Plug-in file sharing

• US 7,870,274 B1
• Filed: 06/05/2008
• Issued: 01/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Contino, Jeffrey R., Olding, Douglas Alan, Cope, Warren B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne; Ario
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nano; Sargon N
• Application Number:
  US12/133,501
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/208, 709/212, 709/216, 709/219, 709/229
• US Class Current: 709/229
• 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

First data is received from a network. The first data includes data stored by a mass storage device. The first data is sent to a first mobile communication device via a first wireless communication link. The first mobile communication device is enumerated by a first computer system as a first locally attached mass storage device. The first mobile communication device communicates the first data to the first computer system as data that was stored on the first locally attached mass storage device. The first data is sent to a second mobile communication device via a second wireless communication link. The second mobile communication device is enumerated by the second computer system as a second locally attached mass storage device. The second mobile communication device communicates the first data to the second computer system as data that was stored on the second locally attached mass storage device.

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 mobile communication device via a first wireless communication link, wherein said first mobile communication device is connected to a first computer system;

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

and wherein said first mobile communication device 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 mobile communication device via a second wireless communication link, wherein said second mobile communication device is connected to a second computer system;

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

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

associating the first data to the first mobile communication device using a first device identifier, wherein the first device identifier is associated with the first mobile communication device;

associating the first data to the second mobile communication device using a second device identifier, wherein the second device identifier is associated with the second mobile communication device;

receiving second data from the second mobile communication device via the second wireless communication 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 mobile communication device via the first wireless communication link.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving second data from the second mobile communication device via the second wireless communication 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:

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

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

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said broadband long distance wireless communication link comprises a WiMAX specified system.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring said communication system to allow said first mobile communication device to communicate with said mass storage system; and

,

configuring said communication system to allow said second mobile communication device to communicate with said mass storage system.

7. 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 communication interface 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 communication interface 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;

and wherein said interface associates the first block of data to the first wireless communication interface using a first interface identifier, wherein the first interface identifier is associated with the first wireless communication interface;

and wherein said interface associates the first block of data to the second wireless communication interface using a second interface identifier, wherein the second interface identifier is associated with the second wireless communication interface;

and wherein the second wireless communication interface sends a second block of data to the interface for storage by the mass storage device as data sent to a third locally connected mass storage device;

and wherein said interface is adapted to receive the second block of data from the second wireless communication interface;

and wherein said interface is adapted to store the second block of data on the mass storage device;

and wherein said interface is adapted to send the second block of data to the first wireless communication interface;

and wherein the first wireless communication interface receives the second block of data as data retrieved from a fourth locally connected mass storage device.

8. A mass storage system of claim 7 wherein the mass storage system associates the first block of data with the first wireless communication interface using a device identifier provided by the first wireless communication interface.

9. The mass storage system of claim 7 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 communication interface.

10. The mass storage system of claim 7 wherein the first wireless communication interface 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 communication interface;

and wherein the second wireless communication interface 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 communication interface.