Method of data access by simulating an external device to be a hard disk drive

• US 20040054836A1
• Filed: 09/18/2002
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Inventec Appliances Corporation (Inventec Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Inventec Appliances Corporation (Inventec Corporation)
• Inventors: Fan, Xiao-Long, Liu, Hong-Liang, Lai, Cheng-Shing
• Application Number:
  US10/245,272
• Publication Number:
  US 20040054836A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/305
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0661 Format or protocol conversion arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0664 at device level, e.g. emulation of a storage device or system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0674 Disk device

Abstract

A method of data access by simulating an external device to be a hard disk drive, the method enables an external device to proceed with data exchange directly with a computer. The data access method includes the following steps: firstly, the first operation system of a host detects an external device, and requests for a USB device describer from the external device. Next, the connection relationship between the host and the external device is set up in accordance with the USB device describer. An operation command is sent from the first operation system of the host to the external device, and the second operation system in the external device proceeds with data operation according to the operation command, and sends a completion message back to the host.

Claims

1. A method of data access by simulating an external device to be a hard disk drive, wherein the external device can perform data exchange directly with a host, the data access method comprising the steps of:

detecting the external device and requesting for a USB device describer from the external device by a first operation system of the host;

setting up a connection relationship between the host and the external device in accordance with the USB device describer;

sending an operation command from the first operation system of the host to the external device, and

performing data operation according to the operation command and sending a completion message back to the host by the second operation system of the external device.

2. The method of data access according to claim 1, wherein a USB connecting line connects a first USB port of the host with a second USB port of the external device.

3. The method of data access according to claim 1, wherein before said step of setting up the connection between the host and the external device, the method further comprises:

starting a USB Mass Storage Driver by the second operation system of the external device; and

loading and starting a corresponding USB Mass Storage driver according to the USB device describer by the first operation system of the host.

4. The method of data access according to claim 1, wherein after said step of setting up the connection between the host and the external device, the method comprises showing a new hard disk drive on a user interface by the first operation system,

5. The method of data access according to claim 4, wherein the user interface is a windows file manager.

6. The method of data access according to claim 2, wherein the second operation system proceeds with data operation on a memory module of the external device via an application program interface.

7. The method of data access according to claim 1, wherein the external device is a palm device.

8. The method of data access according to claim 1, wherein under a USB Communication protocol, the host is informed that the external device is a Mass Storage via the USB device describer in a bInterfaceClass field.

9. The method of data access according to claim 8, wherein under the USB Communication Protocol, a Transport Protocol applied by the Mass Storage is assigned via the USB device describer in a bInterfaceProtocol field.

10. The method of data access according to claim 8, wherein under the USB Communication Protocol, an Industry-standard Protocol for transporting in the Mass Storage is assigned via the USB device describer in a bInterfaceSubClass field.