Secure device chamber

For a secure device chamber, the device chamber is disposed in a chassis and includes a device port. A door latches to obstruct access to the device chamber. A logic circuit receives an uninterrupted power supply from a computer, stores a device access value, and unlatches the door in response to activation of a chamber eject button and a device access value not being a device secure mode.

FIELD

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a device chamber and more particularly relates to a secure device chamber.

BACKGROUND

Description of the Related Art

Computers often include removable devices.

BRIEF SUMMARY

An apparatus for a secure device chamber is disclosed. The apparatus includes a device chamber, a door, a chamber eject button, and a logic circuit. The device chamber is disposed in a chassis and includes a device port. The door latches to obstruct access to the device chamber. The logic circuit receives an uninterrupted power supply from a computer, stores a device access value, and unlatches the door in response to activation of the chamber eject button and a device access value not being a device secure mode. A method and system also perform the functions of the apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1Ais a perspective drawing illustrating one embodiment of a device chamber system100. The device chamber system100may include an apparatus110that securely mounts a device within a chassis111of a computer105a. The device may be a removable storage device such as a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) drive, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) drive, of the like. These devices are typically mounted at a port of the computer105aand after mounting are in communication with the computer105a. While mounted, data from the devices may be used by the computer.

Unfortunately, if the device is removed from the computer105awithout being dismounted, data may be lost or corrupted. The embodiments described herein provide a device chamber with a door that latches to obstruct access to the device chamber. The device may be connected to a device port within the device chamber. The device may only be removed if a chamber eject button195is activated and if the embodiments determine that the device may be securely removed without data loss as will be described hereafter.

FIG. 1Bis a perspective drawing illustrating one alternative embodiment of a device chamber system100. In the depicted embodiment, the apparatus110is disposed in a laptop computer105b. A device may be removed from the device chamber in response to activation of the chamber eject button195and the satisfaction of additional criteria as will be described hereafter.

FIG. 1Cis a perspective drawing illustrating one embodiment of a device chamber180with device185. The device chamber180and a door115enclose a device185mounted to a device port. The device185may be a 3.5 inch SATA drive, a 2.5 inch SATA drive, or the like. A door115is shown in an unlatched and open position. The door115may be latched when one or more brackets225extend to engage corresponding latch hooks220. The door115may be unlatched in response to activation of the chamber eject button195and the satisfaction of other criteria as will be described hereafter.

FIG. 1Dis a top view drawing illustrating one embodiment of a latch190with a failsafe release175. In the depicted embodiment, the latch190includes one or more connectors230a-g, one or more pivots235a-c, the failsafe release175, a spring240, a chassis attachment245, a latch pin135, a latch solenoid130, and the one or more brackets225.

The spring240may be connected to the chassis attachment245. The chassis attachment245may be attached to the chassis111and fixed relative to the latch190. As a result, the spring240may apply tension to a seventh connector230g. The tension of the spring240may motivate the connectors230a-gin an opposite direction of the movement arrows250so that the brackets225continue to engage the latch hooks220and latch the door115.

In one embodiment, the latch solenoid130motivates latch pin135to motivate a sixth connector230f. Alternatively, the failsafe release175may motivate a first connector230a. The failsafe release175may be disposed within the chassis111of the computer105. A user with access inside the chassis111may motivate the failsafe release175to unlatched the door115. In response to the motivation by the latch solenoid130and/or the failsafe release175, the connectors230a-gmay move as indicated by the movement arrows250, causing the brackets225to release the latch hooks220and unlatch the door115.

FIG. 1Eis a perspective drawing illustrating one embodiment of a device chamber180with device185. The device chamber180and a door115enclose a device185mounted to a device port. The device185may be a 3.5 inch SATA drive, a 2.5 inch SATA drive, or the like. A door115is shown in an unlatched and open position. The door115may be latched when a latch solenoid130, shown as a hidden line component, retracts a latch pin from a latch sleeve120. The door115may be unlatched in response to activation of the chamber eject button195and the satisfaction of other criteria.

