FILE STORAGE FOR A COMPUTING DEVICE WITH HANDHELD AND EXTENDED COMPUTING UNITS

• US 20090198854A1
• Filed: 02/06/2008
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Ahmadreza (Reza), Markison, Timothy W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,895,365 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/303
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60

Abstract

A handheld computing unit includes a processing module, a main memory interface for coupling to a main memory, a baseband processing module, an RF section, a block I/O interface for coupling to a hard disk, a handheld bus structure, and a handheld connection structure. The hard disk stores at least one fixed handheld user application, at least one fixed handheld user file, at least one selectable user application, and at least one selectable user file. The at least one selectable user application and the at least one selected user file were transferred from an extended hard disk of the extended computing unit when the handheld computing unit was coupled to the extended computing unit.

Claims

1. A handheld computing unit of a computing device that includes the handheld computing unit and an extended computing unit, wherein the handheld computing unit comprises:

a handheld processing module;

a handheld main memory interface for coupling to a handheld main memory;

a baseband processing module coupled to convert outbound data into an outbound symbol stream and to convert an inbound symbol stream into inbound data;

a radio frequency (RF) section coupled to convert the outbound symbol stream into an outbound RF signal and to convert an inbound RF signal into the inbound symbol stream;

a handheld block input/output (I/O) interface for coupling to a handheld hard disk, wherein the handheld hard disk stores;

at least one fixed handheld user application;

at least one fixed handheld user file;

at least one selectable user application; and

at least one selectable user file, wherein the at least one selectable user application and the at least one selected user file were transferred from an extended hard disk of the extended computing unit when the handheld computing unit was coupled to the extended computing unit;

a handheld bus structure coupled to the handheld processing module, the handheld main memory, the baseband processing module, and the handheld block I/O interface; and

a handheld connection structure coupled to one or more of;

the handheld processing module, the handheld main memory, the handheld bus structure, and the handheld block I/O interface.

2. The handheld computing unit of claim 1, wherein the handheld processing module functions to:

swap a selectable user application of the at least one selectable user application with another selectable user application stored on the extended hard disk in response to a swap application request when the handheld computing unit is coupled to the extended computing; and

swap a selectable user file of the at least one selectable user file with another selectable user file stored on the extended hard disk in response to a swap file request when the handheld computing unit is coupled to the extended computing.

3. The handheld computing unit of claim 1, wherein the handheld processing module functions to:

monitor for a mode change request for changing from a docked mode to another mode, wherein the handheld computing unit is in the docked mode when it is connected to the extended computing unit;

when the mode change request is detected to be a change to remote mode, which occurs when the handheld device is not connected to the extended computing unit;

determine available handheld hard disk;

determine user applications stored on the handheld hard disk;

identify fixed user applications and selected user applications of the user applications;

provide a list of the fixed user applications and the selected user applications;

provide a list of available selectable user applications stored on the extended hard disk;

receive an application change request to change the selected user applications stored on the handheld hard disk;

when the application change request is not received, transition to the remote mode;

when the application change request is received, determining whether the application change request is requesting to deleting a selected user application of the selected user applications; and

when the application change request is to delete the selected user application, deleting the selected user application from the handheld hard disk and writing it to the extended hard disk.

4. The handheld computing unit of claim 3 further comprises:

when the application change request is to add an available selectable user application from the list of available selectable user applications, determining whether the handheld hard disk has sufficient available memory to store the available selectable user application;

when the handheld hard disk has sufficient available memory to store the available selectable user application, store the available selectable user application in the handheld hard disk;

when the handheld hard disk does not have sufficient available memory to store the available selectable user application, provide an insufficient memory message for display;

receive a swap request to swap one of the selected user applications with the available selectable user application;

when the swap request is received, swapping the one of the selected user applications on the handheld hard disk with the available selectable user application such that the available selectable user application is stored on the handheld hard disk and the one of the selected user applications is stored on the extended hard disk.

