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  Data security deviceRelated Patent Categories: Telecommunications, Radiotelephone System, Message Storage Or RetrievalThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060240806. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The present application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/484,025, filed Jan. 15, 2004, now pending [0002] The present invention is concerned with the security of data stored on portable data storage devices, particularly, but not exclusively devices such as hand-held organisers or PDA devices or mobile telephones, most particularly mobile telephones. The invention is also concerned with the security of the portable data storage devices themselves and with the remote operation of portable data storage devices, such as mobile telephones or PDA devices. [0003] In recent years, there has been a widespread increase in the usage of small portable devices for the storage of important data such as contact and calendar information. Devices have become much more user-friendly, much smaller and much more powerful increasing the number of applications for such devices and the usefulness of such devices. The increasing portability and power of such devices has had many benefits but has one drawback, namely that it is easy to mislay or lose a device containing large amounts of useful data. [0004] The risk of loss or damage has been appreciated and many devices are provided with the facility to backup data onto another device, such as a desktop or other computer. Often this involves making a physical connection using a cable although devices with IrDa (infra-red) communication interfaces are available. The backup process, however it is implemented, normally requires positive intervention on the part of the user and can be labourious. As a result, data on portable devices may not be backed up very frequently. Thus, even a user of above average diligence in backing up the data is liable to lose a significant amount of useful data in the event of loss of the device. [0005] Further, as portable data storage devices become more powerful, more portable and are provided with greater storage capacities, they are being used to store both larger amounts of data and a larger variety of data. Devices are also being provided with an increasing variety of functionality. For example, devices are not only being used to store and retrieve data, such as text, video and audio data, but can also obtain, store and run applications, such as games and business tools. [0006] Also, as the processing and storage capacity of devices increases and the use of the devices becomes more widespread, many devices are being used to store information that it is important should not be lost, for example business critical information such as email messages, multimedia or text messages or data files. For the individual user, it is also important to ensure the security of data since, for example, a user may have paid to download content or applications from the network or messages and photographs may be of personal importance to the user. [0007] It can also be inconvenient and disruptive to use portable data storage devices, since it is necessary to extract the device from a pocket or bag before use. Hands-free kits have been developed to allow a user to operate the portable data storage device remotely, in particular by use of an earpiece placed in the ear of the user but it can be inconvenient and impractical to have such devices attached to the user's body for long periods of time on the possibility that the portable data storage device may need to be used. Further, if the user does not keep the earpiece in their ear at all times, then it is equally inconvenient to find the hands-free device as it is to find the portable data storage device when, for example, the telephone rings. [0008] The present invention aims generally to address the problem of reducing the risk of loss of data stored in a portable data storage device, particularly a mobile telephone and of increasing the ease of use of a portable data storage device. [0009] In a first aspect, the invention provides a method of safeguarding against loss of data stored in a portable data storage device, the method comprising providing user-carried a backup device having memory and a wireless communication link for communicating with the portable data storage device; [0010] communicating periodically or quasi-continuously over the wireless communication link with the portable data storage device to backup data entered into the portable data storage device and to check for removal of the portable data storage device; [0011] signalling an alarm to alert a user to loss of the portable data storage device if the portable data storage device is out of range of communication for a predetermined period. [0012] In this way, the backup device contains data (or selected data) stored in the portable storage device and so, if the device is lost, the backup data can be retrieved. Furthermore, if the device is moved out of range, an alarm is sounded so that the user is alerted that they have left the portable storage device behind. The alarm is preferably provided by the backup device, preferably as at least an audible (and/or vibrating and/or visible) alarm. However, an alarm may be provided additionally or alternatively by the portable data storage device. [0013] Thus, embodiments of the invention may both avoid the need for regular manual backup and reduce the risk of loss of the device in the first place. The solution provided by the invention effectively reduces both the risk of loss of the device and the risk of loss of data even if the device is lost, most conveniently using a single communication link to achieve both functions. Although detection of the devices being out of range may be conveniently achieved by detecting breakdown of the communication link, this detection may be supplemented or substituted by a further ranging function, for example if a more precise specification of range is required or if an early warning of the limits of the range being exceeded is desired while a communication link still exists. [0014] An alert procedure, for example the activation of the alarm and/or the disabling of the portable data storage device, may be initiated when the secondary further-ranging communication link comes into use. Hence, initiation of the alert procedure may either be an active process, for example the alert procedure may be activated on receipt of a signal over the secondary further-ranging communication link, or it may be a process which is initiated due to the lack of a signal, for example the process may be initiated when the communication over the first communication link fails. [0015] The communication link is preferably a short-range link. It will be appreciated that the effective range need not be precisely defined and in practice will vary depending on ambient conditions but should be set so that the communication link breaks down at a separation distance between the two devices consistent with