FIG. 1Fis a perspective drawing illustrating one embodiment of the device chamber180without the device185. One or more device ports125a-bare shown within the device chamber180. In one embodiment, the device ports125a-bmay be SATA connectors.

FIG. 1Gis a perspective drawing illustrating one alternate embodiment of the device chamber180without the device185. One or more device ports125c-dare shown within the device chamber180. In one embodiment, the device ports125c-dmay be USB ports. The embodiments may be practiced with any device port.

FIG. 1His a perspective drawing illustrating one embodiment of a device chamber180with a latched door115. In the depicted embodiment, the door115is closed, obstructing access to the device chamber180. A latch pin may extend from the latch solenoid130into the latch sleeve120to latch the door115in place. If the door115is latched, the device185may not be removed from the device chamber180.

FIG. 1Iis a front view drawing illustrating one alternate embodiment of a latch190with a failsafe release175. In the depicted embodiment, the latch190includes the latch solenoid130, the latch pin135, and the latch sleeve120. The latch pin135extends into the latch sleeve120to latch the door115. The latch solenoid130may withdraw the latch pin135from the latch sleeve120to unlatched the door115.

In one embodiment, the failsafe release175may also withdraw the latch pin135from the latch sleeve120. Thus the failsafe release175may release the door115to permit access to the device chamber180and/or the device port125. The failsafe release175may be disposed within the chassis111of the computer105. A user with access to the failsafe release175may manipulate the failsafe release175to release the door115.

FIG. 2is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a logic circuit140. The logic circuit140may be included within the apparatus110. The logic circuit140may be embodied in a semiconductor programmable logic device. Alternatively, the logic circuit140may be embodied in a custom semiconductor device, a chipset, or the like. In the depicted embodiment, the logic circuit140includes a device access value register145and control logic150. The logic circuit140may further receive a chamber eject button activation signal210, a device installed signal215, an uninterrupted power supply155, a command bus160, and a computer status signal165. The logic circuit140may further generate a latch solenoid control170that activates the latch solenoid130.

The chamber eject button activation signal210may be asserted when a user activates the chamber eject button195. The device installed signal215may be asserted if the device185is installed device chamber180and/or mounted in the device port125. The uninterrupted power supply155may be received from the computer105. The uninterrupted power supply155may supply power even when the computer105is off and/or in a standby mode, as well as when the computer105is powered on.

The command bus160may be a serial bus, a parallel bus, or the like. The command bus160may carry communications between the logic circuit140and a processor. The computer status signal165may indicate a status of the computer105. The status may include powered off, powered on, and one or more standby modes. The standby modes may include S5, S4, and S3standby modes.

The device access value register145may store a device access value. The device access value may be a device secure mode or a device released mode. The control logic150may determine whether to assert the latch solenoid control170and unlatch the door115based on combinations of the chamber eject button activation signal210, the device installed signal215, messages communicated over the command bus160, the computer status signal165, and the device access value stored in the device access value register145as will be described hereafter.

FIG. 3is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of device data200. The device data200may be organized as a data structure stored in a memory of the computer105. In the depicted embodiment, the device data200includes a device mount status205. The device mount status205may specify whether the device185is mounted to the device port125and/or computer105or unmounted from the device port125and/or computer105.

FIG. 4is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of the computer105. In the depicted embodiment, the computer105includes a processor405, a memory410, and communication hardware415. The memory410may include one or more of a semiconductor storage device, hard disk drive, an optical storage device, a micromechanical storage device, or the like. The memory410may store code. The processor405may execute the code.

The communication hardware415may communicate with other devices including but not limited to the logic circuit140and a screen. In one embodiment, the processor405may write the device access value to the device access value register145through the communication hardware415and the command bus160. In addition, the processor405and/or communication hardware415may communicate the device mount status205over the command bus160. In one embodiment, the processor405may lock the screen, wherein a user may not access the computer105until the screen is unlocked.

