Method and apparatus for selective file erasure using metadata modifications

• US 8,099,437 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2010
• Issued: 01/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alan Joshua Shapiro
• Original Assignee: Alan Joshua Shapiro
• Inventors: Shapiro, Alan Joshua
• Primary Examiner(s): Woo, Isaac M
• Application Number:
  US12/973,898
• Publication Number:
  US 20110125816A1
• Time in Patent Office: 393 Days
• Field of Search: 707600-831
• US Class Current: 707/791
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/13 File access structures, e.g. distributed indices arrangements of input from, or output to, record carriers G06F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/162 Delete operations erasing in storage systems G06F3/0652
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/164 File meta data generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/62 Uninstallation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99956 File allocation

Abstract

A process that ensures the virtual destruction of data files a user wishes to erase from a storage medium, such as a hard drive, flash drive, or removable disk. This approach is appropriate for managing custom distributions from a large file sets as it is roughly linear in compute complexity to the number of files erased but is capped when many files are batch erased.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for installing and distributing customized content using a first storage medium having a plurality of installed soft assets stored therein, wherein the plurality of installed soft assets includes at least a first subset and a second subset, the method comprising:

obtaining a first set of metadata describing the plurality of installed soft assets, wherein the first set of metadata includes a first set of directory information that identifies locations on the first storage medium at which the plurality of installed soft assets are stored;

connecting the first storage medium having the plurality of installed soft assets to a dispensing computer;

receiving selection data that distinguish the first subset of the plurality of installed soft assets that is to be unavailable for use by an end user from the second subset of the plurality of installed soft assets that is to be retained and available for use by the end user;

using the dispensing computer, and based on the received selection data, automatically erasing a first portion of the first set of directory information that corresponds to the first subset of the plurality of installed soft assets; and

using the dispensing computer, and based on the received selection data, creating a second set of metadata in locations on the first storage medium, wherein the second set of metadata includes a second set of directory information, and wherein the creating includes reading directory entries corresponding to the second subset of the plurality of installed soft assets from the first set of metadata and writing the directory entries into the second set of metadata such that the second set of directory information identifies locations on the first storage medium at which the second subset of the plurality of installed soft assets is stored, and such that, after the erasing, at least a first portion of the first subset of the plurality of installed soft assets cannot be located on the first storage medium by reading either the first set of directory information or the second set of directory information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after the erasing of the first portion of the first set of directory information, operatively coupling the first storage medium to an end-user information-processing device for a first time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the dispensing computer is an end-user information-processing device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the end-user information-processing device is a digital music player.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first storage medium is a non-volatile solid-state memory device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least the second subset of the plurality of installed soft assets stored on the first storage medium are unavailable for use unless and until the erasing of the first portion of the first set of directory information that corresponds to the first subset of the plurality of installed soft assets is performed.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of metadata is obtained from storage other than the first storage medium.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining of the first set of metadata describing the plurality of installed soft assets includes obtaining the first set of directory information from a location other than the dispensing computer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the dispensing computer is a micro-controller physically in an enclosure that also contains the first storage medium.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a second storage medium;

installing a plurality of soft assets to the second storage medium;

providing the first storage medium; and

writing, to the first storage medium, data from the second storage medium that includes the plurality of installed soft assets.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a second storage medium;

installing a plurality of soft assets to the second storage medium to create a master panoplex;

providing the first storage medium; and

copying, to the first storage medium, the master panoplex that includes the plurality of installed soft assets.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising charging a monetary amount to a predetermined account based on the received selection data.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising invoicing a monetary amount based on the received selection data.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining of the first set of metadata includes reading the first set of directory information from a location on the first storage medium other than an operating-system directory location, and wherein the creating of the second set of metadata in locations on the first storage medium includes writing the directory entries corresponding to the second subset of the plurality of installed soft assets to the operating-system directory location.

15. A soft asset dispenser comprising:

a processor;

a first storage medium that has a plurality of installed soft assets stored therein, wherein the plurality of installed soft assets includes at least a first subset and a second subset;

a first set of metadata that describes the plurality of installed soft assets, wherein the first set of metadata includes a first set of directory information that identifies locations on the first storage medium at which the plurality of installed soft assets are stored;

a receiver operatively coupled to the processor and configured to receive selection data that distinguishes the first subset of the plurality of installed soft assets that is to be unavailable for use by an end user from the second subset of the plurality of installed soft assets that is to be retained and available for use by the end user; and

a collection customizer that executes in the processor and that is operatively coupled to the first storage medium, wherein the customizer is operable to, based on the received selection data, automatically erase a first portion of the first set of directory information that corresponds to the first subset of the plurality of installed soft assets, wherein the customizer is further operable to, based on the received selection data, create a second set of metadata in locations on the first storage medium, wherein the second set of metadata includes a second set of directory information, and wherein the customizer reads directory entries corresponding to the second subset of the plurality of installed soft assets from the first set of metadata and writes the directory entries into the second set of metadata to form the second set of directory information such that the second set of directory information identifies locations on the first storage medium at which the second subset of the plurality of installed soft assets is stored, and such that, after the erase, at least a first portion of the first subset of the plurality of installed soft assets cannot be located on the first storage medium by reading either the first set of directory information or the second set of directory information.

