Delivering secured media using a portable memory device

• US 9,021,202 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2009
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• 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:
  US12/655,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20100161889A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,944 Days
• Field of Search: 711/115, 711/163
• US Class Current: 711/115
• 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 first interface;

a second interface that is a standard interface, wherein the first interface and the second interface are to operate simultaneously;

wherein the first interface has a higher interface speed than the second interface, and wherein the first interface is to transfer media content to a hidden memory region of the portable memory device using the higher interface speed, and wherein the second interface is to provide access to the media content separately from the first interface.

2. The portable memory device of claim 1, further comprising:

a second memory region;

wherein the first interface is to store content information in the hidden memory region and to store information in the second memory region, and wherein the information stored in the second memory region allows the content information stored in the hidden memory region to be accessed.

3. The portable memory device of claim 2, wherein the second memory region is a visible memory region.

4. The portable memory device of claim 2, wherein the first interface is further to read the information from the second 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.

5. The portable memory device of claim 2, wherein the second interface is to read the information from the second 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 second interface while maintaining content protection of the content information.

6. The portable memory device of claim 5, 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.

7. The portable memory device of claim 2, 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.

8. The portable memory device of claim 2, the first interface to scrub the hidden memory region prior to storing the content information in the hidden memory region.

9. The portable memory device of claim 2, wherein the first interface is to store the content information in the hidden memory region using one atomic operation.

10. The portable memory device of claim 2, wherein the first interface has write only access to the hidden memory region.

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

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

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. A portable memory device comprising:

a hidden memory region to store media content;

a first interface to the hidden memory region having a first interface speed;

a second interface that is a standard interface having a second interface speed, wherein the first interface speed is a higher interface speed than the second, standard interface speed, and the second interface is to provide access to the media content separately from the first interface, and wherein the first interface and the second interface are to operate simultaneously.

15. The portable memory device of claim 14, wherein the first interface is further to read information from the portable memory device in order to provide the media content 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 media content.

16. The portable memory device of claim 14, wherein the first interface is an interface to be used only by a supplier of the media content to be stored in the hidden memory region of the portable memory device.

17. The portable memory device of claim 14, wherein the first interface is an interface to be used by a user to play the media content stored in the hidden memory region of the portable memory device while maintaining content protection of the media content.

18. The portable memory device of claim 14, wherein the portable memory device is a flash memory device.

19. The portable memory device of claim 14, wherein the first interface does not allow simultaneous access of the portable memory device with any other interface.

20. The portable memory device of claim 14, the first interface to scrub the hidden memory region prior to storing the media content in the hidden memory region.

21. The portable memory device of claim 14, wherein the first interface is to store the media content in the hidden memory region using one atomic operation.

22. The portable memory device of claim 14, wherein the first interface has write only access to the hidden memory region.

23. A method comprising:

receiving media content in a hidden memory region of a portable memory device using a first interface that has a higher interface speed than a second standard interface of the portable memory device, wherein the second standard interface is to provide access to the media content separately from the first interface, and wherein the first interface and the second standard interface are to operate simultaneously.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising information from the portable memory device using the first interface and providing the media content 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 media content.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising allowing the first interface to be used only by a supplier of the media content to be stored in the hidden memory region of the portable memory device.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising allowing the first interface to be used by a user to play the media content stored in the hidden memory region of the portable memory device while maintaining content protection of the media content.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the portable memory device is a flash memory device.

28. The method of claim 23, further comprising not allowing simultaneous access of the portable memory device of the first interface and any other interface.

29. The method of claim 23, further comprising scrubbing the hidden memory region prior to storing the media content in the hidden memory region.

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

31. The method of claim 23, further comprising allowing the first interface to have write only access to the hidden memory region.

32. An apparatus comprising:

an interface to provide media content to a hidden memory region of a portable memory device, wherein the interface has a higher interface speed than a second standard interface of the portable memory device and the second standard interface is to provide access to the media content separately from the interface, wherein the interface and the second standard interface are to operate simultaneously.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the interface is further to read information from the portable memory device in order to provide the media content from the hidden memory region to a media player to be coupled to the portable memory device via the interface while maintaining content protection of the media content.

34. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the interface is an interface to be used only by a supplier of the media content to be stored in the hidden memory region of the portable memory device.

35. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the interface is an interface to be used by a user to play the media content stored in the hidden memory region of the portable memory device while maintaining content protection of the media content.

36. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the portable memory device is a flash memory device.

37. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the interface does not allow simultaneous access of the portable memory device with the second interface.

38. The apparatus of claim 32, the interface to scrub the hidden memory region prior to storing the media content in the hidden memory region.

39. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the interface is to store the media content in the hidden memory region using one atomic operation.

40. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the interface has write only access to the hidden memory region.

41. A method comprising:

providing media content to a hidden memory region of a portable memory device using a first interface that has a higher interface speed than a second standard interface of the portable memory device, wherein the second standard interface is to provide access to the media content separately from the interface, and wherein the first interface and the second standard interface are to operate simultaneously.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising reading information from the portable memory device using the first interface, and providing the media content 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 media content.

43. The method of claim 41, further comprising allowing the first interface to be used only by a supplier of the media content to be stored in the hidden memory region of the portable memory device.

44. The method of claim 41, further comprising allowing the first interface to be used by a user to play the media content stored in the hidden memory region of the portable memory device while maintaining content protection of the media content.

45. The method of claim 41, wherein the portable memory device is a flash memory device.

46. The method of claim 41, further comprising not allowing simultaneous access of the portable memory device of the first interface and any other interface.

47. The method of claim 41, further comprising scrubbing the hidden memory region prior to storing the media content in the hidden memory region.

48. The method of claim 41, further comprising storing the media content in the hidden memory region using one atomic operation.

49. The method of claim 41, further comprising allowing the first interface to have write only access to the hidden memory region.