USB storage device and program

Abstract

A USB storage device having the function of preventing stored software from being deleted by mistake achieved with as simple a structure as possible. In the USB storage device, the storage area is divided into an area in which execution of reading, writing and deleting is allowed and an area in which only execution of reading is allowed. Information to make a USB mass storage class driver recognize these areas as areas corresponding, respectively, to logical unit numbers defined in the SCSI command set of the USB mass storage class driver owned by the host is stored in the USB storage device. The information includes logical unit numbers, formats, writing/deleting allowed/not allowed flag, logical block numbers and physical block numbers. By this, the USB mass storage class driver recognizes the USB storage device as a SCSI device having two logical units.

1 - 8 . (canceled)  
   
   
       9 . A USB storage device capable of being attached to and detached from an external device controlled by a given operation system and provided at least with a disk drive driver, a USB mass storage class driver, and a USB host controller, wherein the USB storage device comprising: 
 a flash memory having a first area configured with a disk format and a second area configured with a CD-ROM format;    a USB interface that performs communication with the external device according to a USB protocol; and    a controller that executes reading, writing and deleting of information to and from the storage through the USB interface;    wherein the controller includes a memory information storage that stores format type information of the first area and the second area respectively corresponding to logical unit number in order to make the USB mass storage class driver recognize the first area as a disk unit to and from which reading, writing and deleting of information can be executed and the second area as a CD-ROM unit for which only reading of information can be executed;    the controller sends the format type information of the first area and the second area to the USB mass storage class driver in response to a command from the disk drive driver so that the USB mass storage class driver recognizes the USB storage device as a SCSI device having two logical units including the disk unit and the CD-ROM unit and the operation system recognizes the format type information of the first area and the second area and limits issuance of either of a command to write to and a command to delete from the second area; and    the controller, in accordance with a command received from the external device and the format type information of the first area and the second area, executes reading, writing and deleting of information to and from the first area and executes only reading of information from the second area even though the controller receives either of a command to write to and a command to delete from the second area.    
   
   
       10 . The USB storage device according to  claim 9 , wherein the format of the second area and its correspondent format type information stored in the memory information storage can be changed by control from the external device.  
   
   
       11 . The USB storage device according to  claim 9 , wherein a memory capacity of each of the logical units can be changed by a specific program.  
   
   
       12 . The USB storage device according to  claim 9 , wherein the controller controls the correspondence between logical block numbers in each of the logical units and physical block numbers of the flash memory, and stores the correspondence connection along with the format type information in the memory information storage and executes reading, writing and deleting of information in accordance with the stored correspondence connection.  
   
   
       13 . A controller to be installed in a USB storage device, wherein the controller comprises: 
 a memory information storage that stores format type information of a first area and a second area of the USB storage device respectively corresponding to logical unit number defined in a SCSI command set of a USB mass storage class driver provided in an external device in order to make the USB mass storage class driver recognize the first area as a disk unit to and from which reading, writing and deleting of information can be executed and the second area as a CD-ROM unit for which only reading of information can be executed;    format information sending means that sends the format type information of the first area and the second area to the USB mass storage class driver in response to a command from a disk drive driver such that the USB mass storage class driver recognizes the USB storage device as a SCSI device having two logical units including the disk unit and the CD-ROM unit and an operation system recognizes respective format of the first area and the second area and limits issuance of either of a command to write to and a command to delete from the second area; and    access executing means that executes, in accordance with a command received from the external device and the format type information of the first area and the second area, reading, writing and deleting of information to and from the first area and executes only reading of information from the second area even though the controller receives either of a command to write to and a command to delete from the second area.    
   
   
       14 . The controller according to  claim 13 , wherein the controller can make a format with which the second area is configured and its correspondent format type information stored in the memory information storage change by the control from the external device.  
   
   
       15 . The controller according to  claim 13 , wherein the controller can make memory capacity of each logical unit change by a specific program.  
   
   
       16 . The controller according to  claim 13 , wherein the controller controls the correspondence between logical block numbers in each of the logical units and physical block numbers of the storage device, and stores the correspondence connection along with the format type information in the memory information storage, and executes reading, writing and deleting of information in accordance with the stored correspondence connection.  
   
