Secure system and apparatus for data delivery

• US 8,800,054 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2009
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Viridistor LLC
• Original Assignee: Viridistor LLC
• Inventors: Mullin, Terence J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barron, Jr., Gilberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cribbs, Malcolm
• Application Number:
  US12/576,205
• Publication Number:
  US 20100088772A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,762 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 726/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/445 by mutual authentication, e.g. between devices or programs
• 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 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment

Abstract

A system and apparatus for data delivery facilitates secure and controlled delivery of digital information, particularly in the context of an event, but also in the context of commercial and educational forums and the like. Preferably an administrator is positioned between parties wishing to share digital information and parties wishing to obtain such information. The administrator ensures that the digital information falls within certain security and formatting criteria so that parties may obtain the information without fear of damage to or abuse of their computing devices.

Claims

1. A secure system for data delivery, comprising:

a content delivery device comprising a computer enclosed within a housing;

a secured access system for the content delivery device, the secured access system configured to prevent unauthorized access to modify electronic files of the computer within the content delivery device, the secured access system comprising an authorization security software routine stored on the computer and configured so that the computer will not execute a command to modify electronic files of the computer or to download any electronic content from an external computer to the content delivery device computer unless requirements of the authorization security software routine are satisfied, and wherein upon satisfying the requirements of the authorization security software routine the external computer may download electronic content to the content delivery device computer;

a plurality of electronic content files saved in the content delivery device computer;

a portable electronic memory storage device having a profile code stored therein and having a preferred folder structure saved therein;

a data delivery interface disposed on the content delivery device and being configured to selectively communicate with the portable electronic memory storage device; and

software on the content delivery device computer adapted to be triggered when the portable electronic storage device is engaged with the interface port and, upon triggering, to initiate a data delivery routine with the engaged portable electronic storage device;

wherein the data delivery routine is adapted to identify the profile code stored on the portable electronic memory storage device, determine which of the plurality of electronic content files correspond to the profile code, and upload to the portable electronic memory storage device only the electronic content file or files that correspond to the profile code; and

wherein the data delivery routine is adapted to identify the preferred folder structure, and the data delivery routine is adapted so that no electronic content files will be uploaded to the portable electronic memory storage device unless and until the preferred folder structure is identified.

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein no data from the portable electronic memory storage device is electronically saved in the memory of the secured content delivery device.

3. A system as in claim 1, wherein an authorization code is stored on the portable electronic memory storage device, and the data delivery routine is adapted to search for and identify the authorization code, and wherein the data delivery routine is adapted so that no electronic content files will be uploaded to the portable electronic memory storage device unless and until the authorization code is identified.

4. A system as in claim 3, wherein the content delivery device comprises a security code and the portable electronic memory storage device includes a security routine configured to read the security code, and wherein the portable memory storage device will not allow electronic content files to be uploaded until the security routine has read the security code.

5. A system as in claim 1, wherein the data delivery routine is adapted to upload one or more of the electronic content files to a selected folder of the preferred folder structure.

6. A system as in claim 3, wherein the content delivery device additionally comprises a setup interface, and wherein the authorization security software routine can be accessed via the setup interface, but not via the delivery interface.

18. The system of claim 5 additionally comprising a second content delivery device having a second computer, a second electronic content file being saved on the second computer, wherein software on the second content delivery device computer is adapted to be triggered when the portable electronic storage device is engaged with an interface port of the second content delivery device and, upon triggering, to initiate a data delivery routine with the engaged portable electronic storage device, wherein the data delivery routine is adapted to identify the preferred folder structure and to upload the second electronic content file to a second folder of the folder structure.

7. A secure system for data delivery, comprising:

a content delivery device comprising a computer enclosed within a housing;

a secured access system for the content delivery device, the secured access system configured to prevent unauthorized access to modify electronic files of the computer within the content delivery device, the secured access system comprising an authorization security software routine stored on the computer and configured so that the computer will not execute a command to modify electronic files of the computer or to download any electronic content from an external computer to the content delivery device computer unless requirements of the authorization security software routine are satisfied, and wherein upon satisfying the requirements of the authorization security software routine the external computer may download electronic content to the content delivery device computer;

a plurality of electronic content files saved in the content delivery device computer;

a portable electronic memory storage device having a profile code and an authorization code stored therein;

a data delivery interface disposed on the content delivery device and being configured to selectively communicate with the portable electronic memory storage device; and

software on the content delivery device computer adapted to be triggered when the portable electronic storage device is engaged with the interface port and, upon triggering, to initiate a data delivery routine with the engaged portable electronic storage device;

