Secure information storage apparatus

• US 20070136593A1
• Filed: 12/14/2005
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Angela Brilis, Richard Plavcan
• Original Assignee: Angela Brilis, Richard Plavcan
• Inventors: Brilis, Angela, Plavcan, Richard
• Application Number:
  US11/302,613
• Publication Number:
  US 20070136593A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/172
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards

Abstract

The Invention is a secure data storage and retrieval apparatus. The device features a microprocessor, a long term memory, a temporary memory, a display and a plurality of buttons. A user gains access to the long term memory by selecting a decryption key utilizing only the plurality of buttons. The user can create, store and retrieve encrypted data files to and from long term memory by selecting the decryption key using the plurality of buttons. The encrypted information stored on long term memory is not otherwise available

Claims

1. An apparatus for securely storing information, the apparatus comprising:

a. a microprocessor;

b. a long term memory;

c. a temporary memory;

d. a display; and

e. a plurality of buttons, said long term memory, said temporary memory, said display and said plurality of buttons being operably connected to said microprocessor;

said microprocessor being programmed to create a user-selectable data file in response to manipulation of one or more of said plurality of said buttons by a user, said microprocessor being programmed not to create or not to accept said data file created in any other manner;

said microprocessor being programmed to store said data file in said long term memory only in an encrypted form and not to store said data file in said long term memory in any form other than said encrypted form.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein upon selection of a decryption key by said user using said buttons, and only upon selection of said decryption key using said buttons, said microprocessor is programmed to decrypt said encrypted data file stored in said long term memory, to temporarily store said decrypted data file in said temporary memory, and to exhibit said decrypted data file to said user on said display.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

means for deactivating the apparatus by the user, said temporary memory being adapted so that said deactivation by said deactivation means erases said decrypted data file from said temporary memory, said permanent memory being adapted so that said deactivation by said deactivation means does not disturb said encrypted data file stored on said long term memory.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, the apparatus further comprising:

a port, said port being operably connected to said microprocessor, said port being adapted to be connected to a back-up device, said microprocessor being programmed to transmit said encrypted data file stored in said long term memory to said port and hence to said back-up device only upon a back-up command by said user, said back-up command by said user being conveyed to said microprocessor only by a pre-determined back-up manipulation of one or more of said buttons by said user, whereby said encrypted information may be conveyed to and stored in said back up device.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said microprocessor is programmed to receive said encrypted data file stored in said back up device only upon a download command by said user, said download command by said user being conveyed to said microprocessor only by a pre-determined download manipulation of one or more of said buttons by said user, whereby said encrypted data file stored on said back up device may be received by said microprocessor through said port and stored in said long term memory.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

a case, said case being sized to be readily transportable on a person of said user, said microprocessor, said long term memory and said temporary memory being contained within said case.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, said microprocessor and said long term memory being imbedded in a substantially rigid polymer, whereby removal of said microprocessor or said long term memory from the apparatus by an invader likely will damage said microprocessor or said long term memory, thereby preventing unauthorized access to said encrypted data file.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said microprocessor and said long term memory are manufactured as a single chip, whereby removal of said microprocessor or said long term memory from the apparatus likely will damage said microprocessor or said long term memory, thereby preventing unauthorized access to said encrypted data file.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said microprocessor is programmed to apply a predetermined concatenation protocol, said concatenation protocol modifying said decryption key by adding a predetermined sequence of symbols to said decryption key upon encryption of said information, whereby an invader attempting to decrypt said encrypted information obtained from said back-up device must possess both said decryption key and said predetermined sequence of symbols to decrypt said encrypted data file.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said microprocessor is programmed to require that said user successfully log in to the apparatus prior to said microprocessor allowing said user to perform any operation, the apparatus further comprising:

a counter operably connected to or defined by said microprocessor, said counter counting an unsuccessful attempt to log in to the apparatus, said counter resetting to a base number each time a successful log in to the apparatus occurs, said microprocessor erasing said encrypted data file from said long term memory when said counter counts a predetermined number of said unsuccessful log in attempts, whereby a brute force attack by an invader results in erasure of said encrypted data file preventing unauthorized access to said encrypted data file.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said log in to the apparatus comprises said user selecting said decryption key utilizing only said buttons.

12. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said plurality of buttons consists of a number of buttons, said number being less than ten.

13. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said plurality of buttons comprises a plurality of touch surfaces of a touch screen.

