Abstract:
A data storage apparatus, and specifically a flash drive comprises a first authentication device and a second authentication device apart. The authentication facility is for accessing a storage module of the flash drive. The first authentication device comprises a microphone and is configured to receive a voice signature from the user. If the user requires authentication, the voice signature has to be delivered to the flash drive which will be captured by the microphone and a processing device compares the received voice signature with the stored voice signature. If they match, then authentication is provided. The second authentication device comprises a button or a switch and is used to select a set of colour codes from red and green flashing LEDs. If the colour codes selected is the same as the colour codes stored as compared by the processing device, then authentication is provided.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    This invention relates to a data storage apparatus with authentication facility and a method of authentication. This invention has particular, but not exclusive, application in the field of storage devices. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    With every business, commercial and some household processes being associated with computers, the amount of data that is being saved in storage devices have increased in great magnitude. The storage devices can be any kind of devices such as external hard disks, flash drives or thumb drives or similar. With the storage devices going around in great numbers, the risk or losing them or ending up in unwanted or undesirable places are correspondingly greater. Securing access to the storage devices can be a good way of protecting the data stored inside them. In this way, although losing the storage device results in loss of the storage device, the data stored inside the storage device will not be accessible. Additionally, even if the storage device lands in undesirable or unwanted places, the data will again not be accessible by way of securing access to the storage device. 
         [0003]    One encryption method currently available for securing access in storage devices is software based encryption. As soon as the storage device is coupled to the host computer, an application is initiated in the host computer that notifies the user to key in the password. Once the correct password is keyed in, access to the storage device is granted. This involves installation of the application in the host computer by the user, which may be time consuming. Secondly, if the password is stolen, then access to the storage device can be easily gained. 
         [0004]    Another encryption method involves using the user&#39;s fingerprint for authentication. This method which is widely known and understood involves the use of a fingerprint reader and associated processing electronics for comparing the scanned fingerprint with the fingerprint images in the database. This involves bulky fingerprint reading and processing electronics to be embedded in the storage device. With a fingerprint authentication system in every storage device, the market price of the storage device has to include the cost of the fingerprint authentication system which can make it less attractive pricewise, as competition for storage devices is huge. 
         [0005]    Additionally, a problem posed by storage devices with encryption methods is that when the encryption hardware or software fails, the process of securing access to the data in the storage device may be virtually impossible or very difficult, time consuming and expensive. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    According to one aspect of the invention, there is disclosed a data storage apparatus with authentication facility. The data storage apparatus comprises a processing module, a storage module, a first authentication module and a second authentication module. The first authentication module is for receiving biometric information. The processing module is configured to compare the received biometric information with stored biometric information in the data storage apparatus for the purpose of authenticating the received biometric information. The second authentication module is for receiving a set of parameters. The processing module is further configured to compare the selected set of parameters with a stored set of parameters in the data storage apparatus for the purpose of authenticating the selected set of parameters. Further, access to the storage module of the data storage apparatus is enabled by authenticating through one of the first authentication module and the second authentication module. 
         [0007]    According to another aspect of the invention, there is disclosed a method of authentication in a data storage apparatus with authentication facility. The method first comprises the step of capturing authentication information. The next step is authenticating the authentication information by comparing the authentication information with stored information in the data storage apparatus to allow access to a storage module of the data storage apparatus. The authentication information is selectable from one of biometric information received by a first authentication module and a set of parameters received by a second authentication module. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  shows a high level architecture of a data storage apparatus with authentication facility 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  shows a high level architecture of a processing module in the data storage apparatus 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  shows the process steps for capturing and authenticating authentication information for a method of authentication in the data storage apparatus 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0011]    In the disclosure herein, consideration or use of a particular element number in a given FIG. or corresponding descriptive material can encompass the same, an equivalent, or an analogous element number identified in another FIG. or descriptive material corresponding thereto. 
