Method with the functions of virtual space and data encryption and invisibility

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to an embedded data storage device, especially a device that applies to a data process apparatus with a method of virtual space and data encryption and invisibility functions.

[0003] 2. Related Art

[0004] The development of technology has made progress at a tremendous pace at the present days and data process apparatuses have been widely applied to various fields. With the advance in science, the functions of data process apparatuses are increasingly diversified. In today's information explosive world, a data process apparatus is required to not only provide with various functions for a user to manage his/her information, but also have sufficient space for a hoard of data storage.

[0005] According to the aforementioned situation, a portable data storage device has become one of the indispensable accessories of a data process apparatus accommodating to the mobility era. However, a portable data storage device is convenient to be carried though; the drawback thereof is that limited storage space is unable to store a legion of information. For instance, Floppy Disk is gradually superseded, due to its insufficient storage space. In view of the foregoing, some developments of conventionally known technologies in Micro Driver, Memory Stick (MS), etc. aim at achieving the function of storing a hoard of data or information. Nevertheless, there is no obvious effect on the function of data protection. The attached list describes known data security system categories as well as some drawbacks thereof. Both enterprises and individuals require their own confidential data and files to be securely stored and presently used methods are through password mechanism or software methods. Therefore, how to enable a data storage device to possess with the highly secured function to be executed by hardware apparatus thereof has become a technical subject to be resolved.

TABLE 1
Categories	Programs	Description	Drawbacks
Security cabinet	Security disk,	Files can be dragged	A file or program should be
(security	i-key	into specific directories	decrypted outside the
directory)		for encryption, and	specific directory, then be
		dragged out for	dragged back to the directory
		decryption	after being operated, clear
			text outside the directory
			shall be deleted
A file to be	e.g. WinZip,	Usually clicks mouse	Ditto, but more inconvenient
encrypted into	etc. that will	right button to carry out	to be operated
another file	change	data encryption/
	filenames	decryption
A file to be	Word, Excel,	Password is required	only specific files (generated
generated and	etc.	before opening a file	by the system) can be
encrypted by the			encrypted, but easily to be
system			decrypted by many programs
Transparent	GoodLock	Encrypted files can	only data can be encrypted;
encryption/		retain the same file	encrypted data can be stored
decryption		names, and are operated	anywhere to a hard disk
		the same as general
		files, if the smart card
		exists; or files can not
		be read

[0006] In view of the foregoing, the invention presents a method with the functions of virtual space and data encryption and invisibility. The main object of the invention aims at preventing confidential data, files and application programs, which are installed on a virtual database in a data process apparatus or an embedded data storage device, from being thieved or used by plotters through concealing used data paths, file information and journey by way of detecting, copying and pasting, moving and deleting data to. In addition, all data stored into the data process apparatus or the embedded data storage device can be encrypted through a virtual hard drive On-the-fly Encryption technique, so that data content can be read only when required; or data remains of encrypted codes. Various passwords are corresponding to different embedded data storage devices without relations. The said decryption device of the invention is an embedded data storage device, which only enables data to be encrypted at the belonged data process apparatus, i.e., each embedded data storage device is correspondent to a specific data process apparatus thereof.

[0007] The disclosed method of the invention aims at achieving the objective of private data security through the protection of dual security pattern to protect important data of a user, so that the data storage device, even though it is lost, are unable to be applied by other people to other kind of data process apparatus. The invention at least consists of the following steps: installing an embedded data storage device on a data process apparatus, establishing at least one virtual database on the data process apparatus, setting up the virtual database through a user end, storing a data file into the virtual database, detecting if the embedded data storage device is still on the data process apparatus, hiding a specific path that displays the data file whereabouts on the data process apparatus.

[0008] The detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiments are followed by the brief descriptions of the drawings below.

[0009] The invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow. However, the following description is for purposes of illustration only, and thus is not limitative of the invention, wherein:

[0010] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a method with the functions of virtual space and encrypted data invisibility according to the present invention;

[0011] FIGS. 2-a, 2-b, and 2-c are flowcharted diagrams of the method with the functions of virtual space and encrypted data invisibility according to the present invention;

[0012] FIGS. 3-a and 3-b are user interfaces of the method with the functions of virtual space and encrypted data invisibility according to the present invention;

[0013] FIGS. 4-a, 4-b, 4-c, and 4-d are embodiment views of the method with the virtual space and encrypted data invisibility functions according to the present invention.