the user having left the data storage device behind. Typically, this distance will be of the order of 10 metres but smaller or greater distances may be employed depending on the application. The distance may be selectable by the user. For example, if the user wishes to be alerted to possible theft of the device in a crowded place such as on public transport, a separation distance of the order of 1 metre or possibly even less may be appropriate to trigger the alert. If a user is working in a large open-plan office space and is happy to leave the data device in the office but wishes to be alerted to having left it behind when he leaves the building, a distance of 50 metres or even 100 metres may be appropriate. [0016] In addition to operating the backup device at a number of different range settings, the backup device may also operate at a selected one of a number of different retry rates. That is, the backup device may communicate with the portable data storage device at predetermined intervals. These intervals may be user defined or selected. Alternatively, they may be correlated to the range settings described above, for example the backup device may communicate with the portable data storage device a number of times each second if the separation distance is required to be less than 1 metre, but only at intervals of several seconds if the separation distance may be up to 100 metres. A further alternative is for the intervals to increase automatically over time if the separation between the devices remains constant. For example, the interval may be decreased from a second to several seconds if the portable data storage device and the backup device are not separated by more than a few metres over a time period of an hour (for example, if the owner of the portable data storage device is sitting close to the device at a desk in an office). [0017] It will be appreciated then that communication between the backup device and the portable data storage device may be operated at a selected one of a number of different power levels. This may help to conserve the power for the backup device and the portable data storage device in some situations. For example, when only infrequent communication with the portable data storage device is required, when communication is required only over a short range, or when backup of data across the communication link is not required, the communication link may operate at a lower power level. The communication range or frequency of communication may be selected automatically or manually, hence allowing the automatic selection of the most suitable power level for the operation of the portable data storage device and backup device. For example, the communication link may operate initially at a first power level, but may switch to operating at a second power level if the portable data storage device does not pass out of range of communication with the backup device throughout a predetermined time period. In this example, operating at a lower power level may comprise reducing the frequency of communication between the portable data storage device and the backup device, or reducing the range of the commuincation link. [0018] Most preferably, the communication link is a wireless radio link and most preferably, the link is a Bluetooth (Registered Trade Mark) (or similar) radio link. Bluetooth.RTM. operates at approximately 2.4 GHz and provides secure communication between devices up to distances of the order of 10 metres, which is ideal for the present application. However, other forms of radio link may be used, for example a 415 MHz low power transceiver link, as used, for example, for remote control alarm keys and the like. The latter also has the advantage that low-cost compact transceivers are readily available. An advantage of using higher frequencies is that more compact transceivers can be employed whilst still having relatively efficient antenna for the radio transceiver. Nevertheless, in view of the short communication distances required, as will be appreciated, any of a variety of available frequencies may be used. In a further embodiment, an alternative wireless communication link, such as an 802.11a or 802.11b link may be used. [0019] The wireless link need not use radio; for example, an ultrasonic link may be employed in certain cases. In certain cases, a contact based link may be employed, for example based on transmission of data by coupling to a user's body. [0020] Preferably, at least one unique identifier of the portable data storage device may be transferred over the wireless communication link to the backup device. This unique identifier may be an IMEI number, if the portable data storage device is a mobile telephone, or, more preferably, the unique identifier may be a Bluetooth.RTM. serial number. Each Bluetooth.RTM. chip has a unique Bluetooth.RTM. serial number, which it difficult to alter. Hence the Bluetooth.RTM. serial number may be used as a reliable and unique `tag` for the portable data storage device. [0021] According to a related and highly preferable feature, the data transferred to the backup device may include at least one of: a unique identifier of the portable data storage device, a unique identifier of a subscriber module associated with the portable data storage device and user profile data for the portable data storage device. [0022] Preferably, the portable data storage device is a mobile telephone and the unique identifier of the portable data storage device is the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number of the mobile telephone. Further preferably, the unique identifier of a subscriber module associated with the portable data storage device is an identifier of the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM). [0023] Backing up an identifier of the portable data storage device to the backup device may allow a lost or stolen portable data storage device to be uniquely identified without a user actively discovering and storing the identifier. For example, the IMEI number of a mobile telephone may be transferred to the backup device so that the IMEI number may be transferred to the operator of the mobile telecommunications network if the mobile telephone is lost or stolen. This may allow the operator to prevent use of the lost or stolen mobile handset that corresponds to that IMEI number immediately. Continue reading... Full patent description for Data security device Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Data security device patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Data security device or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Automated notification systems and methods Next Patent Application: Data security in a mobile e-mail service Industry Class: Telecommunications ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Data security device patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.39994 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Accenture , Agouron Pharmaceuticals , Amgen , AT&T , Bausch & Lomb , Callaway Golf |
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