Patent ID: 8032084

Claim:
A method of operating a portable data storage device having a short range wireless communication interface, the method comprising: preregistering a portable data storage device with a backup device in an authorization mode and then creating a secure pairing between the portable data storage device and the backup device to enable secure communication between the portable data storage device and the backup device over the wireless communication link, wherein the portable data storage device and the backup device are preregistered using a first key code and a secure pairing is created using a second key code; communicating with the backup device over a wireless communication link using a short range wireless communication interface, wherein communicating with the backup device comprises communicating periodically or quasi-continuously between the backup device and the portable data storage device to monitor for separation of the backup device from the portable data storage device; and initiating an alert procedure on separation of the backup device from the portable data storage device wherein the alert procedure comprises disabling at least one function of the portable data storage device.