1. A system for transporting bulk particulate materials, comprising:
a bag including a discharge spout for holding such material;
means for transporting said bag from a first site to a second site; and
means detachably mountable on said spout for metering the discharge of material from said bag,
wherein said metering means includes an inner frusto-conically configured member and an outer frusto-conically configured member axially displaceable relative to said inner member for clamping a portion of said spout therebetween, said inner member having an outer surface against which a first portion of said spout may be drawn over and positioned, and said second outer member having an inner surface engageable with said first spout portion when drawn over and positioned on said outer surface of said inner member, for clamping said first spout portion between said inner and outer members, and at least one means for removably retaining said outer member in clamping relation with said inner member with said first spout portion disposed therebetween.
2. A system according to claim 1 wherein said outer member includes a lower annular edge around which a second portion of said spout may be turned and an outer surface against which a third portion of said spout may be drawn over and positioned, and wherein said retaining means is functional to removably retain said third spout portion positioned against said outer surface of said outer member.
3. A system according to claim 2 wherein said outer member includes an opening therethrough, a bracket disposed adjacent said opening and a threaded bolt threaded in said bracket and extendable in the direction of said opening and toward said inner member to urge a segment of said third and first spout portions against said inner member in retaining relation.
4. A system according to claim 1 wherein said metering means includes a valve.
5. A system according to claim 4 wherein said valve comprises a butterfly valve.
6. A system according to claim 1 wherein said metering means includes a hopper secured to and communicating with said inner member.
7. A system according to claim 6 wherein said hopper includes means for fluidizing material deposited therein for facilitating the flow of said material therethrough.
8. A system according to claim 7 wherein said hopper includes a frusto-conically configured impermeable wall and said fluidizing means include a permeable wall spaced inwardly relative to said impermeable wall to form a chamber therebetween and means for introducing air under pressure into said chamber.
9. A system according to claim 6 wherein said hopper is supported on said inner member.
10. A system according to claim 6 including a valve supported on said hopper communicating with a discharge outlet thereof.
11. A system according to claim 1 wherein said metering means includes an annular flange providing a support for said outer member when said outer member is not disposed in said clamping relation.
12. A system according to claim 1 wherein said metering means includes said inner and outer members, a hopper supported on said inner member and communicating with an outlet of said inner member and a valve supported on said hopper and communicating with a discharge outlet of said hopper.
13. A system according to claim 12 wherein said metering means includes an annular support flange supported on said inner member upon which said outer member may be rested.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A storage device comprising:
an ordinary data storage unit which stores encrypted contents data;
a secret data storage unit which stores license data containing a contents key for decrypting the encrypted contents data;
a cryptographic processing unit which receives, from a host device, and executes a command corresponding to each of a plurality of sequenced subprocesses produced by dividing each of a series of cryptographic input and output processes for encrypting data to be secured and inputting and outputting the data between the storage device and the host device;
a controller which inputs and outputs the license data via the cryptographic processing unit and inputs and outputs the encrypted contents data bypassing the cryptographic processing unit; and
a bus for receiving the command from the host device, the bus being deallocated for another command when the command is issued, wherein
the cryptographic processing unit receives commands corresponding to a plurality of subprocesses respectively belonging to two or more different cryptographic input and output processes via the bus, refers to identifying information attached to the command, identifies to which cryptographic input and output process the command belongs, manages the sequence of commands executed in each cryptographic input and output process, and rejects the execution of an incorrectly sequenced command when the cryptographic processing unit receives the incorrectly sequenced command.
2. The storage device according to claim 1, wherein
when the cryptographic processing unit receives the incorrectly sequenced command, the cryptographic processing unit interrupts the cryptographic input and output process to which the command belongs.
3. The storage device according to claim 1, wherein the number of the cryptographic input and output processes which can be performed simultaneously by the storage device is predetermined in accordance with a performance of the storage device.
4. The storage device according to claim 1, wherein in response to a request from the host device, the storage device provides to the host device the maximum number of cryptographic input and output processes which can be performed simultaneously by the storage device.
5. The storage device according to claim 1, wherein the storage medium comprises a normal data storing unit and a confidential data storing unit, the normal data storing unit storing normal data to be exchanged bypassing the cryptographic processing unit, the confidential data storing unit storing the secret data to be exchanged via the cryptographic processing unit.