   
       17 . A USB storage device capable of being attached to and detached from an external device controlled by a given operation system and provided at least with a disk drive driver, a USB mass storage class driver, and a USB host controller, wherein the USB storage device comprises: 
 a flash memory having a first area configured with a disk format and a second area configured with a CD-ROM format;    a USB interface that performs communication with the external device according to a USB protocol; and    a controller that executes reading, writing and deleting of information to and from the storage through the USB interface;    wherein the controller comprises:    memory information storage that stores format type information of the first area and the second area in order to make the USB mass storage class driver recognize the first area as a disc device to and from which reading, writing and deleting of information can be executed and the second area as a CD-ROM device for which only reading of information can be executed;    format type information sending means that sends the format type information of the first area and the second area to the USB mass storage class driver in response to a command from the disk drive driver such that the USB mass storage class driver recognizes the USB storage device as two kind of devices including the disk device and the CD-ROM device and the operation system recognizes the respective format of the first area and the second area and limits issuance of either of a command to write to and a command to delete from the second area; and    access executing means that executes, in accordance with a command received from the external device and the format type information of the first area and the second area, reading, writing and deleting of information to and from the first area and executes only reading of information from the second area even though the controller receives a command to write to or delete from the second area.    
   
   
       18 . A USB storage device capable of being attached to and detached from an external device controlled by a given operation system and provided at least with a disk drive driver, a USB mass storage class driver, and a USB host controller, wherein the USB storage device comprising: 
 a flash memory having a first area configured with a first type format in which reading, writing and deleting of information can be executed and a second area configured with a second type format in which only reading of information can be executed;    a USB interface that performs communication with the external device according to a USB protocol; and    a controller that executes reading, writing and deleting of information to and from the storage through the communication device, wherein the control device comprises;    memory information storage that stores format type information of the first area and the second area in order to make the USB mass storage class driver recognize the first area as a device to and from which reading, writing and deleting of information can be executed and the second area as a device for which only reading of information can be executed;    format type information sending means that sends the format type information of the first area and the second area to the USB mass storage class driver in response to a command from the disk drive driver such that the USB mass storage class driver recognizes the first area as a device to and from which reading, writing and deleting of information can be executed and the second area as a device for which only reading of information can be executed and the operation system recognizes respective format of the first area and the second area and limits issuance of either of a command to write to and a command to delete from the second area; and    access executing means that executes, in accordance with a command received from the external device and the format type information of the first area and the second area, reading, writing and deleting of information to and from the first area and executes only reading of information from the second area even though the controller receives a command to write to or delete from the second area.    
   
   
       19 . A USB storage device capable of being attached to and detached from an external device controlled by a given operation system and provided at least with a disk drive driver, a USB mass storage class driver, and a USB host controller, wherein the USB storage device comprising: 
 a flash memory having a first area configured with a first type format and a second area configured with a second type format;    a USB interface that performs communication with the external device according to a USB protocol; and    a controller that executes reading, writing and deleting of information to and from the storage through the communication device, wherein the controller comprises;    memory information storage that stores format type information of the first area and the second area in order to make the USB mass storage class driver recognize the first area and the second area as different type devices;    format type information sending means that sends the format type information of the first area and the second area to the USB mass storage class driver in response to a command from the disk drive driver such that the USB mass storage class driver recognizes the first area and the second area as different type devices; and    access executing means that executes permitted access to and from the first area and the second area in accordance with a command received from the external device and the format type information of the first area and the second area.    
   
   
       20 . A controller to be installed in a USB storage device, wherein the controller comprising; 
 memory information storage that stores format type information of a first area and a second area of the USB storage device in order to make a USB mass storage class driver recognize the first area as a disk device to and from which reading, writing and deleting of information can be executed and the second area as a CD-ROM device for which only reading of information can be executed;    format type information sending means that sends the format type information of the first area and the second area to the USB mass storage class driver in response to a command from a disk drive driver such that the USB mass storage class driver recognizes the USB storage device as two kind of devices including the disk device and the CD-ROM device and an operation system recognizes respective format of the first area and the second area and limits issuance of either of a command to write to and a command to delete from the second area; and    access executing means that executes, in accordance with a command received from an external device and the format type information of the first area and the second area, reading, writing and deleting of information to and from the first area and executes only reading of information from the second area even though the controller receives a command to write to or delete from the second area.    
   
