Methods and apparatus for providing automatic high speed data connection in a firewire enabled portable multimedia device

• US 20040117518A1
• Filed: 06/24/2002
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Fadell, Anthony M., Krah, Christoph
• Granted Patent: US 7,054,981 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4022 using switching circuits, e.g. switching matrix, connection or expansion network G06F13/4009 takes precedence

Abstract

In a portable FireWire compatible device, a direct memory access (DMA) bus switch coupled by way of a DMA bus to a central processing unit (CPU), a local hard drive (HDD), and a FireWire port, provides a direct connection between the FireWire port and the HDD bypassing a main bus and the CPU when a data transfer request is received and processed by the CPU. Otherwise, until the data transfer request is received and processed, the CPU is directly connected to the HDD. In this way, a high speed data transfer between the FireWire port and the HDD is provided only when an appropriate data transfer request is received and processed.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing a direct connection between an external memory source and a local hard drive in order to facilitate a high speed data transfer in a system that includes a central processing unit (CPU) connected to a main system bus, comprising:

a direct memory access (DMA) bus;

a local hard drive (HDD) coupled to the DMA bus;

a port receptor connected to the DMA bus arranged to receive an external connector;

a direct memory access bus switch coupled by way of the DMA bus to the CPU that provides a direct connection between the port receptor and the HDD by way of the DMA bus only thereby bypassing the main system bus and the CPU when an appropriate data transfer request is received and processed by the CPU such that the high speed data transfer between the port receptor and the HDD is provided only when the appropriate data transfer request is received and processed by the CPU.

2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

until the appropriate data transfer request is received and processed by the CPU, the CPU is directly connected to the HDD.

3. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the port receptor is a FireWire port receptor.

4. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is incorporated into a portable FireWire enabled device.

5. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

an memory device coupled to the DMA bus.

6. An apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein the memory device is selected from a group comprising:

an SDRAM device, a Flash ROM device, and an EPROM device.

7. A method for providing a direct connection between an external memory source and a local hard drive in order to facilitate a high speed data transfer in a system that includes a central processing unit (CPU) connected to a main system bus, comprising:

providing a direct memory access (DMA) bus;

coupling a local hard drive (HDD) to the DMA bus;

connecting a port receptor to the DMA bus arranged to receive an external connector;

coupling a direct memory access bus switch bus to the CPU by way of the DMA;

only when an appropriate data transfer request is received and processed by the CPU,

providing a direct connection between the port receptor and the HDD by way of the DMA bus only thereby bypassing the main system bus and the CPU; and

providing the high speed data transfer between the port receptor and the HDD.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, further comprising:

directly connecting the CPU to the HDD until the appropriate data transfer request is received and processed by the CPU.

9. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the port receptor is a FireWire port receptor.

10. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the system is incorporated into a portable FireWire enabled device.

11. An apparatus as recited in claim 7, further comprising:

an memory device coupled to the DMA bus.

12. An apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the memory device is selected from a group comprising:

an SDRAM device, a Flash ROM device, and an EPROM device.

13. An apparatus for providing a direct connection between an external memory source and a local hard drive in order to facilitate a high speed data transfer in a system that includes a central processing unit (CPU) connected to a main system bus, comprising:

means for providing a direct memory access (DMA) bus;

means for coupling a local hard drive (HDD) to the DMA bus;

means for connecting a port receptor to the DMA bus arranged to receive an external connector;

means for coupling a direct memory access bus switch bus to the CPU by way of the DMA;

only when an appropriate data transfer request is received and processed by the CPU,

means for providing a direct connection between the port receptor and the HDD by way of the DMA bus only thereby bypassing the main system bus and the CPU; and

means for providing the high speed data transfer between the port receptor and the HDD.

14. An apparatus as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

means for directly connecting the CPU to the HDD until the appropriate data transfer request is received and processed by the CPU.

15. An apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the port receptor is a FireWire port receptor.

16. An apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the system is incorporated into a portable FireWire enabled device.

17. An apparatus as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

an memory device coupled to the DMA bus.

18. An apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein the memory device is selected from a group comprising:

an SDRAM device, a Flash ROM device, and an EPROM device.