System including a portable storage device equipped with a user proximity detector and method of preventing the loss thereof

• US 9,953,190 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2015
• Issued: 04/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LPDP TECHNOLOGIES LTD
• Original Assignee: LPDP TECHNOLOGIES LTD
• Inventors: Gill, Abraham, Hadad, Avi
• Primary Examiner(s): SIMONETTI, NICHOLAS J
• Application Number:
  US14/929,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20160055353A1
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• 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 2212/2146 being detachable, e.g.. USB memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0213 System disabling if a separation threshold is exceeded disabling electrical appliances in case of unplugging G08B13/1409
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds

Abstract

A portable storage system. The portable storage system comprises a portable storage device having a flash memory element and a loss-prevention unit. The portable storage system further comprises Master and Slave proximity elements. One of the proximity elements is physically connected with the portable storage device, while the other is physically connected with the loss-prevention unit. The Master proximity element is configured to wirelessly determine the presence of the Slave proximity element within a predefined range.

Claims

1. A portable storage system, comprising:

at least one memory element storing a data protection application and user data, and

a processing unit configured for executing said protection application to protect said user data,

data-transferring interface physically and electronically connecting said at least one memory to a hosting computing unit; and

a master proximity element adapted to wirelessly poll a proximity of a slave proximity element, said wirelessly polling is activated upon a detection of a detachment of said master proximity element from said slave proximity element;

wherein said master proximity element is configured to trigger said data protection application to encrypt said user data when said slave proximity element is not detected within said proximity by said wireless polling; and

wherein in response to said slave proximity element not being detected within said proximity by said wireless polling, said at least one memory element instructs an operating system of said hosting computer unit to encrypt information stored on a memory of said hosting computer unit.

2. The portable storage system of claim 1, wherein said memory element comprises a flash memory element.

3. The portable storage system of claim 1, wherein said master proximity element is configured to trigger and activation of an alarm when said slave proximity element is not detected within said proximity by said wireless polling.

4. The portable storage system of claim 3, wherein said alarm comprises at least one member of the following group:

an audible alarm, a visual alarm, and a tactile alarm.

5. The portable storage system of claim 3, wherein said alarm comprises a wireless communication transmitter configured to transmit an alarming message to a wireless communication receiver.

6. The portable storage system of claim 1, further comprising a timer element operable to delay said trigger for a predefined time interval starting when said slave proximity element is not detected within said proximity by said wireless polling.

7. The portable storage system of claim 1, wherein said Master proximity element is a network of sensors being configured to wirelessly poll the proximity of said Slave proximity element within a predefined area.

8. The portable storage system of claim 1, wherein said Slave proximity element is a network of proximity elements, wherein said Master proximity element being configured to wirelessly poll the proximity of each one of said proximity elements within a predefined proximity threshold, thereby determining whether said Master proximity element is located within the boundaries of a predefined area.

9. The portable storage system of claim 1, wherein said portable storage device is one of a group comprising:

a cellular phone, a digital camera, a LAN (Local Area Network) switch, a PC card, a digital setup box and an inner controller for notebook computers.

10. The portable storage system of claim 1, wherein said processing unit is further configured to input a password for deactivating a password protection of said user data in said memory, wherein said processing unit is configured to deactivate said password protection only if said Slave proximity element is detected in said proximity.

11. The portable storage system of claim 10, wherein said password is for decrypting data stored in said memory and encrypted by said data protection application.

12. The portable storage system of claim 10, wherein said password is for enabling components of said portable storage system disabled by said data protection application.

13. The portable storage system of claim 1, wherein said portable storage device is a plug-and-play portable storage device.

14. The portable storage system of claim 1, wherein said slave proximity element is stored in a loss-prevention unit adapted to be detachably coupled to said portable storage device.

15. The portable storage system of claim 14, wherein said loss-prevention unit is shaped as a cover for a portion of said data transferring interface which projects from said portable storage device.

16. The portable storage system of claim 1, wherein said data-transferring interface is a member of the following group:

a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector, a wireless communication unit, an USB2 connector, and a FireWire™

connector.

17. The portable storage system of claim 1, wherein said portable storage device comprises a case within which said memory element and at least a portion of said data-transferring interface are mounted.

18. The portable storage system of claim 1, further comprising a communication module electrically connected with said data transferring interface and said Master proximity element, wherein said Master proximity element is configured to trigger said communication module when said Slave proximity element is not detected within said proximity, said communication module being configured to instruct said hosting computing unit to send a message to a predefined address.

19. The portable storage system of claim 18, wherein said predefined address is a member of the following group:

an email address, a phone number, and a pager number.

20. A method for preventing the loss of a portable storage device comprising a memory element for data storage, comprising:

physically and electronically connecting at least one memory of a portable storage device having at least one processor to a hosting computing unit;

allowing access to user data stored on said at least one memory from said hosting computing unit;

wirelessly polling a proximity of a slave proximity element to said portable storage device while said access is allowed, said wirelessly polling is activated upon a detection of a detachment of said portable storage device from said slave proximity element;

when said proximity is not detected, executing a data protection application by said at least one processor to encrypt said user data; and

in response to said slave proximity element not being detected within said proximity by said wireless polling said processor of said portable storage device instructs an operating system of said hosting computer unit to encrypt information stored on a memory of said hosting computer unit.