Multi partitioned storage device emulating dissimilar storage media
View Patent ↗A digital media. In one embodiment, the digital media devices includes a storage unit/partition that emulates a Compact Disc-Read Only Memory (CD-ROM), and optionally, a second storage unit/partition that acts as a Read/Write storage device.
1. An apparatus comprising:
a connector to connect to a computing device;
a first storage partition having a Read Only Memory (ROM) storage unit;
a Read/Write storage unit comprising a card-reader for accepting a flash memory card, the flash memory card comprising a second storage partition;
firmware to emulate a CD-ROM using the ROM; and
a master boot record to identify at least two partitions of the apparatus including the ROM storage unit and the Read/Write storage unit.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is a digital media device, the ROM storage unit comprises a flash memory and the Read/Write storage unit comprises a flash memory.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the application or task is configured to launch automatically when the apparatus is plugged into the computing device.
4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the Read/Write storage unit comprises an on-board flash memory.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the ROM is configured to store an application or task to support the apparatus interfacing with the computing device.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the computing device is a mobile computing device.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the mobile computing device is one of a cellular phone, personal digital assistant (PDA), and a digital camera.
8. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the application or task is configured to display two icons on a screen of the computing device, a first icon representing the ROM storage unit and a second icon representing the Read/Write storage unit.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the connector is configured to interface with a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port of the computing device.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the computing device does not include a CD-ROM drive.
11. A method comprising:
accessing a master boot record to identify at least two partitions of the apparatus including a Read Only Memory (ROM) storage unit and a Read/Write storage unit;
providing a portion of a first storage partition from the ROM storage unit to a computing device;
providing a portion of a second storage partition from the Read/Write storage unit comprising a card-reader for accepting a flash memory card, the flash memory card comprising a second storage partition; and
emulating a CD-ROM using the ROM.
12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:
storing an application or task in the ROM, the application or task interfacing with the computing device.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
displaying two icons on a screen of the computing device, a first icon representing the ROM storage unit and a second icon representing the Read/Write storage unit.
14. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon a set of instructions that when executed on a machine will cause the machine to perform a method comprising:
accessing a master boot record to identify at least two partitions of the apparatus including a ROM storage unit and a Read/Write storage unit;
providing a portion of a first storage partition from the ROM storage unit to a computing device;
providing a portion of a second storage partition from the Read/Write storage unit comprising a card-reader for accepting a flash memory card, the flash memory card comprising a second storage partition; and
emulating a CD-ROM using the ROM.
15. The machine-readable medium of claim 14 comprising instructions for:
storing an application or task in the ROM, the application or task interfacing with the computing device.
16. The machine-readable medium of claim 15 , comprising instructions for:
displaying two icons on a screen of the computing device, a first icon representing the ROM storage unit and a second icon representing the Read/Write storage unit.