wherein the data delivery routine is adapted to search for and identify the authorization code, and the data delivery routine is adapted so that no electronic content files will be uploaded to the portable electronic memory storage device unless and until the authorization code is identified;

wherein the data delivery routine is adapted to identify the profile code stored on the portable electronic memory storage device, determine which of the plurality of electronic content files correspond to the profile code, and upload to the portable electronic memory storage device only the electronic content file or files that correspond to the profile code;

wherein the content delivery device additionally comprises a setup interface, and the authorization security software routine can be accessed via the setup interface, but not via the delivery interface; and

wherein the setup interface is disposed within the housing so that a physical barrier is disposed between the setup interface and the outside of the content delivery device housing.

8. A system as in claim 7 additionally comprising a security monitoring system configured to detect attempts to access the content delivery device computer.

9. A secure system for selectively delivering customized electronic data from a first party to a portable electronic memory storage device, comprising:

a content delivery device comprising a computer enclosed within a housing and an interface, the computer comprising a security system configured to limit access to change a setting of the computer and/or to delete or add an electronic file from or to the computer to the administrator computer;

an electronic content file having information concerning a first party, the electronic content file being saved on the content delivery device computer;

a portable electronic memory storage device having an authorization code and a folder structure saved therein, the folder structure having a first party folder, the portable electronic memory storage device configured to communicate with the content delivery device computer via the interface;

wherein the content delivery device computer is configured to read the authorization code of the portable electronic memory storage device and, upon verification of the authorization code, to identify the first party folder and upload the electronic content file to the first party folder of the portable electronic memory storage device; and

wherein the content delivery device computer is adapted to not save any data from the portable electronic memory storage device.

10. A system as in claim 9, wherein the system comprises N content delivery devices, each having a computer having an electronic content file having information concerning an Nth party, and the portable electronic memory storage device comprises an Nth party folder, and wherein the Nth content delivery device is configured to identify the Nth party folder and upload the electronic content file to the Nth party folder of the portable electronic memory storage device.

11. A method for delivering content at an event having a plurality of exhibitors, comprising:

providing a plurality of content groups saved on an administrator computer, a first one of the content groups being associated with a first one of the plurality of exhibitors;

providing a plurality of content delivery devices, each content delivery device comprising a unique identification code and a computer enclosed within a housing and having an interface;

providing a plurality of portable electronic memory storage devices each configured to communicate with the content delivery device computers via one of the associated interfaces, the content delivery devices and portable memory storage devices configured so that a content group saved on the content delivery device is automatically loaded onto the portable memory storage device upon interface of the devices;

linking a first one of the content delivery devices to the first one of the content groups when the first one of the plurality of exhibitors checks in to the event, comprising associating the first content group with the unique identification code of the first content delivery device in the administrator computer;

delivering the first content delivery device to the first one of the plurality of exhibitors; and

electronically connecting the first content delivery device to the administrator computer;

wherein when the first content delivery device is electronically connected to the administrator computer the administrator computer reads the unique identification code of the first content delivery device, notes that the code is linked to the first content group, and downloads the first content group to the first content delivery device.

12. The method of claim 11 additionally comprising engaging a first one of the portable memory storage devices with the first content delivery device through an interface, and uploading the first content to the first portable device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the steps of the administrator computer reading the unique identification code of the first content delivery device, noting that the code is linked to the first content group, and downloading the first content group to the first content delivery device are performed automatically upon electronically connecting the first content delivery device to the administrator computer.

14. The method of claim 11, comprising delivering the first content delivery device to the first one of the plurality of exhibitors before it is electronically connected to the administrator computer.

15. The method of claim 11 additionally comprising the first content delivery device detecting that a first one of the portable memory storage devices is engaged with the first content delivery device through an interface, and uploading the first content from the first content delivery device to the first portable device.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of portable electronic memory storage devices has a folder structure saved thereon, the folder structure comprising a first and a second folder, and additionally comprising the first content delivery device reading a first one of the plurality of portable memory storage devices that is engaged with the first content delivery device, identifying the first folder, and uploading the first content group to the first folder of the first one of the plurality of portable memory storage devices.

17. The method of claim 16 additionally comprising downloading a second content group from the administrator computer to a second content delivery device, the second content delivery device reading the first one of the plurality of portable memory storage devices that is engaged with the second content delivery device, identifying the second folder, and uploading the second content group to the second folder of the first one of the plurality of portable memory storage devices.