System and method for protecting data stored on a removable data storage device

• US 8,887,294 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2014
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Chan, Alistair K., Hyde, Roderick A., Kare, Jordin T., Wood, Lowell L. Jr., Wood, Victoria Y. H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lipman, Jacob
• Application Number:
  US14/166,526
• Publication Number:
  US 20140143884A1
• Time in Patent Office: 287 Days
• Field of Search: 726/26
• US Class Current: 726/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0246 in block erasable memory, e.g. flash memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1433 for a module or a part of a module
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/00 Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/60 Protecting data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/79 in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2143 Clearing memory, e.g. to prevent the data from being stolen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0623 in relation to content
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0653 Monitoring storage devices or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0679 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP]

Abstract

A system for protecting data stored in a memory of a removable data storage device is provided. The system includes a personal electronic device, a removable solid state data storage device operatively coupled to the personal electronic device, and a circuit including a data protection module and an authorization module. The data storage device includes a memory for storing data. The authorization module is configured to determine whether a preauthorized state is active. When the preauthorized state is not active, the data protection module is configured to protect at least some of the data stored in the memory in response to detecting impending removal of the data storage device from the personal electronic device. When the preauthorized state is active, the data protection module is configured to preserve certain data stored in the memory in response to detecting impending removal of the data storage device from the personal electronic device.

Claims

1. A system for protecting data stored in a memory of a removable data storage device, the system comprising:

a personal electronic device;

a removable solid state data storage device operatively coupled to the personal electronic device, wherein the data storage device comprises a memory for storing data; and

a circuit comprising a data protection module and an authorization module,

wherein the authorization module is configured to determine whether a preauthorized state is active,

wherein when the preauthorized state is not active, the data protection module is configured to protect at least some of the data stored in the memory in response to detecting impending removal of the data storage device from the personal electronic device; and

wherein when the preauthorized state is active, the data protection module is configured to preserve certain data stored in the memory in response to detecting impending removal of the data storage device from the personal electronic device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the authorization module is configured to deactivate the preauthorized state following a certain amount of time in which the data storage device is not removed from the personal electronic device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the personal electronic device comprises at least one of a mobile phone, a smart phone, a personal digital assistant, a pager, a personal computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a handheld computer, a camera, and an audio recording device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the removable data storage device comprises at least one of a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM), a Secure Digital (SD) memory card, an integrated circuit (IC) memory, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) drive, a Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC), and a Removable User Identity Module (R-UIM).

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuit is disposed on the personal electronic device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuit is disposed on the data storage device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuit is disposed at least partially on at least one of the personal electronic device and the data storage device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuit comprises a removal detection module, the removal detection module configured to detect impending removal of the data storage device from the personal electronic device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the data protection module comprises instructions for implementing the type of protection to be employed.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the data protection module is configured to protect all of the data stored in the memory when the preauthorized state is not active.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the data protection module is configured to protect a subset of the data stored in the memory when the preauthorized state is not active.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the data protection module is configured to protect a subset of the data stored in the memory other than the certain preserved data, when the preauthorized state is active.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the personal electronic device and the data storage device comprises an energy module configured to provide power to the data protection module.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the personal electronic includes a user input device for providing a user input to activate the preauthorization state.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the user input device comprises at least one of a keypad, a keyboard, a touch sensitive screen, a toggle switch, a rotary selector, a trackball, a camera, and a fingerprint scanner.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the user input is at least one of a password, a biometric identification, a fingerprint, a retinal scan, and a facial recognition.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the user input is provided via an application on the personal electronic device.

18. A system for protecting data stored in a memory of a removable data storage device, the system comprising:

a personal electronic device;

a removable solid state data storage device operatively coupled to the personal electronic device, wherein the data storage device comprises a memory for storing data; and

a circuit comprising a data protection module and an authorization module,

wherein the authorization module is configured to determine whether a preauthorized state is active,

wherein when the preauthorized state is not active, the data protection module is configured to protect at least some of the data stored in the memory at a first level of protection in response to detecting impending removal of the data storage device from the personal electronic device; and

wherein when the preauthorized state is active, the data protection module is configured to protect at least some of the data stored in the memory at a second level of protection in response to detecting impending removal of the data storage device from the personal electronic device.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the first level of protection comprises at least one of encrypting data, deleting data, hiding data, requiring a password, and overwriting data

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the second level of protection comprises at least one of encrypting data, deleting data, hiding data, requiring a password, overwriting data, and not protecting the at least some data stored in the memory.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the authorization module is configured to deactivate the preauthorized state following a certain amount of time in which the data storage device is not removed from the personal electronic device.

22. A removable data storage device for use with a personal electronic device, the data storage device comprising:

a memory for storing data; and

a circuit comprising a data protection module and an authorization module,

wherein the authorization module is configured to determine whether a preauthorized state is active,

wherein when the preauthorized state is not active, the data protection module is configured to protect at least some of the data stored in the memory in response to detecting impending removal of the data storage device from the personal electronic device; and

wherein when the preauthorized state is active, the data protection module is configured to preserve certain data stored in the memory in response to detecting impending removal of the data storage device from the personal electronic device.

23. The data storage device of claim 22, wherein the data protection module is configured to protect all of the data stored in the memory when the preauthorized state is not active.

24. The data storage device of claim 22, wherein the data protection module is configured to protect a subset of the data stored in the memory when the preauthorized state is not active.

25. The data storage device of claim 22, wherein the data protection module is configured to protect a subset of the data stored in the memory other than the certain preserved data, when the preauthorized state is active.

26. The data storage device of claim 22, wherein the authorization module is configured to deactivate the preauthorized state following a certain amount of time in which the data storage device is not removed from the personal electronic device.

27. A removable data storage device for use with a personal electronic device, the data storage device comprising:

a memory for storing data; and

a circuit comprising a data protection module and an authorization module,

wherein the authorization module is configured to determine whether a preauthorized state is active,

wherein when the preauthorized state is not active, the data protection module is configured to protect at least some of the data stored in the memory at a first level of protection in response to detecting impending removal of the data storage device from the personal electronic device; and

wherein when the preauthorized state is active, the data protection module is configured to protect at least some of the data stored in the memory at a second level of protection in response to detecting impending removal of the data storage device from the personal electronic device.

28. The data storage device of claim 27, wherein the first level of protection comprises at least one of encrypting data, deleting data, hiding data, requiring a password, and overwriting data.

29. The data storage device of claim 27, wherein the second level of protection comprises at least one of encrypting data, deleting data, hiding data, requiring a password, overwriting data, and not protection the at least some data stored in the memory.

30. The data storage device of claim 27, wherein the authorization module is configured to deactivate the preauthorized state following a certain amount of time in which the data storage device is not removed from the personal electronic device.