IP Library › Granted Patent US 12689620

Granted Patent B2

US 12689620 · App. 18/353,038 · Granted Jul 21, 2026

Systems and methods for data storage

Inventors: Srinivas Vedula (Pleasanton, CA); David Cohen (Longmont, CO)

Assignee: Apple Inc.

H04L63/083 G06F21/101 H04L63/04 H04L63/0435

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12689620
App. No.: 18/353,038
Filed: Jul 14, 2023
Granted: Jul 21, 2026
Kind: B2
Examiner: WOLDEMARIAM, NEGA
Art Unit: 2407
USPC: 726/6

External Links

USPTO Patent Center↗ Full Patent PDF↗

Abstract

A plurality of devices in a system discover one another and a first electronic device selects a second electronic device from amongst a plurality of devices to coordinate file storage. In some embodiments, the first electronic device and the second electronic device perform an authentication handshake. After performing the authentication handshake, the first electronic device transmits first data to the second electronic device. In some embodiments, the second electronic device operates using a temporary file system that includes the first data. In accordance with a determination that one or more criteria are satisfied, the second electronic device ceases operating using the temporary file system and deletes at least a portion of the temporary file system and/or first data.

Claims (46)

1 . An electronic device comprising:

memory storing first user data associated with a first user account in a first file system of the electronic device; and

one or more processors coupled to the memory, the one or more processors configured to:

perform an authentication handshake with a second electronic device associated with a second user account different from the first user account;

after performing the authentication handshake with the second electronic device, receive, from the second electronic device, second user data associated with the second user account;

in response to receiving the second user data from the second electronic device, operate using a temporary file system, separate from the first file system storing the first user data associated with the first user account, that stores the second user data associated with the second user account, wherein operating with the temporary file system includes signing into the first user account; and

in accordance with one or more criteria being satisfied, wherein the one or more criteria include a criterion that is satisfied when the electronic device receives an input, using one or more input devices in communication with the electronic device, corresponding to a request to sign out of the first user account, delete at least a portion of the temporary file system and cease to access the second user data.

2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein performing the authentication handshake with the second electronic device includes capturing, using a camera in communication with the electronic device, an image including an authentication token displayed using a display generation component in communication with the second electronic device.

3 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein operating using the temporary file system is in accordance with a determination that a security setting of the electronic device allows operating using the temporary file system that includes the second user data received from the second electronic device, and the one or more processors are further configured to:

in accordance with a determination that the security setting of the electronic device prohibits operating using a second temporary file system that includes third user data associated with a third electronic device, prevent operation using the second temporary file system.

4 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein receiving the second user data from the second electronic device includes directly receiving the second user data from the second electronic without using a third electronic device to facilitate transfer of the first user data.

5 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:

receiving the second user data from the second electronic device includes receiving a first portion of the second user data from the second electronic device before receiving a second portion of the second user data from the second electronic device, and

the one or more processors are further configured to, in response to receiving the first portion of the second user data before receiving the second portion of the second user data, operate using the temporary file system that includes the first portion of the second user data without the second portion of the second user data.

6 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more criteria include a criterion that is satisfied when a distance between the electronic device and the second electronic device exceeds a predefined distance threshold.

7 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

in accordance with the one or more criteria being satisfied, forgo deleting a second portion of the temporary file system and encrypting the second portion of the temporary file system with a key stored in second memory of the second electronic device.

8 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the second user data includes a model of a second user associated with the second user account, and operating using the temporary file system includes receiving user inputs in response to sensing movement of the second user.

9 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein receiving the second user data from the second electronic device using the one or more processors includes:

in accordance with a determination that a first portion of the second user data is stored in the memory, receiving a second portion of the second user data, different from the first portion of the second user data, from the second electronic device without receiving the first portion of the second user data from the second electronic device, and

in accordance with a determination that the first portion of the second user data is not stored in the memory, receiving the first portion of the second user data and the second portion of the second user data from the second electronic device.

10 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein performing the authentication handshake with the second electronic device using the one or more processors includes:

in accordance with a determination that a portion of the second user data is stored in the memory, performing a first portion of the authentication handshake without performing a second portion of the authentication handshake, and

in accordance with a determination that the portion of the second user data is not stored in the memory, performing the first portion of the authentication handshake and the second portion of the authentication handshake.

11 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device stores the first user data using a first volume and stores the second user data using a second volume different from the first volume.

12 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the second user data includes a second user profile of the second user account.

13 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first user data is encrypted with a first key associated with the first user account and the second user data is encrypted with a second key, different from the first key, associated with the second user account.

14 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to, prior to receiving the second user data from the second electronic device, transmit one or more signals indicating respective characteristics and capabilities of the electronic device.

15 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the second user data associated with the second user account includes sensor calibration data for the electronic device to use to receive inputs while a second user of the second user account uses the electronic device.

16 . A method performed at an electronic device including memory storing first user data associated with a first user account in a first file system of the electronic device and one or more processors coupled to the memory, the method comprising:

performing an authentication handshake with a second electronic device associated with a second user account different from the first user account;

after performing the authentication handshake with the second electronic device, receiving, from the second electronic device, second user data associated with the second user account;

in response to receiving the second user data from the second electronic device, operating using a temporary file system, separate from the first file system storing the first user data associated with the first user account, that stores the second user data associated with the second user account, wherein operating with the temporary file system includes signing into the first user account; and

in accordance with one or more criteria being satisfied, wherein the one or more criteria include a criterion that is satisfied when the electronic device receives an input, using one or more input devices in communication with the electronic device, corresponding to a request to sign out of the first user account, deleting at least a portion of the temporary file system and ceasing to access the second user data.

17 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed at an electronic device including memory storing first user data associated with a first user account in a first file system of the electronic device and one or more processors coupled to the memory, causes the electronic device to:

perform an authentication handshake with a second electronic device associated with a second user account different from the first user account;

after performing the authentication handshake with the second electronic device, receive, from the second electronic device, second user data associated with the second user account;

18 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the second user data includes a model of a second user associated with the second user account, and operating using the temporary file system includes receiving user inputs in response to sensing movement of the second user.

19 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein receiving the second user data from the second electronic device includes:

20 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein performing the authentication handshake with the second electronic device includes: