Hard disk apparatus with a biometrics sensor and method of protecting data therein

A hard disk apparatus, comprising:

• a host interface to be connected to a terminal host;
• a control module, which is connected to the host interface, for storing firmware;
• a biometrics sensor, which is connected to the control module, for sensing authorized biometrics data of an authorized user;
• and
• a hard disk, which has a magnetic disc and a spindle motor for rotating the magnetic disc, and is connected to the control module and partitioned into at least three blocks, which comprise:
• an application program block for storing at least one biometrics AP (Application Program);
• a security block for storing to-be-protected data;
• and
• a hidden block for storing biometrics template data, wherein the firmware of the control module is configured, when the terminal host executes the at least one biometrics AP, to:
• receive a biometrics data sensing instruction, which is outputted when the terminal host is executing the biometrics AP, to control the biometrics sensor to read the authorized biometrics data of the authorized user and transfer the authorized biometrics data to the terminal host;
• and
• receive the biometrics template data, which is generated after the terminal host processes the authorized biometrics data using the biometrics AP, and store the biometrics template data in the hidden block.

A method of protecting data stored in a hard disk apparatus, wherein the hard disk apparatus comprises:

• a host interface to be connected to a terminal host;
• a control module, which is connected to the host interface and stores firmware;
• a biometrics sensor, which is connected to the control module, for sensing authorized biometrics data of an authorized user;
• and a hard disk, which has a magnetic disc and a spindle motor for rotating the magnetic disc, and is connected to the control module and partitioned into at least three blocks, which comprise an application program block for storing at least one biometrics AP (Application Program), a security block for storing to-be-protected data, and a hidden block for storing biometrics template data, the method comprising, when the terminal host executes the at least one biometrics AP, the steps of:
• entering a biometrics enrolling mode or a biometrics identification mode;
• in the biometrics enrolling mode:
• receiving a biometrics data sensing instruction, which is outputted when the terminal host is executing the biometrics AP, to control the biometrics sensor to read the authorized biometrics data of the authorized user and to transfer the authorized biometrics data to the terminal host;
• and
• receiving the biometrics template data, which is generated after the terminal host processes the authorized biometrics data using the biometrics AP, and storing the biometrics template data to the hidden block;
• and
• in the biometrics identification mode:
• enabling the terminal host to download the biometrics template data;
• receiving the biometrics data sensing instruction, which is outputted when the terminal host is executing the biometrics AP, to control the biometrics sensor to read to-be-recognized biometrics data of a to-be-recognized user and transferring the to-be-recognized biometrics data to the terminal host;
• and
• receiving a verification result, which is outputted after the terminal host processes and compares the to-be-recognized biometrics data with the biometrics template data according to the biometrics AP, and configuring the security block as a removable hard disk or a fixed hard disk to enable the security block to be accessed by the terminal host when the verification result is successful, or otherwise disable the security block from being accessed by the terminal host.

An external hard disk enclosure, in which a hard disk having a magnetic disc and a spindle motor for rotating the magnetic disc may be mounted, the hard disk enclosure comprising:

• a host interface to be connected to a terminal host;
• a control module, which is connected to the host interface and the hard disk, for storing firmware;
• a biometrics sensor, which is connected to the control module, for sensing authorized biometrics data of an authorized user, wherein the firmware of the control module is configured to:
• receive a biometrics data sensing instruction, which is outputted from the terminal host, to control the biometrics sensor to read the authorized biometrics data of the authorized user and transfer the authorized biometrics data to the terminal host;
• and
• receive biometrics template data, which is generated after the terminal host processes the authorized biometrics data, and store the biometrics template data into the hard disk.