File location application programming interface

• US 9,747,303 B1
• Filed: 01/29/2016
• Issued: 08/29/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Reeves, Raymond Emilio, Wick, Ryan Alan, Jones, III, John Marvin
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Greta
• Application Number:
  US15/010,959
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 707705, 707758, 707770, 707805, 707812, 707831, 707999205, 707E1701, 717168, 709238, 709239, 709242
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/188 Virtual file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/196 Specific adaptations of the file system to access devices and non-file objects via standard file system access operations, e.g. pseudo file systems dedicated interfaces to storage systems G06F3/0601
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/25 Integrating or interfacing systems involving database management systems

Abstract

Media, methods and systems are provided for interfacing a mobile device to an application virtual machine via an application programming interface (API). A first set of file connection properties for one or more internal storage locations and a second set of file connection properties for one or more external storage locations are defined at a mobile device. The first and second sets of file connection properties define the file storage locations for a plurality of media types. Requests are received from the application virtual machine for the first and second sets of file connection properties. The application virtual machine identifies a current default storage area that can be selected from the one or more internal storage locations and the one or more external storage locations, and indicates whether the current default storage location is an internal storage location or an external storage location.

Claims

1. A computer system for interfacing application virtual machines in a consistent manner with a mobile device, the system comprising:

a mobile device, wherein the mobile device includes one or more data structures containing a first and second file connection properties that are useable by the virtual machine,

wherein the first set of file connection properties includes a plurality of internal location properties on the mobile device that are configured to return values for one or more requested locations of internal storage on the mobile device, and wherein the second set of file connection properties on the mobile device are configured to return values for a plurality of requested locations of external storage in communication with the mobile device; and

wherein the data structures are configured with at least the following items;

(1) a storage location last utilized by an application executed on the mobile device,

(2) a storage location last written to by the application, and

(3) a storage location last read from by the application.

2. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising:

an application programming interface (API) to communicate file connection requests between the mobile device and one or more application virtual machines utilizing the file connection properties, wherein the one or more application virtual machines include one or more components utilized to communicate requests and responses regarding the file connection properties to the mobile device.

3. The computer system of claim 2, wherein the requests are indicated as regarding an internal location or external location and solicit values for at least one of the following:

a default file location, a last-utilized file location, a last-read file location, and a last-written file location to return.

4. The computer system of claim 3, wherein the file location properties are further sub-divided by one or more media types.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the one or more media types include at least one of picture files, graphics files, video files, music files, tone files, recording files, message files, and password-accessible private files.

6. The computer system of claim 5, wherein the mobile device further includes an application-level directory identifier synonym that redirects filepath identification to a predefined internal storage location regardless of mobile-device-specific file connection properties.

7. The computer system of claim 6, wherein the external storage location includes at least one of a memory card, a flash drive, and a web-accessible location.

8. A computer-implemented method for interfacing application virtual machines in a consistent manner with a mobile device, the method comprising:

providing a mobile device, wherein the mobile device includes one or more data structures with at least two sets of file connection properties;

including in the first set of file storage properties internal location properties on the mobile device that are configured to return values for one or more requested locations of internal storage on the mobile device;

including in the second set of file storage properties location properties on the mobile device that are configured to return values for one or more requested locations of external storage in communication with the mobile device;

receiving a request from the virtual machine at the mobile device via an application program interface for a first set and a second set of file connection properties on the mobile device; and

specifying that the data structure is required to be configured with at least the following items;

(1) a storage location last utilized by an application executed on the mobile device,

(2) a storage location last written to by the application, and

(3) a storage location last read from by the application.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising:

communicating, over an application programming interface (API), file connection requests between the mobile device and one or more application virtual machines utilizing the file connection properties, wherein the one or more application virtual machines include one or more components utilized to communicate requests and responses regarding the file connection properties to the mobile device.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the requests are indicated as regarding an internal location or external location and solicit values for at least one of the following:

a default file location, a last-utilized file location, a last-read file location, and a last-written file location to return.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the file location properties are further sub-divided by one or more media types.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the one or more media types include at least one of picture files, graphics files, video files, music files, tone files, recording files, message files, and password-accessible private files.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the mobile device further includes an application-level directory identifier synonym that redirects filepath identification to a predefined internal storage location regardless of mobile-device-specific file connection properties.

14. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the external storage location includes at least one of a memory card, a flash drive, and a web-accessible location.

15. One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media having computer-executable instruction for a computer-implemented method for interfacing application virtual machines in a consistent manner with a mobile device, the method comprising:

providing a mobile device, wherein the mobile device includes one or more data structures of file connection properties;

populating the data structures with file connection properties for a first set of file connection properties for a plurality of internal storage locations, wherein the first set is configured to return values for one or more requested locations of internal storage on the mobile device;

populating the data structures with file connection properties for a second set of file connection properties for a plurality of external storage locations, wherein the second set includes location properties on the mobile device that are configured to return values for one or more requested locations of external storage in communication with the mobile device;

receiving a request from the application virtual machine for first and second sets of file connection properties, the file connection properties being useable by the virtual machine to determine a location for a file; and

specifying that the data structure is required to be configured with at least the following items;

(1) a storage location last utilized by an application executed on the mobile device,

(2) a storage location last written to by the application, and

(3) a storage location last read from by the application.

16. The media of claim 15, further comprising:

communicating, over an application programming interface (API), file connection requests between the mobile device and one or more application virtual machines utilizing the file connection properties, wherein the one or more application virtual machines include one or more components utilized to communicate requests and responses regarding the file connection properties to the mobile device.

17. The media of claim 16, wherein the requests are indicated as regarding an internal location or external location that include at least one of a memory card, a flash drive, and a web-accessible location, and the requests are further configured to solicit values for at least one of the following:

a default file location, a last-utilized file location, a last-read file location, and a last-written file location to return.

18. The media of claim 17, wherein the file location properties are further sub-divided by one or more media types.

19. The media of claim 18, wherein the one or more media types include at least one of picture files, graphics files, video files, music files, tone files, recording files, message files, and password-accessible private files.

20. The media of claim 19 wherein the mobile device further includes an application-level directory indentifier synonym that redirects filepath identification to a predefined internal storage location regardless of mobile-device-specific file connection properties.