Portable storage media as file servers
View Patent ↗A data storage device includes a data storage medium, for example one or more flash memory modules, and a direct interface, to the data storage medium, that supports a file system protocol. Preferably, the data storable device also includes a physical communication interface such as a USB interface or a wireless interface, a user interface and a power source. The scope of the invention also includes appliances that include such data storage devices.
1. A data storage device comprising:
(a) a data storage medium; and
(b) a device controller that reads and writes on said data storage medium according to a file system protocol in response to commands of said file system protocol, each said command of said file system protocol having a respective command code, and also according to a block protocol in response to commands of said block protocol, each said command of said block protocol having a respective command code, said command codes of said file system protocol not clashing with said command codes of said block protocol.
2. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein said data storage medium includes at least one flash memory module.
3. The data storage device of claim 1 , further comprising:
(c) a common substrate on which both said data storage medium and said device controller are fabricated.
4. The data storage device of claim 1 , further comprising:
(c) a physical communication interface that supports communication between an external device and said device controller.
5. The data storage device of claim 4 , wherein said physical communication interface is a USB interface.
6. The data storage device of claim 4 , wherein said physical communication interface is a wireless communication interface.
7. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein said device controller is operative to initiate a data transfer between said data storage medium and an external device, the data storage device further comprising:
(c) a hardware user interface, that is dedicated to the data storage device, with which a user of the data storage device instructs said device controller to initiate said data transfer.
8. The data storage device of claim 1 , further comprising:
(c) a power source for powering said device controller.
9. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the data storage device is operative substantially only to store and retrieve data.
10. A data storage device comprising:
(a) a data storage medium;
(b) a device controller that is coperative to receive commands of a file system protocol and commands of a block protocol and in response to said commands, to read and write on said data storage medium, said commands being received from an external device, said device controller being operative to initiate a data transfer between said data storage medium and said external device; and
(c) a hardware user interface, that is dedicated to the data storage device, said hardware user interface including a data entry mechanism with which a user of the data storage device instructs said device controller to initiate said data transfer.