Method and apparatus for automatic format conversion on removable digital media

• US 6,601,056 B1
• Filed: 09/28/2000
• Issued: 07/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Odinak, Gilad, Kagle, Jonathan C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Metjahic, Safet
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, MERILYN P
• Application Number:
  US09/671,200
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/500.1, 707/523, 707/1, 703/24, 709/246, 379/93.17, 348/232, 710/1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/258 Data format conversion from or to a database
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

A removable digital medium that supports a plurality of data formats and supports automatic format conversion based upon host requirements and preferences. The automatic format conversion enables information to be stored/retrieved in a format compatible with or selected by the consumer electronic device that is storing/reading the information. The removable digital medium is provided with a processor that supports a directory structure for accomplishing the automatic format conversion. The directory identifies the possible formats that are supported by the removable digital medium.

Claims

1. A method of converting the data format of data transferred between a host and a removable digital medium, wherein the removable digital medium supports a plurality of data formats, comprising the steps of:

providing format information, representing the data formats supported by the removable digital medium, from the removable digital medium to the host;

receiving, at the removable digital medium, a selection signal output by the host, wherein the selection signal represents one of the data formats selected by the host;

converting, at the removable digital medium, data to be transferred between the host and the removable digital medium into the data format selected by the host; and

transferring the converted data between the host and the removable digital medium in the data format selected by the host.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of providing format information comprises:

providing a directory of the plurality of data formats supported by the removable digital medium.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the transferring step comprises:

storing the converted data on the removable digital medium in the data format selected by the host.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein each of the data formats of the directory include at least one subdirectory, and wherein the transferring step further comprises:

updating the subdirectory of each of the data formats of the directory to include the filename of the data stored on the removable digital medium.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the storing step comprises:

storing a single copy of the data received from the host, and

wherein the updating step comprises adding the filename of the single copy of the data received from the host to the subdirectory of each of the plurality of data formats in the directory to indicate that the single copy of the data is available in any one of the plurality of data formats.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the storing step comprises:

storing a single copy of the data received from the host, and

wherein the updating step comprises adding the filename of the single copy of the data received from the host to the subdirectory of the data format selected by the host when the data is requested by the host.

7. The method according to claim 3, wherein the converting step comprises:

converting the data in real time as it is received from the host.

8. The method according to claim 3, wherein the converting step comprises:

converting the data in batch mode.

9. The method according to claim 2, wherein the transferring step comprises:

receiving, at the removable digital medium, a data request from the host for a specific data file stored on the removable digital medium; and

transferring the converted data to the host.

10. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of:

providing format information, representing data formats supported by a removable digital medium, from the removable digital medium to a host;

receiving, at the removable digital medium, a selection signal output by the host, wherein the selection signal represents one of the data formats selected by the host;

converting, at the removable digital medium, data to be transferred between the host and the removable digital medium into the data format selected by the host; and

transferring the converted data between the host and the removable digital medium in the data format selected by the host.

11. The computer-readable medium according to claim 10, having further computer-executable instructions for performing the step of providing format information comprising:

providing a directory of the plurality of data formats supported by the removable digital medium.

12. The computer-readable medium according to claim 11, having further computer-executable instructions for performing the transferring step comprising:

storing the converted data on the removable digital medium in the data format selected by the host.

13. The computer-readable medium according to claim 12, wherein each data format of the directory includes at least one subdirectory, and wherein the computer-readable medium has further computer-executable instructions for performing the transferring step further comprising:

updating the subdirectory of each of the data formats of the directory to include the filename of the data stored on the removable digital medium.

14. The computer-readable medium according to claim 13, having further computer-executable instructions for performing the storing step comprising

storing a single copy of the data received from the host, and

wherein the updating step comprises adding the filename of the single copy of the data received from the host to the subdirectory of each of the plurality of data formats to indicate that the single copy of the data is available in any one of the plurality of data formats.

15. The computer-readable medium according to claim 12, wherein each data format of the directory includes at least one subdirectory, and wherein the computer-readable medium has further computer-executable instructions for performing the transferring step further comprising:

storing a single copy of the data received from the host, and

wherein the updating step comprises adding the filename of the single copy of the data received from the host to the subdirectory of the data format selected by the host when the data is requested by the host.

16. The computer-readable medium according to claim 12, having further computer-executable instructions for performing the converting step comprising:

converting the data on the fly as it is received from the host.

17. The computer-readable medium according to claim 12, having further computer-executable instructions for performing the converting step comprising:

converting the data in batch mode.

18. The computer-readable medium according to claim 11, having further computer-executable instructions for performing the transferring step comprising:

receiving, at the removable digital medium, a data request from the host for a specific data file stored on the removable digital medium; and

transferring the converted data to the host.

19. A method for converting the data format of data transferred between a host and a removable digital medium, wherein the removable digital medium supports a plurality of data formats, comprising the steps of:

providing format information, representing the data formats supported by the removable digital medium, from the removable digital medium to the host;

selecting, at the host, a data format from the data formats supported by the removable digital medium;

outputting data from the host to the removable digital medium;

converting, at the removable digital medium, the data output from the host into the data format selected by the host to generate converted data;

storing, at the removable digital medium, the converted data under a filename; and

adding the filename to a subdirectory for each of the data formats listed in the directory to indicate that the data under the filename is available in each of the data formats supported by the removable digital medium.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the selecting step performed by the host comprises:

identifying the data formats listed in the directory provided by the removable digital medium;

stepping through each of the data formats in the directory from the most desirable format to the least desirable format; and

identifying a preferable format to be selected.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein the selecting step performed by the host comprises:

identifying the data formats listed in the directory provided by the removable digital medium;

stepping through each of the data formats in the directory from the least desirable format to the most desirable format; and

identifying a preferable format to be selected.

22. A method for converting the data format of data transferred between a host and a removable digital medium, wherein the removable digital medium supports a plurality of data formats, comprising the steps of:

providing format information, representing the data formats supported by the removable digital medium, from the removable digital medium to the host;

selecting, at the host, a data format from the data formats supported by the removable digital medium;

outputting a read request from the host to the removable digital medium with respect to a data file stored on the removable digital medium;

retrieving the data file at the removable digital medium upon receipt of the read request;

converting, at the removable digital medium, data stored in the data file into the data format selected by the host to generate converted data; and

outputting the converted data from the removable digital medium to the host.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the step of providing format information comprises:

providing a directory of the plurality of data formats supported by the removable digital medium, and at least one subdirectory for each of the data formats in the directory, wherein the subdirectory for each of the data formats in the directory lists filenames of respective data files available in the corresponding data format.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the selecting step performed by the host comprises:

identifying the data formats listed in the directory provided by the removable digital medium;

stepping through each of the data formats in the directory from the most desirable format to the least desirable format; and

identifying a preferable format to be selected.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein the selecting step performed by the host comprises:

identifying the data formats listed in the directory provided by the removable digital medium;

stepping through each of the data formats in the directory from the least desirable format to the most desirable format; and

identifying a preferable format to be selected.

26. A removable digital medium for use with a host device, comprising:

a memory;

a program memory for storing conversion program files corresponding to data formats supported by the removable digital medium, respectively; and

a controller, coupled to the memory and to the program memory, wherein the controller is arranged to convert data written to or read from the removable digital medium to one of the data formats supported by the removable digital medium in response to selection of a particular data format by the host device.