   
       21 . A controller to be installed in a USB storage device, wherein the controller comprising; 
 memory information storage that stores format type information of a first area and a second area of the USB storage device in order to make the USB mass storage class driver recognize the first area as a device to and from which reading, writing and deleting of information can be executed and the second area as a device for which only reading of information can be executed;    format type information sending means that sends the format type information of the first area and the second area to the USB mass storage class driver in response to a command from a disk drive driver such that the USB mass storage class driver recognizes the first area as a device to and from which reading, writing and deleting of information can be executed and the second area as a device for which only reading of information can be executed and an operation system recognizes respective format of the first area and the second area and limits issuance of either of a command to write to and a command to delete from the second area; and    access executing means that executes, in accordance with a command received from an external device and the format type information of the first area and the second area, reading, writing and deleting of information to and from the first area and executes only reading of information from the second area even though the controller receives a command to write to or delete from the second area.    
   
   
       22 . A controller to be installed in a USB storage device, wherein the controller comprising: 
 memory information storage that stores format type information of a first area and a second area of the USB storage device in order to make a USB mass storage class driver recognize the first area and the second area as different type devices;    format type information sending means that sends the format type information of the first area and the second area to the USB mass storage class driver in response to a command from a disk drive driver such that the USB mass storage class driver recognizes the first area and the second area as the different type devices; and    access executing means that executes permitted access to the first area and the second area in accordance with a command received from an external device and the format type information of the first area and the second area.    
   
   
       23 . A method of interaction between a USB storage device and an external device comprises the steps of: 
 locating a controller completely in the USB storage device, the controller sends format type information of a first area and a second area of the USB storage device to a USB mass storage class driver in response to an INQUIRY command from a disk drive driver so that the USB mass storage class driver recognizes the USB storage device as a SCSI device having two logical units including a disk unit and a CD-ROM unit and an operation system recognizes respective format of the first area and the second area and limits issuance of either of a command to write to and a command to delete from the second area, and the control device:    executing, in accordance with a command received from the external device and the format type information of the first area and the second area, reading, writing and deleting of information to and from the first area and executes only reading of information from the second area even though the controller receives either of a command to write to and a command to delete from the second area.    
   
   
       24 . A method of interaction between a USB storage device and an external device comprises the steps of: 
 locating a controller completely in the USB storage device and the controller sends format type information of a first area and a second area of the USB storage device to a USB mass storage class driver in response to an INQUIRY command from the disk drive driver so that the USB mass storage class driver recognizes the USB storage device as two kind of devices including a disk device and a CD-ROM device and an operation system recognizes respective format of the first area and the second area and limits issuance of either of a command to write to and a command to delete from the second area; and    the controller executing, in accordance with a command received from the external device and the format type information of the first area and the second area, reading, writing and deleting of information to and from the first area and executes only reading of information from the second area even though the controller receives either of a command to write to and a command to delete from the second area.    
   
   
       25 . A method of interaction between a USB storage device and an external device comprises the steps of: 
 locating a controller completely in the USB storage device, the controller sends format type information of a first area and a second area of the USB storage device to a USB mass storage class driver in response to an INQUIRY command from a disk drive driver so that the USB mass storage class driver recognizes the first area as a device to and from which reading, writing and deleting of information can be executed and the second area as a device for which only reading of information can be executed and an operation system recognizes respective format of the first area and the second area and limits issuance of either of a command to write to and a command to delete from the second area; and    the controller executing, in accordance with a command received from the external device and the format type information of the first area and the second area, reading, writing and deleting of information to and from the first area and executes only reading of information from the second area even though the controller receives either of a command to write to and a command to delete from the second area.    
   
   
       26 . A method of interaction between a USB storage device and an external device comprising the steps of: 
 locating a controller completely in the USB storage device, the controller sends format type information of a first area and a second area of the USB storage device to a USB mass storage class driver in response to an INQUIRY command from a disk drive driver so that the USB mass storage class driver recognizes the first area and the second area as different type devices; and    the controller executing permitted access to the first area and the second area in accordance with a command received from the external device and the format type information of the first area and the second area.