JP2004259288A - Portable data storage - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a portable data storage without needing a mechanical driving mechanism for reading data. <P>SOLUTION: The portable data storage 10 includes a universal serial bus (USB) connection device 1, and an interface device 2 is connected to the connection device 1. The data storage 10 also includes a memory control device 3 and a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device 4. The control device 3 is connected between the interface device 2 and the memory device 4 in order to control a data flow from the memory device 4 to the connection device 1. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to portable data storage devices, and in particular, to portable data storage devices for computers.

  Conventional data storage devices fall into two categories. The first category is electronic semiconductor memory devices such as read-only memory (ROM) and random access memory (RAM). These memory devices are usually fixed in the computer. They are not intended to be portable or portable, for example, so that they can be used on different computers to allow for transferring data from one computer to another.

  The second type of device is a surface-based data storage device where data is typically stored on the surface of a disk or tape. Examples of surface data storage devices are magnetic disks and CDROMs.

  Such data storage devices require a mechanical drive installed or coupled to the computer to allow the data in the storage device to be read by the computer. Further, such memory devices are limited by the surface area of the storage device, and the combination of the storage device and the drive for reading data from the storage is usually bulky and / or within the drive and / or the storage device. It is delicate because it requires moving parts.

  According to the present invention, there is provided a portable data storage device comprising a coupling device for coupling to a serial bus of a computer, an interface device coupled to the coupling device, a memory control device, and a nonvolatile memory device. A memory controller is coupled between the interface device and the memory device and controls data flow from the memory device to the coupling device.

  An advantage of the present invention is that it can be coupled to a computer having a serial bus port by providing a coupling device with an interface device, a portable data storage device with a memory controller and a non-volatile memory device. It is possible to provide a portable data storage device that does not include any moving parts or requires a mechanical drive to read data from the data storage device.

  Preferably, the non-volatile memory device is a read / write memory device such as a flash memory device.

  Preferably, when the memory device is a read / write memory device, the memory controller controls data flow with the memory device.

  Typically, the data storage device further comprises a manual switch movable between a first position where writing of data to the memory device is enabled and a second position where writing of data to the memory device is prevented. Is provided.

  Preferably, the memory control device may include a read-only memory that stores a program for controlling the operation of the memory control device. Preferably, the memory controller is a microcontroller.

  Typically, the interface device comprises a universal serial bus (USB) drive for converting data between the USB format and the PC format, and the coupling device comprises a USB coupling device.

  In another configuration, the interface device comprises a drive for the IEEE 1394 (Firewire) protocol and the coupling device comprises a firewire coupling device.

One example of a data storage device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a data storage device 10 including a USB plug 1 coupled to a USB interface device 2. The USB interface device 2 is connected to a microcontroller 3 which is connected to a flash memory 4. The microcontroller 3 includes a read-only memory (ROM) 5 for storing a program for controlling its operation.

  The operations performed by the microcontroller 3 correspond to the password entered by the user and the corresponding password stored in the flash memory 4 to determine whether the user is authorized to access the contents of the flash memory 4. Includes comparing with password. The program stored in the ROM 5 also controls the data flow to and from the flash memory 4 so that the computer to which the memory device 1 is connected can install a software program corresponding to the password stored in the flash memory 4. Can also be detected. The microcontroller 3 can automatically retrieve the password from the installed software to compare with the password stored in flash memory to verify whether the computer user has the right to access and execute the software. . Further, the program stored in the ROM 5 also allows the setting of the flash memory password by the software supplier to correspond to the password contained in the software given to the user. Typically, a password may correspond to a software serial number.

  Flash memory 4 is typically divided into a number of different sections or zones. Typically, flash memory is divided into two zones, each zone having a unique password. If the software packaged with the data storage device 10 is provided, the serial number of the software can be set in one zone to be a password to allow a user to access and use the software. . Other zones typically used to store user data have different passwords set by the user. Typically, the password is stored in encrypted form in a secure location on the flash memory. The encryption, decryption, data flow control and USB protocol are all managed by the microcontroller 3.

  The microcontroller 3 also includes a random access memory (RAM) 6, which is a temporary storage area for allowing the functions of the microcontroller 3. Furthermore, a manual switch 7 is coupled between the flash memory 4 and the microcontroller 3. The manual switch 7 is movable between a first position where a user can write data to the flash memory 4 and a second position where data is prevented from being written to the flash memory 4.

  The device 10 also includes a USB socket 8 that is directly coupled to the USB plug 1 to allow other USB devices to be coupled to the USB via the device 10. For example, the USB plug 1 of the second memory device 10 may be connected to the USB socket 8 if the user wants to increase the memory space.

  FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating the setup of a procedure for a device 10 for a software supplier when the software supplier intends to supply the device as a software authentication device. First, the plug 1 of the device 10 is inserted at 20 into a USB socket of a computer. After the device 10 is connected to the computer's USB socket, communications are set up between the computer and the device 10 at 21. Software suppliers pre-install installation software on computers operated by operators. From the pre-installed software, the operator selects a password setting installation at 22, and in response, the pre-installed software requests the operator to enter a password or serial number corresponding to the software on which device 10 is to be provided. I do.

