Abstract:
A storage device comprising a non-volatile memory for storing data, and an input device that is operative to select an operating mode of the storage device prior to mounting the storage device, such that each operating mode represents a different type of storage device. A controller interfaces with the input device to establish the selected operating mode of the storage device once the storage device is mounted.
Abstract:
Displaying storage device-generated menus for playback includes connecting a storage device to a host capable of playing back video content, and presenting to the host a root directory through which a content selection file allows selecting video files for playback through user-storage device interaction, and, optionally, one or more service files that provide various useful information that are also playable back through user-storage device interaction. This typically further includes displaying a Main Menu that represents these files and playing Main Menu items as regular video files/contents. While the content selection file is played back, a content selection menu is generated by the storage device and displayed by the host, and each content selection menu item is playable by transmitting a playback command to the storage device rather than to the host. A storage device is also provided, which uses such method.
Abstract:
Storage devices with multimedia interface connectors and methods are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, a data storage device includes a controller coupled to a memory, a streaming media capture circuit coupled to the controller, and a video playback circuit coupled to the controller. A multimedia interface connector is coupled to the streaming media capture circuit and further coupled to the video playback circuit. In response to detecting streaming multimedia data incoming from an external device via the multimedia interface connector, the incoming streaming multimedia data is provided to the streaming media capture circuit to generate multimedia file format data that is stored to the memory as a multimedia file.
Abstract:
A storage system includes a secondary data store for backing up the primary data store, a deleted data store for retention of deleted data, and a data management application for managing the backing up of stored and deleted data of the primary data store. The deleted data store may be either separate from the secondary data store or implemented within the secondary data store. The data management application may automatically free up space for backup of data newly added to or deleted from the primary data store, by selectively removing data from the deleted data store, based application of appropriate criteria.
Abstract:
A personal voice operated reminder system. In one embodiment, the system is worn as a device on the body in a form similar to a watch, bracelet or necklace. In another embodiment the system is a device normally held in a person's pocket or purse, and in another embodiment the system is a method added as an application to already existing devices such as PDAs or cellular telephones.This device is configured to record reminders using speech recognition and to play back the reminder message in accordance with directions received using speech recognition, and/or position and/or motion inputs.
Abstract:
Files stored, or to be stored, in a storage device are marked either as non-discardable or as discardable in a file system structure associated with a storage device. Each discardable file has associated with it a discarding priority level. A publisher file is permitted to be stored in the storage device only if storing the publisher file does not narrow a storage usage safety margin that is reserved for user files. User files are allowed to be stored in the storage device even if storing them narrows the storage usage safety margin but, in such cases, the storage usage safety margin is restored by removing one or more discardable files from the storage device. A discardable file is removed from the storage device if its discarding priority level equals or is higher than a predetermined discarding threshold value.
Abstract:
A storage device includes an input device for receiving data and commands directly from a user, without the storage device reporting to or notifying of the storage device activities that result from the received data and received commands. The user may visually-code the commands for the storage device, or s/he may transfer the commands to the storage device as voice commands or as vibration-induced commands. A command transferred by the user to the storage device specifies to the storage device a set of one or more digital contents that are (to be) stored in the storage device, and an operation that is to be performed on the set of one or more digital contents. A command may instruct the storage device to irreversibly caption a set of one or more digital photos by using a caption picture or caption data, or to associate a voice tag to these digital photos.
Abstract:
One or more groups of charge-storing memory cells are selected from a plurality of regular charge-storing memory cells of a storage device. The selected memory cells are initialized with initial binary data, by charging them with corresponding amounts of electric charge, or the selected memory cells are simply used as is containing user data. Then, while the selected memory cells undergo a self discharge process, collective changes in the binary states of the selected memory cells are used to estimate discharge-determining conditions such as elapsed time, wear rate or wear level of the memory cells. The adverse effects of the erratic behavior of individual charge-storing memory cells on such estimations is mitigated by using a large group of charge-storing memory cells, and the effect of temperature on the aforesaid estimations is reduced by using two or more large groups of charge-storing memory cells.
Abstract:
A data storage device includes a memory card structure having an edge connector portion. The edge connector portion has a thickness that complies with a memory card specification. The data storage device also includes an electrical connector portion of a Universal Serial Bus (USB) compatible receptacle or of an Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 1394 compatible receptacle. The electrical connector portion is attached within the edge connector portion of the memory card structure to remain stationary with respect to the memory card structure.
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.