US 11,388,000 B2Granted

Systems and methods to facilitate data security in a portable storage device

AssigneeInnotek, Inc.

InventorDavid Tak-Wai Lee

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Abstract

A portable storage device for connecting to a computer. The storage device includes a digital memory storage, a digital lock mechanism coupled to the digital memory storage, a wireless communication system coupled to the digital lock mechanism and a communication interface coupled to the digital lock mechanism. The communication interface is for connecting the portable storage device to the computer. The digital lock mechanism operates to prevent data in the digital memory storage from being transferred over the communication interface to the computer unless the digital lock mechanism is unlocked using the wireless communication system. A method for connecting and the portable storage device to a computer and then unlocking the portable storage device using the communication interface and the wireless communication system is also provided.

A portable storage device for connecting to a computer comprising:

a) a digital memory storage;
b) a digital lock mechanism coupled to said digital memory storage;
c) a wireless communication system coupled to said digital lock mechanism;
d a communication interface coupled to said digital lock mechanism;
wherein said communication interface is for connecting said portable storage device to said computer, and said digital lock mechanism operates to prevent data in said digital memory storage from being transferred over said communication interface to said computer unless said digital lock mechanism is unlocked using said wireless communication system,
wherein said wireless communication system uses a Bluetooth® connection protocol,
wherein said digital lock mechanism comprises after said portable storage device is paired with said companion Bluetooth® enabled device, setting a portable storage device access flag to enable said computer to access said portable storage device,
wherein said locking mechanism includes a new device flag which is initialized to indicate that said portable storage device has not been previously accessed,
wherein after said portable storage device is paired with a companion Bluetooth® enabled device, prior to setting said portable storage device access flag to enable said computer to access said portable storage device, said digital lock mechanism checks when said new device flag indicates that said portable storage device has not been previously accessed, said digital lock mechanism updates said new device flag to indicate that said portable storage device has been previously accessed and sets said portable storage device access flag to enable said computer to access said portable storage device,
wherein after said portable storage device is paired with said companion Bluetooth® enabled device, prior to setting said portable storage device access flag to enable said computer to access said portable storage device, said digital lock mechanism checks when said new device flag indicates that said portable storage device has been previously accessed, enables said computer to access said portable storage device.

7 more elements

Facts

Application

16/903,175Filed 16 Jun 2020 · us provisional application

Priority

19 Jun 2019

Published

US 2020/0403792 A124 Dec 2020

Granted

12 Jul 2022

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

H04L 9/0897
Escrow, recovery or storing of secret information, e.g. secret key escrow or cryptographic key storage: involving additional devices, e.g. trusted…
H04L 63/0492
Wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload: by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field…
H04L 63/0853
For authentication of entities: using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal
H04L 63/107
For controlling access to devices or network resources: wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on…

Abstract

Claims9