Peripheral device and device connection system

• US 8,214,540 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2010
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kuno, Hiroshi, Tashiro, Jun, Okubo, Hideaki, Ishimoto, Takeshi, Okaue, Takumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Mamo, Elias
• Application Number:
  US12/896,323
• Publication Number:
  US 20110087804A1
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 710/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• 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 3/0661 Format or protocol conversion arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0679 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP]

Abstract

A peripheral device includes: an input/output block connected to a device subject to connection; a communication block configured to communicate with a device subject to communication; and a conversion block configured, if the device subject to communication is a storage device, to convert a storage access command output by the device subject to connection to the input/output block into a communication command that is transferred between the communication block and the device subject to communication, wherein the communication block transmits the communication command generated by the conversion block to the device subject to communication and transfers, with the device subject to communication, one of data that is written by the device subject to connection to the device subject to communication and data that is read from the device subject to communication.

Claims

1. A peripheral device comprising:

an input/output block that connects to a first device;

a wireless communication block configured to wirelessly communicate with a second device in which data can be stored;

a conversion block configured to convert a storage access command output by said first device to said input/output block into a communication command for a transfer to said second device, the wireless communication block being configured to transmit the communication command to the second device;

a memory configured to store data;

a selector switch block; and

a control block configured to control the selector switch block,

wherein,

the wireless communication block is configured to detect the second device within a communication range of the wireless communication block and to output to the control block (i) a detection signal when the second device is detected within the communication range and (ii) a non-detection signal when the second device is not detected within the communication range, and

the control block (a) controls the selector switch block in response to the detection signal to make the second device accessible by the first device and (b) controls the selector switch block in response to the non-detection signal to make the memory accessible by the first device.

2. The peripheral device according to claim 1, wherein:

the storage access command output by said first device is a write request command to write data and said conversion block converts the write request command into a transmit command to transmit data from said wireless communication block to said second device,

said input/output block outputs a data request signal to said first device in response to said write request command and takes in write data from said first device after outputting said data request signal,

said peripheral device further comprises a buffer memory configured to accumulate the write data input into said input/output block by the first device, and

said wireless communication block transmits said transmit command and the write data accumulated in said buffer memory to said second device.

3. The peripheral device according to claim 1, wherein:

the storage access command output by said first device is a read request command to read data and said conversion block converts the read request command into a receive request command for said wireless communication block to receive data from said second device,

said wireless communication block receives read data from said second device after transmitting said receive request command to said second device,

said peripheral device further comprises a buffer memory configured to accumulate the read data received by said wireless communication block from said second device in a manner in which said received read data is readable by said first, and

when said read data has been accumulated in said buffer memory, said input/output block outputs a ready signal to said first device, the ready signal indicative of the read data being ready for reading.

4. The peripheral device according to claim 1, wherein:

said peripheral device further comprises a power supply terminal configured to receive power from said first device upon detection of a connection of said peripheral device to said first device, and

said wireless communication block operates on the power supplied from said power supply terminal.

5. The peripheral device according claim 1, wherein said peripheral device further comprises a detection terminal configured for said first device to detect a connection of said peripheral device to said first device.

6. The peripheral device according to claim 1, wherein:

said wireless communication block wirelessly transfers data to said second device, and

said peripheral device is a card-type communication device that is inserted into a card slot of said first device.

8. The peripheral device according to claim 1, wherein:

the peripheral device further comprises a buffer memory that is readable and writable to by the first device via the input/output block,

the selector switch block connects the wireless communication block to the buffer memory in response to the detection signal, and

the selector switch block connects the memory to the buffer memory in response to the non-detection signal.

9. The peripheral device according to claim 2, wherein:

the selector switch block connects the wireless communication block to the buffer memory in response to the detection signal, and

the selector switch block connects the memory to the buffer memory in response to the non-detection signal.

10. The peripheral device according to claim 3, wherein:

the selector switch block connects the wireless communication block to the buffer memory in response to the detection signal, and

the selector switch block connects the memory to the buffer memory in response to the non-detection signal.

11. The peripheral device according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication block outputs the non-detection signal after a passage of a predetermined time period.

12. The peripheral device according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication block is further configured to transfer data that is written by said first device to the second device.

13. The peripheral device according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication block is further configured to transfer data that is read from said second device to said first device.

7. A device connection system comprising:

a first device;

a peripheral device that detachably connects to said first device; and

a second device separate from said first device, the second device being a device in which data can be stored,

said peripheral device having

an input/output block that connects to said first device,

a wireless communication block configured to wirelessly communicate with said second device,

a conversion block configured to convert a storage access command output by said first device to said input/output block into a communication command for a transfer to said second device, the wireless communication block being configured to transmit the communication command to the second device,

a memory configured to store data,

a selector switch block, and

a control block configured to control the selector switch block,

wherein,

the wireless communication block is configured to detect the second device within a communication range of the wireless communication block and to output to the control block (i) a detection signal when the second device is detected within the communication range and (ii) a non-detection signal when the second device is not detected within the communication range, and

the control block (a) controls the selector switch block in response to the detection signal to make the second device accessible by the first device and (b) controls the selector switch block in response to the non-detection signal to make the memory accessible by the first device.