Hot unpluggable media storage device

• US 7,698,472 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2009
• Issued: 04/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Marciniak, Craig A., Robbin, Jeffrey L., Heller, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen; Alan
• Application Number:
  US12/535,569
• Publication Number:
  US 20090292831A1
• Time in Patent Office: 252 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 method for accessing a portable media player by a host computer over a data link, the portable media player having data storage capability for storing at least media data, comprising:

logically connecting the storage capability of the portable media player to a file system of the host computer immediately after the portable media player has been physically attached to the host computer via the data link without information passing between the portable media player and the host computer, wherein the logical connection between the host computer and the portable media player is maintained until an unmounting request is received such that the data storage capability of the portable media device acts as an extension of the host device file system;

accessing the portable media player data storage capability by the host computer file system over the logical connection; and

unmounting the storage capability of the portable media player from the host computer without physically detaching the portable media player from the file system of the host computer via the data link only in response to the unmounting request.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein forming the logical connection is automatically performed.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the unmounting request; and

unmounting the data storage capability of the portable media player from the host device file system in response to the unmounting request.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein following the unmounting of the data storage capability, the portable media player is capable of being detached from the host device via the data link without detrimental consequences to operation or storage of the host computer or the portable media player.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the data link is provided over a cable or a wireless link.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein when the portable media player is coupled to the host computer via the data link, the data storage capability in the portable media player is an extension of the host device file system.

7. A portable media player, comprising:

a processor;

and

a data storage device, wherein the data storage device forms an extension of a host device file system of a host device by the processor forming a logical connection between the data storage device and a file system of the host device immediately after the portable media player has been physically attached to the host device via a data link wherein the logical connection is formed with no information passing between the portable media player and the host device, wherein the logical connection is maintained until an unmounting request is received at either the host device or the portable media player such that the data storage device of the portable media device acts as an extension of the host device file system, the unmounting request causing the storage capability of the portable media player and the host device to logically disconnect from each other without physically detaching the portable media player from the host device.

8. The portable media player as recited in claim 7, wherein the logical connection is automatically formed.

9. The portable media player as recited in claim 7, wherein when the processor receives an unmounting request, the processor unmounts the data storage device from the host device file system.

10. The portable media player as recited in claim 9, wherein following the unmounting of the data storage device, the portable media player is capable of being detached from the host device via the data link without detrimental consequences to operation or storage of the host computer or the portable media player.

11. The portable media player as recited in claim 7, wherein the data link is provided over a cable or a wireless link.

12. The portable media player as recited in claim 7, wherein when the portable media player is coupled to the host computer via the data link, the data storage device in the portable media player is an extension of the host device file system.

13. A computer readable storage medium for storing computer code for using a data storage device in a portable media player as a mass storage device for a host device, comprising:

computer code for logically connecting the storage capability of the portable media player to a file system of the host device immediately after the portable media player has been physically attached to the host device via a data link, the logical connection being formed without information passing between the portable media player and the host device, wherein the logical connection between the host device and the portable media player is maintained until an unmounting request is received such that the data storage device of the portable media device acts as an extension of the host device file system;

computer code for accessing the portable media player by the host device file system over the logical connection; and

only in response to the unmounting request, computer code for unmounting the storage capability of the portable media player from the host device file system without physically detaching the portable media player from the host device.

14. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 13, wherein forming the logical connection is automatically performed.

15. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 14, further comprising:

computer code for receiving an unmounting request; and

computer code for unmounting the data storage device from the host device file system in response to the unmounting request.

16. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 15, wherein following the unmounting of the data storage device, the portable media player is capable of being detached from the host device via the data link without detrimental consequences to operation or storage of the host computer or the portable media player.

17. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 16, wherein the data link is provided over a cable or a wireless link.

18. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 13, wherein when the portable media player is coupled to the host computer via the data link, the data storage device in the portable media player is an extension of the host device file system.