6. A storage device comprising:
an ordinary data storage unit which stores encrypted contents data;
a secret data storage unit which stores license data containing a contents key for decrypting the encrypted contents data;
a cryptographic processing unit for receiving, from a host device, and executing a command corresponding to each of the plurality of sequenced subprocesses produced by dividing each of a series of cryptographic input and output processes for encrypting data to be secured and inputting and outputting the data between the storage device and the host device;
a controller which inputs and outputs the license data via the cryptographic processing unit and inputs and outputs the encrypted contents data bypassing the cryptographic processing unit; and
a bus for receiving the command from the host device, the bus being deallocated for another command when the command is issued,
wherein the cryptographic processing unit receives commands corresponding to a plurality of subprocesses respectively belonging to two or more different cryptographic input and output processes via the bus, refers to identifying information attached to the command, identifies to which cryptographic input and output process the received command belongs to, and rejects the execution of the command when having detected that the command is an incorrectly sequenced command in the cryptographic input and output process to which the command belongs.
7. The storage device according to claim 6, wherein in response to a request from the host device, the storage device provides to the host device the maximum number of cryptographic input and output processes which can be performed simultaneously by the storage device.
8. A host device which exchanges encrypted contents data and license data containing a contents key for decrypting the encrypted contents data, with a storage device that is capable of simultaneously performing a plurality of series of cryptographic input and output processes for encrypting data to be secured and inputting and outputting the data, the host device comprising:
a controller which divides the cryptographic input and output process into a plurality of sequenced subprocesses and issues commands sequentially to the storage device thereby allowing the storage device to execute a subprocess to be executed on the storage-device side; and
a cryptographic processing unit which carries out encryption or decryption that is required of the cryptographic input and output process, wherein
the controller inputs and outputs the license data via the cryptographic processing unit and inputs and outputs the encrypted contents data bypassing the cryptographic processing unit, and
when the controller issues a command, the controller attaches identifying information to the command to identify to which one of the plurality of cryptographic input and output processes the command belongs and to manage the sequence of commands executed in each cryptographic input and output process, and
the controller that issues the command via the bus electrically connecting the host device and the storage device deallocates the bus for another command.
9. The host device according to claim 8, wherein the controller issues a command to allocate a process system for performing the cryptographic input and output process prior to initiation of the cryptographic input and output process.
10. A data input and output method for exchanging encrypted contents data and license data containing a contents key for decrypting the encrypted contents data between a storage device and a host device, wherein, when performing a cryptographic input and output process between the host device and the storage device, which is capable of simultaneously performing a plurality of series of cryptographic input and output processes for encrypting data to be secured and inputting and outputting the data, the license data is input and output through the cryptographic input and output process, and the encrypted data is input and output bypassing the cryptographic input and output process, the method comprising:
dividing the cryptographic input and output process into a plurality of procedures and allowing the host device to execute a procedure to be executed on the host-device side out of the procedures;
allowing the host device to issue a command to the storage device via a bus for electrically connecting the host device and the storage device in order to make the storage device execute a procedure to be executed on the storage-device side;
allowing the host device to deallocate the bus for another command;
allowing the storage device to receive the command; and
allowing the storage device to execute the command, wherein
identifying information is attached to the command to identify to which one of the plurality of cryptographic input and output processes, being performed simultaneously by the storage device, the command belongs, and
the allowing the storage device to receive the command includes:
determining whether the received command is a correctly sequenced command in the cryptographic input and output process;
accepting the command successfully when the received command has been determined to be a correctly sequenced command; and
rejecting the execution of the received command when the received command has been determined to be an incorrectly sequenced command.
11. The data input and output method according to claim 10, further comprising predetermining an upper-limit number of the cryptographic input and output processes that can be performed simultaneously by the storage device in accordance with performance of the storage device.
12. The data inputoutput method according to claim 10, further comprising:
allowing the storage device to predetermine an upper-limit number of the cryptographic input and output processes that the storage device can perform simultaneously in accordance with its own performance, and
informing the host device of the upper limit.
13. The data input and output method according to claim 11, further comprising, prior to performing the cryptographic input and output processes, selecting and allocating identifying information for identifying the cryptographic input and output process to be performed from among the prepared number of pieces of identifying information determined in the determining step.
14. The data input and output method according to claim 12, further comprising, prior to performing the cryptographic input and output processes, selecting and allocating identifying information for identifying the cryptographic input and output process to be performed from among the prepared number of pieces of identifying information determined in the determining step.
15. The data input and output method according to claim 10, wherein
when the received command has been determined to be an incorrectly sequenced command, the execution of the cryptographic input and output process to which the command belongs is interrupted.