STORAGE DEVICE PRESENTING TO HOSTS ONLY FILES COMPATIBLE WITH A DEFINED HOST CAPABILITY

• US 20100169393A1
• Filed: 12/26/2008
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Western Digital Israel Limited (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SanDisk IL Ltd. (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: HAHN, JUDAH GAMLIEL, FRUCHTER, ARI DANIEL, BRYANT-RICH, DONALD RAY, GOODMAN, DANIEL ISAAC
• Granted Patent: US 8,239,395 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/828
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0622 in relation to access
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0637 Permissions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0643 Management of files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0679 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP]

Abstract

A method includes defining a host capability; creating for a storage device a second directory tree from a first directory tree of the storage device that is included in a file system within the storage device; and, for a data file that is stored in the storage device and is selectable for consumption by a host through the first directory tree that is included in the storage device'"'"'s file system, determining whether the data file requires for consumption a host having the defined host capability. If the data file requires a host having the defined host capability, an entry is created in the second directory tree in which the data file is not selectable for consumption by the host. Otherwise, an entry is created in the second directory tree in which the data file is selectable for consumption by the host. Subsequent to connecting the storage device to a host if the host has the defined capability the first directory tree of the storage device is used to present a view of the file system of the storage device to the host, and if the host does not have the defined capability the second directory tree is used to present a modified view of the file system to the host in which a data file not requiring the defined capability would be selectable for consumption by the host and in which a data file requiring the defined capability would not be selectable for consumption by the host.

Claims

1. A method of creating a view of a file system for hosts of varying capabilities, the method comprising:

a) defining a host capability;

b) creating a second directory tree from a first directory tree, the first directory tree being included in a file system within a storage device; and

c) for a data file that is stored in the storage device and is selectable for consumption by a first host through the first directory tree, determining whether the data file requires the defined host capability and, if so, creating an entry in the second directory tree such that the data file is not selectable for consumption by the first host, and if not, creating an entry in the second directory tree such that the data file is selectable for consumption by the first host.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein creating the second directory tree from the first directory tree includes:

a. reading the first directory tree from the storage device;

b. creating an administrative file;

c. reading from the first directory tree one or more directory elements from an entry that correspond to the data file; and

d. writing the entry into the administrative file, wherein at least one of the directory elements of the entry is modified before, during or after the writing.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

e. creating an entry in the first directory tree for the administrative file.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein creating the administrative file includes allocating storage for the administrative file in the file system of the storage device.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data file is made non-selectable for consumption by any of:

(i) hiding the data file in the second directory tree, (ii) altering a specified address of a first memory sector or a specified address of a first memory cluster of the data file, (iii) altering the filename of the data file, and (iv) altering the file type of the data file.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein hiding the data file in the second directory tree is done by altering a file attribute of the data file,

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining whether the data file requires the host capability includes, or is subsequent to, reading the data file by a second host.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the storage device is a USB storage drive.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the storage device is a Secured Digital card.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the defined host capability is any of:

(i) a communication bandwidth, (ii) a file format, (iii) a specified bit rate for playing back data files at, and (iv) a USB high-speed connection.

11. A method of presenting a view of a file system of a storage device to a host, the method comprising:

a) determining, by a storage device, whether a host has a defined capability;

b) if the host has the defined capability, using a first directory tree of the storage device to present a view of a file system of the storage device to the host; and

c) if the host does not have the defined capability, using a second directory tree to present a modified view of the file system of the storage device to the host such that a first data file not requiring the defined capability is selectable for consumption by the host and a second data file requiring the defined capability is not selectable for consumption by the host.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the second directory tree is a copy of the first directory tree, in which copy of at least an entry from the first directory tree that corresponds to the second data file has been altered.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein using the second directory tree includes accessing an administrative file in the storage device, the administrative file containing at least an entry from the first directory tree that corresponds to the second data file and has been altered.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the second data file is rendered non-selectable for consumption by the host by any of:

(i) the second file being hidden in the second directory tree, (ii) altering a specified address of a first memory sector or a specified address of a first memory cluster of the second data file, (iii) altering the filename of the second data file, and (iv) altering the file type of the second data file.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein hiding the data file is by altering a file attribute of the data file.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein determining whether the host has the defined capability includes, or is subsequent to, examination of parameters exchanged during a handshake between the host and the storage device.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein determining whether the host has the defined capability includes, or is subsequent to, examination of data received from a signaling interface operatively connected to the storage device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the signaling interface is a push button.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the defined host capability is any of:

(i) a communication bandwidth, (ii) a file format, (iii) playing back data files at a specified bit rate, and (iv) a USB high-speed connection.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the storage device is a USB storage drive or a Secure Digital card.

21. The method of claim 11, wherein the host having the defined capability is a USB high-speed host.