IP Library Patent Application 12555209
Patent Application
App. No. 12/555,209

STORAGE DEVICE, STORAGE SYSTEM, AND UNLOCK PROCESSING METHOD

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
12/555,209
Abstract

According to one embodiment, a storage device manages a user data area by dividing the area into a plurality of division data areas. The storage device includes a storage module, an access authority setting module, a lock processor, a command receiver, and an unlock processor. The storage module includes the division data areas. The access authority setting module sets access authority with respect to each division data area for each user. The lock processor disables access to the storage module from a host device that reads data from and writes data to the storage module. The command receiver receives from the host device an unlock command including a basic area storing basic unlock information and an expansion area storing additional unlock information. The unlock processor unlocks each division data area, to which access is restricted for each user, based on the basic unlock information and the additional unlock information.

Claims (44)

1 . A storage device configured to manage a user data area by dividing the user data area into a plurality of division data areas, the storage device comprising:

a storage module including the division data areas;

an access authority setting module configured to set access authority with respect to each of the division data areas for each of a plurality of users;

a lock processor configured to access the storage module and disable access from a host device to the storage module, the host device configured to read data from and write data to the storage module;

a command receiver configured to receive an unlock command issued by the host device, the unlock command including a basic area and an expansion area; and

an unlock processor configured to unlock each of the division data areas to which access is restricted for each of the users based on basic unlock information stored in the basic area and additional unlock information stored in the expansion area.

2 . The storage device according to claim 1 , wherein

the additional unlock information includes identification information that identifies whether to use a data management function for managing the user data area by dividing the user data area into the division data areas and setting the access authority with respect to each of the division data areas for each of the users,

when the identification information indicates that the data management function is not to be used, the unlock processor unlocks each of the division data areas based on the basic unlock information stored in the basic area, and

when the identification information indicates that the data management function is to be used, the unlock processor unlocks each of the division data areas where the access authority is set for each of the users based on the basic unlock information stored in the basic area and the additional unlock information stored in the expansion area.

3 . The storage device according to claim 2 , wherein

the unlock command is based on a Security Feature Set command of an advanced technology attachment (ATA) interface, and

the data management function is realized based on a protocol defined by a storage working group of a trusted computing group implemented on a TRUSTED SEND/RECEIVE command of the ATA interface.

4 . A storage system comprising:

a storage device; and

a host device configured to be connected to the storage device, wherein

the host device comprises

an access processor configured to access a storage module of the storage device to read data from and write data to the storage module, and

a command issuing module configured to issue an unlock command to the storage device, the unlock command including a basic area that stores basic unlock information and an expansion area that stores additional unlock information, and

the storage device comprises

the storage module configured to manage a user data area by dividing the user data area into a plurality of division data areas,

an access authority setting module configured to set access authority with respect to each of the division data areas for each of a plurality of users,

a lock processor configured to access the storage module and disable access from the host device to the storage module,

a command receiver configured to receive the unlock command issued by the host device, and

an unlock processor configured to unlock each of the division data areas to which access is restricted for each of the users based on the basic unlock information and the additional unlock information.

5 . The storage system according to claim 4 , wherein

the additional unlock information includes identification information that identifies whether to use a data management function for managing the user data area by dividing the user data area into the division data areas and setting the access authority with respect to each of the division data areas for each of the users,

when the identification information indicates that the data management function is not to be used, the unlock processor unlocks each of the division data areas based on the basic unlock information stored in the basic area, and

when the identification information indicates that the data management function is to be used, the unlock processor unlocks each of the division data areas where the access authority is set for each of the users based on the basic unlock information stored in the basic area and the additional unlock information stored in the expansion area.

6 . The storage system according to claim 5 , wherein

the unlock command is based on a Security Feature Set command of an advanced technology attachment (ATA) interface, and

the data management function is realized based on a protocol defined by a storage working group of a trusted computing group implemented on a TRUSTED SEND/RECEIVE command of the ATA interface.

7 . An unlock processing method applied to a storage system comprising a storage device and a host device configured to be connected to the storage device, the unlock processing method comprising:

the storage device disabling access from the host device to a storage module of the host device;

the host device issuing an unlock command to the storage device, the unlock command including a basic area that stores basic unlock information and an expansion area that stores additional unlock information;

the storage device receiving the unlock command issued by the host device; and

the storage device unlocking each of division data areas where access authority is set for each user based on the basic unlock information and the additional unlock information.

8 . The unlock processing method according to claim 7 , wherein

the additional unlock information includes identification information that identifies whether to use a data management function for managing the user data area by dividing the user data area into the division data areas and setting the access authority with respect to each of the division data areas for each of the users,

when the identification information indicates that the data management function is not to be used, the storage device unlocks each of the division data areas based on the basic unlock information stored in the basic area, and

when the identification information indicates that the data management function is to be used, the storage device unlocks each of the division data areas where the access authority is set for each of the users based on the basic unlock information stored in the basic area and the additional unlock information stored in the expansion area.

9 . The unlock processing method according to claim 8 , wherein

the unlock command is based on a Security Feature Set command of an advanced technology attachment (ATA) interface, and

the data management function is realized based on a protocol defined by a storage working group of a trusted computing group implemented on a TRUSTED SEND/RECEIVE command of the ATA interface.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 8, 2012
From: TOSHIBA STORAGE DEVICE CORPORATION
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
Reel/Frame 027674/0653 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 23, 2009
From: FUJITSU LIMITED
To: TOSHIBA STORAGE DEVICE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 023558/0225 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 8, 2009
From: TODA, SEIJI; YAMAKAWA, TERUJI
To: FUJITSU LIMITED
Reel/Frame 023201/0598 →