Apparatus and method for storing data
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A storage apparatus, comprising:
- storage means for storing data;
committing means for making a commitment of an availability of a certain storage space of the storage means to a source device, wherein the storage apparatus and the source device are within a group of devices in a trust environment, wherein each group member device is bound by its respective commitment to the group of devices, wherein the commitments of the group member devices can be different from each other as long as each commitment reaches a registration rule of the group of devices, wherein the registration rule comprises (a) a predetermined minimum storage capacity sharing with other group member devices, (b) an undisturbance of a file originated from the source device stored in the certain storage space, and (c) a predetermined minimum requirement of number of hours per day of online accessibility of the certain storage space;
detecting means for detecting the availability of the certain storage space of the storage means to produce a detection result (i) by itself or (ii) in response to an inquiry received from the source device, wherein the detection result includes an indication that (a) a file from the source device stored by the storage apparatus is still there, (b) the stored file is undisturbed, and (c) an online accessibility exceeds the minimum requirement; and
communication means for informing the source device of the detection result, wherein responsive to a detection result indicating that the commitment is violated, the source device takes corresponding action(s) to delete, and thereby cause loss of data of, a file(s) originated from the storage apparatus and stored outside the storage apparatus within the group of devices.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present application provides a storage apparatus for storing data. The storage apparatus comprises storage means for storing data, committing means for committing the availability of a certain storage space to a source device, detecting means for detecting the availability of the certain storage space to produce a detection result, and communication means for informing the source device the detection result, whereby the source device takes corresponding action(s) according to the detection result. In this way, each storage device of a group is bound by its commitment, if it violates its commitment, it risks the loss of its file(s) stored on other members'"'"' storage space.
-
Citations
23 Claims
-
1. A storage apparatus, comprising:
-
storage means for storing data; committing means for making a commitment of an availability of a certain storage space of the storage means to a source device, wherein the storage apparatus and the source device are within a group of devices in a trust environment, wherein each group member device is bound by its respective commitment to the group of devices, wherein the commitments of the group member devices can be different from each other as long as each commitment reaches a registration rule of the group of devices, wherein the registration rule comprises (a) a predetermined minimum storage capacity sharing with other group member devices, (b) an undisturbance of a file originated from the source device stored in the certain storage space, and (c) a predetermined minimum requirement of number of hours per day of online accessibility of the certain storage space; detecting means for detecting the availability of the certain storage space of the storage means to produce a detection result (i) by itself or (ii) in response to an inquiry received from the source device, wherein the detection result includes an indication that (a) a file from the source device stored by the storage apparatus is still there, (b) the stored file is undisturbed, and (c) an online accessibility exceeds the minimum requirement; and communication means for informing the source device of the detection result, wherein responsive to a detection result indicating that the commitment is violated, the source device takes corresponding action(s) to delete, and thereby cause loss of data of, a file(s) originated from the storage apparatus and stored outside the storage apparatus within the group of devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A method for storing data of a storage device of a storage apparatus on a source device, comprising:
-
committing an availability of a certain storage space of the storage device of the storage apparatus to the source device via a commitment, wherein the storage apparatus and the source device are within a group of devices in a trust environment, wherein each group member device is bound by its respective commitment to the group of devices, wherein the commitments of the group member devices can be different from each other as long as each commitment reaches a registration rule of the group of devices, wherein the registration rule comprises (a) a predetermined minimum storage capacity sharing with other group member devices, (b) an undisturbance of a file originated from the source device stored in the certain storage space, and (c) a predetermined minimum requirement of number of hours per day of online accessibility of the certain storage space; detecting the availability of the certain storage space of the storage device of the storage apparatus to produce a detection result (i) by itself or (ii) in response to an inquiry received from the source device, wherein the detection result includes an indication that (a) a file from the source device stored by the storage apparatus is still there, (b) the stored file is undisturbed, and (c) an online accessibility exceeds the minimum requirement; and informing the source device of the detection result, wherein responsive to a detection result indicating that the commitment is violated, the source device takes corresponding action(s) to delete, and thereby cause loss of data of, a file(s) originated from the storage apparatus and stored outside the storage apparatus within the group of devices. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A computer-readable medium embodied with a computer program executable by a computer for storing data of a storage device of a storage apparatus on a source device, comprising:
-
code for committing an availability of a certain storage space of the storage apparatus to the source device via a commitment, wherein the storage apparatus and the source device are within a group of devices in a trust environment, wherein each group member device is bound by its respective commitment to the group of devices, wherein the commitments of the group member devices can be different from each other as long as each commitment reaches a registration rule of the group of devices, wherein the registration rule comprises (a) a predetermined minimum storage capacity sharing with other group member devices, (b) an undisturbance of a file originated from the source device stored in the certain storage space, and (c) a predetermined minimum requirement of number of hours per day of online accessibility of the certain storage space; code for detecting the availability of the certain storage space of the storage device of the storage apparatus to produce a detection result (i) by itself or (ii) in response to an inquiry received from the source device, wherein the detection result includes an indication that (a) a file from the source device stored by the storage apparatus is still there, (b) the stored file is undisturbed, and (c) an online accessibility exceeds the minimum requirement; and code for informing the source device of the detection result, wherein responsive to a detection result indicating that the commitment is violated, the source device takes corresponding action(s) to delete, and thereby cause loss of data of, a file(s) originated from the storage apparatus and stored outside the storage apparatus within the group of devices.
