Content control systems and methods

• US 7,577,809 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2006
• Issued: 08/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Western Digital Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Promethean Storage, LLC
• Inventors: Reh, Jeffrey G., Bruner, Curtis H., Squires, Christopher J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Matt
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fishburn; John P
• Application Number:
  US11/417,095
• Publication Number:
  US 20070186062A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,203 Days
• Field of Search: 711/163, 711/154, 711/164, 714/6, 714/763
• US Class Current: 711/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• 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 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices

Abstract

A control system comprises an interface configured to receive a content request from a request source wherein the content request identifies content stored on a storage medium. The control system also comprises a processing system coupled to the interface and configured to process the content request to determine when the request source is a valid destination for the content based on a first identifier stored with the content. The interface is further configured to transfer the content to the request source when the request source is a valid destination.

Claims

1. A control system comprising:

an interface configured to receive a content request and an identifier from a request source wherein the content request identifies content stored on a storage medium;

a processing system coupled to the interface and configured to process the content request to determine an error correction code (ECC) stored with the content, determine an ECC seed based on the content and the ECC, wherein the ECC seed was used to generate the ECC, and process the content request, the identifier, and the ECC seed to determine when the request source is a valid destination for the content;

wherein the request source is a valid destination when the ECC seed corresponds to the identifier; and

the interface configured to transfer the content to the request source when the request source is a valid destination.

2. The control system of claim 1 wherein the processing system is configured to generate a response to the content request and wherein the interface is configured to transfer the response.

3. The control system of claim 2 wherein the response comprises an error message when the request source is not a valid destination for the content.

4. The control system of claim 2 wherein the response comprises invalid data when the request source is not a valid destination for the content.

5. The control system of claim 1 wherein the processing system withholds a response when the request source is not a valid destination for the content.

6. The control system of claim 1 wherein the storage medium comprises a rotating storage medium.

7. The control system of claim 1 wherein the storage medium comprises a semiconductor based storage medium.

8. The control system of claim 1 wherein the request source comprises a host system and wherein the ECC seed identifies a subsystem on the host system.

9. A method of operating a control system comprising:

receiving a content request and an identifier from a request source wherein the content request identifies content stored on a storage medium;

processing the content request to determine an error correction code (ECC) stored with the content;

processing the content and the ECC to determine an ECC seed, wherein the ECC seed was used to generate the ECC;

processing the content request, the identifier, and the ECC seed to determine when the request source is a valid destination for the content;

wherein the request source is a valid destination when the ECC seed corresponds to the identifier; and

transferring the content to the request source when the request source is a valid destination.

10. The method of claim 9 comprising generating a response to the content request and transferring the response.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the response comprises an error message when the request source is not a valid destination for the content.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the response comprises invalid data when the request source is not a valid destination for the content.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising withholding a response when the request source is not a valid destination for the content.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the storage medium comprises a rotating storage medium.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the storage medium comprises a semiconductor based storage medium.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the request source comprises a host system and wherein the ECC seed identifies a subsystem on the host system.

17. A storage system comprising:

a storage medium configured to store content; and

a control system coupled to the storage medium and configured to receive a content request and an identifier from a request source wherein the content request identifies content stored on a storage medium, process the content request to determine an error correction code (ECC) stored with the content, determine an ECC seed based on the content and the ECC, wherein the ECC seed was used to generate the ECC, and process the content request, the identifier, and the ECC seed to determine when the request source is a valid destination for the content, wherein the request source is a valid destination when the ECC seed corresponds to the identifier, and transfer the content to the request source when the request source is a valid destination.

18. A device comprising:

a host system; and

a storage system coupled to the host system and configured to receive a content request and an identifier from a request source wherein the content request identifies content stored on a storage medium, process the content request to determine an error correction code (ECC) stored with the content, determine an ECC seed based on the content and the ECC, wherein the ECC seed was used to generate the ECC, and process the content request, the identifier, and the ECC seed to determine when the request source is a valid destination for the content, wherein the request source is a valid destination when the ECC seed corresponds to the identifier, and transfer the content to the request source when the request source is a valid destination.

19. A device comprising:

a storage system having a storage medium; and

a host system coupled to the storage system and comprising a control system configured to receive a content request and an identifier from a request source wherein the content request identifies content stored on the storage medium, process the content request to determine an error correction code (ECC) stored with the content, determine an ECC seed based on the content and the ECC, wherein the ECC seed was used to generate the ECC, and process the content request, the identifier, and the ECC seed to determine when the request source is a valid destination for the content, wherein the request source is a valid destination when the ECC seed corresponds to the identifier, and transfer the content to the request source when the request source is a valid destination.