Memory station for automatically backing up data and charging mobile devices

• US 10,554,796 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2017
• Issued: 02/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Western Digital Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Ziv, Aran, Muraleedha, Anurag Chelamchirayil, Hakoun, Eyal
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mathew, Max
• Application Number:
  US15/801,250
• Publication Number:
  US 20190132431A1
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: 4555581, 455557, 455 411
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1456 Hardware arrangements for backup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1458 Management of the backup or restore process
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1461 Backup scheduling policy
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0619 in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/065 Replication mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0679 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00032 characterised by data exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0262 for a battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/36 : Memories
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security

Abstract

Disclosed herein are memory stations that are configured to charge a mobile device, to receive data for storage from the mobile device, and to transmit a trigger signal to the mobile device responsive to the beginning of a charge cycle to initiate the backup process. The disclosed systems and methods include starting a backup application on a mobile device responsive to a trigger signal. The trigger signal is generated and transmitted wirelessly by a memory station responsive to the memory station detecting the beginning of a charging cycle. In this way, the mobile device can automatically execute a backup program or application without user intervention. The disclosed memory stations and related methods beneficially enable seamless data backup while charging a mobile device. This can be accomplished with no user intervention.

Claims

1. A memory station comprising:

a power module configured to provide electrical power to a power-coupled mobile device;

a first antenna configured to transmit wireless signals complying with a first wireless communication protocol;

a non-volatile memory module; and

control circuitry coupled to the first antenna, to the power module, and to the non-volatile memory module and configured to;

detect initiation of a charging cycle;

transmit, through the first antenna, a trigger signal using the first wireless communication protocol, the trigger signal transmitted in response to detecting initiation of the charging cycle, the trigger signal configured to cause the mobile device to transmit backup information;

receive, from the mobile device, backup information;

receive, from the mobile device, data for storage on the non-volatile memory module; and

store the received data in a location on the non-volatile memory module that corresponds to the mobile device.

2. The memory station of claim 1, further comprising a second antenna configured to transmit and receive wireless signals complying with a second wireless communication protocol different from the first wireless communication protocol.

3. The memory station of claim 2, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to receive the data for storage using the second antenna.

4. The memory station of claim 1, wherein the first antenna is further configured to transmit wireless signals complying with a second wireless communication protocol.

5. The memory station of claim 4, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to receive the data for storage using the second wireless communication protocol.

6. The memory station of claim 1, wherein the power module comprises a wireless transmitter that includes an electromagnetic emitting portion configured to transfer electrical power to a wireless receiver of the mobile device.

7. The memory station of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to detect termination of the charging cycle.

8. The memory station of claim 7, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

responsive to detecting termination of the charging cycle, transmit, through the first antenna, an exit signal using the first wireless communication protocol.

9. The memory station of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to detect initiation of a second charging cycle corresponding to a second power-coupled mobile device.

10. The memory station of claim 9, wherein the second charging cycle at least partially overlaps the first charging cycle.

11. The memory station of claim 10, wherein the control circuitry is configured to receive and to store data for the second mobile device while receiving and storing data for the first mobile device.

12. The memory station of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to delay transmission of the trigger signal after detecting initiation of the charging cycle.

13. The memory station of claim 1, wherein transmission of the trigger signal is delayed for more than 5 minutes after detecting initiation of the charging cycle.

14. A memory station comprising:

a power module configured to provide electrical power to a plurality of power-coupled mobile devices;

a first antenna configured to transmit wireless signals complying with a first wireless communication protocol;

a non-volatile memory module; and

control circuitry coupled to the first antenna, to the power module, and to the non-volatile memory module and configured to;

detect initiation of individual charging cycles provided by the power module for individual mobile devices of the plurality of power coupled mobile devices;

transmit, through the first antenna, a trigger signal using the first wireless communication protocol;

receive, from the plurality of mobile devices, backup information;

determine an order of backup based at least in part on the received backup information;

receive, from a first power-coupled mobile device, first data for storage on the non-volatile memory module;

store the received first data in a first location on the non-volatile memory module that corresponds to the first mobile device;

receive, from a second power-coupled mobile device, second data for storage on the non-volatile memory module; and

store the received second data in a second location on the non-volatile memory module that corresponds to the second mobile device,

wherein the first data is received prior to the second data being received based on the determined order of backup.

15. The memory station of claim 14, further comprising a second antenna configured to transmit and to receive wireless signals complying with a second wireless communication protocol different from the first wireless communication protocol.

16. The memory station of claim 15, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to receive the first data for storage and the second data for storage using the second antenna.

17. The memory station of claim 14, wherein the first antenna is further configured to transmit wireless signals complying with a second wireless communication protocol.

18. The memory station of claim 17, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to receive the first data for storage and the second data for storage using the second wireless communication protocol.

19. The memory station of claim 14, wherein the order of backup is determined based at least in part on a quantity of data to be backed up.

20. A memory station comprising:

power means for providing electrical power to a power-coupled mobile device;

wireless transmission means for transmitting wireless signals complying with a first wireless communication protocol;

non-volatile memory means; and

control means in communication with the wireless transmission means, the power means, and the non-volatile memory means and configured to;

detect initiation of a charging cycle;

transmit, using the wireless transmission means, a trigger signal using the first wireless communication protocol, the trigger signal transmitted in response to detecting initiation of the charging cycle, the trigger signal configured to cause the mobile device to transmit backup information;

receive, from the mobile device, backup information;

receive, from the mobile device, data for storage on the non-volatile memory means; and

store the received data in a location on the non-volatile memory means that corresponds to the mobile device.

21. The memory station of claim 20 further comprising a second wireless transmission means for transmitting and receiving wireless signals complying with a second wireless communication protocol different from the first wireless communication protocol.

22. The memory station of claim 21, wherein the control means is further configured to receive the data for storage using the second wireless transmission means.

23. The memory station of claim 20, wherein the wireless transmission means is further configured to transmit wireless signals complying with a second wireless communication protocol.

24. The memory station of claim 23, wherein the control means is further configured to receive the data for storage using the second wireless communication protocol.

25. The memory station of claim 20, wherein the power means includes an electromagnetic emitting portion for transferring electrical power to a wireless receiver of the mobile device.

26. The memory station of claim 20, wherein the control means is further configured to detect termination of the charging cycle.

27. The memory station of claim 26, wherein the control means is further configured to:

responsive to detecting termination of the charging cycle, transmit an exit signal using the wireless transmission means, the exit signal complying with the first wireless communication protocol.