         [0012]    In the present disclosure, the term “set” corresponds to or is defined as a non-empty finite organization of elements that mathematically exhibits a cardinality of at least  1  (i.e., a set as defined herein can correspond to a singlet or single element set, or a multiple element set), in accordance with known mathematical definitions. In general, an element of a set can include or be a system, an apparatus, a device, a structure, an object, a process, a physical parameter, or a value depending upon the type of set under consideration. 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  shows a high level architecture of a data storage apparatus  100  with authentication facility. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the data storage apparatus  100  can be coupled to a computing device  110  through which a user or a person associated with the data storage apparatus  100  can access data inside the data storage apparatus  100  or save or store data in the data storage apparatus  100  after authentication, which will be described below. The computing device  100  can be a notebook, desktop, mainframe, industrial grade computer or any similar device which has capabilities to interact with data storage devices. 
         [0014]    The data storage apparatus  100  can couple and interact with the computing device  110  through a communication interface  120 . The communication interface  120  can be wired and can be any one of a USB interface, an RS-232 interface, Firewire interface and Ethernet interface. Alternatively, the communication interface  120  can be wireless and can be any one of a wireless USB interface, WiFi interface and Bluetooth interface. The communication interface  120  is not limited to the above and can be any other interface as well. The communication interface  120  is connected to a communication module  130 , which will be described below. 
         [0015]    Further, the data storage apparatus  100  comprises a processing module  140  and a storage module  150 , which will be described subsequently in relation to the authentication facility. 
         [0016]    As described earlier, the data storage apparatus  100  has a facility for authenticating the person associated with the data storage apparatus  100  or the user of the data storage apparatus  100 . Only after authenticating, the user or the person can access data stored in the data storage apparatus  100  or save or store data in the data storage apparatus  100 , which will be described below. 
         [0017]    Furthermore, the data storage apparatus  100  comprises a first authentication module  160 . The first authentication module  160  comprises a receiving module  165 . The first authentication module  160  is connected to the processing module  140  for processing the information received by the first authentication module  160  for the purposes of authentication. The first authentication module  160  uses biometric information from the user of the data storage apparatus  100  or the person associated with the data storage device  100  for the purposes of authentication. Biometric information pertains to physiological information of humans that are unique for every individual. For instance, fingerprints, iris patterns, DNA, voice etc can be used to identify a person using biometric recognition technology. Biometric recognition technology and biometric authentication are known and readily understood by a person skilled in the art. In the example of  FIG. 1 , the biometric information or characteristic that is used is the speech of a person. Accordingly, the receiving module  165  that is configured to receive biometric information or speech in the example of  FIG. 1  is a microphone. The microphone is a conventional microphone that has a small form factor so that it can be built into a housing of the data storage apparatus  100 . The speech information or sound is converted into electrical signals by the microphone and transmitted to the processing module  140 . The processing module  140  can store biometric information, specifically voice or speech signals which are used to compare with the received biometric information, specifically voice signals. If the biometric information received from the user or the person through the receiving module  165  matches with the stored biometric information in the processing module  140 , then the received biometric information is authenticated, in turn authenticating the person or the user associated with the data storage apparatus  100 . 
         [0018]      FIG. 2  shows a high level architecture of the processing module  140  in the data storage apparatus  100 . The processing module  140  comprises a processing centre  170 . The processing centre  170  is an Integrated Chip which has voice/speech processing capabilities. For instance, the RSC 464 can be used which has speech Input/Output capabilities. The above IC is only an example and any other IC having voice or speech I/O capabilities can be used. The processing module  140  also comprises a non-volatile storage centre  180  which stores biometric information, specifically the speech signal. The speech signal stored in the non-volatile storage centre  180  serves as a template for authentication by the first authentication module  160 . 
         [0019]    When the first authentication module  160  is activated, the data storage apparatus  100  goes into a first authentication mode and the speech signal received by the microphone  165  is transmitted to the processing module  140  and specifically to the processing centre  170 . The processing centre  170  compares the received speech signal with a speech template that is stored in the non-volatile storage centre  180 . If the received speech signal is similar to or exactly the same as the stored speech template, then the process of authentication is initiated by the processing module  140 . The processing module  140  sends instructions to the communication module  130  to allow the computing device  110  to access the storage module  150  of the data storage apparatus  100 . This will enable data to be transmitted from the computing device  110  and saved in the storage module  150  through the communication interface  120 . The authentication will also enable data to be transmitted from the storage module  150  to the computing device  110  through the communication interface  120 . An example of the speech template and the speech signal received by the first authentication module  160  can be the word “ACCESS”. However, this is just an example and any word can be sued as the speech signal. The process of comparison of the speech signal to the stored speech template by the IC described above or any other speech voice/processing unit is understood by the person skilled in the art. 