14. An apparatus for securely storing information, the apparatus comprising:

a. a microprocessor;

b. a long term memory;

c. a temporary memory;

d. a display; and

e. a plurality of buttons, said long term memory, said temporary memory, said display and said plurality of buttons being operably connected to said microprocessor, said microprocessor being programmed to create a user-selectable data file in response to manipulation of one or more of said plurality of said buttons, said microprocessor being programmed not to create said data file in any other manner, said microprocessor being programmed to store said data file in said long term memory in an encrypted form.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein upon selection of a decryption key using said buttons and only upon said selection of said decryption key using said buttons, said microprocessor is programmed to decrypt said data file stored in said long term memory, to temporarily store said decrypted data file in said temporary memory, and to exhibit said decrypted data file on said display.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said microprocessor is programmed to require a successful log in prior to said microprocessor allowing said creation of said data file or said decryption and said display of said data file, said log in comprising said selection of said decryption key utilizing said buttons.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said microprocessor is configured not to multitask during a period of time during which said microprocessor is programmed to allow said creation of said data file or said display of said data file.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said plurality of buttons comprises a plurality of touch locations on a touch screen.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, the apparatus further comprising:

a port, said port being operably connected to said microprocessor, said port being adapted to be connected to a back-up device, said microprocessor being programmed to transmit said encrypted data file stored in said long term memory to said port and hence to said back-up device only upon a back-up command by said user, said back-up command by said user being conveyed to said microprocessor only by a pre-determined back-up manipulation of one or more of said buttons by said user, said microprocessor being programmed to receive said encrypted data file stored in said back up device only upon a download command by said user, said download command by said user being conveyed to said microprocessor only by a pre-determined download manipulation of one or more of said buttons by said user, whereby said encrypted data file may be conveyed to and stored in said back up device and whereby said encrypted data file stored on said back up device may be received by said microprocessor through said port and stored in said long term memory.

21. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said microprocessor and said long term memory are imbedded in a substantially rigid polymer and wherein said microprocessor and said long term memory are manufactured as a single chip, whereby removal of said microprocessor or said long term memory from the apparatus by an invader likely will damage said microprocessor or said long term memory, thereby preventing unauthorized access to said encrypted data file.

22. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said microprocessor is programmed to apply a predetermined concatenation protocol, said concatenation protocol modifying said decryption key by adding a predetermined sequence of symbols to said decryption key upon encryption of said information, whereby an invader attempting to decrypt said encrypted data file in the absence of the apparatus must possess both said decryption key and said predetermined sequence of symbols to decrypt said encrypted information.

19. An apparatus for securely storing information, the apparatus comprising:

a. a case, said case being sized to be readily transportable upon a person of a user;

b. a microprocessor contained within said case;

c. a power supply operably connected to said microprocessor;

d. a long term memory operably connected to said microprocessor;

e. a temporary memory operably connected to said microprocessor;

f. a display, said display being operably connected to said microprocessor;

g. a plurality of buttons, said plurality of buttons being operably connected to said microprocessor, said plurality of buttons having a number, said number being less than ten;

h. a port, said port being operably connected to said microprocessor;

i. a log-in attempt counter operably connected to or defined by said microprocessor;

j. said microprocessor being programmed to require a successful log-in by said user prior to allowing any other operation, said log in comprising a pre-determined log-in sequence of manipulations of one or more of said buttons, said log-in sequence further comprising a decryption key;

k. said microprocessor being programmed, upon said successful log-in, to decrypt an encrypted data file stored in said long term memory utilizing said decryption key, to store said decrypted data file in said temporary memory and to selectably display said decrypted data file to said user through said display, said microprocessor being programmed not to decrypt and not to display said data file in an absence of said successful log-in and said entry of said decryption key;

l. said microprocessor being programmed, upon said successful log-in, to allow said user selectably to create or to modify said decrypted data file utilizing said buttons and to selectably save said data file in encrypted form to said long term memory, said microprocessor being programmed not to allow said data file to be created or modified in any other manner, said microprocessor being programmed not to save said data file to said long term memory except in encrypted form;

m. said log-in attempt counter counting an attempt to log in to the apparatus, said log-in counter being reset by said successful log in, said microprocessor erasing said encrypted data file from said long term memory when said log-in counter counts a predetermined number of said unsuccessful log-in attempts.