IP Library Granted Patent US 10,681,746
Granted Patent B2
US 10,681,746 · App. 15/379,380 · Granted Jun 9, 2020

Wireless enabled hard drive management

Inventors: Pravin Patel (Cary, NC); Theodore Brian Vojnovich (Raleigh, NC); Luke Remis (Raleigh, NC)
Assignee: Lenovo Enterprise Solutions (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
H04W76/10G06F3/0604G06F3/067G06F3/0632H04W4/80
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,681,746
App. No.
15/379,380
Granted
Jun 9, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method, according to one embodiment, includes: establishing a wireless connection between a wireless receiver in a solid state drive and a mobile device, receiving configuration instructions from the mobile device via the wireless connection, sending the received configuration instructions to a processor in a second device via a physical electrical connection coupling the second device to the solid state drive, receiving data from the second device via the physical electrical connection coupling the second device to the solid state drive, and storing the data in a memory of the solid state drive according to the received configuration instructions. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are described in additional embodiments.

Claims (35)

1. A method, comprising:

establishing a wireless connection between a wireless receiver in a solid state drive and a mobile device;

receiving configuration instructions from the mobile device via the wireless connection;

sending the received configuration instructions to a processor in a second device via a physical electrical connection coupling the second device to the solid state drive;

receiving data from the second device via the physical electrical connection coupling the second device to the solid state drive; and

storing the data in a memory of the solid state drive according to the received configuration instructions.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the wireless connection is only usable to receive configuration instructions.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the received configuration instructions include a drive capability inquiry instruction, wherein the processor provides the mobile device access to vital product data associated with the solid state drive in response to receiving the drive capability inquiry instruction.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the received configuration instructions include a remove instruction, wherein the processor causes the solid state drive to power down in response to receiving the remove instruction.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein more than one solid state drive is coupled to the second device.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the wireless connection is established using a protocol selected from a group consisting of: Bluetooth, near field communication and WiFi Direct.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , with a proviso that the configuration instructions are wirelessly received at the solid state drive from the mobile device without using a physical connection between the solid state drive and the mobile device.

8. A method, comprising:

establishing a wireless connection between a wireless receiver in a solid state drive and a mobile device; and

sending configuration instructions to the wireless receiver in the solid state drive via the wireless connection,

wherein the wireless connection between the wireless receiver in the solid state drive and the mobile device is only usable to send configuration instructions.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein sending configuration instructions includes sending a drive capability inquiry instruction to the wireless receiver over the wireless connection, wherein the drive capability inquiry instruction causes the mobile device to gain access to vital product data associated with the solid state drive.

10. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein sending configuration instructions includes sending a remove instruction to the wireless receiver over the wireless connection, wherein the remove instruction causes the solid state drive to be powered down.

11. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the wireless connection is established using a protocol selected from a group consisting of: Bluetooth, near field communication and WiFi Direct.

12. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the wireless connection is established using Bluetooth.

13. The method as recited in claim 8 , with a proviso that the instructions are wirelessly sent to the solid state drive from the mobile device without using a physical connection between the solid state drive and the mobile device.

14. A system, comprising:

a solid state drive, comprising:

a wireless receiver; and

a physical connection port,

wherein the physical connection port is for establishing a physical electrical connection between the wireless receiver and a processor in a second device;

wherein the solid state drive establishes a wireless connection with an electrical device,

wherein the solid state drive sends configuration instructions received by the wireless receiver from the electrical device to the processor in the second device,

wherein the solid state drive receives data from the second device physically connected to the solid state drive via the physical connection port.

15. The system as recited in claim 14 , wherein the wireless receiver is only usable to receive configuration instructions.

16. The system as recited in claim 14 , comprising the second device.

17. The system as recited in claim 16 , wherein the processor in the second device provides the electrical device access to vital product data associated with the solid state drive in response to receiving a configuration instruction from the solid state drive that is a drive capability inquiry instruction.

18. The system as recited in claim 16 , wherein the processor in the second device powers down the solid state drive in response to receiving a configuration instruction from the solid state drive that is a remove instruction.

19. The system as recited in claim 14 , wherein the wireless connection is established using a protocol selected from a group consisting of: Bluetooth, near field communication and WiFi Direct.

20. The system as recited in claim 14 , with a proviso that the configuration instructions are wirelessly received at the solid state drive from the electrical device without using a physical connection between the solid state drive and the electrical device.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 10, 2025
From: LENOVO GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
To: LENOVO GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES SWITZERLAND INTERNATIONAL GMBH
Reel/Frame 069869/0614 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 26, 2021
From: LENOVO ENTERPRISE SOLUTIONS (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD
To: LENOVO GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL LTD
Reel/Frame 055029/0215 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 15, 2016
From: PATEL, PRAVIN; VOJNOVICH, THEODORE BRIAN; REMIS, LUKE
To: LENOVO ENTERPRISE SOLUTIONS (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 040638/0529 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180165028A1 · Jun 14, 2018