         [0020]    Moreover, the data storage apparatus  100  comprises a second authentication module  190 . The second authentication module  190  comprises a selector or tool  195 . The selector  195  can be one of a button and a switch that is built into the housing of the data storage apparatus  100 . The selector  195  is connected to the processing module  140  and is configured to receive a set of parameters. The set of parameters are received from the user or the person associated with the data storage apparatus  100 . To elaborate, the set of parameters are selected by actuating or tapping or switching the selector  195 . Further, the electrical signals from the tapping or switching of the tool  195  are transmitted to the processing centre  170 . The processing module  140  and specifically the processing centre  170  is connected to a green light emitting device  200  and a red light emitting device  210 . The green light emitting device  200  and the red light emitting device  210  can be controlled by the processing module  140 , and specifically by the processing centre  170 . In other words, the green light emitting device  200  and the red light emitting device  210  can be turned on individually or together by the processing centre  170 , by techniques which are readily known and understood by the person skilled in the art. The set of parameters described above refer to a set of colour codes. In the example of  FIG. 1 , the set of colour codes comprises six colour codes. Six is just an example, but the data storage apparatus  100  can be configured to include more than six colour codes in the set of colour codes. Moreover, the set of colour codes include colours red and green in the example of  FIG. 1 . However, the colours are not limited to red and green and can include other colours as well. To elaborate, the set of six colour codes comprise colours from green and red, associated with the green light emitting device  200  and the red light emitting device  210 . For instance, the six colours can be RED GREEN RED GREEN RED GREEN or RED RED RED GREEN GREEN GREEN or RED RED GREEN RED GREEN GREEN or RED GREEN RED+GREEN GREEN RED GREEN or any other possible combination. 
         [0021]    When the second authentication module  190  is activated, the set of parameters selected by the selector  195  is compared with a set of parameters that is stored in the processing module  140 , and specifically in the non-volatile storage centre  180 . The stored set of parameters, for instance, can also be RED GREEN RED GREEN RED GREEN or RED RED RED GREEN GREEN GREEN or RED RED GREEN RED GREEN GREEN or RED GREEN RED+GREEN GREEN RED GREEN or any other possible combination. 
         [0022]    When the second authentication module  190  is activated, the data storage apparatus  100  goes into a second authentication mode wherein the second authentication module  190  receives the set of parameters, which is described below. In the second authentication mode, the processing centre  170  turns on the green light emitting device  200  or the red light emitting device  210  or both the green light emitting device  200  and the red light emitting device  210  simultaneously. To elaborate, the green light emitting device  200  is first turned on followed by the red light emitting device  210  and then subsequently both the green light emitting device  200  and the red light emitting device  210 . The above sequence of turning on is just an example and can be in any other order as well. The sequence of turning on the light emitting devices continues until all the six colours in the set of colour codes are selected. When the selector  195  is actuated when the green light emitting device  200  is turned on, then GREEN is selected as an element of the set of parameters or set of colour codes. When the selector  195  is actuated when the red light emitting device  210  is turned on, then RED is selected as an element of the set of parameters or set of colour codes. When the tool  195  is actuated when the green light emitting device  200  and the red light emitting device  210  are turned on, then GREEN and RED are selected as an element of the set of parameters or set of colour codes. So, for instance, the stored set of parameters is RED GREEN RED GREEN RED RED+GREEN. In the second authentication mode, the user or the person associated with the data storage apparatus  100  has to select RED GREEN RED GREEN RED RED+GREEN to be authenticated and gain access to the storage module  150  of the data storage apparatus  100 . If the following series of colours forming the set of colour codes is selected by the technique as described above when the light emitting devices are alternately and simultaneously turned on by the processing centre  170 , then authentication is provided. Even if one element of the set of colour codes above is different, then authentication will not be provided. If authentication is not provided, then the light emitting devices are turned on both individually and together as above for the second round of selection of the set of colour codes. 
