Secure stream buffer on network attached storage

• US 9,948,618 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2015
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Western Digital Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Jenkins, Dean M., Ryan, Robert P.
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Baotran N
• Application Number:
  US14/615,367
• Publication Number:
  US 20160234178A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,167 Days
• Field of Search: 713153
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0457 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply dynamic encryption, e.g. stream encryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for stream encryption H04L9/065
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/205 involving negotiation or determination of the one or more network security mechanisms to be used, e.g. by negotiation between the client and the server or between peers or by selection according to the capabilities of the entities involved negotiation of communication capabilities H04L69/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

A network attached storage device coupled to a local network and including a network interface configured to receive digital content from a remote content provider outside the local network. The network attached storage device includes storage having a first region accessible by a user of the local network and a secure region. The network attached storage device includes a processor coupled to the storage, the processor configured to control access to the secure region of the storage based on instructions received from a remote content provider.

Claims

1. A Network Attached Storage (NAS) device configured to be coupled to a local area network, the NAS device comprising:

a network interface configured to receive digital content from a remote content provider outside of the local area network;

a storage comprising a first region that is accessible by a user of the local area network and a second region that is secure, wherein at least a portion of the digital content is stored on the secure region; and

a processor coupled to the storage, the processor configured to;

establish the secure region as a buffer for a streaming device on the local area network, the streaming device separate from the NAS device; and

control access to the secure region based on instructions received from the remote content provider, wherein access to the secure region is managed by the remote content provider.

2. The NAS device of claim 1, wherein the secure region is inaccessible by the user without permission from the remote content provider.

3. The NAS device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to store digital content received from the remote content provider using encryption that secures the digital content to the secure region.

4. The NAS device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to control an amount of data stored at the secure region based on the instructions from the remote content provider.

5. The NAS device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to control an encryption type used in the secure region based on the instructions from the remote content provider.

6. The NAS device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to move a received digital object stored in the secure region to the accessible region along with keys for accessing the digital object based on the instructions from the remote content provider.

7. The NAS device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to reallocate a portion of the secure region storing a digital object to the accessible region based on the instructions from the remote content provider.

8. The NAS device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to use virtual private network encryption.

9. The NAS device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

in response to a request for content received from the streaming device, negotiate with the remote content provider to receive the digital content and buffer an encrypted stream of the digital content in the secure region; and

present the digital content from the secure region to the streaming device as encrypted content.

10. A computer-implemented method of receiving, at a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device on a local area network, digital content from a remote content provider, the NAS device having a user accessible region and a secure region, the method comprising:

negotiating with the remote content provider to receive instructions from the remote content provider for receiving and storing the digital content;

receiving the digital content from the remote content provider;

configuring the secure region as a buffer for a streaming device on the local area network, the streaming device separate from the NAS device; and

storing the digital content in the secure region, wherein access by a user to the content stored in the secure region is managed by the remote content provider.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

storing the digital content in the secure region comprises storing the digital content using encryption, wherein the stored digital content is secured to the secure region.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

controlling at least one of an amount of data stored at the secure region and an encryption type used in the secure region based on the instructions from the remote content provider.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

establishing a connection with the streaming device, wherein storing the digital content in the secure region comprises buffering the digital content for presentation to a user by the streaming device in a manner controlled by the remote content provider.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

moving a digital object stored in the secure region to the user accessible region along with keys for accessing the digital object based on the instructions from the remote content provider.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

allocating, to the user accessible region, a portion of the secure region storing a digital object based on the instructions from the remote content provider.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

using virtual private network encryption to receive the digital content from the remote content provider.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

presenting the stored content from the secure region to a display device as encrypted content.