Copying data onto an expandable memory in a wireless device using a desktop interface

• US 8,370,519 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2008
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Yost, Karl Steven, Song, Jaigak, Middleton, Justin, Zimmerman, Scott, Hales, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, DUYEN MY
• Application Number:
  US12/069,884
• Publication Number:
  US 20090204721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,820 Days
• Field of Search: 709/232, 709/248, 707621-622
• US Class Current: 709/232
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/167 using a common memory, e.g. mailbox
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5651 Reducing the amount or size of exchanged application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/64 file transfer between terminals download of applications H04M1/72406; transfer of messages, e.g. SMS, e-mail or MMS H04M1/7243
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

A method for synchronizing files on an expandable memory card inserted in a wireless device with an application running on a computer desktop where downloading of files is performed wirelessly without user involvement.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, over a data network, a first set of one or more files from a first application running on a computer desktop, the first set of one or more files automatically transmitted whenever they are copied into the first application;

automatically transmitting the first set of one or more files, over a wireless network, to a second application running on a wireless device to initiate the second application writing the first set of one or more files onto an expandable memory via an expandable memory interface as the first set of one or more files are received at the wireless device, the expandable memory removable from the wireless device;

receiving, over the wireless network, an acknowledgement signal from the second application when the first set of one or more files has been written to the expandable memory;

transmitting, over the data network, the acknowledgement signal to the first application running on the desktop indicating that the first set of one or more files has been written to the expandable memory;

receiving, over the wireless network from the wireless device, a current directory of filenames representing a current set of one or more files stored on the expandable memory in the wireless device; and

transmitting, over the data network to the first application, the current directory of filenames representing the current set of one or more files stored on the expandable memory of the wireless device to initiate the first application updating a folder view on the computer desktop of the current set of one or more files stored on the expandable memory in the wireless device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transcoding the first set of one or more files for compatibility with the wireless device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the transcoding is performed at a file proxy in a wireless service.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the transcoding is performed within the first application running on the desktop.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an indication of an amount of free space remaining on the expandable memory.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first application running on the desktop is a Java applet running within a desktop interface application on the desktop.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second application is a file daemon running transparent to a user of the wireless device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising re-starting the transmitting over the wireless network when there is a disruption in a wireless connection, the re-starting comprising transmitting the first set of one or more files from a point in the first set of one or more files where the disruption occurred.

9. A machine-storage device that provides instructions which, when executed on a machine, cause the machine to perform a method comprising:

connecting to a computer desktop over a data network;

receiving, over the data network, a first set of one or more files from a first application running on the desktop, the first set of one or more files automatically transmitted from the first application whenever the first set of one or more files are copied into the first application;

connecting to a wireless device over a wireless network;

transmitting, over the wireless network, the first set of one or more files to a second application running on the wireless device to initiate the second application writing the first set of one or more files onto an expandable memory in the wireless device via an expandable memory interface as the first set of one or more files are received at the wireless device, the expandable memory removable from the wireless device;

receiving, over the wireless network, an acknowledgement signal from the second application when the first set of one or more files has been written to the expandable memory;

transmitting, over the data network, the acknowledgement signal to the first application running on the desktop indicating that the first set of one or more files has been written to the expandable memory;

receiving, over the wireless network from the wireless device, a current directory of filenames representing a current set of one or more files stored on the expandable memory in the wireless device; and

transmitting, over the data network to the first application, the current directory of filenames representing the current set of one or more files stored on the expandable memory of the wireless device to initiate the first application updating a folder view on the computer desktop of the current set of one or more files stored on the expandable memory in the wireless device.

10. The machine-storage device of claim 9, wherein the first set of one or more files are copied into the first application on the desktop by dragging a file identifier associated with each of the first set of one or more files from a location on the desktop and dropping the file identifier into the folder view of the application.

11. The machine-storage device of claim 10, wherein the dragging and dropping is performed by a screen pointer control device.

12. The machine-storage device of claim 10, wherein the file identifier is an icon on the desktop.

13. The machine-storage device of claim 9, wherein the first application running on the desktop is an applet running within a desktop interface application on the desktop.

14. The machine-storage device of claim 9, wherein the second application is a file daemon running transparent to a user of the wireless device.

15. The machine-storage device of claim 9, further comprising re-starting the transmitting over the wireless network when there is a disruption in a wireless connection, the re-starting comprising transmitting the first set of one or more files from a point in the first set of one or more files where the disruption occurred.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a machine-storage device that provides instructions which, when executed on a machine by a processor, cause the machine to implement a connection module and a dispatcher;

the connection module comprising;

a data connection module to connect to a first application running on a computer desktop over a data network;

a wireless connection module to connect to a second application running on a wireless device over a wireless network;

the dispatcher comprising;

a first dispatch logic to communicate with the first application on the desktop over the data network;

a second dispatch logic to communicate with the second application on the wireless device over the wireless network;

a file proxy coupled with the dispatcher comprising;

a first file transfer module to transmit and receive information with the first application over the data network; and

a second file transfer module to transmit and receive information with the second application over the wireless network, wherein;

a first set of one or more files received by the file proxy from the first application over the data network are automatically uploaded and transmitted, over the wireless network, to the second application for storing onto an expandable memory of the wireless device, wherein the second application is coupled to the expandable memory via an expandable memory interface;

the second application is configured to automatically write the first set of one or more files to the expandable memory via the expandable memory interface as the first set of one or more files are received at the wireless device and to transmit an acknowledgement signal when the first set of one or more files has been completely written to the expandable memory, wherein the expandable memory is removable from the wireless device;

updating the expandable memory by adding a second set of one or more files to the expandable memory automatically initiates updating of the first application by adding the second set of one or more files to the first application; and

a current directory of filenames representing a current set of one or more files stored on the expandable memory in the wireless device received by the file proxy from the wireless device over the wireless network are transmitted over the data network to the first application to initiate the first application updating a folder view on the computer desktop of the current set of one or more files stored on the expandable memory in the wireless device.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first application running on the desktop is an applet running within a desktop interface application on the desktop.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the second application is a file daemon running transparent to a user of the wireless device.

19. A system comprising:

means for receiving, over a data network, a first set of one or more files from a first application running on a computer desktop, the first set of one or more files automatically transmitted whenever they are copied into the first application;

means for automatically transmitting the first set of one or more files, over a wireless network, to a second application running on a wireless device to initiate the second application writing the first set of one or more files onto an expandable memory via an expandable memory interface as the first set of one or more files are received at the wireless device, the expandable memory removable from the wireless device;

means for receiving, over the wireless network, an acknowledgement signal from the second application when the first set of one or more files has been written to the expandable memory;

means for transmitting, over the data network, the acknowledgement signal to the first application running on the desktop indicating that the first set of one or more files has been written to the expandable memory;

means for receiving, over the wireless network from the wireless device, a current directory of filenames representing a current set of one or more files stored on the expandable memory in the wireless device; and

means for transmitting, over the data network to the first application, the current directory of filenames representing the current set of one or more files stored on the expandable memory of the wireless device to initiate the first application updating a folder view on the computer desktop of the current set of one or more files stored on the expandable memory in the wireless device.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the first set of one or more files are transcoded for compatibility with the wireless device.