16. The soft asset dispenser of claim 15, further comprising an end-user information-processing device, wherein the end-user information-processing device is operatively coupled to the first storage medium for a first time only after the first portion of the first set of directory information is erased by the collection customizer.

17. The soft asset dispenser of claim 15, wherein the collection customizer is part of an end-user information-processing device.

18. The soft asset dispenser of claim 17, wherein the end-user information-processing device is a percepter.

19. The soft asset dispenser of claim 15, wherein the first storage medium is a non-volatile solid-state memory card.

20. The soft asset dispenser of claim 15, wherein at least the second subset of the plurality of installed soft assets stored on the first storage medium are unavailable for use unless and until the customizer automatically erases the first portion of the first set of directory information that corresponds to the first subset of the plurality of installed soft assets.

21. The soft asset dispenser of claim 15, wherein the plurality of installed soft assets includes computer-executable programs.

22. The soft asset dispenser of claim 15, wherein the plurality of installed soft assets includes music.

23. The soft asset dispenser of claim 15, wherein the first set of metadata is located in storage other than the first storage medium.

24. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first storage medium includes an external-device interface configured to accept data-transfer requests and to send and receive data from an external device.

25. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a charging mechanism that charges a monetary amount based on the received selection data.

26. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the collection customizer executes in the processor as part of a production line of an original-equipment manufacturer.

27. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first set of metadata further includes registry data, and wherein the collection customizer is further operable to, based on the received selection data, modify at least a portion of the registry data that corresponds to the first subset of the plurality of installed soft assets.

28. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein, after the erase is performed by the customizer, the first storage medium includes residual indicia of the first subset of the plurality of installed soft assets in an erased state.

29. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon for causing a suitably programmed dispensing computer to execute a method for installing and distributing customized content using an asset-storage medium initially having a plurality of installed soft assets stored therein, the method comprising:

obtaining a first set of metadata describing the plurality of installed soft assets, wherein the first set of metadata includes a first set of directory information that identifies locations on the asset-storage medium at which the plurality of installed soft assets are stored;

connecting the asset-storage medium having the plurality of installed soft assets to the dispensing computer, wherein the plurality of installed soft assets includes at least a first subset and a second subset;

receiving selection data that distinguishes the first subset of the plurality of installed soft assets that is to be unavailable for use by an end user from the second subset of the plurality of installed soft assets that is to be retained and available for use by the end user;

using the dispensing computer, and based on the received selection data, automatically erasing a first portion of the first set of directory information that corresponds to the first subset of the plurality of installed soft assets; and

using the dispensing computer, and based on the received selection data, creating a second set of metadata in locations on the asset-storage medium, wherein the second set of metadata includes a second set of directory information, and wherein the creating includes reading directory entries corresponding to the second subset of the plurality of installed soft assets from the first set of metadata and writing the directory entries into the second set of metadata such that the second set of directory information identifies locations on the asset-storage medium at which the second subset of the plurality of installed soft assets is stored, and such that, after the erasing, at least a first portion of the first subset of the plurality of installed soft assets cannot be located on the asset-storage medium by reading either the first set of directory information or the second set of directory information.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein at least the second subset of the plurality of installed soft assets stored on the first storage medium are unavailable for use unless and until the erasing of the first portion of the first set of directory information that corresponds to the first subset of the plurality of installed soft assets is performed.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium having the instructions stored thereon is also the asset-storage medium.

32. A dispensing computer system for installing and distributing customized content using a first storage medium having a plurality of installed soft assets stored therein according to a file system, wherein the plurality of installed soft assets includes at least a first subset and a second subset, the computer system comprising:

a first set of metadata describing the plurality of installed soft assets, wherein the first set of metadata includes a first set of directory information that identifies locations on the first storage medium at which the plurality of installed soft assets are stored;

means for connecting the first storage medium having the plurality of installed soft assets to the dispensing computer system;

means for receiving selection data that distinguishes the first subset of the plurality of installed soft assets that is to be unavailable for use by an end user from the second subset of the plurality of installed soft assets that is to be retained and available for use by an end user;

means for automatically erasing, based on the received selection data, a first portion of the first set of directory information that corresponds to the first subset of the plurality of installed soft assets; and

means for creating, based on the received selection data, a second set of metadata in locations on the first storage medium, wherein the second set of metadata includes a second set of directory information, and wherein the means for creating includes means for reading directory entries corresponding to the second subset of the plurality of installed soft assets from the first set of metadata and writing the directory entries into the second set of metadata such that the second set of directory information identifies locations on the first storage medium at which the second subset of the plurality of installed soft assets is stored, and such that, after the erasing, at least a first portion of the first subset of the plurality of installed soft assets cannot be located on the first storage medium by reading either the first set of directory information or the second set of directory information.

33. The dispensing computer system of claim 32, wherein at least the second subset of the plurality of installed soft assets stored on the first storage medium are unavailable for use unless and until the erasing of the first portion of the first set of directory information that corresponds to the first subset of the plurality of installed soft assets.