Removable, active, personal storage device, system and method

• US 8,826,043 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2012
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Innovative Memory Systems, Inc. (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SanDisk IL Ltd. (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Moran, Dov, Elazar, Gidi, Harkabi, Dan, Dan, Raz
• Primary Examiner(s): Abyaneh, Ali
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROWN, DE'MARIS R
• Application Number:
  US13/448,121
• Publication Number:
  US 20130275771A1
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: 713/193
• US Class Current: 713/193
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1458 by checking the subject access rights
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/72 in cryptographic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0622 in relation to access
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0664 at device level, e.g. emulation of a storage device or system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0679 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/60 Digital content management, e.g. content distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3234 involving additional secure or trusted devices, e.g. TPM, smartcard, USB or software token network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using an additional device in a packet data network H04L63/0853

Abstract

A storage device is configured to communicate with a host device over a Bluetooth connection. The storage device includes a flash memory, a processor, and a Bluetooth controller. The memory stores at least one permission for determining access to the memory. The processor manages access to the memory, independently of the host device, based on a comparison of a request at the removable storage device to access the memory to at least one permission. The comparison is independent, requiring no management by an operating system of the host device, such that if the at least one permission includes a particular access type that matches the access requested in the request, the processor provides access to the memory.

Claims

1. A removable storage device configured to communicate with a host device over a Bluetooth connection, the removable storage device comprising:

a flash memory for storing at least one permission for determining access to the flash memory;

a processor for managing access to the flash memory, independently of the host device, based on a comparison of a request at the removable storage device to access the flash memory to at least one permission, the comparison being independent, requiring no management by an operating system of the host device, such that if the at least one permission includes a particular access type that matches the access requested in the request, the processor provides such access to the flash memory, and alternatively if the at least one permission does not include a particular access type that matches the access requested in the request, the processor denies such access to the flash memory; and

a Bluetooth controller for communicating with the host device via the Bluetooth connection and, if permitted, for transmitting data from the processor.

2. The removable storage device of claim 1, further comprising:

a RAM component for storing data for performing said at least one instruction of said data processor.

3. The removable storage device of claim 1, further comprising:

a cryptographic chip for encrypting and decrypting data.

4. The removable storage device of claim 3, wherein said cryptographic chip performs an authentication process.

5. The removable storage device of claim 3, wherein said cryptographic chip emulates a smart card.

6. The removable storage device of claim 5, wherein said cryptographic chip stores encrypted smart card data.

7. The removable storage device of claim 3, wherein said cryptographic chip performs encryption immediately upon receiving a command from said processor.

8. The removable storage device of claim 7, wherein said cryptographic chip creates a cryptographic signature with a hash immediately upon receiving a command from said processor.

9. The removable storage device of claim 3, wherein said cryptographic chip further comprises a cryptographic chip memory for storing at least one cryptographic key and at least one cryptographic instruction for encrypting and decrypting data, such that said cryptographic chip forms a removable encryption engine.

10. The removable storage device of claim 9, wherein said encrypted data is stored on said cryptographic chip memory.

11. The removable storage device of claim 10, wherein said cryptographic chip memory is a separate flash memory device from said flash memory device.

12. The removable storage device of claim 10, wherein said cryptographic chip memory is said flash memory device.

13. A method for determining whether to provide access to a flash memory, the method comprising:

receiving a request to access a flash memory at an access control module, independent of a host device, the access control module configured to communicate with the host device over a Bluetooth connection; and

managing access to the flash memory with a processor of the access control device, independent of the host device, based on a comparison of the request to at least one permission for determining access to the flash memory, the comparison being independent of, and requiring no management by, an operating system of the host device;

wherein managing access to the flash memory comprises;

providing, with a processor of the access control module, access to the flash memory in response to determining that the at least one permission includes a particular access type that matches the access requested in the request; and

denying, with a processor of the access control module, access to the flash memory in response to determining that the at least one permission does not include a particular access type that matches the access requested in the request.