-
-
19. A grouping apparatus for grouping a plurality of storage devices including a first storage device and a second storage device, comprising:
-
communication means for receiving a commitment of an availability of a certain storage space from the first storage device within a group of devices in a trust environment and another commitment of an availability of another certain storage space from the second storage device within the group of devices, wherein the commitments of the group member devices can be different from each other as long as each commitment reaches a registration rule of the group of devices, wherein the registration rule comprises (a) a predetermined minimum storage capacity sharing with other group member devices, (b) an undisturbance of a file originated from a source device stored in the certain storage space, and (c) a predetermined minimum requirement of number of hours per day of online accessibility of the certain storage space; registering means for respectively registering the first storage device and the second storage device as one member of the group of devices, wherein each group member device is bound by its respective commitment to the group of devices; and detecting means for detecting the availability of the certain storage space of the first storage device to produce a detection result (i) by itself or (ii) in response to an inquiry received from the source device, wherein the detection result includes an indication that (a) a file from the source device stored by the storage apparatus is still there, (b) the stored file is undisturbed, and (c) an online accessibility exceeds the minimum requirement, wherein the commutation means is further for informing the second storage device of the detection result, and wherein responsive to a detection result indicating that the commitment is violated, the second storage device takes corresponding action(s) to delete, and thereby cause loss of data of, a file(s) originated from the first storage device and stored outside the first storage device within the group of devices. - View Dependent Claims (20)
-
-
21. A method for grouping a plurality of storage devices including a first storage device and a second storage device, comprising:
-
receiving a commitment of an availability of a certain storage space from the first storage device within a group of devices in a trust environment and another commitment of an availability of another certain storage space from the second storage device within the group of devices, wherein the commitments of the group member devices can be different from each other as long as each commitment reaches a registration rule of the group of devices, wherein the registration rule comprises (a) a predetermined minimum storage capacity sharing with other group member devices, (b) an undisturbance of a file originated from a source device stored in the certain storage space, and (c) a predetermined minimum requirement of number of hours per day of online accessibility of the certain storage space; respectively registering the first storage device and the second storage device as one member of the group of devices, wherein each group member device is bound by its respective commitment to the group of devices; detecting the availability of the certain storage space of the first storage device to produce a detection result (i) by itself or (ii) in response to an inquiry received from the source device, wherein the detection result includes an indication that (a) a file from the source device stored by the storage apparatus is still there, (b) the stored file is undisturbed, and (c) an online accessibility exceeds the minimum requirement; and informing the second storage device of the detection result, wherein responsive to a detection result indicating that the commitment is violated, the second storage device takes corresponding action(s) to delete, and thereby cause loss of data of, a file(s) originated from the first storage device and stored outside the first storage device within the group of devices. - View Dependent Claims (22)
-
-
23. A computer-readable medium embodied with a computer program executable by a computer for grouping a plurality of storage devices including a first storage device and a second storage device, comprising:
-
code for receiving a commitment of an availability of a certain storage space from the first storage device within a group of devices in a trust environment and another commitment of an availability of another certain storage space from the second storage device within the group of devices, wherein the commitments of the group member devices can be different from each other as long as each commitment reaches a registration rule of the group of devices, wherein the registration rule comprises (a) a predetermined minimum storage capacity sharing with other group member devices, (b) an undisturbance of a file originated from a source device stored in the certain storage space, and (c) a predetermined minimum requirement of number of hours per day of online accessibility of the certain storage space; code for respectively registering the first storage device and the second storage device as one member of the group of devices, wherein each group member device is bound by its respective commitment to the group of devices; code for detecting the availability of the certain storage space of the first storage device to produce a detection result (i) by itself or (ii) in response to an inquiry received from the source device, wherein the detection result includes an indication that (a) a file from the source device stored by the storage apparatus is still there, (b) the stored file is undisturbed, and (c) an online accessibility exceeds the minimum requirement; and code for informing the second storage device of the detection result, wherein responsive to a detection result indicating that the commitment is violated, the second storage device takes corresponding action(s) to delete, and thereby cause loss of data of, a file(s) originated from the first storage device and stored outside the first storage device within the group of devices.
-
Specification