[0014] The present invention is a kind of method with the functions of virtual space and encrypted data invisibility. Referring to FIG. 1, the schematic diagram of the method with the functions of virtual space and encrypted data invisibility according to the invention. The details are described as follows.

[0015] First, the present invention enables the starts-up of the apparatuses after an embedded data storage device is installed into a data process apparatus 30. Both said data process apparatus 30 and embedded data storage device are able to provide with a virtual database 10 for securing confidential data files and important information. When a file 20 is stored by a user in the virtual database 10, which encrypts the file 20 based on a kind of encryption technique. Therefore, the user is able to read the clear text of the file under the file reading process only. The virtual database 10 retrieves and records the file situations while the file paths and journey are stored back to the data process apparatus 30; in addition, conceals all information for preventing data being used by others when the embedded data storage device is removed from the data process apparatus. As shown in the drawing that a plurality of virtual database 10 (virtual disk) can be established for storing different data and managing data through various setting modes, where the file 20 can be a specific item to be processed by an application program.

[0016] The said embedded data storage device is connected to the data process apparatus 30 through a connection interface, which can be either an IEEE 1394, or a USB interface. The data process apparatus 30 can be any computer controlled hardware platform, such as a PC (Personal Computer), a NB (Notebook), or a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a mobile phone or a handheld data process apparatus. Moreover, the embedded data storage device can be a portable storage device, an IC (Integrated Circuit) Card, or a smart card.

[0017] FIGS. 2-a and 2-b are flowcharted diagrams of the method with the functions of virtual space and encrypted data invisibility of the invention. The details are described as follows.

[0018] First, the invention installs an embedded data storage device into a data process apparatus 30 (step 100). After the installation, at least one virtual database 10 is established on the data process apparatus or the embedded data storage device (step 110). Then, the virtual 10 is set up by a user end (step 120) and the setup consists of four modes, which will be further described thereinafter. Following the setup, the invention enables a file 20 to be stored to the virtual database 10 (step 130) and detects if the data process apparatus 30 is still equipped with the embedded data storage device (step 140). If YES, the data process apparatus 30 resumes the normal operation (step 150), and the invention ends up the flow. If NO, the specific path display of the file 20 in the data process apparatus 30 is concealed, and then, the flow goes back to (step 140) for carrying out the detecting process and repeating the above flow until the flow is completed.

[0019] The said four modes include a loaded/unloaded mode, a space management mode, a password mode, and a backup/restore mode. The details are described as follows.

[0020] 1. The loaded/unloaded mode: to enable or disable the user end to use a specific virtual database. A plurality of virtual database 10 can be generated in the data process apparatus 30 by the user, but the numbers of the virtual database 10 for being simultaneously loaded are limited. Each virtual database 10 is enabled to be used while under the loaded status only.

[0021] 2. The space management mode: to enable the user to change the space size of the virtual database 10. The mode is able to give commend for expanding the storage space, if the space size of the virtual database is insufficient for use, whereas the hard disk is still big enough.

[0022] 3. The password mode: to provide a rescue password for security controlling if the user end loses the embedded data storage device, and further limits specific rescue times and enters into the read-only status of the virtual database 10. The rescue password enables the user to use the virtual database 10 when required, once the embedded data storage device is temporarily unreachable; however, a limitative use is that it does not allow any data to be added into the virtual database 10.

[0023] 4. The backup/restore mode: to enable required data by the user to be made a backup from the virtual database to the data process apparatus. The restore mode enables data to be restored from the data process apparatus to the virtual database. It can be of benefit if data backup is frequently carried out, and backup data can be restored for use, if required. Backup can compress the whole virtual database 10 into a .zip file to be stored in directories appointed by the user.

[0024] Restore can restore the .zip file generated by backup into a file of the virtual database 10 to be stored in directories appointed by the user and the filename remains unchanged.