5. The handheld computing unit of claim 1, wherein the handheld processing module functions to:

monitor for a mode change request for changing from a docked mode to another mode, wherein the handheld computing unit is in the docked mode when it is connected to the extended computing unit;

when the mode change request is detected to be a change to a quasi docked mode, which occurs when the handheld device is not connected to the extended computing unit but communicates wirelessly with the extended computing unit;

determine wireless link speed between the handheld computing unit and the extended computing unit;

determine user applications stored on the extended hard disk that require a link speed greater than the wireless link rate,

provide a list of user applications that require a link speed greater than the wireless link rate for display;

when selection of one of the user applications of the list of user applications is not received, transition to the quasi docked mode;

when selection of one of the user applications of the list of user applications is received,

determine available handheld hard disk;

determine user applications stored on the handheld hard disk;

determining whether the handheld hard disk has sufficient available memory to store the one of the user applications of the list of user applications;

when the handheld hard disk has sufficient available memory to store the one of the user applications of the list of user applications, store the one of the user applications of the list of user applications in the handheld hard disk.

6. The handheld computing unit of claim 5 further comprises:

when the handheld hard disk does not have sufficient available memory to store the one of the user applications of the list of user applications, provide an insufficient memory message for display;

receive a swap request to swap the one of the user applications of the list of user applications with a selected user application currently stored on the handheld hard disk;

when the swap request is received, swapping the selected user application on the handheld hard disk with the one of the user applications of the list of user applications such that the one of the user applications of the list of user applications is stored on the handheld hard disk and the selected user application is stored on the extended hard disk.

7. The handheld computing unit of claim 1, wherein the handheld processing module functions to:

monitor for a mode change request for changing from a docked mode to another mode, wherein the handheld computing unit is in the docked mode when it is connected to the extended computing unit;

when the mode change request is detected to be a change to remote mode, which occurs when the handheld device is not connected to the extended computing unit;

determine available handheld hard disk;

determine user files stored on the handheld hard disk;

identify fixed user files and selectable user files of the user files;

provide a list of the fixed user files and the selectable user files;

provide a list of available selectable user files stored on the extended hard disk;

receive a file change request to change the selected user files stored on the handheld hard disk;

when the file change request is not received, transition to the remote mode;

when the file change request is received, determining whether the file change request is requesting to deleting a selected user file of the selected user files; and

when the file change request is to delete the selected user file, deleting the selected user file from the handheld hard disk and writing it to the extended hard disk.

8. The handheld computing unit of claim 7 further comprises:

when the file change request is to add an available selectable user file from the list of available selectable user files, determining whether the handheld hard disk has sufficient available memory to store the available selectable user file;

when the handheld hard disk has sufficient available memory to store the available selectable user file, store the available selectable user file in the handheld hard disk;

when the handheld hard disk does not have sufficient available memory to store the available selectable user file, provide an insufficient memory message for display;

receive a swap request to swap one of the selected user files with the available selectable user file;

when the swap request is received, swapping the one of the selected user files on the handheld hard disk with the available selectable user file such that the available selectable user file is stored on the handheld hard disk and the one of the selected user files is stored on the extended hard disk.

9. The handheld computing unit of claim 1, wherein the handheld processing module functions to:

monitor for a mode change request for changing from a docked mode to another mode, wherein the handheld computing unit is in the docked mode when it is connected to the extended computing unit;

when the mode change request is detected to be a change to a quasi docked mode, which occurs when the handheld device is not connected to the extended computing unit but communicates wirelessly with the extended computing unit;

determine wireless link speed between the handheld computing unit and the extended computing unit;

determine user files stored on the extended hard disk that require a link speed greater than the wireless link rate,

provide a list of user files that require a link speed greater than the wireless link rate for display;

when selection of one of the user files of the list of user files is not received, transition to the quasi docked mode;

when selection of one of the user files of the list of user files is received,

determine available handheld hard disk;

determine user files stored on the handheld hard disk;

determining whether the handheld hard disk has sufficient available memory to store the one of the user files of the list of user files;

when the handheld hard disk has sufficient available memory to store the one of the user files of the list of user files, store the one of the user files of the list of user files in the handheld hard disk.

10. The handheld computing unit of claim 9 further comprises:

when the handheld hard disk does not have sufficient available memory to store the one of the user files of the list of user files, provide an insufficient memory message for display;

receive a swap request to swap the one of the user files of the list of user files with a selected user file currently stored on the handheld hard disk;

when the swap request is received, swapping the selected user file on the handheld hard disk with the one of the user files of the list of user files such that the one of the user files of the list of user files is stored on the handheld hard disk and the selected user file is stored on the extended hard disk.

