COMMUNICATION DEVICE

• US 20090143102A1
• Filed: 11/20/2008
• Published: 06/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: UMEMURA, Masaya, Kato, Takatoshi
• Application Number:
  US12/274,622
• Publication Number:
  US 20090143102A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60

Abstract

The communication device includes: a communication control section which periodically causes a radio communication module to establish a connection to the server; a data reception and transmission instructing section which instructs the communication control section to obtain files and directory information stored in the server when the connection is established, and stores the files and the directory information in memories; and an emulation processing section which notifies, when the communication device is coupled to the computer, the computer that the communication device is a mass storage class device, submits the directory information stored in the memories to the computer, refers, when designation of a file contained in the directory information is accepted from the computer, to the directory information to read the file from the memories, and sends the file to the computer.

Claims

1. A communication device, comprising:

communication means which performs, when the communication means is coupled to a computer, data communications between the computer and an external unit;

communication control means which causes the communication means to establish a connection to a file server which is specified in advance as a communication destination, every time a predetermined condition is satisfied;

data reception and transmission instructing means which instructs, when the connection to the file server is established, the communication control means to cause the communication means to obtain at least one file and directory information related to the at least one file, which are stored in the file server, and stores the at least one file and the directory information in a storage area; and

pseudo storage device means which notifies, when the communication means is coupled to the computer, the computer that the communication means is a mass storage class device to cause the computer to recognize the communication device as the mass storage class device, submits the directory information stored in the storage area to the computer, refers, when designation of a file contained in the directory information is accepted from the computer, to the directory information to read the file from the storage area, in which the file is stored, and sends the file to the computer.

2. A communication device according to claim 1, wherein:

the data reception and transmission instructing means causes the communication means to obtain a plurality of electronic tallies into which the file is divided, and to obtain, as the directory information, information indicating locations, in the storage area, of the plurality of electronic tallies, and stores the plurality of electronic tallies which constitute the file and the directory information in the storage area; and

the pseudo storage device means comprises file decoding means which reads, when the designation of the file is accepted from the computer, a plurality of electronic tallies which constitute the file from the storage area, and decodes the file from the plurality of electronic tallies.

3. A communication device according to claim 1, wherein:

the data reception and transmission instructing means causes the communication means to obtain a plurality of electronic tallies into which the directory information is divided, and stores the plurality of pieces of electronic tallies in the storage area; and

the pseudo storage device means comprises directory information decoding means which reads, when the directory information is submitted to the computer, the plurality of electronic tallies which constitute the directory information from the storage area, and decodes the directory information from the plurality of electronic tallies

4. A communication device according to claim 1, further comprising a memory which serves as at least part of the storage area,

wherein the data reception and transmission instructing means stores the directory information in the memory, and stores at least part of the at least one file in the memory.

5. A communication device according to claim 2, further comprising a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory which serve as at least part of the storage area,

wherein the data reception and transmission instructing means stores the directory information in at least one of the volatile memory and the non-volatile memory, and stores part of the plurality of electronic tallies which constitute the file in the volatile memory.

6. A communication device according to claim 5, wherein the data reception and transmission instructing means stores the part of the plurality of electronic tallies which constitute the file in the volatile memory, and stores remaining part of the plurality of electronic tallies in the non-volatile memory.

7. A communication device according to claim 5, wherein the pseudo storage device means searches, when the designation of the file is accepted from the computer, the storage area for the plurality of electronic tallies which constitute the file, and requests, when at least one of the plurality of electronic tallies which constitute the file is not found, the data reception and transmission instructing means to cause the communication means to establish the connection to the file server, and to obtain the at least one of the plurality of electronic tallies.

8. A communication device according to claim 3, further comprising a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory which serve as at least part of the storage area,

wherein the data reception and transmission instructing means stores part of the plurality of electronic tallies which constitute the directory information in the volatile memory, and stores remaining part of the plurality of electronic tallies in the non-volatile memory.

9. A communication device according to claim 1, wherein:

the pseudo storage device means comprises temporary saving means which receives a file from the computer, and stores the file in the storage area; and

the data reception and transmission instructing means causes, when the temporary saving means stores the file received from the computer in the storage area, the communication means to establish the connection to the file server, and to send the file to the file server.

11. A communication device according to claim 1, being a cellular phone which comprises:

sound output means which outputs sound; and

sound input means to which the sound is input, wherein;

the communication means receives an external sound signal, and the communication control means causes the sound output means to output sound indicated by the external sound signal; and

the communication control means converts the sound input to the sound input means into a sound signal, and sends the sound signal wirelessly through the communication means.

10. A communication device, comprising:

communication means which performs, when the communication means is coupled to a computer, data communications between the computer and an external unit;

a volatile memory;

a non-volatile memory;

communication control means which causes the communication means to establish a connection to a file server which is specified in advance as a communication destination, every time a predetermined condition is satisfied;

external data acquisition means which instructs, when the connection to the file server is established, the communication control means to cause the communication means to obtain a plurality of electronic tallies into which at least one file stored in the file server is divided, stores part of the plurality of electronic tallies which constitute the file in the volatile memory, and stores remaining part of the plurality of electronic tallies in the non-volatile memory; and

pseudo storage device means which searches, when the communication means is coupled to the computer, and when designation of a file is accepted from the computer, the volatile memory and the non-volatile memory for a plurality of electronic tallies which constitute the file, decodes, when all of the plurality of electronic tallies which constitute the file are found, the file from the plurality of electronic tallies which constitute the file, and sends the file to the computer.