SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SELECTIVELY STORING AND UPDATING PRIMARY STORAGE

• US 20090240912A1
• Filed: 03/18/2008
• Published: 09/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Wakrat, Nir J., Archibald, John W., Boettcher, Jesse W.
• Application Number:
  US12/050,757
• Publication Number:
  US 20090240912A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0646 Configuration or reconfiguration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0802 Addressing of a memory level in which the access to the desired data or data block requires associative addressing means, e.g. caches
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/601 Reconfiguration of cache memory

Abstract

A method and system is disclosed for selectively storing and updating data in primary storage. The primary storage may initially be evenly partitioned into a predetermined number of partitions. As a user selects a program, the partitions dedicated to programs not selected are reduced in size. As subsequent selections are made by the user, the partitions of the primary storage are adjusted to accurately represent the next set of possible selections available to a user. A second selective storing technique involves storing a list of assets for display in one of the partitions. This list is a predetermined portion of an entire list of assets available for selection by the user. User input, such as scrolling through the assets, allows a user to sort through the partial list. Once the user input is completed, the asset list may be repopulated with predetermined assets corresponding to the portion of the list selected by the user.

Claims

1. A memory control module, comprising:

a history and allocation module adapted to partition a primary storage circuit into a predetermined number of partitions each having an associated partition size and further adapted to reallocate the partition size and information stored in each partition in response to both actual and predicted commands from a processor.

2. The memory control module of claim 1, wherein each partition uniquely corresponds to a graphical user interface initial menu category.

3. The memory control module of claim 1, wherein the information stored in each partition uniquely corresponds to a graphical user interface menu category.

4. The memory control module of claim 1, wherein the predicted commands are determined based on a log of currently and previously accessed locations of a graphical user interface.

5. The memory control module of claim 1, wherein one of the partitions stores list data comprising an abbreviated group of objects.

6. The memory control module of claim 5, wherein the abbreviated group of objects correspond to song titles.

7. An electronic device, comprising:

a display adapted to display program icons;

a user interface adapted to interact with the display program icons;

a central processing unit adapted to run the programs associated with the display program icons; and

a memory control module adapted to;

partition a primary storage circuit into a predetermined number of partitions; and

reallocate a size of the partitions in response to user input.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the memory control module comprises a software program stored on a tangible machine readable medium.

9. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the user input comprises manipulating an input structure to select one of the display program icons.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein each partition uniquely corresponds to one of the display program icons.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein reallocation of the size of the partitions comprises reducing the size of the partitions corresponding to the display program icons not selected.

12. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein reallocation of the size of the partitions comprises increasing the size of the partition corresponding to the display program icon selected.

13. A method of accessing data utilizing a memory control module, comprising:

partitioning primary storage into a predetermined number of partitions each having a corresponding partition size;

receiving a data transfer request from a processor;

transferring the requested data to the processor; and

reallocating the partition sizes and information stored in each partition in response to both the received requests and predicted requests of the processor.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the received requests of the processor are generated in response to user input.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein input comprises manipulating an input structure to select one of a set of program icons where each partition uniquely corresponds to one of the set of program icons.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein reallocating partition sizes comprises reducing the size of the partitions corresponding to the set of program icons not selected and increasing the size of the partition corresponding to the one of the set of program icons selected.

17. A method of accessing data in an electronic device, comprising:

partitioning a primary storage circuit into a predetermined number of partitions; and

storing an abbreviated list of objects in one of the partitions.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising displaying a portion of the abbreviated list of objects.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the abbreviated list of objects is repopulated with secondary objects determined from the speed and duration of a user input.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the abbreviated list of objects and the secondary objects correspond to visual representations of album covers.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the user input comprises rotational manipulation of a scroll wheel.

22. An electronic device, comprising:

a display adapted to display program icons;

a user interface adapted to interact with the display program icons;

a central processing unit adapted to run the programs associated with the display program icons; and

a memory control module adapted to;

partition a primary storage circuit into a predetermined number of partitions; and

store an abbreviated list of objects in one of the partitions.

23. The electronic device of claim 22, wherein the abbreviated list of objects is repopulated with secondary objects determined from the speed and duration of a user input.

24. The electronic device of claim 23, wherein the secondary objects are objects omitted from the abbreviated list.

25. The electronic device of claim 23, wherein the display is adapted to display a portion of the repopulated abbreviated list of objects.

26. A method of updating a partial list of objects for display, comprising:

displaying a first group of active objects on a display;

determining if one of the group of active objects remain on the display subsequent to a user pan;

repopulating the partial list of objects with secondary objects near the first group of active objects when one of the first group of active objects is determined to have remained on the display; and

displaying a second group of active objects on the display determined by a duration of the user pan when none of the first group of active objects is determined to have remained on the display.