KR100481714B1 - Information processing device and method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an information processing terminal, and more particularly, to an information processing apparatus and method applied to a portable storage device using a USB.

The present invention provides a removable storage device using a USB including a memory controller having a built-in memory and firmware, wherein the memory includes a first program that is stored so that a program for accessing a remote server is stored and cannot be arbitrarily deleted by a user. Memory area; A second memory area in which corresponding information is stored and defined so that a user cannot delete the information arbitrarily; And a third memory area defined so that a user can access and arbitrarily write or delete data.

Description

Portable storage device using UBS and information providing method using same {INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE AND METHOD}

The present invention relates to an information processing terminal and an information processing method, and more particularly, to a portable storage device using a USB and an information providing method using the same.

In the mid-1990s, several companies, including Intel, established the Universal Serial Bus (USB) specification to improve the speed and functionality of existing peripheral input and output for computers.

The USB standard establishes a standard for connecting up to 127 peripheral devices to a computer. Representative peripherals that currently use the USB standard include a USB mouse or a USB keyboard.

USB data transfer speeds vary from standard to standard, with the USB1.1 specification up to 12Mbps and the USB2.0 specification up to 480Mbps.

In addition to these peripherals, new peripherals are being developed one after another due to the expandability and diversity of the USB standard.

Among the peripherals using USB, the growth is growing rapidly, removable storage devices using HDD or flash memory. In general, the HDD is called USB hard drive and the flash memory is called USB disk.

USB hard drives are mainly used as external storage devices by using HDDs for notebook computers. One of the major disadvantages is that they are high in capacity and relatively small in palm size and weak in mechanical impact.

Recently, USB disks, which are ultra-portable removable storage devices, have been released using flash memory, but are much more expensive than USB hard drives per megabyte size, but they are much smaller than HDDs, are more resistant to mechanical shocks, and have various functions. In terms of that market is growing.

If the price of flash memory drops in the future, it is a storage medium that is expected to be in high demand.

Flash memory is a type of memory that combines Read Only Memory (ROM) and Random Access Memory (RAM).

In other words, it can be written and erased like RAM, and recorded data is not erased even without power like ROM.

Because it has both RAM and ROM characteristics, recorded data is stored even without a separate power source.

In the industry, a removable storage device using a flash memory is commonly referred to as a USB disk, a flash disk or a USB drive, but there is no uniform name.

In the present invention, it will be referred to as a USB disk.

The basic concept of a USB disk is described in the Universal Serial Bus Mass Storage Class Specification Overview Version 1.0, 1998/10/22 (hereinafter referred to as First Reference), which was established by the USB Implementers Forum (hereafter USB-IF).

In the first reference, a brief overview of USB disks as well as the various types of external devices that can be made using USB are mentioned.

A more detailed description of a USB disk is shown in US Pat. No. 6,148,354 (hereinafter referred to as second reference).

The industry raises the issue of patent validity for the second reference based on the first reference data of the USB-IF.

Because the nature of the USB standard was enacted for the public benefit, the basic concept of the USB disk mentioned in USB-IF is commercially owned by a specific person or a certain company, which does not correspond to the purpose of establishing the USB standard, and is already mentioned in the USB standard. Because technology.

The main components of the second reference are USB connectors, controllers, and flash memories, which are already described in the first reference.

The above references are limited to the implementation of basic removable storage devices connected to USB, and there is no mention of additional functions using the same, for example, encryption method of stored data or specification of algorithm for speed increase. By any means, advanced technologies can be seen.

The storage capacity of USB disk products using flash memory in the current market ranges from 8 megabytes to up to 2 gigabytes, and is expected to increase to 4 gigabytes or 8 gigabytes soon.

The main feature of the present invention is that a USB disk is automatically connected to a remote server when the USB disk is connected to a computer under the basic concept of the existing USB disk, and exchanges necessary information between the server and the USB disk.