The password or serial number is encrypted at 26 and stored at 27 in flash memory 4.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an initial setting of a password for zone 2 of flash memory 4 by an end user. The device 10 is provided with drive software that is loaded into the computer by the user before setting up the device. To set a password for region 2, the user plugs device 20 into the USB port of the computer at 20, and at 21 communication is set up between the computer and device 10. The user then runs the drive software, and the drive software enters the zone 2 password installation setting mode at 23. The user then enters at 28 a password required to prevent unauthorized access to zone 2 of flash memory 4. The entered password is encrypted at 29 and stored in the flash memory 4 at 30.

  After the end user has performed the initial password setting procedure described above and shown in FIG. 3, when the user plugs in the device 10 at 20 into the USB port of the computer, the computer sets up communication with the device 10 at 21 and Then, the installation status flag stored in the flash memory 4 is checked at 33 (see FIG. 4). If the status flag is "Y (yes)", device 10 outputs an "OK" flag to the computer at 34. Microcontroller 3 instructs at 35 the computer to generate a request to the user to select the zone for which the user wants input. If the status flag is "N (No)", the apparatus does not output the "OK" flag to the computer and proceeds directly to step 35. In response to the request to select a zone at 35, the user selects zone 1 or zone 2 at 36.

  If zone 1 is selected, the device 10 is given the right by the user to install the software at 37, considering that the user has requested to install the software on a computer stored in the flash memory 4. Request an appropriate password to verify that The microcontroller 3 receives the password entered by the user, searches the password stored in the flash memory 4 in the zone 1, decrypts the password in the zone 1, and has the right for the user to install the software. Is compared with a password entered by the user to authenticate at 38. If the passwords do not match, the device 10 informs the computer at 37 to request the user to enter the password again.

  If the password entered by the user matches the password stored in flash memory 4, microcontroller 3 begins at 39 installing software from flash memory 4 to the computer. To install the software, the computer sends at 40 a read / write command in USB format to the microcontroller 3 for data, which retrieves the requested data from the flash memory 4 and at 41 The data is transmitted to the driving device 2. The drive device 2 converts the data into the PC format at 42 and outputs the data to the computer via the USB plug 1. The microcontroller 3 then checks at 43 whether the software installation has been completed. If the operation has not been completed, the operation returns to step 40. Once the software installation is complete, the status flag stored in flash memory 4 is changed to "Y" and device 10 is then removed at 45 from the computer's USB socket.

  If the user selects zone 2, microcontroller 3 sends a command to the computer at 46 requesting the user to enter a password for zone 2. When the user enters the password, the computer sends the password to the microcontroller 3. The microcontroller 3 retrieves the password for the zone 2 from the flash memory 4, decrypts the password at 47, and compares it with the password entered by the user. If the password entered by the user is incorrect, operation returns to step 46 and the computer requests at 46 the user again to enter the password.

  If the password entered by the user is correct, the user accesses zone 2 of flash memory 4, reads data from flash memory 4, and writes data to flash memory 4. However, if the manual switch 7 is in a position to allow data to be written to the flash memory 4, the data is only written to the flash memory 4. A read or write command is sent to the microcontroller 3 by the computer in USB format at 48 to read or write data to the flash memory 4. In response to a read or write command, the microcontroller 3 retrieves the data from the flash memory 4 at 49 and sends it to the drive 2, thereby converting it to PC format at 50, and then outputting to the computer, or Data is received from the drive and written to the flash memory 4.

  Microcontroller 3 determines at 51 whether the read or write operation has been completed. If the operation is not completed, the process returns to step 48. If the operation has been completed, the operation ends at 52.

  The aforementioned device 10 is for coupling to a universal serial bus (USB). However, the plug 1, interface device 2, and socket 8 are for use with a suitable computer serial bus. For example, the device 10 is modified for use with the IEEE 1394 (FireWire) protocol by replacing the USB plug 1, USB interface device 2, and socket 8 with plugs, interface devices, and sockets that are compatible with the Firewire protocol. Can be

  An advantage of the foregoing device 10 is that it provides a portable data storage device for a computer that does not require a mechanically operated read / write device. Furthermore, the device 10 has no moving parts. This allows the data storage device 10 to be more compact than a typical portable data storage device.

1 is a schematic block diagram of a portable data storage device. FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating the initial setup of a data storage device by a software supplier. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an initial setup of a data storage device by an end user. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the data storage device.

Claims (7)

It can be inserted directly into a USB socket of a computer, operates to function as a substitute for a magnetic disk or CD-ROM, can store software installed on a computer, or can be a user present on a computer. A connection device that can receive and store data and is a USB plug for directly connecting to a USB socket of a computer, an interface device connected to the USB plug, a memory control device, and a nonvolatile solid-state memory device. A portable data storage device comprising: a memory controller connected between the interface device and the memory device to control a flow of data from the memory device to the USB plug. The memory controller is operative to receive the password and compare it with a corresponding password stored in the memory device to determine whether access to the contents of the memory device is permitted. The described device. 3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the read / write memory device is a flash memory device. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the memory controller controls the flow of data to and from the memory device. 4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a manual switch movable between a first position where writing of data to the memory device is enabled and a second position where writing of data to the memory device is blocked. 5. The device according to any one of 4. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the memory controller comprises a microcontroller. 7. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the USB plug and the USB socket are replaced by IEEE 1394 (FireWire) protocol and a FireWire protocol compatible socket, respectively, and the interface device is a FireWire protocol driver.

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