PLUG-IN FILE SHARING

• US 20110066702A1
• Filed: 11/24/2010
• Published: 03/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Contino, Jeffrey R., Olding, Douglas Alan, Cope, Warren B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,214,513 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• 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

A method of operating a wireless modem is described. The method comprises identifying a first wireless modem to a computer system as locally attached mass storage, wherein the first wireless modem is removable from the computer system without opening a case of the computer system, registering the first wireless modem on a wireless network, receiving information from the wireless network about shared data, wherein the shared data is data that is shared with a second wireless modem, sending a storage request to the wireless network, and receiving data that is shared with the second wireless modem.

Claims

1. A method of operating a communication system, comprising:

receiving first data from a network, wherein the first data includes data stored by a mass storage device;

sending the first data to a first wireless modem via a first wireless broadband link, wherein said first wireless modem is connected to a first computer system;

and wherein said first wireless modem is enumerated by said first computer system as a first locally attached mass storage device;

and wherein said first wireless modem communicates the first data to the first computer system as data that was stored on the first locally attached mass storage device;

sending the first data to a second wireless modem via a second wireless broadband link, wherein said second wireless modem is connected to a second computer system;

and wherein said second wireless modem is enumerated by said second computer system as a second locally attached mass storage device; and

,

wherein said second wireless modem communicates the first data to the second computer system as data that was stored on the second locally attached mass storage device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving second data from the second wireless modem via the second wireless broadband link, wherein the second data includes the first data; and

,

sending the first data to the network for storage by a mass storage system.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving second data from the second wireless modem via the second wireless broadband link;

sending the second data to the network for storage by a mass storage system;

receiving the second data from the mass storage system via the network; and

,

sending the second data to the first wireless modem via the first wireless broadband link.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

associating the second data to the first wireless modem using a first device identifier, wherein the first device identifier is associated with the first wireless modem.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said first wireless broadband link is a broadband long distance wireless communication link.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said broadband long distance wireless communication link comprises a WiMAX specified system.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring said communication system to allow said first wireless modem to communicate with said mass storage system; and

,

configuring said communication system to allow said second wireless modem to communicate with said mass storage system.

8. A method of operating a wireless modem, comprising:

identifying a first wireless modem to a computer system as locally attached mass storage, wherein the first wireless modem is removable from the computer system without opening a case of the computer system;

registering the first wireless modem on a wireless network;

receiving information from the wireless network about shared data, wherein the shared data is data that is shared with a second wireless modem;

sending a storage request to the wireless network; and

,

receiving data that is shared with the second wireless modem.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the shared data is associated with the device identifier.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the first wireless modem translates messages exchanged with the computer system.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the shared data includes data communicated to the computer system as a file.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the shared data includes data communicated to the computer system a file directory.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the device identifier is based on an electronic serial number.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the device identifier is based on a media access control address.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the storage request includes data to be written to a storage system.

16. A mass storage system, comprising:

a mass storage device;

an interface coupled to said mass storage device;

wherein said interface is adapted to send a first block of data stored on the mass storage device to a first wireless modem connected to a first computer system;

and wherein the first computer system receives the first block of data as data retrieved from a first locally connected mass storage device;

and wherein said interface is adapted to send the first block of data stored on the mass storage device to a second wireless modem connected to a second computer system; and

,

wherein the second computer system receives the first block of data as data retrieved from a second locally connected mass storage device.

17. A mass storage system of claim 16 wherein the mass storage system associates the first block of data with the first wireless modem using a device identifier provided by the first wireless modem.

18. The mass storage system of claim 16 wherein the mass storage system associates the first block of data with the first computer system using a device identifier provided by the first wireless modem.

19. The mass storage system of claim 16 wherein the first wireless modem provides a device identifier to a wireless network and a wired network;

and wherein the wired network associates the mass storage system and the first block of data with the first wireless modem;

and wherein the second wireless modem provides a device identifier to the wireless network and the wired network; and

,

wherein the wired network associates the mass storage system and the first block of data with the second wireless modem.