The basic concept of the present invention is described in detail in patent application 10-2002-0066300 (hereinafter referred to as third reference) filed by the applicant.

A more specific technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is to store the information exchanged with the remote server in a specific area inside the USB disk and to prevent users from seeing and deleting the stored information in Windows Explorer, etc. It aims to achieve its intended purpose, such as database utilization, customer management, specific software storage space, and data security.

In order to exchange data between the USB disk and the remote server, it is natural that an agent program (hereinafter, referred to as an agent) and an identification code must be embedded in the USB disk so that the server can recognize the USB disk remotely.

According to the third reference, the step of connecting the USB disk to the computer, the step of delivering to the server via the computer connected to the unique number inside the USB disk, the step of determining whether the server is eligible for data transmission by recognizing the transmitted unique number If the qualification is authenticated, the server sends out the data to the USB disk.

The present invention provides a more advanced approach to the method of exchanging data between a USB disk and a remote server under the basic concept of the USB disk and the third reference, and enables the implementation of a more complete product in commercial applications. In addition, since the hard disk storage medium has functions of ROM and RAM in the same manner as the flash memory, the hard disk storage medium may be a usable memory medium instead of the flash memory of the present invention.

In addition, the present invention can also be used when the capacity of the flash memory of the USB disk is insufficient to sufficiently store data received from the server on the USB disk.

It can also be used to save important data sent from the server to a USB disk and prevent users from accidental or intentional deletion.

In addition, the data sent from the server can be recorded in a specific area of the flash memory so that the user cannot find the location of the data, and the data can not be displayed even by a computer explorer so that the data can be used for security.

Through this method, if a USB disk is connected to a computer and the computer is connected to a remote server through a network, data can be sent and received automatically without the user's knowledge. do.

For example, at the moment of connection, the information or advertisement of a specific company is transferred to the USB disk, and the advertisement or information must be displayed on the computer for a certain time so that the unique function of the USB disk can be deleted.

What USB disks can receive from the server and display it can implement all types of file formats found in traditional web browsers.

1 is a diagram schematically illustrating the present invention and FIG. 2 is a flowchart according to the present invention.

There is a server connected to the Internet, and there are a number of client computers connected to that server via the Internet or LAN.

When the USB disk is connected to the client computer (see 201 and 203 of FIG. 2), the agent stored in the USB disk transmits the unique number or unique identifier of the USB disk to the server through the client computer (see 209 of FIG. 2). ).

The remote server recognizes this unique number to determine the access eligibility (see 211 in FIG. 2) and passes the necessary data to the client computer (see 215 in FIG. 2), and the computer to the client delivers the received data to the USB disk. Save it.

The method of exchanging necessary information with a remote server by recording a unique number on a USB disk is described in the third reference filed by the applicant.

If you remove the USB disk and connect it to the client computer's USB port, the data stored on the USB disk immediately before is executed on the client computer.

At the same time, the agent delivers the unique number to the server (see 209 of FIG. 2) to check for data to be received later.

In response to the operation of the agent program, the remote server receives the unique number, and if it is necessary to update data on the USB disk (see 213 in FIG. 2), delivers the waiting data to the client (see 215 in FIG. 2). .

Of course, if the computer is not connected to the network, only the previously transmitted data is displayed (that is, 207-> 217 in FIG. 2).

A more detailed description of FIG. 2 will be described later.

3 is a conceptual diagram of a USB disk.

It consists of USB connector, controller and flash memory.

The firmware built into the controller works in conjunction with the Mass Storage Device Class of the client computer to write or delete the data in flash memory.

The file format when writing and erasing to a flash memory follows FAT (File Allocation Table), which is a typical file system of a typical Windows operating system.

Flash memory can be largely divided into two types, NAND and NOR. USB disks mainly use NAND, which is relatively inexpensive, but if NOR flash memory is cheaper, NOR flash memory can be used.

NAND flash memory is cheaper than NOR, but the speed is slower than NOR due to the different way of writing and erasing data.

