Wireless storage device

• US 9,262,592 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2012
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: McAfee, LLC
• Original Assignee: McAfee, Inc. (McAfee, LLC)
• Inventors: Schrecker, Sven
• Primary Examiner(s): CERVETTI, DAVID GARCIA
• Application Number:
  US13/442,633
• Publication Number:
  US 20130268758A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,408 Days
• Field of Search: 726/9, 726/6, 726/7, 726/20
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/00 Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3263 involving certificates, e.g. public key certificate [PKC] or attribute certificate [AC]; Public key infrastructure [PKI] arrangements network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/088 using filters or firewalls

Abstract

A first computing device is detected as substantially collocated with a wireless storage device, using a short-range wireless communication network. A connection is established between the first computing device and the wireless storage device over the short-range wireless network. Data stored in memory of the wireless storage device is sent from the wireless storage device to the first computing device over the short-range wireless network for a presentation of the data using a user interface of the first computing device. The wireless storage device lacks user interfaces for the presentation of the data. In some instances, authentication of either or both of the first computing device or wireless storage device can be accomplished through communication between the first computing device and wireless storage device over the short-range wireless communication network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting that a first computing device is within range of a wireless storage device, using a short-range wireless communication network;

establishing a connection between the first computing device and the wireless storage device over the short-range wireless network;

sending first authentication data from the wireless storage device to the first computing device over the short-range wireless network to authenticate access to the first computing device by a particular user associated with the first authentication data, wherein the first authentication data is based at least in part on user identifier data unique to the particular user;

receiving from the first computing device over the short-range wireless network second authentication data to authenticate access by the first computing device to at least a portion of the data stored on wireless storage device; and

sending data stored in memory of the wireless storage device from the wireless storage device to the first computing device over the short-range wireless network for a presentation of the data using a user interface of the first computing device, wherein the wireless storage device lacks user interfaces for the presentation of the data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication data is encrypted using a private key of the first computing device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication data includes a digital certificate verifying the identity of the first computing device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the certificate includes a public key paired to a private key of first computing device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

pairing the first computing device and the wireless storage device, wherein the pairing includes;

sending a first digital certificate from the wireless storage device to the first computing device verifying the identity of the wireless storage device;

receiving a second digital certificate at the wireless storage device from the first computing device verifying the identity of the first computing device; and

establishing parameters for subsequent communication between the wireless storage device and first computing device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein second, user-entered authentication data is received at the first computing device and authenticating access to at least the portion of the data stored on wireless storage device is further based on the second authentication data.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second, user-entered authentication data includes a personal password entered at the first computing device by a user.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the second, user-entered authentication data includes a voice sample collected from a user at the first computing device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the data includes authentication data and receipt of the authentication data at the first computing device causes authentication of a user at the first computing device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless storage device lacks at least one of a graphical display, tactile user interface, and an audio interface.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless storage device lacks a user interface.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a second computing device as substantially collocated with the wireless storage device, using a short-range wireless communication network;

establishing a connection between the second computing device and the wireless storage device over the short-range wireless network; and

sending data stored in memory of the wireless storage device from the wireless storage device to the second computing device over the connection between the second computing device and the wireless storage device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the data sent to the second computing device includes data sent to the first computing device.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying modifications to the data made at the first computing device; and

storing a modified version of the data on the wireless storage device based on the identified modifications.

15. At least one non-transitory machine accessible storage medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions when executed on a machine, cause the machine to:

detect that a first computing device is within range of a wireless storage device, using a short-range wireless communication network;

establish a connection between the first computing device and the wireless storage device over the short-range wireless network;

send first authentication data from the wireless storage device to the first computing device over the short-range wireless network to authenticate access to the first computing device by a particular user associated with the first authentication data, wherein the first authentication data is based at least in part on user identifier data corresponding to the particular user;

receive from the first computing device over the short-range wireless network second authentication data to authenticate access by the first computing device to at least a portion of the data stored on wireless storage device; and

send data stored in memory of the wireless storage device from the wireless storage device to the first computing device over the short-range wireless network for a presentation of the data using a user interface of the first computing device, wherein the wireless storage device lacks user interfaces for the presentation of the data.

16. A data storage apparatus comprising:

a processor device;

a memory element;

a short-range wireless network adapter adapted to;

detect that a first computing device is within range of the apparatus, using a short-range wireless communication network;

establish a connection between the first computing device and the apparatus over the short-range wireless network; and

an authentication broker adapted to;

send first authentication data from the apparatus to the first computing device over the short-range wireless network to authenticate access to the first computing device by a particular user associated with the first authentication data, wherein the first authentication data is based at least in part on unique user identifier data corresponding to the particular user; and

cause data stored in the memory element to be sent to the first computing device over the short-range wireless network based on an authentication of the first computing device at the apparatus for a presentation of the data using a user interface of the first computing device, wherein the apparatus lacks user interfaces for the presentation of the data.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the authentication broker is further adapted to authenticate the first computing device at the apparatus based on second authentication data received from the first computing device over the short-range network.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the authentication data is encrypted using a private key of the first computing device.

19. At least one non-transitory machine accessible storage medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions when executed on a machine, cause the machine to:

detect that a wireless storage device is within range of a particular computing device, using a short-range wireless communication network;

establish a connection between the particular computing device and the wireless storage device over the short-range wireless network;

receive first authentication data from the wireless storage device over the short-range wireless network, wherein the first authentication data is based at least in part on user identifier data unique to a particular user;

authorize use of the particular computing device by the particular user based on the received first authentication data;

receive data stored on the storage device at the particular computing device over the short-range wireless network; and

present the data on a user interface of the particular computing device.

20. The storage medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to:

send second authentication data to the wireless storage device verifying the identity of the particular computer device to the wireless storage device, wherein receiving the data is responsive to authentication of the particular computer device at the wireless storage device.

21. The storage medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to:

modify the data based on user inputs received at the particular computing device; and

communicate the modifications to the data to the wireless storage device.