Patent Publication Number: US-2011072503-A1

Title: Method of authentication for a wireless enabled memory card

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     Reference is made to our co-pending international patent application PCT/SG2008/000237entitled “Method and Apparatus for Wireless Digital Contact Management” the priority of which is hereby claimed and the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference (“our earlier application”). 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates to a method of authentication for memory card and refers particularly, through not exclusively to such a method using a wireless telecommunication-enabled device with a keypad. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In our earlier application there is disclosed a memory card having wireless capability for use in digital cameras. For security purposes it is of assistance to have such a memory card with wireless capability being able to be secured. This may be by use of a user name and/or authentication code, or other similar code system. However, a digital camera needs a keypad to be able to insert such a code. 
     It is therefore desirable to have a method of being able to insert such a code for authentication or like purposes. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to an exemplary aspect there is provided a method of authentication for a memory card. The method comprises using a wireless-enabled mobile telecommunication-enabled apparatus to wirelessly and directly detect and connect to the memory card, the memory card being wireless-enabled. A keypad of the wireless-enabled mobile telecommunication-enabled apparatus is used to enter and wirelessly send directly to the memory card at least one of a user name and an authentication code. A processor in the memory card compares the user name and/or authentication code with a stored user name and/or authentication code in the memory card. Upon the processor validating the user name and/or authentication code, the memory card is activated for use. 
     If the user name and/or authentication code are not correct the memory card may wirelessly send an error message directly to the wireless-enabled mobile telecommunication-enabled apparatus for display on a screen of the wireless-enabled mobile telecommunication-enabled apparatus. Upon receipt of the error message the keypad may be used to re-enter and wirelessly re-send the user name and/or authentication code directly to the memory card. The processor in the memory card may compare the user name and/or authentication code with the stored user name and/or authentication code in the memory card. If the re-sent user name and/or authentication code is again not correct the memory card may be frozen and further actions may not proceed. 
     The user name may be validated before the authentication code can be entered and wirelessly sent for verification. 
     The memory card may comprise a non-volatile memory module. The user name and/or authentication code may be required for access to at least one of: the memory module of the memory card, and a wireless module of the memory card. The non-volatile memory module may be partitioned into a plurality of storage areas. The plurality of storage areas may be a public storage area and a private storage area. The private storage area may require the user name and/or authentication code for access. The public area may operate without the user name and/or authentication code. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In order that the invention may be fully understood and readily put into practical effect there will now be described exemplary embodiments incorporating the principle features of the present invention. The description will be by way of exemplification only and will be with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings. 
       In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic system view showing the apparatus to, be used for the entry of the authentication code; and 
         FIG. 2  is a flow chart showing the method to be used in the insertion of the authentication code. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     To first refer to  FIG. 1  there is shown a digital camera  100  that has in removably inserted it a memory card  200 . The memory card  200  is as described in our earlier application, as is the digital camera  100 . The method of operation of the memory card  200  and the digital camera  100  are as described in our earlier application. The memory card  200  has a wireless module  202 , a processor  204 , and a non-volatile memory module  206 ; the processor  204  being operatively connected to both the memory module  206  and the wireless module  202 . 
     Also shown is a mobile telecommunication-enabled apparatus  700  such as a mobile telephone and that has a keypad  702  and a display  704 . The mobile telecommunication-enabled apparatus  700  is wireless enabled with an appropriate wireless standard such as, for example, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or the like. Similarly, the memory card  200  is wireless enabled with a similar standard such as, for example, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or the like. 
     A user name and/or authentication code will have been stored in a non-volatile memory within the card  200  to enable the operation of the card  200 . This may be done by removing the card  200  from the digital camera  100  and inserting the card  200  in the relevant port or slot of a computer so that the user name and/or authentication code can be entered using the computer keyboard or other peripheral device (e.g. a microphone and voice recognition). This may also be subsequently used for verification of the user name and/or authentication code. The user name and/or authentication code may be required for access to the memory of the card  200  and/or for the wireless connectivity system of the card  200 . 
     Furthermore, the card  200  may be able to be partitioned into a number of storage areas including, but not limited to, a public storage area and a private storage area. The private storage area would require user name and/or authentication code for access. The public area could operate normally without the user name and/or authentication code. 
     The mobile telecommunication-enabled apparatus  700  is able to wirelessly directly detect and directly connect to the card  200 . As such the keypad  702  is able to be used to enter user names, authentication codes, activation codes, and the like, for the memory card  200  that can be sent by the telecommunication-enabled apparatus  700  both wirelessly and directly to the memory card  200 . By directly it is meant that no network is required for the communication between the telecommunication-enabled apparatus  700  and the memory card  200 . 
     The methodology is shown in  FIG. 2 . At the start ( 20 ) there is a handshake procedure ( 21 ). At the handshake procedure ( 21 ) the mobile telecommunication-enabled apparatus  700  will wirelessly and directly detect and connect to the card  200 . After the completion of the handshake procedure ( 21 ) the keypad  702  is used to enter a user name ( 22 ). The user name is sent wirelessly by the mobile telecommunication-enabled apparatus  700  directly to the wireless-enabled memory card  200 . Upon the user name being received by the memory card  200 , the processor  204  makes a determination on the correctness of the user name ( 23 ) by reference to a stored user name in the memory card  200 . If the user name is not correct, an error message is wirelessly sent ( 24 ) directly to the mobile telecommunication-enabled apparatus  700 . The mobile telecommunication-enabled apparatus  700  will receive that error message and display it on the screen  704 . The keypad  702  can then be used to re-enter and wirelessly re-send the user name ( 22 ) directly to the memory card  200  where the process at ( 23 ) is repeated. This process may repeat a number of times until the card  200  will be “frozen”. Further actions cannot proceed until the card  200  is removed from the camera  100  and inserted into a computer (not shown) and unfrozen using known techniques. 
     If the user name is correct at ( 23 ) the keypad  702  is used to enter and the telecommunication-enabled apparatus  700  wirelessly sends an authentication code ( 25 ) directly to the card  200 . Again, a query raised ( 26 ) and the processor  204  makes a determination on the correctness of the authentication code by reference to a stored authentication code in the memory card  200  to determine if the authentication code is correct. If it is not correct, a further error message may be wirelessly sent ( 27 ) directly to and received by the telecommunication-enabled apparatus  700  for display on the screen  704 . The authentication code can then be re-entered ( 25 ) and wirelessly resent directly to the memory card  200 . Again, after prescribed number of unsuccessful repeats of this process the card  200  will be frozen and no more authentication codes will be considered until it is “unfrozen” as described above. 
     If the authentication code is correct ( 26 ) the card  200  is then activated ( 28 ) and can operate as is described in our earlier application. 
     In one exemplary aspect, the user name must be validated before the authentication code can be entered and wirelessly sent to the memory card  200  for verification. 
     Whilst the foregoing description has described exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the technology concerned that many variations in details of design, construction and/or operation may be made without departing from the present invention.