PEER-TO-PEER FILE TRANSFER BETWEEN COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND STORAGE DEVICES

• US 20130238711A1
• Filed: 03/08/2012
• Published: 09/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Lashkari, Hassan, Borges, Daniel R., Le, Huy B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,838,697 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0632 by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0635 by changing the path, e.g. traffic rerouting, path reconfiguration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0655 Vertical data movement, i.e. input-output transfer; data movement between one or more hosts and one or more storage devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates communication with a storage device. During operation, the system provides a physically operated mechanism for enabling detection of the storage device in proximity to a computer system using a discovery protocol. If detection of the storage device using the discovery protocol is enabled, the system uses the physically operated mechanism to establish a wireless peer-to-peer connection between the storage device and the computer system. The system then uses the wireless peer-to-peer connection to transfer a file between the storage device and the computer system.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for facilitating communication with a storage device, comprising:

providing a physically operated mechanism for enabling detection of the storage device in proximity to a computer system using a discovery protocol; and

if detection of the storage device using the discovery protocol is enabled;

using the physically operated mechanism to establish a wireless peer-to-peer connection between the storage device and the computer system; and

using the wireless peer-to-peer connection to transfer a file between the storage device and the computer system.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

using an infrastructure connection to transfer the file between the storage device and the computer system if the infrastructure connection is more robust than the wireless peer-to-peer connection.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the physically operated mechanism comprises at least one of:

a button;

a switch; and

a peripheral device.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein detection of the storage device using the discovery protocol is enabled by:

pressing the button;

toggling the switch;

or

connecting the peripheral device to the storage device.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the physically operated mechanism comprises:

a radio;

a processor; and

a memory.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein enabling detection of the storage device by the computer system using the discovery protocol involves:

advertising a file-transfer capability of the storage device using the discovery protocol.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the storage device is at least one of an internal hard disk drive (HDD), an external HDD, a thumb drive, and a memory card.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the physically operated mechanism is integrated into the storage device or physically connected to the storage device.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the wireless peer-to-peer connection is initiated upon receiving a request to transfer the file.

10. A system for facilitating communication with a storage device, comprising:

a discovery apparatus configured to enable detection of the storage device in proximity to a computer system using a discovery protocol; and

a communication apparatus configured to;

if detection of the storage device using the discovery protocol is enabled, establish a wireless peer-to-peer connection between the storage device and the computer system; and

use the wireless peer-to-peer connection to transfer a file between the storage device and the computer system.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the communication apparatus is further configured to:

use an infrastructure connection to transfer the file between the storage device and the computer system if the infrastructure connection is more robust than the wireless peer-to-peer connection.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the discovery apparatus and the communication apparatus are associated with at least one of:

a button;

a switch;

or a peripheral device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein detection of the storage device using the discovery protocol is enabled by:

pressing the button;

toggling the switch;

or

connecting the peripheral device to the storage device.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein enabling detection of the storage device by the computer system using the discovery protocol involves:

advertising a file-transfer capability of the storage device using the discovery protocol.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the storage device is at least one of an internal hard disk drive (HDD), an external HDD, a thumb drive, and a memory card.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the system is integrated into the storage device or physically connected to the storage device.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the wireless peer-to-peer connection is initiated upon receiving a request to transfer the file.

18. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for facilitating communication with a storage device, the method comprising:

providing a physically operated mechanism for enabling detection of the storage device in proximity to a computer system using a discovery protocol; and

if detection of the storage device using the discovery protocol is enabled;

using the physically operated mechanism to establish a wireless peer-to-peer connection between the storage device and the computer system; and

using the wireless peer-to-peer connection to transfer a file between the storage device and the computer system.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, the method further comprising:

using an infrastructure connection to transfer the file between the storage device and the computer system if the infrastructure connection is more robust than the wireless peer-to-peer connection.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the physically operated mechanism comprises at least one of:

a button;

a switch; and

a peripheral device.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein detection of the storage device using the discovery protocol is enabled by:

pressing the button;

toggling the switch;

or

connecting the peripheral device to the storage device.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the physically operated mechanism comprises:

a radio;

a processor; and

a memory.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein enabling detection of the storage device by the computer system using the discovery protocol involves:

advertising a file-transfer capability of the storage device using the discovery protocol.

24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the storage device is at least one of an internal hard disk drive (HDD), an external HDD, a thumb drive, and a memory card.

25. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the physically operated mechanism is integrated into the storage device or physically connected to the storage device.