Patent ID: 7861006

Claim:
A portable tunneling storage and processing apparatus, comprising: (a) a conduit for external communications configured to enable the transmission of a plurality of communications between the portable apparatus and a terminal comprising a terminal processor, a first input component, a first output component comprising a display device, and a network interface configured to enable the terminal to communicate with at least one network server, wherein the conduit for external communications is a universal serial bus conduit; (b) a processor; and (c) a memory configured to communicate with the portable apparatus processor, wherein the memory has a unique apparatus identifier and a plurality of processing instructions stored thereon, including: (1) a first set of processing instructions, which when executed by the terminal processor, enables a user to employ the first input component and the terminal display device to interact with the portable apparatus and provides the portable apparatus with access to the terminal network interface; (2) at least one processing instruction, which when executed, causes an interactive user interface to be presented on the terminal display device, wherein the interactive user interface is configured to enable the user to: (i) cause the portable apparatus processor to execute a set of processing instructions stored on the portable apparatus memory; and (ii) cause the portable apparatus to transmit a request to access a server; and (3) at least one processing instruction, which when executed by the portable apparatus processor in response to receiving a command resulting from user interaction with the interactive user interface, (i) causes the portable apparatus processor to execute a second set of processing instructions stored on the portable apparatus memory and effect the display of processing activity of the second set of processing instructions on the terminal display device, and (ii) causes the portable apparatus to transmit a request to access a server; wherein the portable apparatus is configured to communicate with the terminal and to communicate through the terminal network interface with a server, and wherein the portable apparatus processor is configured to facilitate the storage of encrypted data on the portable apparatus memory, encrypt communications transmitted by the portable apparatus, and decrypt encrypted communications received by the portable apparatus.