Wireless device loss prevention and discovery
A data storage device comprises a non-volatile storage medium configured to store user data, a data port configured to transmit data between a host computer system and the data storage device, an energy harvesting component configured to produce electrical energy from an ambient energy source, and a beacon component, configured to wirelessly transmit a signal. The beacon component is configured to consume the electrical energy to wirelessly transmit the signal. The data storage device may further comprise an energy store configured to store the electrical energy produced by the energy harvesting component as stored energy.
1. A data storage device comprising:
a non-volatile storage medium configured to store user data;
a data port configured to transmit data between a host computer system and the data storage device;
a power interface configured to provide power to the data storage device responsive to connection to a power source;
an energy store configured to store electrical energy; and
a beacon component configured to wirelessly transmit a signal, wherein, responsive to the power interface being in a disconnected state:
the energy store is further configured to:
selectively provide energy to the beacon component; and
not provide energy for storing user data to the non-volatile storage medium; and
the beacon component is further configured to consume at least some of the stored electrical energy to wirelessly transmit the signal.
2. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the energy store comprises an energy harvesting component configured to produce the electrical energy from an ambient energy source.
3. The data storage device of claim 2 , wherein the ambient energy source comprises one or more of a radio frequency energy source, a kinetic energy source or a thermal energy source.
4. The data storage device of claim 2 , wherein the energy harvesting component comprises one or more solar cells, and the ambient energy source comprises a solar radiation source.
5. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein:
the data port comprises a power port configured to receive power for the power interface from the host computer system as the power source, and
the energy store is further configured to receive at least a portion of the electrical energy from the power interface via the data port.
6. The data storage device of claim 5 , wherein, in response to the power port being electrically connected to the power source, the beacon component is configured to consume energy received from the host computer system to wirelessly transmit the signal.
7. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the energy store comprises at least one capacitor for storing the stored energy.
8. The data storage device of claim 7 , wherein the at least one capacitor comprises a plurality of capacitors forming a capacitor bank.
9. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the signal comprises a unique identification code that uniquely identifies the data storage device.
10. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the signal comprises information indicative of the state of the data storage device.
11. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the beacon component is further configured to:
determine an occurrence of a beacon trigger event; and
in response to the occurrence of the beacon trigger event, wirelessly transmit the signal.
12. The data storage device of claim 11 , wherein:
the data storage device is configured to be associated with an associated user device;
the beacon component is further configured to:
receive a received signal transmitted by the associated user device;
determine an indication of a signal strength of the received signal; and
determine an indication of a proximity of the associated user device to the data storage device, based on the indication of the signal strength; and
determining the occurrence of the beacon trigger event comprises determining that the indication of proximity exceeds an acceptable distance.
13. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein:
the signal comprises a first signal; and
the beacon component is further configured to wirelessly transmit a second signal at a beacon interval after the beacon component wirelessly transmitted the first signal.
14. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein:
the beacon component is configured to wirelessly transmit one or more signals in accordance with a beacon configuration; and
the beacon configuration defines at least one of a beacon interval, or a beacon transmission power.
15. The data storage device of claim 14 , wherein the beacon component is further configured to adjust the beacon configuration based on at least one of:
a motion of the data storage device;
a time of the day;
a current day or date;
an indication of a proximity to an associated user device;
a connection status of the data storage device to the host computer system;
a power availability level associated with a power manager in the data storage device;
a measure of the energy stored in the energy store;
a measure of ambient light outside the data storage device;
a measure of ambient temperature outside the data storage device;
a last physical location of the data storage device;
historical data of any of the above list; or
a pattern detected in the historical data of any of the above list.
16. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the beacon component is further configured to:
receive a received signal; and
in response to receiving the received signal, perform at least one of:
wirelessly transmit a response signal;
cause the data storage device to emit a visual signal; or
cause the data storage device to emit an audible signal.
17. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein:
the signal comprises a first signal;
the beacon component is further configured to:
wirelessly transmit the first signal in accordance with a first signal configuration; and
wirelessly transmit a second signal in accordance with a second signal configuration; and
the first signal configuration differs from the second signal configuration based on at least one of:
a communication protocol;
a transmission frequency; or
a packet format.
18. The data storage device of claim 17 , wherein the beacon component is further configured to:
transition from a sleep mode to an awake mode; and
in response to wirelessly transmitting the first signal and wirelessly transmitting the second signal, transition from the awake mode to the sleep mode.
19. A method for transmitting a beacon signal from a data storage device, comprising:
disconnecting a power source from a power interface of the data storage device to enter a disconnected state, wherein the data storage device comprises:
a non-volatile storage medium configured to store user data;
a data port configured to transmit data between a host computer system and the data storage device;
an energy store configured to store electrical energy; and
a beacon component configured to wirelessly transmit a signal; and
wirelessly transmitting the signal, wherein, responsive to the power interface being in a disconnected state:
the beacon component is further configured to:
selectively provide energy to the beacon component; and
not provide energy for storing user data to the non-volatile storage medium; and
wirelessly transmitting the signal consumes at least some of the electrical energy stored in the energy store.
20. A data storage device comprising:
a non-volatile storage medium configured to store user data;
means for transmitting data between a host computer system and the data storage device;
means for providing power to the data storage device responsive to connection to a power source;
means for storing electrical energy; and
means for wirelessly transmitting a signal, wherein, responsive to the means for providing power to the data storage device being in a disconnected state:
the means for storing electrical energy is configured to:
selectively provide energy to the means for wirelessly transmitting the signal; and
not provide energy for storing user data to the non-volatile storage medium; and
the means for wirelessly transmitting the signal consumes at least some of the electrical energy stored in the means for storing electrical energy.