Methods and apparatus for providing automatic high speed data connection in portable device

• US 7,054,981 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2002
• Issued: 05/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Fadell, Anthony M., Krah, Christoph
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Tim
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, TRISHA U
• Application Number:
  US10/179,814
• Publication Number:
  US 20040117518A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,436 Days
• Field of Search: 710 22- 28, 710/308, 710/316, 710/38, 710/305, 710/306, 710/317
• US Class Current: 710/305
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4022 using switching circuits, e.g. switching matrix, connection or expansion network G06F13/4009 takes precedence

Abstract

In a portable FireWire compatible device, a direct memory access (DMA) bus switch coupled by way of a DMA bus to a central processing unit (CPU), a local hard drive (HDD), and a FireWire port, provides a direct connection between the FireWire port and the HDD bypassing a main bus and the CPU when a data transfer request is received and processed by the CPU. Otherwise, until the data transfer request is received and processed, the CPU is directly connected to the HDD. In this way, a high speed data transfer between the FireWire port and the HDD is provided only when an appropriate data transfer request is received and processed.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing a direct connection between an external memory source and a local hard drive in order to facilitate a high speed data transfer in a system that includes a central processing unit (CPU) always connected to a main system bus, comprising:

a direct memory access (DMA) bus;

a local hard drive (HDD) coupled to the DMA bus;

a port receptor connected to the DMA bus arranged to receive an external connector;

a high speed serial cable detection circuit for detecting if a high speed serial cable is connected to the port receptor and wherein, when the high speed serial cable detected, the high speed serial cable detection circuit generates and forwards a high speed data transfer request to the CPU;

a direct memory access bus switch coupled by way of the DMA bus to the CPU that provides a direct connection between the port receptor and the HDD by way of the DMA bus wherein when the direct memory access bus switch provides the direct connection between the port receptor and the HDD by way of the DMA bus, the CPU is unable to access the HDD.

2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

until the direct memory access bus switch provides the direct connection between the port receptor and the HDD by way of the DMA bus, the CPU is directly connected to the HDD.

3. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the port receptor is a Fire Wire port receptor.

4. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is incorporated into a portable Fire Wire enabled device.

5. A method for providing a direct connection between an external memory source and a local hard drive in order to facilitate a high speed data transfer in a system that includes a central processing unit (CPU) always connected to a main system bus, comprising:

providing a direct memory access (DMA) bus;

coupling a local hard drive (HDD) to the DMA bus;

connecting a port receptor to the DMA bus arranged to receive an external connector;

circuit generates and forwards a high speed data transfer request to the CPU;

coupling a direct memory access bus switch to the CPU by way of the DMA;

only when an appropriate data transfer request is received and processed by the CPU, providing a direct connection between the port receptor and the HDD by way of the DMA bus during which the CPU is unable to access the HDD.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, further comprising:

directly connecting the CPU to the HDD until the appropriate data transfer request is received and processed by the CPU.

7. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein the port receptor is a Fire Wire port receptor.

8. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein the system is incorporated into a portable Fire Wire enabled device.

9. An apparatus for providing a direct connection between an external memory source and a local hard drive in order to facilitate a high speed data transfer in a system that includes a central processing unit (CPU) always connected to a main system bus, comprising:

means for providing a direct memory access (DMA) bus;

means for coupling a local hard drive (HDD) to the DMA bus;

means for connecting a port receptor to the DMA bus arranged to receive an external connector;

means for detecting if a high speed serial cable is connected to the port receptor and wherein, when the high speed serial cable detected, the means for detecting generates and forwards a high speed data transfer request to the CPU;

means for coupling a direct memory access bus switch bus to the CPU by way of the DMA;

means for providing a direct connection between the port receptor and the HDD by way of the DMA bus only thereby bypassing the main system bus and the CPU such that the CPU is unable to access the HDD.

10. An apparatus as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

means for directly connecting the CPU to the HDD until the appropriate data transfer request is received and processed by the CPU.

11. An apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein the port receptor is a Fire Wire port receptor.

12. An apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein the system is incorporated into a portable Fire Wire enabled device.

13. In a system that includes a central processing unit (CPU) always connected to a main system bus, an apparatus for providing a direct high speed data transfer connection between an external device having an external device connector and a local memory comprising:

a direct memory access (DMA) bus connected to the local memory;

a port receptor connected to the DMA bus arranged to receive the external device connector;

a high speed serial cable detection circuit for detecting if a high speed serial cable is connected to the port receptor and wherein, when the high speed serial cable detected, the high speed serial cable detection circuit generates and forwards a high speed data transfer request to the CPU; and

a direct memory access bus switch that provides the direct high speed data transfer connection between the port receptor and the local memory as directed by the CPU based upon the high speed data transfer request, wherein when the direct memory access bus switch provides the direct connection between the port receptor and the local memory, the CPU is unable to access the local memory.

14. An apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the high speed cable is an IEEE 1394 compliant cable.

15. An apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the local memory is selected from a group comprising:

an SDRAM device, a Flash ROM device, an EPROM device, and a hard disk drive (HDD).

16. In a system that includes a central processing unit (CPU) connected to a main system bus and a local memory connected to a DMA bus, a method for providing a direct high speed data transfer connection between a port receptor and the local memory, comprising:

detecting a high speed cable connected at the port receptor connected to the DMA bus;

generating a high speed data transfer request when the high speed cable is detected;

providing the direct high speed data transfer connection between the local memory and the port receptor via the DMA bus based upon the high speed data transfer request; and

disabling access between the CPU and the local memory.

17. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the local memory is a hard disk drive (HDD).

18. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the port receptor is an IEEE 1394 compliant port receptor.

19. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the local memory is selected from a group comprising:

an SDRAM device, a Flash ROM device, and an EPROM device.