Method and device for communicating data

• US 20030114190A1
• Filed: 12/18/2001
• Published: 06/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Kirby, Graham D., Pering, Trevor A., Kardach, James, Want, Roy
• Granted Patent: US 7,831,278 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0209 Architectural arrangements, e.g. perimeter networks or demilitarized zones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A portable device is provided which includes a wireless communication module, a data storage module, and a controller for controlling the storage and/or retrieval of data from the data storage module. The wireless communication module communicates with each of a plurality of remote devices and the data storage module defines a first storage area and a second storage area. The controller controls the communication of data between the first storage area and the remote device, and the second storage area and the remote device dependent upon access rights associated with the remote device. The first storage area typically defines a public storage area with which data is exchanged in a relatively free manner, and the second storage area typically defines a private storage area with which data is exchanged in a relatively restricted manner.

Claims

1. A portable device, which includes:

a wireless communication module to communicate with each of a plurality of remote devices within a locality;

a data storage module which defines a first storage area and a second storage area; and

a controller connected to the wireless communication module and to the data storage module, the controller controlling the communication of data between the first storage area and the remote device and the second storage area and the remote device dependent upon access rights associated with the remote device.

2. A portable device as claimed in claim 1, in which the first storage area defines a public storage area with which selected remote devices exchange data in a relatively free manner, and the second storage area defines a private storage area with which selected remote devices exchange data in a relatively restricted manner.

3. A portable device as claimed in claim 1, in which the controller filters requests from each of the remote devices to exchange data and to selectively reject and accept the requests in response to the nature of services offered by the remote device.

4. A portable device as claimed in claim 1, in which the controller defines access rights to the first and second storage areas and, dependent upon the access rights, allows the remote device to store and retrieve data from at least one of the first and second storage areas.

5. A portable device as claimed in claim 2, in which a digital certificate of authenticity is requested from the remote device prior to communicating data between the remote device and the private storage area.

6. A portable device as claimed in claim 2, in which the controller restricts how often and the amount of data which is writable by the remote device into the public storage area.

7. A portable device as claimed in claim 2, in which data stored in the public storage area is selectively cleared by the controller in an automated fashion.

8. A portable device as claimed in claim 1, in which the portable device and the remote device communicate using secure sockets layer (SSL) protocols.

9. A portable device as claimed in claim 1, which detects Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) broadcasts.

10. A portable device as claimed in claim 1, in which the wireless communication module is a radio frequency (RF) transceiver which communicates using a standardized communication protocol.

11. A portable device as claimed in claim 10, in which the standardized communication protocol is selected from the group including Bluetooth IEEE 802.15 technology, IEEE 802.11a technology, and IEEE 802.11b technology.

12. A portable device as claimed in claim 1, in which the controller selectively interfaces the portable device to a computer system to permit a user to access and store data in the data storage module.

13. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which the remote device is defined by another portable device within the locality.

14. A device as claimed in claim 1, which includes a rechargeable power supply for powering its various components.

15. A data communication system, which includes:

a plurality of remote devices, each remote device including a wireless communication interface; and

at least one portable device, which includes;

a wireless communication module to communicate within a locality with the wireless communication interface the remote devices;

a data storage module which defines a first storage area and a second storage area; and

a controller connected to the communication module and to the data storage module, the controller controlling the communication of data between the first storage area and the remote device and the second storage area and the remote device dependent upon access rights associated with the remote device.

16. A system as claimed in claim 15, in which the first storage area defines a public storage area with which selected remote devices exchange data in a relatively free manner, and the second storage area defines a private storage area with which selected remote devices exchange data in a relatively restricted manner.

17. A system as claimed in claim 15, in which the controller filters requests from each of the remote devices to exchange data and to selectively reject and accept the requests in response to the nature of services offered by the remote device.

18. A system as claimed in claim 15, in which the controller defines access rights to the first and second storage areas and, dependent upon the access rights, allows the remote device to store and retrieve data from at least one of the first and second storage areas.