         [0023]    If authentication is successful, then the processing module  140  sends instructions to the communication module  130  to allow the computing device  110  to access the storage module  150  of the data storage apparatus  100 . This will enable data to be transmitted from the computing device  110  and saved in the storage module  150  through the communication interface  120 . The authentication will also enable data to be transmitted from the storage module  150  to the computing device  110  through the communication interface  120 . 
         [0024]    The data storage apparatus  100  can be configured in such a way that when the data storage apparatus  100  is coupled to the computing device  110 , the data storage apparatus  100  automatically goes into the first authentication mode. The user or the person associated with the data storage apparatus  100  can proceed to be authenticated in the first authentication mode or select the second authentication mode by actuating the selector  195  more than once, and specifically twice. Once the selector  195  is actuated, the data storage apparatus  100  goes into the second authentication mode. Alternately, the data storage apparatus  100  can be configured in such a way that when the data storage apparatus  100  is coupled to the computing device  110 , the data storage apparatus  100  automatically goes into the second authentication mode. The user or the person associated with the data storage apparatus  100  can proceed to be authenticated in the second authentication mode or select the first authentication mode by actuating the tool  195  more than once, and specifically twice. Once the tool  195  is actuated, the data storage apparatus  100  goes into the first authentication mode. Actuating the selector  195  twice is just an example. However, the data storage apparatus  100  can be configured such that the selector  195  be actuated more than twice as well. 
         [0025]    The advantage of having two selectable authentication modules is that, if one authentication module fails, the other authentication module can be used for authentication. The other advantage is that the user or the person associated with the data storage apparatus  100  can choose and select the authentication modules that he or she wants to be authenticated with. 
         [0026]      FIG. 3  shows the process steps for capturing and authenticating authentication information for a method  300  of authentication in the data storage apparatus  100 . As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , a method  300  of authentication in the data storage apparatus  100  with authentication facility is described below. The method  300  comprises a step  310  which comprises capturing authentication information. The authentication information can be selectable from one of the biometric information and the set of parameters which has been described earlier. The capturing of the authentication information is through one of the first authentication module and the second authentication module which has also been described earlier. After the step  310 , the method  300  proceeds to a step  320  which comprises authenticating the authentication information received in the step  310 . The authentication is performed by comparing the received authentication information with the stored information in the data storage apparatus. The stored information can be one of stored biometric information and the stored set of parameters. The process of comparing for both the biometric information and set of parameters has been described earlier. 
         [0027]    The method  300  further comprises activating one of the first authentication module  160  and the second authentication module  190  by a processing module  140  of the data storage apparatus  100  subsequent to the data storage apparatus  100  being coupled to the computing device  110 . Moreover, this step is configured to occur before the step  310  described earlier. By activating the first authentication module  160 , the data storage apparatus  100  goes into the first authentication mode and by activating the second authentication module  190 , the data storage apparatus  100  goes into the second authentication mode, which has been described earlier. 
         [0028]    If the user or the person associated with the data storage apparatus  100  wishes to authenticate through the second authentication module  190  when the first authentication module has been activated upon connecting to the computing device  110  or wishes to authenticate through the first authentication module  160  when the second authentication module has been activated upon connecting to the computing device  110 , then an authentication selection input is used to select the authentication module alternate to the authentication module that has been activated upon connecting the data storage apparatus  100  to the computing device  110 . To elaborate, the method  300  further comprises receiving the authentication selection input to activate the other of the first authentication module  160  and the second authentication module  190  immediately subsequent to activating one of the first authentication module  160  and the second authentication module  190 . 
         [0029]    It is to be understood that the foregoing description is intended to be purely illustrative of the principles of the disclosed techniques, rather than exhaustive thereof, and that changes and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and that the present invention is not intended to be limited other than as expressly set forth in the following claims.