Methods and apparatus for power state based backup

• US 8,689,034 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2012
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Alsina, Thomas, Freedman, Gordon J., Ganatra, Nitin K., McNeil, Kenneth B., Krugler, Eric, Kelly, Sean B., Schmidt, Edward T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bae, Ji H
• Application Number:
  US13/596,009
• Publication Number:
  US 20130086408A1
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 713/340
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/30 Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations for resetting only G06F1/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1458 Management of the backup or restore process
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability

Abstract

Methods and apparatus that receive, at a wireless device, power through wire or inductive pad are described. The received power is monitored to back up data from the device to a server in a network through an OTA (over the air) wireless interface. The data is transmitted to the server to back up the data on the device. While backing up the data, whether the power has been removed from the device is determined. The backing up of the data in the device can be terminated automatically and without user request, in response to the determination that the power has been removed.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to said processor, the memory storing instructions for controlling the processor to perform steps comprising;

determining, while a backup process is backing up data on the device, that a power source supplying power to the device has changed from a first power source to a second power source;

automatically, and without user request, terminating the backup process in response to the determination;

detecting that the power source supplying power to the device has changed back to the first power source after termination of the backup process;

resuming the backup process in response to the detection; and

charging a battery inside the device from power received from the first power source, wherein the battery is the second power source and wherein termination of the charging of the battery changes the power source supplying power to the device from the first power source to the second power source.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the power is received from the first power source at the device via a power plug.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the power source supplying power to the device changes from the first power source to the second power source as a result of insufficient power from the first power source.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the power is received from the first power source at the device via a solar panel coupled to the device and wherein the power source supplying power to the device changes from the first power source to the second power source as a result of lack of access to a solar source by the solar panel when the device relocates.

5. A device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to said processor, the memory storing instructions for controlling the processor to perform steps comprising;

determining, while a backup process is backing up data on the device, that power to the device has changed from a first power source to a second power source;

automatically, and without user request, terminating the backup process in response to the determination;

detecting that power to the device has changed back to the first power source after termination of the backup process;

resuming the backup process in response to the detection, and

wherein the backup process comprises performing a plurality of backup operations, wherein the backup process is in progress with at least one of the backup operations remaining to be performed when the power to the device changes from the first power source to the second power source, and

wherein the backup process is in progress for one of the backup operations, and is terminated before the one backup operation is completed.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein resuming the backup process comprises performing the at least one of the backup operations.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the backup process further comprises:

tracking a terminated state of the backup process, wherein the terminated state indicates which of the backup operations have been completed when the power changes from the first power source to another power source.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the backup process is resumed from the terminated state without performing the backup operations which have been completed before detecting that power to the device has changed back to the first power source.

9. A computer implemented method, comprising:

determining, while a backup process is backing up data on a device, that a power source supplying power to the device has changed from a first power source to a second power source;

automatically, and without user request, terminating the backup process in response to the determination;

detecting that the power source supplying power to the device has changed back to the first power source after termination of the backup process;

resuming the backup process in response to the detection; and

charging a battery inside the device from power received from the first power source, wherein the battery is the second power source and wherein termination of the charging of the battery changes the power source supplying power to the device from the first power source to the second power source.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the power source supplying power to the device changes from the first power source to the second power source as a result of insufficient power from the first power source.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the backup process comprises performing a plurality of backup operations, wherein the backup process is in progress with at least one of the backup operations remaining to be performed when the power to the device changes from the first power source to the second power source.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the backup process is terminated without performing the at least one of the backup operations.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein resuming the backup process comprises performing the at least one of the backup operations.

14. A machine-readable non-transitory storage medium having instructions therein, which when executed by a machine, causes the machine to perform a method, the method comprising:

determining, while a backup process is backing up data on a device, that a power source supplying power to the device has changed from a first power source to a second power source;

automatically, and without user request, terminating the backup process in response to the determination;

detecting that the power source supplying power to the device has changed back to the first power source after termination of the backup process;

resuming the backup process in response to the detection, and

wherein the instructions for controlling the processor further comprise charging a battery inside the device from power received from the first power source, wherein the battery is the second power source and wherein termination of the charging of the battery changes the power source supplying power to the device from the first power source to the second power source.

15. The medium of claim 14, wherein the power source supplying power to the device changes from the first power source to the second power source as a result of insufficient power from the first power source.

16. The medium of claim 14, wherein the backup process comprises performing a plurality of backup operations, wherein the backup process is in progress with at least one of the backup operations remaining to be performed when the power source supplying power to the device changes from the first power source to the second power source.

17. The medium of claim 16, wherein the backup process is terminated without performing the at least one of the backup operations.

18. The medium of claim 16, wherein resuming the backup process comprises performing the at least one of the backup operations.