an identifier embedded in the portable jukebox with an identifier in the encrypted backup copy and disables the transfer module from transferring the recovered compressed audio data to the portable jukebox when the embedded identifier does not match the identifier in the encrypted backup copy.

10. The portable jukebox programming subsystem of claim 7, wherein the decryption module further comprises decryption verification means for verifying similarity of the compressed audio data and the recovered compressed audio data before enabling the transfer module to transfer the recovered compressed audio data to the portable jukebox.

11. A method of programming a portable jukebox, comprising:

coupling a computer workstation to a portable audio player;

coupling an audio data source to the computer workstation;

receiving audio data from the audio data source;

compressing a portion of the audio data into compressed audio data;

generating an encryption key as a predefined function of the audio data;

encrypting the compressed audio data with the encryption key to generate an encrypted backup copy of the compressed audio data;

storing the encrypted backup copy on the computer workstation;

discarding the encryption key;

transferring the compressed audio data to the portable audio player for storage therein;

re-coupling the audio data source to the computer workstation;

regenerating the encryption key from the audio data;

decrypting the encrypted backup copy with the regenerated encryption key to generate recovered compressed audio data;

transferring the recovered compressed audio data to the portable audio player.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

identifying whether the portable audio player is coupled to the backup system;

inhibiting the decryption of the encrypted backup copy if the portable audio player is not coupled to the backup system.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

comparing an identifier embedded in the portable jukebox with an identifier in the encrypted backup copy and disabling at least one of the decrypting of the encrypted backup copy and the transferring of the recovered compressed audio data to the portable jukebox when the embedded identifier does not match the identifier in the encrypted backup copy.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

comparing the compressed audio data to the recovered compressed audio data, and repeating the regenerating, decrypting, and comparing steps if the compressed audio data is not substantially similar to the recovered compressed audio data.

15. A computer program product for use in conjunction with a computer system having a memory unit, a port for coupling the system to a portable jukebox having internal data storage, and a subsystem for receiving audio data from a source communicatively coupled to the subsystem, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium and a computer program mechanism embedded therein, the computer program mechanism comprising:

a compression module for compressing a portion of the audio data into compressed audio data;

an encryption key generator for generating an encryption key as a predefined function of the audio data;

an encryption module for encrypting the compressed audio data with the encryption key to generate an encrypted backup copy of the compressed audio data, for storing the encrypted backup copy in the memory unit, and for discarding the encryption key, wherein the encrypted copy is not useable without the encryption key;

a transfer module executable by the computer for transferring the compressed audio data via the port to the portable jukebox for storage therein; and

a backup recovery module, including,

an encryption key recovery module for regenerating the encryption key from the audio data when the source is communicatively re-coupled to the subsystem;

a decryption module for decrypting the encrypted backup copy with the regenerated encryption key to generate recovered compressed audio data;

the transfer module means including executable instructions for transferring the recovered compressed audio data to the portable jukebox.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the backup recovery module includes a portable jukebox detection module that disables operation of at least one of the encryption key recovery module, the decryption module, and the transfer module when the portable jukebox is not coupled to the port.

17. The portable jukebox programming subsystem of claim 15, wherein the backup recovery module includes a portable jukebox detection module that compares an identifier embedded in the portable jukebox with an identifier in the encrypted backup copy and disables the transfer module from transferring the recovered compressed audio data to the portable jukebox when the embedded identifier does not match the identifier in the encrypted backup copy.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the decryption module further comprises decryption verification means for verifying similarity of the compressed audio data and the recovered compressed audio data before enabling the transfer module to transfer the recovered compressed audio data to the portable jukebox.

19. A computer data signal, for use in conjunction with a computer system having a memory unit, a port for coupling the system to a portable jukebox having internal data storage, and a subsystem for receiving audio data from a source communicatively coupled to the subsystem, the computer data signal comprising:

a compression module for compressing a portion of the audio data into compressed audio data;

an encryption key generator for generating an encryption key as a predefined function of the audio data;

an encryption module for encrypting the compressed audio data with the encryption key to generate an encrypted backup copy of the compressed audio data, for storing the encrypted backup copy in the memory unit, and for discarding the encryption key, wherein the encrypted copy is not useable without the encryption key;

a transfer module executable by the computer for transferring the compressed audio data via the port to the portable jukebox for storage therein; and

a backup recovery module, including,

an encryption key recovery module for regenerating the encryption key from the audio data when the source is communicatively re-coupled to the subsystem;

a decryption module for decrypting the encrypted backup copy with the regenerated encryption key to generate recovered compressed audio data;

the transfer module means including executable instructions for transferring the recovered compressed audio data to the portable jukebox.

20. The computer data signal of claim 19, wherein the backup recovery module includes a portable jukebox detection module that disables operation of at least one of the encryption key recovery module, the decryption module, and the transfer module when the portable jukebox is not coupled to the port.

21. The computer data signal of claim 19, wherein the backup recovery module includes a portable jukebox detection module that compares an identifier embedded in the portable jukebox with an identifier in the encrypted backup copy and disables the transfer module from transferring the recovered compressed audio data to the portable jukebox when the embedded identifier does not match the identifier in the encrypted backup copy.

22. The computer data signal of claim 19, wherein the decryption module further comprises decryption verification means for verifying similarity of the compressed audio data and the recovered compressed audio data before enabling the transfer module to transfer the recovered compressed audio data to the portable jukebox.