Delivering secured media using a portable memory device

• US 8,683,159 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2007
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Dunstan, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, THAN VINH
• Application Number:
  US11/965,278
• Publication Number:
  US 20090172245A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,280 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 711/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1433 for a module or a part of a module
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1066 Hiding content
• 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 2212/2022 Flash memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2107 File encryption
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2119 Authenticating web pages, e.g. with suspicious links
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0679 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP]

Abstract

In some embodiments an interface of a portable memory device is used to store content information in a hidden memory region of the portable memory device. The interface is also used to store information in a visible memory region of the portable memory device. The information stored in the visible memory region allows the content information stored in the hidden memory region to be accessed. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. A portable memory device comprising:

a hidden memory region;

a visible memory region;

a first interface to store content information in the hidden memory region and to store information in the visible memory region, wherein the information stored in the visible region allows the content information stored in the hidden region to be accessed; and

a second interface to provide the content information from the hidden memory region to a media player;

wherein the first interface and the second interface are different physical interfaces and the first interface is a higher speed interface than the second interface.

2. The portable memory device of claim 1, wherein the first interface is further to read the information from the visible memory region in order to provide the content information from the hidden memory region to a media player to be coupled to the portable memory device via the first interface while maintaining content protection of the content information.

3. The portable memory device of claim 1, the second interface to read the information from the visible memory region in order to provide the content information from the hidden memory region to the media player which is to be coupled to the portable memory device via the second interface while maintaining content protection of the content information.

4. The portable memory device of claim 3, wherein the first interface is an interface to be used only by a supplier of the content information to be stored in the hidden memory region of the portable memory device.

5. The portable memory device of claim 3, wherein the first interface and the second interface do not allow simultaneous access of the portable memory device.

6. The portable memory device of claim 1, wherein the first interface is an interface to be used by a user to play the content information stored in the hidden memory region of the portable memory device while maintaining content protection of the content information.

7. The portable memory device of claim 1, wherein the portable memory device is a flash memory device.

8. The portable memory device of claim 1, wherein the first interface is at least one of a fast flash interface, a SATA interface, or a USB interface.

9. The portable memory device of claim 1, the first interface to scrub the hidden memory region prior to storing the content information in the hidden memory region.

10. The portable memory device of claim 1, wherein the first interface is to store the content information in the hidden memory region using one atomic operation.

11. The portable memory device of claim 1, wherein the first interface has write only access to the hidden memory region.

12. The portable memory device of claim 1, wherein the first interface is an interface to be used only by a supplier of the content information to be stored in the hidden memory region of the portable memory device.

13. The portable memory device of claim 1, wherein the first interface and the second interface do not allow simultaneous access of the portable memory device.

14. The portable memory device of claim 1, wherein the second interface is a standard interface.

15. A method comprising:

storing content information in a hidden memory region of a portable memory device using a first interface of the portable memory device;

storing information in a visible memory region of the portable memory device using the first interface, wherein the information stored in the visible region allows the content information stored in the hidden region to be accessed; and

accessing the information from the visible memory region to provide the content information from the hidden memory region to a media player via a second interface;

wherein the first interface and the second interface are different physical interfaces and the first interface is a higher speed interface than the second interface.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising accessing the information stored in the visible memory region to allow playing of the content information in the hidden memory region while maintaining content protection of the content information.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the storing of content information in the hidden memory region and the storing of information in the visible memory region is only performed by a supplier of the content information.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the storing of information in the visible memory region includes storing code information in the visible memory region that may be used to access the content information stored in the hidden memory region.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising playing the content information stored in the hidden memory region of the portable memory device using the information stored in the visible memory region while maintaining content protection of the content information.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising wherein the accessing the information from the visible memory region to provide the content information from the

hidden memory region to the media player via the second interface maintains content protection of the content information.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising never allowing the first interface and the second interface to simultaneously access the portable memory device.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising scrubbing the hidden memory region prior to storing the content information in the hidden memory region.

23. The method of claim 15, further comprising storing the content information in the hidden memory region using one atomic operation.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the first interface has write only access to the hidden memory region.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein the first interface is an interface to be used only by a supplier of the content information to be stored in the hidden memory region of the portable memory device.

26. The method of claim 15, further comprising never allowing the first interface and the second interface to simultaneously access the portable memory device.

27. The method of claim 15, wherein the second interface is a standard interface.

28. An article comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having instructions thereon which when executed cause a computer to;

store content information in a hidden region of a portable memory device using a first interface of the portable memory device;

store information in a visible region of the portable memory device using the first interface, wherein the information stored in the visible region allows the content information stored in the hidden region to be accessed; and

access the information from the visible memory region to provide the content information from the hidden memory region to a media player via a second interface;

wherein the first interface and the second interface are different physical interfaces and the first interface is a higher speed interface than the second interface.

29. The article of claim 28, the computer readable storage medium further having instructions thereon which when executed cause a computer to store code

information in the visible memory region that may be used to access the content information stored in the hidden memory region.

30. The article of claim 28, the computer readable storage medium further having instructions thereon which when executed cause a computer to scrub the hidden memory region prior to storing the content information in the hidden memory region.

31. The article of claim 28, the computer readable storage medium further having instructions thereon which when executed cause a computer to store the content information in the hidden memory region using one atomic operation.

32. The article of claim 28, the computer readable storage medium further having instructions thereon which when executed cause a computer to access the information stored in the visible memory region to allow playing of the content information in the hidden memory region while maintaining content protection of the content information.

33. The article of claim 28, wherein the first interface has write only access to the hidden memory region.

34. The article of claim 28, wherein the first interface is an interface to be used only by a supplier of the content information to be stored in the hidden memory region of the portable memory device.

35. The article of claim 28, the computer readable storage medium further having instructions thereon which when executed cause a computer to never allow the first interface and the second interface to simultaneously access the portable memory device.

36. The article of claim 28, wherein the second interface is a standard interface.