4 is a view showing in detail the USB disk controller of Figure 3;

The firmware is built in to the USB disk in the ROM of the controller.

5 is a block diagram of a flash memory for a third reference filed by the present applicant.

Referring to FIG. 5, the memory configuration is largely divided into a system area inaccessible to a user and a data area in which data is recorded and deleted.

There is a manufacturer ID (VID: Vendor ID) and a product ID (PID: Product ID) in the system area, and a unique number is built in to allow data to be exchanged with a remote server and to distinguish each USB disk.

The serial number is usually inserted by the production program when the USB disk is produced.

If you look at the data area, there is a part to insert a password so that others can't see the stored data when the USB disk is lost, and the FAT that distinguishes the location and type of the stored data is located.

5, it can be seen that data downloaded from the server is recorded in the data area because there is no separate memory area.

However, the data area can be accessed and formatted by the user, so if the user should not delete the valuable data or data downloaded from the server, it is intended (advertisement, use of external DB of the website, customer management, specific software). Utilization of storage space, data security, etc.).

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention subdivids the area of the flash memory so that the user cannot delete not only the unique number but also the received data, and not know whether the data exists.

6 is a flash memory structure diagram illustrating the present invention in detail.

Of course, the structure of the flash memory is made by an algorithm of firmware embedded in the controller of FIG. 4.

The core of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 6 in detail.

The flash memory structure of the present invention is also largely divided into a system area inaccessible to a user and a data area in which a user can access and erase and write necessary data.

The system area is described first.

VID and PID represent the manufacturer and product name of the USB disk. This information can be found on the computer when the end user uses it.

The serial number is an identifier to identify each USB disk when connecting to the remote server. In some cases, individual IDs (e.g., individual customers) can be entered, or group unique IDs (e.g., collective customers) should be separated into one group without distinguishing each other. I can put it.

After the identifier, there is a space to store the data received from the server. There is a content area that cannot be deleted by the user and is not identified by the computer. Therefore, the type and name of the file stored in the content area are not displayed even by the computer explorer.

The size of the content area can be adjusted by the firmware of the controller or the production program during production.

The content area may store specific data from the time of production, or may be downloaded from the server and updated.

Next to the content area is the network area.

In network area, agent is installed to communicate with remote server and USB disk.

The network area is visible to the agent but cannot be deleted by the user.

Only run by the user.

Next is the data area.

The data area is a space where a user can record and delete data.

Since this area is a memory area that can be used like an HDD of a general computer, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

An operation sequence according to FIG. 2 will be described with reference to FIG. 6.

Agents are stored in the network area.

When the USB disk is first inserted into the computer (201, 203), it is recognized as a removable disk, and when the contents of the removable disk are checked, an agent appears (for example, as an execution command icon, not shown in FIG. 2).

If the agent does not receive an execution command (double click) by the user, the user cannot go to the data area of the USB disk. That is, the process does not proceed to step 219, which is a unique operation of the USB disk.

In other words, the user can not record and delete data.

When the agent is executed by the user, the data in the content area is displayed on the computer screen (217). At this time, as described above in the operation description of FIG. 2, when not connected to the Internet (207), data already stored in the flash memory content area is displayed on the computer screen (207-> 217). When connected to the Internet (207), the unique number of the flash memory is passed to the remote server (209), and the remote server receives this unique number to determine whether or not it is connected and needs to update the data on the USB disk. If present (213), the data is transmitted to the client (215). The data is then stored in the flash memory content area (not shown in FIG. 2 above).

In addition, the agent is installed on the computer so that a desired series of operations (that is, steps 207 to 219) occur even if the user does not execute the agent again on the same computer (i.e., step 205 is omitted).

Since the USB disk is not autorun like a CD-ROM, the single agent execution 203, 205 makes it possible to autorun. In other words, the technology that is automatically installed in a computer to which a predetermined program of a USB peripheral device (for example, the USB disk of the present invention) is connected, and the operating system of the computer recognizes that a specific USB peripheral device (for example, the USB disk of the present invention) is connected. The technique itself is well known to those skilled in the art before the present invention is filed.

