Apparatus and Method for Storing Data

• US 20080263110A1
• Filed: 09/20/2006
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Van Gassel, Jozef Pieter, Kelly, Declan Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 8,086,567 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0623 in relation to content
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0637 Permissions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/065 Replication mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0689 Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD

Abstract

The present application provides a storage apparatus for storing data. The storage apparatus comprises storage means for storing data, committing means for committing the availability of a certain storage space to a source device, detecting means for detecting the availability of the certain storage space to produce a detection result, and communication means for informing the source device the detection result, whereby the source device takes corresponding action(s) according to the detection result. In this way, each storage device of a group is bound by its commitment, if it violates its commitment, it risks the loss of its file(s) stored on other members'"'"' storage space.

Claims

1. A storage apparatus, comprising:

storage means for storing data,

committing means for committing the availability of a certain storage space to a source device,

detecting means for detecting the availability of the certain storage space to produce a detection result, and

communication means for informing the source device the detection result, whereby the source device takes corresponding action(s) according to the detection result.

2. The storage apparatus of claim 1, wherein the availability of the certain storage space includes the accessibility of the certain storage space, undisturbance of a file originated from the source device stored in the certain storage space.

3. The storage apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication means further for sending/receiving the stored/to-be-stored data.

4. The storage apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication means receives an inquiry from the source device;

the detecting means detects the availability of the certain storage space to produce the detection result upon the inquiry.

5. The storage apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

notifying means for notifying the owner of the storage apparatus the detection result before informing the source device.

6. The storage apparatus of claim 1, wherein the corresponding action(s) taken by the source device include deleting a file(s) stored in the source device that is originated from the storage apparatus.

7. The storage apparatus of claim 1, wherein the storage apparatus and the source device belong to a group, the group includes a third device, the corresponding action(s) taken by the source device include informing the third device to deleting a file(s) stored in the third device which is originated from the storage apparatus.

8. The storage apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

deleting means for deleting a file(s) stored in the storage apparatus that is originated from the source device.

9. The storage apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

inquiring means for sending a inquiry to the source device for detecting the availability of a certain storage space of the source device,

wherein the storage apparatus and the source device belong to a group, the group includes a third device, the communication means informs the third device a responsive detection result corresponding to the inquiry, whereby the third device takes corresponding action(s) according to the responsive detection result.

10. A method for storing data, comprising:

committing the availability of a certain storage space to a source device,

detecting the availability of the certain storage space to produce a detection result, and

informing the source device the detection result, whereby the source device takes corresponding action(s) according to the detection result.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the availability of the certain storage space includes the accessibility of the certain storage space, undisturbance of a file originated from the source device stored in the certain storage space.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of sending/receiving the stored/to-be-stored data.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of receiving an inquiry from the source device;

the detecting step comprising the step of detecting the availability of the certain storage space to produce the detection result upon the inquiry.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of notifying the owner of the storage apparatus the detection result before informing the source device.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the corresponding action(s) taken by the source device include deleting a file(s) stored in the source device that is originated from the storage apparatus.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the storage apparatus and the source device belong to a group, the group includes a third device, the corresponding action(s) taken by the source device include informing the third device to delete a file(s) stored in the third device which is originated from the storage apparatus.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of storing a file(s) originated from the source device on the certain storage space.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of deleting the file(s) stored in the storage apparatus that is originated from the source device.

19. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of sending a inquiry to the source device for detecting the availability of a certain storage space of the source device,

wherein the storage apparatus and the source device belong to a group, the group includes a third device, further comprising the step of informing the third device a responsive detection result corresponding to the inquiry, whereby the third device takes corresponding action(s) according to the responsive detection result.

20. A computer program product for storing data, comprising:

code for committing the availability of a certain storage space to a source device,

code for detecting the availability of the certain storage space to produce a detection result, and

code for informing the source device the detection result, whereby the source device takes corresponding action(s) according to the detection result.

21. A grouping apparatus for grouping a first storage device and a second storage device, comprising:

communication means for receiving a commitment of the availability of a certain storage space from the first storage device and another commitment of the availability of another certain storage space form the second storage device,

registering means for respectively registering the first storage device and the second storage device as one member of a group,

detecting means for detecting the availability of the certain storage space of the first storage device to produce a detection result, and

wherein the commutation means further for informing the second storage device the detection result, whereby the second storage device takes corresponding action(s) according to the detection result.

22. The storage apparatus of claim 21, wherein the availability of the certain storage space includes the accessibility of the certain storage space, undisturbance of a file originated from one member storage device and stored in the certain storage space of another member storage device.

23. The storage apparatus of claim 21, wherein the group includes a third storage device, the corresponding action(s) taken by the second storage device include informing the third storage device to delete a file(s) stored in the third storage device which is originated from the first storage device.

24. A method for grouping a first storage device and a second storage device, comprising:

receiving a commitment of the availability of a certain storage space from the first storage device and another commitment of the availability of another certain storage space form the second storage device,

respectively registering the first storage device and the second storage device as one member of a group,

detecting the availability of the certain storage space of the first storage device to produce a detection result, and

informing the second storage device the detection result, whereby the second storage device takes corresponding action(s) according to the detection result.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the availability of the certain storage space includes the accessibility of the certain storage space, undisturbance of a file originated from one member storage device and stored in the certain storage space of another member storage device.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the group includes a third storage device, the corresponding action(s) taken by the second storage device include informing the third device to delete a file(s) stored in the third storage device which is originated from the first storage device.

27. A computer program product for grouping a first storage device and a second storage device, comprising:

code for receiving a commitment of the availability of a certain storage space from the first storage device and another commitment of the availability of another certain storage space form the second storage device,

code for respectively registering the first storage device and the second storage device as one member of a group,

code for detecting the availability of the certain storage space of the first storage device to produce a detection result, and

code for informing the second storage device the detection result, whereby the second storage device takes corresponding action(s) according to the detection result.