System and method for a portable memory device to access and acquire additional memory from a remote location

• US 20080168152A1
• Filed: 01/05/2007
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: New DANE
• Original Assignee: Dane-Elec SA (New DANE)
• Inventors: Weizman, Jonathan
• Granted Patent: US 8,935,473 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/213
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/168 Details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems, e.g. browsing and visualisation, 2d or 3d GUIs query results presentation G06F16/156
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

The present invention is a system and method for a portable memory device to access and acquire additional memory from a remote location by utilizing a network connection to access remote memory. A portable memory device comprising of software that can determine the location of data to be stored based on a criteria that governs whether data may be stored locally or remotely, may utilize a network, connected to one or several remote locations with available memory storage space, to access available memory and store data remotely.

Claims

1. A method of storing data implemented in a portable memory device comprising:

receiving a request to store said data to said portable memory device;

determining a criteria that governs where said data is to be stored; and

storing said data locally to said portable memory device if it is determined that said data should be stored in said portable memory device based on said criteria;

or

storing said data in a remote storage location if it is determined that said data should be stored to said remote storage location based on said criteria.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said criteria relates to a user input indicating whether to store said data to said portable memory device or to store said data to said remote storage location.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said criteria relates to whether said portable storage device has a sufficient storage space to accommodate the storage of said data in said portable memory device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein a user can shift said data between said portable storage device and said remote storage location based on said user input.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein a set of pointers is used to identify an address of said data within said remote storage location.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said set of pointers is located remotely within said remote storage location.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein a unique identifier is assigned to said portable memory device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said set of pointers contain an indicator related to said unique identifier.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the steps of receiving, determining, and storing said data are performed in said portable memory device.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein the steps of receiving, determining, and storing said data are performed in said remote storage location.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said portable memory device determines a format of said data and said criteria determines where said data is to be stored based on said format of said data.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said portable memory device determines a size of said data and said criteria determines where said data is to be stored based on said size of said data.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said data is stored in said remote storage location if said size of said data exceeds a predetermined size.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said user identifies a security level associated with said data, and said criteria determines where said data is to be stored in accordance with said security level.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said security level allows private access to a private data section of said data by said user only.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said security level allows public access to a public data section of said data.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said security level allowing public access to said public data section also allows said public data section to be available over a web address.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said portable memory device determines an ownership of said data, and said criteria determines who is authorized to access said data.

19. A method to store a first data on a portable memory device comprising:

receiving a request to store said first data on to said portable memory device,

determining whether said first data can be stored onto said portable memory device based on a criteria,

transferring a second data within said portable memory device to a remote storage location based on said criteria, and

storing said first data to said portable memory device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said criteria is whether said portable storage device has a sufficient storage space to accommodate said storage of said data in said portable memory device.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein a user can shift said second data between said portable storage device and said remote storage location based on a user input.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein a set of pointers is used to identify an address of said second data within said remote storage location.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said set of pointers is located remotely within said remote storage location.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein a unique identifier is assigned to said portable memory device.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said set of pointers contain an indicator related to said unique identifier.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the steps of receiving, determining, and storing said data are performed in said portable memory device.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the steps of receiving, determining, and storing said data are performed in said remote storage location.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein said user identifies a security level associated with said data and said criteria determines where said data is to be stored in accordance with said security level.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said security level allows private access to a private data section of said data by said user only.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said security level allows public access to a public data section of said data.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said security level allowing public access to said public data section also allows said public data section to be available over a web address.

32. A method to retrieve a data from a portable memory device comprising:

receiving a request to retrieve said data from said portable memory device, and

determining whether said data is located within said portable memory device, and

if said data is not located within said portable memory device, then accessing a set of pointers indicative of a location of said data within a remote storage location; and

,

retrieving said data from said location of said data within said remote storage location;

or

if said data is located within said portable memory device, then retrieving said data directly from said portable memory device.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said set of pointers are located remotely on a server on said remote storage.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein a unique identifier is assigned to said portable memory device.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein said set of pointers contain an indicator related to said unique identifier.

36. A portable memory device for storing a data comprising:

a local storage to store said data,

a controller connected to said local storage for

processing a request from a user to store said data onto said portable memory device,

determining a criteria for controlling a location of said data,

storing said data to said local storage of said portable memory device if it is determined that said data should be stored to said portable memory device based on said criteria, and

redirecting said data to a remote storage location if it is determined that said data should be stored to said remote storage location based on said criteria; and

an interface connected to said controller for allowing said portable memory device to receive said request from said user.

37. The portable memory device of claim 36, wherein said criteria is a user input indicating whether to store said data to said portable memory device or store said data to said remote storage location.

38. The portable memory device of claim 37, wherein said criteria is whether said portable storage device has a sufficient storage space to accommodate the storage of said data in said portable memory device.

39. The portable memory device of claim 38, wherein said user can shift said data between said portable storage device and said remote storage location based on said user input.

40. The portable memory device of claim 38, wherein a set of pointers is used to identify an address of said data within said remote storage location.

41. The portable memory device of claim 40, wherein said set of pointers is located remotely within said remote storage location.

42. The portable memory device of claim 40, wherein a unique identifier is assigned to said portable memory device.

43. The portable memory device of claim 42, wherein said set of pointers contain an indicator related to said unique identifier.

44. The portable memory device of claim 36, wherein the steps of receiving, determining, and storing said data are performed in said portable memory device.

45. The portable memory device of claim 44, wherein the steps of receiving, determining, and storing said data are performed in said remote storage location.

46. The portable memory device of claim 43, wherein said interface further comprises:

a USB connector for connecting to a USB compatible device.

47. The portable memory device of claim 46, wherein said controller further comprises of a microprocessor.

48. The portable memory device of claim 36, wherein said portable memory device determines a format of said data and said criteria determines where said data is to be stored based on said format of said data.

49. The portable memory device of claim 36, wherein said portable memory device determines a size of said data and said criteria determines where said data is to be stored based on said size of said data.

50. The portable memory device of claim 49, wherein said data is stored in said remote storage location if said size of said data exceeds a predetermined size.

51. The portable memory device of claim 36, wherein said user identifies a security level associated with said data and said criteria determines where said data is to be stored in accordance with said security level.

52. The portable memory device of claim 51, wherein said security level allows private access to a private data section of said data by said user only.

53. The portable memory device of claim 52, wherein said security level allows public access to a public data section of said data.

54. The portable memory device of claim 53, wherein said security level allowing public access to said public data section also allows said public data section to be available over a web address.

55. A computer program that includes a medium readable by a processor, the medium comprising:

a first sequence of instructions which, when executed by said processor, determines a criteria,

a second sequence of instructions which, when executed by said processor, determines a storage location of a data based on said criteria.

a third sequence of instruction which, when executed by said processor, determines the accessibility of said data based on a set of pointers,

wherein said criteria is whether a portable memory device has a sufficient storage space to accommodate the storage of said data in said portable memory device.