Storage device

• US 20030045327A1
• Filed: 03/14/2002
• Published: 03/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Tanzawa, Kazunari, Iba, Junichiro, Kobayashi, Koichi
• Application Number:
  US10/096,753
• Publication Number:
  US 20030045327A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

This invention relates to a storage device including a wireless unit which performs wireless communication with another device, a storage unit for storing data, a processor which transmits, based on a command from the device that has been received by communication through the wireless unit, data stored in the storage unit from the wireless unit to another device and stores data received by the wireless unit in the storage unit, and a battery which supplies power to the wireless unit, storage unit, and processor.

Claims

1. A storage device which has a function of communicating data wirelessly with an information processing apparatus and stores data processed by the information processing apparatus, comprising:

a wireless unit which performs wireless communication between the information processing apparatus;

a storage unit which stores data that is communicated wirelessly through said wireless unit and processed by the information processing apparatus;

a processor which transmits, based on a command from the information processing apparatus that is received through said wireless unit, data stored in said storage unit from said wireless unit to another information processing apparatus and stores data received by said wireless unit in said storage unit; and

a battery which supplies power to said wireless unit, said storage unit, and said processor.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said storage unit includes a hard disk drive.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said storage unit includes an SD (Secure Digital) card.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein said storage unit includes an optical disk drive.

5. A device according to claim 2, wherein said hard disk drive includes a PC card type hard disk drive, and is detachable from a PC card interface of said portable external storage device.

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein said wireless unit complies with a Bluetooth standard.

7. A device according to claim 6, further comprising means for inputting a PIN (Personal Identification Number) code necessary for connection authentication complying with the Bluetooth standard.

8. A data processing method in a storage device having a wireless unit which communicates data wirelessly with an information processing apparatus, and a storage unit which stores data processed by the information processing apparatuses, comprising:

interpreting a command from the information processing apparatus that is received by the wireless unit; and

when the command is a write request, receiving data from the information processing apparatus to write the received data in the storage unit, and when the command is a read request, reading data designated by the read request from the storage unit to transmit the read data to the information processing apparatus via the wireless unit.

9. A method according to claim 8, further comprising a step of, when the command is a maintenance command, shifting to a maintenance mode to perform maintenance processing designated by the maintenance command.

10. A method according to claim 8, further comprising steps of:

before the step of interpreting the command, determining whether the command is received via a predetermined interface; and

shifting to a sleep mode when the command is determined not to have been received via the predetermined interface.

11. A method according to claim 8, wherein the storage unit includes a hard disk drive.

12. A method according to claim 8, wherein the storage unit includes an SD (Secure Digital) card.

13. A method according to claim 8, wherein the storage unit includes an optical disk drive.

14. A method according to claim 8, wherein the hard disk drive includes a PC card type hard disk drive, and is detachable from a PC card interface of the portable external storage device.

15. A method according to claim 8, wherein the wireless unit complies with a Bluetooth standard.