System and method for copying data onto an expandable memory in a wireless device using a desktop interface

• US 20090204721A1
• Filed: 02/12/2008
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Danger Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Middleton, Justin, Yost, Karl Steven, Zimmerman, Scott, Hales, Steve, Song, Jaigak
• Granted Patent: US 8,370,519 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 of wirelessly copying data onto on an expandable memory in a wireless device comprising:

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

automatically transmitting the first set of files, over a wireless network, to a second application running on a wireless device for storing onto the expandable memory.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of files are transcoded 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, over the wireless network, a first acknowledgement from the second application when the first set of files have been completely downloaded; and

transmitting, over the data network, the first acknowledgement to the first application running on the desktop indicating that the first set of files have been completely downloaded.

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

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the first application running on the desktop comprises a folder view of files currently stored on the expandable memory in the wireless device.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the first application running on the desktop is a Java applet running within a desktop interface application on the desktop.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the second application is a file daemon running transparent to a user of the wireless device.

10. The method of claim 5, further comprising re-starting the transmitting where it left off when there is a disruption in a wireless connection.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

continuously receiving a current directory of filenames representing a second set of one or more files stored on an expandable memory in a wireless device;

receiving, over a data network, a signal indicating that the first application running on the desktop has been launched; and

transmitting, over the data network, to the first application the current directory of filenames representing the second set of files stored on the expandable memory of the wireless device, wherein the folder view within the first application is updated with the current directory.

12. A machine-storage medium that provides instructions which, when executed on a machine, cause the machine to perform a method of wirelessly copying data from a first application running on a computer desktop onto on an expandable memory in a wireless device, the 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 the first application running on the desktop, wherein the first set of files are automatically transmitted from the first application whenever the first set of files are copied into the first application;

connecting to a wireless device over a wireless network; and

transmitting, over the wireless network, the first set of files to a second application running on the wireless device, wherein the second application is coupled with an expandable memory in the wireless device to receive the first set of files and to write the first set of files onto the expandable memory in the wireless device.

13. The machine-storage medium of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving, over the wireless network, a first acknowledgement from the second application indicating the first set of files has been completely downloaded; and

transmitting, over the data network, the first acknowledgement to the first application on the desktop indicating that the first set of files has been completely downloaded.

14. The machine-storage medium of claim 12, wherein the first application running on the desktop includes a folder view of the first set of files stored on the expandable memory in the wireless device.

15. The machine-storage medium of claim 14, wherein the first set of files are copied into the first application on the desktop by dragging a file identifier associated with each of the first set of files from a location on the desktop and dropping the file identifier into the folder view of the application.

16. The machine-storage medium of claim 15, wherein the dragging and dropping is performed by a screen pointer control device.

17. The machine-storage medium of claim 15, wherein the file identifier is an icon on the desktop.

18. The machine-storage medium of claim 12, wherein the first application running on the desktop is an applet running within a desktop interface application on the desktop.

19. The machine-storage medium of claim 12, wherein the second application is a file daemon running transparent to a user of the wireless device.

20. The machine-storage medium of claim 12, further comprising re-starting the downloading where it left off whenever there is a disruption in a wireless connection.

21. An apparatus comprising:

a 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;

a 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 set of 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 the expandable memory of the wireless device.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein changes to the files stored on the expandable memory in the wireless device are reflected in a folder view within the first application on the desktop.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first application running on the desktop is an applet running within a desktop interface application on the desktop.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the second application is a file daemon running transparent to a user of the wireless device.

25. A means for wirelessly copying data onto an expandable memory in a wireless device comprising:

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

means for automatically transmitting the first set of files, over a wireless network, to a second application running on a wireless device for storing onto the expandable memory.

26. The means for wirelessly copying data onto an expandable memory in a wireless device of claim 25, further comprising:

means for continuously receiving a current directory of filenames representing a second set of one or more files stored on an expandable memory in a wireless device;

means for receiving, over a data network, a signal indicating that the first application running on the desktop has been launched; and

means for transmitting, over the data network, to the first application the current directory of filenames representing the set of files stored on the expandable memory of the wireless device, wherein a folder view within the first application is updated with the current directory.

27. The means for wirelessly copying data onto an expandable memory in a wireless device of claim 25, wherein the first set of files are transcoded for compatibility with the wireless device.