[0025] Processes A and B, the detailed flows of establishing a virtual database 10, of the invention are described herein. Process A is to establish the virtual database 10 in the data process apparatus 30 of step 110; where process B is to establish the virtual database 10 in the embedded data storage device of step 110. Only one process can be carried out at one time, either process A or B, the user can assign an area established in the virtual database 10 as shown in FIG. 2-b.

[0026] Following process A, the present invention enables a storage space provided by the data process apparatus 30 to partition an area (step 112). The said storage space can be a HD (Hard Disk) and the said area is comprised of logical(virtual) memory blocks. After the partition process, an objective path of the virtual database 10 is established in the area (step 114). The present invention enables the space size of the virtual database 10 to be changed and confidential data to be concealed.

[0027] If the user chooses to carry out process B, the present invention enables a storage space provided by the embedded data storage device to partition an area (step 116). After the partition process, an objective path of the virtual database 10 is established in the area (step 118). The present invention enables the space size of the virtual database 10 to be changed and confidential data to be concealed.

[0028] The data process apparatus, mentioned at the step 110 of establishing at least a virtual database 10 on the data process apparatus, can be replaced with the embedded data storage device. Process A and process B can not be carrying out at the same time.

[0029] Process C, the detailed flow of storing the file 20 into the virtual database 10, and process D, the detailed flow of concealing the specific path of the file 20, are described as follows referring to FIG. 2-b.

[0030] Following process C, the file 20 is encrypted through a data encryption mechanism (step 132), which mechanism is a kind of virtual drive On-the-fly Encryption technique. The specific path of the data file is copied through the virtual database 10 (step 134). After data copy process is completed, the specific path is moved to the storage space (step 136).

[0031] Following process D, the specific path, which is any information and journey of the file left in the data process apparatus, in the storage space is deleted (step 162 ). The invention, therefore, is able to achieve the object of hidding all information and journey of data files.

[0032] The said virtual drive On-the-fly Encryption technique is applied to automatically decrypt data, prior to the process of reading data from a HD; on the contrary, automatically encrypt data before the data being stored to a HD. The whole encryption and decryption processes are transparent, so that a user does not need to remember whether the file content is a clear text or an encrypted code. The operation of the present invention is the same as that of general practices. To describe further, the clear text can be read only at the moment when the data is required by the program, or data in the HD always remains as encrypted code. The necessary condition for decrypting data is when the data process apparatus is equipped with the embedded data storage device.

[0033] FIGS. 3-a and 3-b are user interfaces of the method with the functions of virtual space and encrypted data invisibility according to the invention. The drawings indicate that the user can utilize various functions of the invention for carrying out the operations after establishing and setting up the interface of the virtual database 10. FIGS. 4-a, 4-b, 4-c, and 4-d are embodiment views of the method with the functions of virtual space and encrypted data invisibility according to the present invention.

[0034] Through the embodiment, the present invention can be readily understood, especially the specific path mentioned at step 160. The specific path of the embodiment is a necessary path under the Microsoft Windows Operation system. However, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention and there are different paths require to be concealed under different operation systems to achieve the effect of the invention. If a user requires obtaining the same effect on other computer, s/he has to have another embedded data storage device, i.e., each embedded data storage device is equipped for one computer.

[0035] First of all, when the application software of Dr. eye for Windows 98 is selected and installed on a virtual database and the embedded data storage device is still on the data process apparatus, the software can be seen at the four paths of programs, desktop, add/remove, and toolbars at the virtual database as shown in FIGS. 4-a and 4-b. After the embedded data storage device is removed, the virtual database is automatically invisible and the software at the four paths of programs, desktop, add/remove, and toolbars at the virtual database is also invisible, until the embedded data storage device is re-embedded again, and the data will be completely restored without any impact. According to the above description, the four paths of programs, desktop, add/remove, and toolbars, which are the said specific paths, together with all journey and information are concealed, so that all data can be fully secured.

[0036] It is of course to be understood that the embodiment described herein is merely illustrative of the principles of the present invention and that a wide variety of modifications thereto may be effected by persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the following claims.