Sharing Memory Resources of Wireless Portable Electronic Devices

• US 20070260822A1
• Filed: 05/08/2006
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Adams, Neil
• Granted Patent: US 7,831,786 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/147
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/64 file transfer between terminals

Abstract

It is not uncommon for two or more wireless-enabled devices to spend most of their time in close proximity to one another. For example, a person may routinely carry a personal digital assistant (PDA) and a portable digital audio/video player, or a cellphone and a PDA, or a smartphone and a gaming device. When it is desirable to increase the memory storage capacity of a first such device, it may be possible to use memory on one or more of the other devices to temporarily store data from the first device.

Claims

1. A method to manage data storage of a wireless portable electronic device in a user'"'"'s possession, the method comprising:

securely transmitting a data item or portion thereof currently stored in a memory of the device over a wireless communication link to another wireless portable electronic device in the user'"'"'s possession;

writing in the memory information used to retrieve the data item or portion thereof from the other device; and

erasing from the memory the data item or portion thereof that was transmitted to the other device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using the information to securely retrieve the data item or portion thereof from the other device over the wireless communication link.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

storing the retrieved data item or portion thereof in a cache.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

storing the retrieved data item or portion thereof in the memory.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving information from the other device about its unused storage capacity; and

determining, based at least in part upon the unused storage capacity, which data items stored in the memory to transmit to the other device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

applying a set of rules to determine which data items currently stored in the memory are candidates for transmission to the other device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein applying the set of rules includes applying the set of rules automatically without requiring user input or intervention.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein applying the set of rules comprises identifying messages that are older than a predetermined threshold age.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein applying the set of rules comprises identifying messages whose last access by a user occurred prior to a predetermined cut-off date.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein applying the set of rules comprises identifying attachments to messages.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein applying the set of rules comprises identifying attachments to messages larger than a predetermined threshold size.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein applying the set of rules comprises identifying calendar appointments that are older than a predetermined threshold age.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein applying the set of rules comprises identifying calendar appointments that occurred in the past.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein applying the set of rules comprises identifying calendar appointments that occur in the future after a pre-determined date.

15. The method of claim 6, wherein applying the set of rules comprises identifying notes to calendar appointments.

16. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions, which when executed by a computer of a wireless portable electronic device in a user'"'"'s possession, result in:

securely transmitting a data item or portion thereof currently stored in a memory of the device over a wireless communication link to another wireless portable electronic device in the user'"'"'s possession;

writing in the memory information used to retrieve the data item or portion thereof from the other device; and

erasing from the memory the data item or portion thereof that was transmitted to the other device.

17. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory arranged to store applications to be executed by the processor and data items for use by the applications; and

a wireless communication interface coupled to the processor through which the device is able to communicate securely and authentically with another portable electronic device,

wherein the memory stores code which, when executed by the processor, securely transmits a data item or portion thereof via the secure communications to the other device for temporary storage therein, writes in the memory information to be used to retrieve the data item or portion thereof from the other device, and erases the data item or portion thereof from the memory.

18. The portable electronic device of claim 17, wherein the code, when executed by the processor, determines which of the data items or portions thereof to transmit to the other device by applying a set of rules.

19. The portable electronic device of claim 17, wherein the code, when executed by the processor, applies the set of rules automatically without requiring user input or intervention.

20. A system comprising:

a first wireless portable electronic device comprising a processor and a memory to store applications to be executed by the processor and to store data items for use by the applications; and

a second wireless portable electronic device to be used by the person, wherein the first device and the second device are able to conduct secure wireless communications therebetween when within range of each other, and

wherein the first device is able to transmit a data item or portion thereof to the second device via the secure wireless communications, to write in the memory information to be used to retrieve the data item or portion thereof from the second device, and to erase the data item or portion thereof from the memory.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the first device is a mobile device that is able to send and receive e-mail messages, and the second device is a smart card reader.