Device for connection with a storage device and a host

• US 8,166,220 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2008
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Western Digital Israel Limited (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SanDisk IL Ltd. (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Pomerantz, Itzhak, Hahn, Judah Gamliel, Ben-Yacov, Shai
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, CHUN KUAN
• Application Number:
  US12/185,760
• Publication Number:
  US 20100030929A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,359 Days
• Field of Search: 710 62- 74
• US Class Current: 710/74
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices

Abstract

A dual-interface connector for providing an interface to a storage device and an interface to a host and for connecting between a storage device and a host includes a storage device interface, for connecting with a storage device, and a host interface, for connecting with a host. A controller is operable in at least two distinct modes of operation. In a first mode of operation, the controller enables a session to be opened, by the host, between the storage device and the host when the storage device is connected to the storage device interface and the host is connected to the host interface. In a second mode of operation, the controller is operative, if an open session exists between the storage device and the host, to maintain the open session between the storage device and the host even after the storage device is disconnected from the storage device interface.

Claims

1. A device for providing multiple interfaces for connecting between multiple devices, the device comprising:

a storage device interface to connect to a storage device;

a host interface to connect to a host; and

a controller coupled to the storage device interface and to the host interface,

wherein in a first mode, the controller is configured to allow the host to establish an open session between the storage device and the host in response to detecting that the storage device is operatively connected to the storage device interface and that the host is operatively connected to the host interface, wherein the open session enables the host to retrieve data from the storage device, to write data to the storage device, and to initiate executing an application on the host;

wherein while the open session is established between the storage device and the host, in a second mode of operation, the controller is configured to maintain the open session by preventing the application from terminating and by locking a user input interface of the host in response to the storage device being physically disconnected from the storage device interface, to provide an indication to the host that the storage device is not electrically connected to the storage device interface, and in response to the storage device being reconnected to the storage device interface, to automatically unlock the user input interface and to continue the open session between the storage device and the host; and

in response to the host interface physically disconnecting from the host and the storage device interface physically disconnecting from the storage device, to end the open session by terminating execution of the application, wherein a user is logged off of the host when the open session is ended.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the storage device is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) flash drive.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the USB flash drive includes a wireless interface configured to enable connection of the USB flash drive to the storage device interface.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the host is configured to:

lock a user interface of the host and maintain the session between the storage device and the host when the storage device is disconnected from the storage device interface; and

automatically unlock the user interface and continue the session between the storage device and the host when the storage device is reconnected to the storage device interface.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to modify a descriptor provided by the storage device to the host and wherein a session control application resides on the host and configures the host to be responsive to the modified descriptor provided by the storage device.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the session control application is received by the host from the storage device or the controller.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the indication includes a signal.

8. A host to connect to a device functioning as a dual-interface connector, the host comprising:

a user interface;

a device interface that is configured to operatively connect with a storage device and to a device functioning as a dual-interface connector; and

a session control application that is operative to;

unlock the user interface in response to detecting that the storage device is connected to the host, via the dual-interface connector, to establish an open session with the storage device, wherein the open session enables the host to retrieve data from and to write data to the storage device, and to initiate executing a user application on the host;

maintain the open session by locking the user interface and preventing the session control application from terminating in response to determining the storage device is physically disconnected from the dual-interface connector and that the storage device is not electrically connected to the host, via the dual-interface connector;

automatically unlock the user interface and continue the open session between the storage device and the host in response to determining that the storage device is reconnected to the host, via the dual-interface connector; and

end the open session in response to determining that the dual-interface connector is physically disconnected from both the host and from the storage device by logging off a host user and terminating the user application.

9. The host of claim 8, wherein in response to determining that the storage device has been disconnected from the dual-interface connector while the dual-interface connector remains connected to the device interface, the user interface of the host is locked.

10. The host of claim 9, wherein in response to determining that the storage device has been reconnected to the dual-interface connector while the dual-interface connector remains connected to the device interface, the user interface of the host is automatically unlocked.

11. The host of claim 8, wherein in response to determining that the dual-interface connector has been disconnected from the device interface, the session between the host and the storage device is terminated and the user interface is unlocked.

12. The host of claim 8, wherein the session control application is further operative to determine when a modified descriptor is received at the device interface, wherein the modified descriptor includes a standard descriptor for the storage device augmented by a predetermined value indicating a presence of the device functioning as the dual-interface connector.

13. The host of claim 12, wherein the session control application is operative to remove the predetermined value from the modified descriptor, wherein the standard descriptor is provided to at least one of:

the user interface; and

other programs executing on the host.

14. The host of claim 8, wherein the session control application is downloaded to the host from the storage device or from the dual-interface connector in response to a first operational connection being established between the storage device and the device and a second operational connection being established between the host and the device.

15. A method, comprising:

in a host, performing;

starting an open session between a data storage device and the host via a device operationally connected between the data storage device and the host, wherein the open session enables the host to retrieve data from the data storage device, to write data to the data storage device, and to initiate executing an application on the host;

receiving an indication via the device after the data storage device has been physically disconnected from the device indicating that the data storage device has been electrically disconnected from the device, and in response to receiving the indication that the data storage device has been electrically disconnected from the device, locking a user interface of the host, preventing the application from terminating, and maintaining the open session between the host and the data storage device;

in response to receiving a second indication indicating that the data storage device has been reconnected to the device, automatically unlocking the user interface and continuing the open session between the host and the data storage device; and

in response to determining that the device is physically disconnected from both the host and from the data storage device, ending the open session by logging off a host user and terminating execution of the application.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the session comprises a single communication channel between the data storage device and the host, and further comprising, in response to detecting that the device has been disconnected from the host, terminating the session between the host and the data storage device.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the host supports a session control application that is operative to identify when a modified data storage device descriptor is received, wherein the modified data storage device descriptor includes a standard device descriptor for the data storage device connected to the host and a code appended to the standard device descriptor.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the code includes a hex code, and wherein the session control application is further operative to remove the hex code from the modified data storage device descriptor such that the standard device descriptor for the data storage device is presented to other programs executing on the host.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the session control application is received by the host from one of the data storage device and a network.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the data storage device is a universal serial bus (USB) flash drive.