Data in the content area may be stored on the server and then disappear automatically after a certain time after being displayed on the screen according to the nature of the information or advertisement to be transmitted.

Data in the content area can store and display any type of data represented by Explorer, Microsoft's web browser.

Since the corresponding data is recorded in the content area, even if the USB disk is inserted not only in the computer used by the user but also in another computer, the desired effect occurs in the same manner.

In addition, when the size of the received data is too big to store on the USB disk, the agent can store it in a specific space on the computer.

In this case, however, when the USB disk is run on another computer, the data is not represented because there is no corresponding data in the USB disk.

7 is an information display content shown on a computer according to the present invention.

Meanwhile, as described above, after data stored in the flash memory content area is displayed on the computer screen (eg, 217), recording / deletion is possible in the flash memory data area (eg, 219). According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, after the screen display (217), it is possible to receive the predetermined content (e.g. MP3 file) corresponding to the screen display from the remote server and record it in the data area of the flash memory (e.g., : 219).

It is apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention can be applied to an MP3 play terminal. That is, as shown in FIG. 8, the removable storage device using the USB including the memory and the memory controller in which the firmware is embedded constitutes one component of the MP3 play terminal. In one embodiment, when the user's command signal is input through the keypad, the MP3 controller accesses the data area of the memory to read the MP3 file. The codec decodes the MP3 file, and the digital / analog converter converts the decoded MP3 data into an analog signal and outputs it through an ear jack. The MP3 controller also outputs the progress of the current program to the LCD via the LCD driver. The ROM stores program data describing the operation of the MP3 controller, and the RAM temporarily stores the MP3 file read for playback processing.

Meanwhile, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the agent is recorded in an area defined in the memory area of the removable storage device using USB so as not to be arbitrarily deleted by the user (in the embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6, the system area). The identifier is read and the identifier is transmitted to another program running on a computer to which the portable storage device using the USB is connected.

In one embodiment, another program may be produced by a program provider and sold to a user. The other program uses the identifier as authentication information to perform an operation only when the portable storage device using the corresponding USB is connected to the user's computer. For example, a program provider may provide a user with a recording medium (CD) in which a program is stored and a removable storage device using USB used as an authentication key.

In another embodiment, the other program may be a program for installing to a user PC from a website that provides predetermined content to a user computer on the web. In the case of an Internet browser, these programs become ActiveX control programs. The active X control program uses the identifier as authentication information to control the contents of the website to be provided to the user only when the portable storage device using the corresponding USB is connected to the user's computer. For example, a content providing site may provide a user with a portable storage device using USB that is used as an authentication key.

As described above, the present invention can be used as a new advertising media or personal information terminal because the USB disk is automatically connected to the server, and the necessary data can be interchanged after being connected.

For example, in the case of an automobile company, the USB disk of the present invention may be divided when the automobile is sold, and each customer or collective customer may have the necessary information visible every time the USB disk is inserted into the computer.

Since each USB disk can be recognized by the server and data can be transferred, it can be used as a new device for customer relation management (CRM).

If the customer database is a huge website, a lot of equipment and professional personnel are needed for the database construction. The USB disk according to the present invention can be used as an external database, so that a significant cost reduction can be made for the enterprise.

In addition, the website provided for a fee can sell the USB disk to the user and allow the server to manage the customer by using the unique identifier of the USB disk, instead of charging the customer with a credit card or a mobile phone on the Internet.

In this case, the user ID of the paid internet site cannot be shared in different places, and the access costs are greatly reduced because the user can access only the USB disk.

Alternatively, expensive software can be stored in the content area and a corresponding USB disk can be inserted whenever necessary to run the software.

