Hot unpluggable media storage device

• US 7,590,773 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2006
• Issued: 09/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Robbin, Jeffrey L., Heller, David, Marciniak, Craig A.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEN, ALAN S
• Application Number:
  US11/543,681
• Publication Number:
  US 20070028009A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 710/8, 710/10, 710 14- 19, 710/32, 710 72- 74
• US Class Current: 710/17
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2003/0697 device management, e.g. handlers, drivers, I/O schedulers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0601 Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0632 by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0674 Disk device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4413 Plug-and-play [PnP]

Abstract

Improved techniques for rendering a peripheral device removable (e.g., unpluggable) are disclosed. According to one aspect of the invention, the peripheral device is rendered removable from a host computer without preparatory user actions. In effect, the peripheral device can be automatically prepared for removal in the event that its user removes (unplugs) it from its host computer. According to another aspect of the invention, the peripheral device includes a data storage device that is mounted to a file system of the other computer when the other computer desires access to the data storage device. Otherwise, the data storage device is normally unmounted so that if the peripheral device were to be removed (e.g., unplugged) no harm or damage to data stored therein would occur. These aspects of the invention can be utilized alone or in combination with one another. The invention is particularly well suited for peripheral devices that are media players which are “hot” unpluggable without detrimental consequences.

Claims

1. A computer readable storage medium including at least computer program code for accessing a portable electronic device by a host computer over a data link, the portable electronic device having at least storage capability for storing media data, said computer readable medium comprising:

computer program code for logically connecting the storage capability of the portable electronic device to a file system of the host computer immediately after the portable electronic device has been physically attached to the host computer via the data link, wherein there is no polling between the portable electronic device and the host computer in order to establish the logical connection;

computer program code for performing first processing at the host computer which accesses the portable electronic device provided the portable electronic device is attached to the host computer via the data link; and

computer program code for unmounting the storage capability of the portable electronic device from the file system without physically detaching the portable electronic device from the host computer via the data link, the logical disconnection being performed automatically after completing performance of the first processing which accesses the portable electronic device.

2. A computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device produces audio output for a user of the portable electronic device based on the media data stored in the storage device.

3. A computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device includes a data storage device, and

wherein the unmounting is automatically performed by said computer program code for logical disconnection following access to the data storage device as needed for the first processing.

4. A computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 1, wherein following said logical disconnection of the portable electronic device, the portable electronic device is capable of being detached from the host computer via the data link without any preparatory user interactions with either the host computer or the portable electronic device.

5. A computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 1, wherein said computer readable medium further comprises:

computer program code for subsequently determining whether subsequent processing at the host computer requires access to the portable electronic device that is logically disconnected therefrom but remains physically attached to the host computer via the data link.

6. A computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 5, wherein, when said computer program code for determining determines that the subsequent processing at the host computer requires access to the portable electronic device, said computer readable medium further comprises:

computer program code for re-establishing the logical connection between the portable electronic device and the file system of the host computer, wherein there is no polling between the portable electronic device and the host computer in order to establish the logical connection;

computer program code for performing, following said logical connection, the subsequent processing at the host computer which accesses the portable electronic device; and

computer program code for unmounting the storage capability of the portable electronic device from the file system without detaching the portable electronic device from the host computer via the data link, said unmounting being automatically performed after completing access to the portable electronic device as needed for the subsequent processing.

7. A computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 6, wherein the portable electronic device include a data storage device, and

wherein the logical disconnection is automatically performed by said computer program code for logical disconnection following access to the data storage device as needed for the first processing.

8. A computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 7, wherein the storage device is a disk storage device, and wherein when the portable electronic device is coupled to the host computer via the data link, the portable electronic device operates as a remote disk storage device for the host computer.

9. A computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device is a handheld device.

10. A computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 8, wherein the handheld device is a media player.

11. A computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the data link is provided over a peripheral cable.

12. A computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the data link is provided through a connector.

13. A computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 1, wherein the first processing is a synchronization process for media data whereby the host computer transfers certain media data to the portable electronic device.

14. A computer capable of accessing a portable electronic device, the portable electronic device having at least a bus for data transfer and a storage device for storing media content, said computer comprising:

means for mounting the storage device of the portable electronic device with a file system of said computer immediately after it has been determined that the data transfer bus has been physically attached to the computer, wherein there is no polling between the portable electronic device and the computer in order for the storage device of the portable electronic device to be mounted with the file system;

means for accessing the storage device over the bus to perform initial processing; and

means for unmounting the storage device of the portable electronic device from the system of the computer once the initial processing is completed.

15. A computer as recited in claim 14, wherein the portable electronic device also includes processing circuitry and is associated with at least one of a display and a speaker, and the portable electronic device being capable of itself outputting the media content stored in the storage device to at least one of the display and the speaker.

16. A computer as recited in claim 14, wherein said computer program code for unmounting operates to unmount the storage device from the system automatically without any user initiated action to request unmounting.

17. A computer as recited in claim 14, wherein said computer further comprises:

means for determining, subsequent to being unmounted, whether access to the storage device is needed to perform subsequent processing;

means for remounting the storage device of the portable electronic device with the system of the other computer when it is determined that access to the storage device is needed;

means for accessing the storage device from the other computer over the bus to perform the subsequent processing; and

means for unmounting the storage device of the portable electronic device from the system of the other computer once said accessing for the subsequent processing is completed.

18. A computer as recited in claim 17, wherein the initial processing is initial media-based processing, and wherein the subsequent processing is subsequent media-based processing.

19. A computer as recited in claim 18, wherein the portable computing device produces audio output for a user of the portable electronic device from the media content stored in the storage device.

20. A computer as recited in claim 14, wherein said computer further comprises:

means for detecting physical disconnection of the portable electronic device from the bus associated with the computer.

21. A computer capable of accessing a handheld electronic device, the handheld electronic device having at least a bus for data transfer and a data storage device for storing data, said computer comprising:

a file system for storage of data; and

a processor configured to (i) mount the data storage device of the handheld electronic device to said file system of said computer immediately after the data transfer bus has been physically attached to the computer without any polling between the handheld electronic device and the computer, (ii) access the data storage device over the bus to perform initial processing; and

(iii) unmount the data storage device of the handheld electronic device from said file system of the computer once the initial processing is completed.

22. A computer as recited in claim 21, wherein the handheld electronic device produces audio output for a user of the handheld electronic device based on the data stored in the data storage device.

23. A computer as recited in claim 21, wherein the unmounting is automatically performed by said computer following access to the data storage device once the initial processing is completed.

24. A computer as recited in claim 21, wherein following said unmounting, the handheld electronic device is capable of being detached from the computer via the bus without any preparatory user interactions with either the computer or the handheld electronic device.