FIGS. 5A-Bare schematic flow chart diagrams illustrating one embodiment of a secure device chamber method500. The method500may be performed by the logic circuit140and/or the computer105.

The method500starts, and in one embodiment, the logic circuit140determines505if the chamber eject button activation signal210is asserted. If the chamber eject button activation signal210is not asserted, the logic circuit140loops to determine505if the chamber eject button activation signal210is asserted.

If the chamber eject button activation signal210is asserted, the logic circuit140may determine510if the device185is mounted to the device port125. The logic circuit140may determine510that the device185is mounted if the device installed signal215is asserted. Alternatively, the logic circuit140may interrogate the communication hardware415to determine if the device185is mounted.

If no device185is mounted to the device port125, the logic circuit140asserts the latch solenoid control170and unlatches525the door115. If the device185is mounted to the device port125, the logic circuit140may determine515a computer state. The logic circuit140may determine515the computer state from the computer state signal165.

If the logic circuit140determines515that the computer state is a standby mode and/or powered off, the logic circuit140determines520if the device access value is the device secure mode. In one embodiment, the computer105may set the device access value to the device secure mode in response to the device185been mounted in the device port125. The computer105set the device access value over the command bus160. Alternatively, the computer105may set the device access value to the device released mode in response to the device185being unmounted from the device port125.

If the device access value is not the device secure mode, the logic circuit140asserts the latch solenoid control170and unlatches525the door115. Thus the logic circuit140unlatches525the door115in response to the activation of the chamber eject button195, the computer105being in the standby mode, and the device access value not being the device secure mode. Alternatively, the logic circuit140unlatches525the door115in response to the activation of the chamber eject button195, the device185being installed in the device port125and/or device chamber180, the computer105being in the standby mode, and the device access value not being the device secure mode. If the device access value is the device secure mode, the logic circuit140does not unlatch the door115and the method500ends. Thus the logic circuit140does not unlatch the door115in response to the device access value being the device secure mode.

If the logic circuit140determines515that the computer state is on, the logic circuit140may communicate an unmount device request to the computer105over the command bus160. In response to the unmount device request, the computer105may determine530if the screen is locked. If the screen is locked, the computer105may communicate555a result that the screen is locked and the device185is not unmounted and the method500ends without unlatching the door115. The computer105may communicate555the result over the command bus160.

If the screen is not locked, the computer105may unmount535the device185. In addition, the computer105may determine540if the device185is unmounted. If the device185is not unmounted, the computer105may communicate555the result that screen is not locked and the device185is not unmounted and the method500ends without unlatching the door115.

If the device185is unmounted, the computer105may communicate545the result that the device185is unmounted. The logic circuit140may receive the result that the device185is unmounted over the command bus160. The logic circuit140may further assert the latch solenoid control170and unlatch550the door115and the method500ends. Thus the logic circuit140may unlatch the door140in response to the activation of the chamber eject button195, the computer105being on, the screen not being locked, and the device185being unmounted. Alternatively, the logic circuit140may unlatch the door140in response to the activation of the chamber eject button195, the device185being installed in the device port125and/or device chamber180, the computer105being on, the screen not being locked, and the device185being unmounted.

The embodiments secure a device185in a device chamber180disposed in a chassis111of a computer105. The device chamber180includes a device port125and a door115that latches to obstruct access to the device chamber180. As a result, the device185is secured within the device chamber180.

If the chamber eject button195is activated, the chamber eject button195may assert a chamber eject button activation signal210. The logic circuit140may unlatch the door115so that the device185may be removed in response to the activation of the chamber eject button195and the device access value not being the device secure mode. Thus the device185may be accessed in response to the activation of the chamber eject button195and the satisfaction of other criteria, but is otherwise secured from removal and accidental data loss.