11. A handheld computing unit of a computing device that includes the handheld computing unit and an extended computing unit, wherein the handheld computing unit comprises:

a handheld processing module;

a handheld main memory interface for coupling to a handheld main memory;

a baseband processing module coupled to convert outbound data into an outbound symbol stream and to convert an inbound symbol stream into inbound data;

a radio frequency (RF) section coupled to convert the outbound symbol stream into an outbound RF signal and to convert an inbound RF signal into the inbound symbol stream;

a handheld block input/output (I/O) interface for coupling to a handheld hard disk;

a handheld bus structure coupled to the handheld processing module, the handheld main memory, the baseband processing module, and the handheld block I/O interface; and

a handheld connection structure coupled to one or more of;

the handheld processing module, the handheld main memory, the handheld bus structure, and the handheld block I/O interface, wherein the handheld processing module functions to;

receive a request to create a new file;

determine whether the handheld computing unit is in a docked mode, wherein the handheld computing unit is the docked mode when it is connected to the extended computing unit;

when the handheld computing unit is in the docked mode and in response to the request, provide a storage location message regarding whether the new file should be stored on the handheld hard disk or on an extended hard disk of the extended computing unit; and

storing the new file on the handheld hard disk or the extended hard disk based on a response to the storage location message.

12. The handheld computing unit of claim 11, wherein the handheld processing module further functions to:

provide a file type message as to whether the new file is to be stored as a fixed file or as a selectable file; and

store the new file on the handheld hard disk or the extended hard disk based on the response to the storage location message as a fixed new file or as a selectable new file in accordance with a response to the file type message.

13. The handheld computing unit of claim 11, wherein the handheld processing module further functions to:

determine whether the handheld computing unit is in a remote mode, wherein the handheld computing unit is the remote mode when it is not connected to the extended computing unit;

when the handheld computing unit is in the remote mode and in response to the request, provide a file type message as to whether the new file is to be stored as a fixed file or as a selectable file; and

store the new file on the handheld hard disk as a fixed new file or as a selectable new file in accordance with a response to the file type message.

14. The handheld computing unit of claim 11, wherein the handheld processing module further functions to:

receive an application request to load a new user application;

determine whether the handheld computing unit is in a docked mode;

when the handheld computing unit is in the docked mode and in response to the application request, provide an application storage location message regarding whether the new user application should be stored on the handheld hard disk or on the extended hard disk; and

storing the new user application on the handheld hard disk or the extended hard disk based on a response to the application storage location message.

15. The handheld computing unit of claim 14, wherein the handheld processing module further functions to:

provide an application type message as to whether the new user application is to be stored as a fixed user application or as a selectable user application; and

store the new user application on the handheld hard disk or the extended hard disk based on the response to the application storage location message as a fixed new user application or as a selectable new user application in accordance with a response to the application type message.

16. The handheld computing unit of claim 14, wherein the handheld processing module further functions to:

determine whether the handheld computing unit is in a remote mode, wherein the handheld computing unit is the remote mode when it is not connected to the extended computing unit;

when the handheld computing unit is in the remote mode and in response to the application request, provide an application type message as to whether the new user application is to be stored as a fixed user application or as a selectable user application; and

store the new user application on the handheld hard disk as a fixed new user application or as a selectable new user application in accordance with a response to the application type message.

17. The handheld computing unit of claim 11, wherein the handheld processing module further functions to:

receive a storage change request to change storage of a user application;

determine whether the storage change request is to change storage location; and

when the storage change request is to change storage location, cut and paste the user application from the handheld hard disk to the extended hard disk or vice versa when sufficient memory is available.

18. The handheld computing unit of claim 11, wherein the handheld processing module further functions to:

receive a storage change request to change storage of a user application;

determine whether the storage change request is to change application type; and

when the storage change request is to change the application type, change the application type of the user application from the fixed to selectable or vice versa in accordance with the storage change request.

19. The handheld computing unit of claim 11, wherein the handheld processing module further functions to:

receive a storage change request to change storage of a user file;

determine whether the storage change request is to change storage location; and

when the storage change request is to change storage location, cut and paste the user file from the handheld hard disk to the extended hard disk or vice versa when sufficient memory is available.

20. The handheld computing unit of claim 11, wherein the handheld processing module further functions to:

receive a storage change request to change storage of a user file;

determine whether the storage change request is to change file type; and

when the storage change request is to change the file type, change the file type of the user file from the fixed to selectable or vice versa in accordance with the storage change request.