19. A system as claimed in claim 16, in which a digital certificate of authenticity is requested from the remote device prior to communicating data between the remote device and the private storage area.

20. A system as claimed in claim 16, in which the controller restricts the amount of data which is writable by the remote device into the public storage area.

21. A method which includes:

monitoring, by means of a portable device, wireless communications from a plurality of remote devices requesting substantive communications with the portable device within a locality, the portable device including a data storage module which defines a first storage area and a second storage area;

identifying access rights associated with the remote device; and

controlling the communication of data between the first storage area and the remote device, and a second storage area and the remote device dependent upon the access rights.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21, which includes exchanging data in a relatively free manner between the first storage area, which defines a public data storage area, and the remote device, and exchanging data in a relatively restricted manner between the second storage area, which defines a private data storage area, and the remote device.

23. A method as claimed in claim 21, which includes:

filtering requests for substantive communications from each of the remote devices with the portable device; and

selectively rejecting and accepting the requests in response to the nature of services offered by the remote device.

24. A method as claimed in claim 22, which includes defining access rights to the first and second storage areas and, dependent upon the access rights, allowing the remote device to store and retrieve data from at least one of the first and second storage areas.

25. A method as claimed in claim 24, in which the access rights are dependent upon a classification of the remote device by the portable device.

26. A method as claimed in claim 22, which includes requesting a digital certificate of authenticity from the remote device prior to communicating data between the remote device and the private storage area.

27. A method as claimed in claim 22, which includes restricting the amount of data which is writable by the remote devices into the public storage area.

28. A method as claimed in claim 22, which includes selectively clearing data in the public storage area.

29. A method as claimed in claim 21, which includes communicating between the portable device and the remote device using secure sockets layer (SSL) protocols.

30. A method as claimed in claim 21, which includes detecting universal plug and play (UPnP) broadcasts from each remote device.

31. A method as claimed in claim 21, which includes communicating via a radio frequency (RF) transceiver using a standardized communication protocol.

32. A method as claimed in claim 31, which includes communicating using technology selected from the group including Bluetooth 802.15 technology, IEEE 802.11a technology and IEEE 802.11b technology.

33. A computer program product including a medium readable by a computer, the medium carrying instructions which, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to:

monitor wireless communications within a locality from a plurality of remote devices requesting substantive communications with a portable device including the processor and a data storage module which defines a first storage area and a second storage area;

identify access rights associated with the remote device; and

control the communication of data between the first storage area and the remote device, and a second storage area and the remote device dependent upon the access rights.

34. A computer program product as claimed in claim 33, in which data is exchanged in a relatively free manner between the first storage area, which defines a public data storage area, and the remote device, and data is exchanged in a relatively restricted manner between the second storage area, which defines a private data storage area, and the remote device.

35. A computer product as claimed in claim 33, in which requests for substantive communications from each of the remote devices with the portable device are filtered, the requests being selectively rejected and accepted in response to the nature of services offered by the remote device.

36. A computer program product as claimed in claim 33, which includes defining access rights to the first and second storage areas and, dependent upon the access rights, allowing the remote device to store and retrieve data from at least one of the first and second storage areas.

37. A computer program product as claimed in claim 36, in which the access rights are dependent upon the classification of the remote device by the portable device.

38. A computer program product as claimed in claim 34, which includes requesting a digital certificate of authenticity from the remote device prior to communicating data between the remote device and the private storage area.

39. A computer program product as claimed in claim 34, which includes restricting how often and the amount of data which is writable by the remote devices into the public storage area.

40. A computer program product as claimed in claim 34, which includes selectively clearing data in the public area.

41. A computer program product as claimed in claim 33, which includes communicating between the portable device and the remote device using secure sockets layer (SSL) protocols.

42. A computer program product as claimed in claim 33, which includes detecting universal plug and play (UPnP) broadcasts from each remote device.