Interface for extending functionality of memory cards

• US 8,832,161 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2011
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Sherman, Itay, Segalov, Yaron
• Primary Examiner(s): OBISESAN, AUGUSTINE KUNLE
• Application Number:
  US13/164,773
• Publication Number:
  US 20110314068A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,176 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/824
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/166 File name conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1847 specifically adapted to static storage, e.g. adapted to flash memory or SSD
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0623 in relation to content
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0643 Management of files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0646 Horizontal data movement in storage systems, i.e. moving data in between storage devices or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0659 Command handling arrangements, e.g. command buffers, queues, command scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0664 at device level, e.g. emulation of a storage device or system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0667 at data level, e.g. file, record or object virtualisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0673 Single storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0679 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A flash memory card, including a memory and a wireless modem for downloading remote directory listings and media files and streams over the Internet, and a driver for the flash memory card for managing a system of files and directories in the memory, and for invoking an action directed to the wireless modem, wherein the action is associated by the driver with a designated file system command.

Claims

1. An enhanced flash memory card, comprising:

a flash memory card, comprising;

a wireless modem for downloading remote directory listings, and media files and streams over the Internet; and

a memory partitioned into physical data storage clusters; and

a driver for said flash memory card (i) for managing a file allocation table (FAT) that stores information about physical and virtual data storage clusters, the physical clusters being mapped to real locations in said memory and the virtual clusters having addresses that are higher than the highest address of any real location in said memory, the FAT including stub files for remote directory listings and remote media files and streams, wherein the stub files point to virtual data clusters, (ii) for managing a download conversion map from virtual cluster numbers to pointers of remote media files and streams, and (iii) for storing downloaded directory listings and media files and streams in the physical data storage clusters.

2. The enhanced flash memory card of claim 1 wherein the remote media files and streams are MP3 audio files and streams, respectively.

3. The enhanced flash memory card of claim 1 wherein the remote media files and streams are MP4 video files and streams, respectively.

4. A method for remote file access using flash memory, comprising:

issuing a read request from a host device to a flash memory file system, the flash memory being represented as a plurality of physical and virtual data storage clusters, the physical clusters being mapped to real locations in the flash memory and the virtual clusters having addresses that are higher than the highest address of any real location in the flash memory, wherein the read request is addressed to a designated virtual data cluster;

reading a stub file at a physical data cluster of the flash memory that corresponds to the designated virtual data cluster;

identifying a universal resource locator (URL) for remote file data that corresponds to the designated virtual data cluster;

receiving the remote file data from the URL; and

storing the remote file data in physical data clusters of the flash memory.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the stub file contains a place holder message that is displayed while said receiving remote data is being performed.