In addition, since there is a unique identifier and a storage space inaccessible to the user inside the USB disk, many applications are expected in the field that is connected and utilized by a network. In addition, in the above-described embodiment of the present invention, a removable storage device using USB has been described as an example implemented in a so-called USB disk using a flash memory. However, if a flash memory as a memory medium is simply replaced by a hard disk, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention can be applied to a portable hard disk device using USB within the same technical concept.

1 is a conceptual diagram of the present invention.

2 is a flowchart according to the present invention.

3 is a conceptual diagram of a USB disk according to the present invention.

4 is a detailed block diagram of a flash memory controller according to the present invention.

5 is a block diagram of a flash memory for a third reference filed by the present applicant.

6 is a block diagram of a flash memory according to the present invention.

7 is an information display content shown on a computer according to the present invention.

8 shows an example in which the present invention is applied to an MP3 play terminal.

Claims (17)

delete In the removable storage device using a USB consisting of a memory controller with a built-in memory and firmware, The memory, A first memory area in which a program for accessing a remote server is stored, the first memory area being defined so as not to be arbitrarily deleted by a user; A second memory area in which corresponding information is stored and defined so that a user cannot delete the information arbitrarily; And And a third memory area defined so that a user can access and record or delete data arbitrarily. The information stored in the second memory area is Received from the remote server by the program; removable storage device using a USB. The method of claim 2, When the program is executed, And a computer to which the portable storage device using the USB is connected to display information stored in the second memory area. The method of claim 2, The program, Only when the information stored in the second memory area is displayed on the screen of the computer connected to the removable storage device using the USB, the user to make the third memory area accessible; removable using USB Storage device. The method of claim 2, The program, Installed on the computer when the portable storage device using the USB is first accessed, and automatically executed when the portable storage device using the USB is connected to the same computer to access the remote server; USB removable storage device. The method of claim 2, The program, Regarding the information stored in the second memory area, so as not to display the name and type of the file to the searcher of the computer; removable storage device using a USB. delete In the information providing method using a removable storage device using a USB consisting of a memory and a memory controller, Checking whether a removable storage device using a USB is connected to a USB port of a computer; Reading an identifier recorded in a region defined so that a user cannot delete it arbitrarily in a memory region of the removable storage device using the USB, and transmitting the identifier to the remote server; And And receiving the information from the remote server when the access qualification according to the identifier is authenticated, and storing the information in an area defined so that the user cannot delete it arbitrarily in a memory area of the portable storage device using the USB. Information providing method using a removable storage device using the USB. delete The method of claim 2, The program, If the information stored in the second memory area is displayed on the computer connected to the portable storage device using the USB, further storing the corresponding content received from the remote server in the third memory area; Removable storage device using a USB characterized in that. The method of claim 8, When the information stored in the memory area defined to be deleted by the user is not displayed on the computer connected to the portable storage device using the USB, the user can record / delete the corresponding content received from the remote server. And storing the stored data in a memory area of the memory. The method of claim 2, The memory of the removable storage device using the USB, Flash memory; characterized in that the removable storage device using a USB. The method of claim 2, The memory of the removable storage device using the USB, Removable storage device using a USB, characterized in that the hard disk memory. The method of claim 8, The memory of the removable storage device using the USB, Flash memory; information providing method using a removable storage device using a USB. The method of claim 8, The memory of the removable storage device using the USB, Hard disk memory; characterized in that the information providing method using a removable storage device using a USB. The method of claim 2, The memory, And a fourth memory area in which an identifier of the removable storage device using the USB is stored and defined so as not to be arbitrarily deleted by a user. The program, And transferring the identifier to another program that is executed on a computer to which the portable storage device using the USB is connected. The method of claim 8, Reads an identifier recorded in an area defined so that a user cannot delete it arbitrarily in a memory area of the removable storage device using the USB, and transfers the identifier to another program running on a computer to which the removable storage device using the USB is connected. Information providing method using a removable storage device using a USB, characterized in that it further comprises.