Abstract:
A method is described that involves detecting the presence of a pairing partner. Prior to establishing a paired relationship with the pairing partner, a user is prompted to verify himself/herself. In response to the user properly verifying himself/herself, the paring partner is paired with. The pairing includes invoking a remote storage protocol that contemplates a network between the partners to establish on a first of the partners access to non volatile storage resources for general use. The non volatile storage resources are located on a second of the partners. The second of the partners is a handheld device that provides wireless cell phone service, wireless Internet service and music playback service.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    The field of invention relates generally to computing systems and more specifically to a pairing and storage access scheme between a handheld device and a computing system. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The continued increase in semiconductor processing performance along with the continued decline in the cost of semiconductor devices has resulted in the emergence of “high tech” consumer products such as handheld devices capable of providing, among other things, cell phone communications, Internet communications and entertainment applications. The iPod™ and iPhone™ products offered by Apple, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. are a good example. The iPod™ is a handheld entertainment device that couples non-volatile storage and processing resources to store and playback entertainment files (e.g., music files). The iPhone™, like the iPod™, includes the ability to store and playback entertainment files—but also—possesses additional capabilities such as cell phone and Internet communications. 
         [0003]      FIGS. 1 and 2  depict pertinent aspects of the designs for the iPod™ and iPhone™ products as they currently exist.  FIG. 1  depicts, at a high level, an iPod™  102  being used as a local, external storage device. According to this application, the storage resource(s)  104  of the iPod™ are extended to store not only entertainment files, but also, conceivably, “anything” a user or owner of the iPod™ might wish to store on it (e.g., word processing application documents, JPEG photos, etc.). Here, the basic functionality of an iPod™ (i.e., entertainment related file storage and playback) is extended to include the basic functionality of a “memory-stick” or other portable, external non volatile storage device. According to the depiction of  FIG. 1 , when an iPod™  102  is plugged into a personal computer (PC)  100 , for instance through one of the PC&#39;s local I/O ports (e.g., a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port), the iPod™  102  appears to the user as an additional storage drive (see, inset  120  of  FIG. 1 ). 
         [0004]    The computing systems architecture of this arrangement, shown simplistically in  FIG. 1 , includes a PC  100  interconnected to an iPod™  102  through a USB  101 . Here, in order for an application software program  103  executing on the PC  100  to employ the non volatile storage resources  104  of the iPod™  102  as local, external storage (akin to a memory stick), the application software program  103  invokes the USB driver  106  (e.g., through an operating system or directly). The USB driver  107  and operating system  108  on the iPod™ cooperatively assist the PC  100  in accessing the iPod™&#39;s non volatile storage resources  104  (which may be semiconductor based such as FLASH memory, or magnetic based such as a hard disk drive). 
         [0005]      FIG. 2  shows the current design point of the iPhone™ product. A pertinent difference between the iPod™ and the iPhone™ is that the iPhone™, being a cell phone and Internet access device, is connected to a proprietary network  209  over which various services are provided (e.g., an iTunes™ service  210  (over which entertainment files such as music and/or video files are uploaded, downloaded, ordered, etc.); a cell phone telecommunications service; an Internet service provider service, etc.). The iPhone™ is designed primarily to use these services by wirelessly accessing  211  the network  209  and therefore includes a wireless wide area network (WWAN) I/O interface  212 . The PC  200  also has a WAN interface  213  (e.g., a DSL line) through which the iTunes™ web site  210  can be reached. 
         [0006]    In operation, iTunes™ or iPhone™ specific application software  203  running on the PC  200  is able to download/upload entertainment files, calendaring information, contact information, etc. to/from the iPhone™&#39;s  202  non volatile storage resources. Note that, like  FIG. 1 , the physical connection between the PC  200  and the iPhone™  202  flows through a local I/O port of the PC  200  (such as the PC&#39;s USB port  206 ). 
         [0007]    However, architecturally speaking, note that the informational flow between the PC  200  and the iPhone™  202  crosses the proprietary network  209 . Thus, from the perspective of the PC  200 , the iPhone™ is reachable only through the proprietary network  209  (even though it is actually locally connected through the USB  201 ). However, a drawback of this approach is that, currently, only iTunes™ or iPhone™ specific application software  203  is able to use the non volatile storage resources of the iPhone™. Said another way, unlike an iPod™, an iPhone™ cannot be used as a generic memory stick capable of storing “any” kind of information that the user might desire to store. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements and in which: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  shows a prior art iPod. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  shows a prior art iPhone. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  shows an architecture for a handheld device that improves upon the architecture observed in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  shows a first process; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  shows a second process; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  shows an exemplary handheld device; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  shows an exemplary computing system. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]      FIG. 3  shows a next generation iPhone™ that has been enhanced to perform, similar to an iPod™, a “memory stick” function. Here, a remote file access layer  316  of software is coupled to the proprietary wireless network access layer  317  to, essentially, “open up” the proprietary network view of the iPhone™  302  from the perspective of PC software  319  other than iTunes™ or iPhone™ specific software  318  for storage services on the iPhone™. That is, the remote file access interface  316  can be used by non-iTunes™/iPhone™ software to access the iPhone™&#39;s non volatile storage resources  304 . Thus, essentially, the PC continues to view the storage resources  304  of the iPhone™ as being reachable through a proprietary network  309  (as in the prior art design of FIG.  2 )—however—the presence of an “open” remote file access layer  316  permits access to the storage resources  304  by software  319  other than iTunes™/iPhone™ specific software  318 . 
         [0017]    The iTunes™/iPhone™ software  318  can continue to use its legacy protocol for reaching the external storage resources  304  (i.e., operate as in the system of  FIG. 2 ), or, may invoke the new interface  316  instead. Commands directed to the storage resources  304  through the remote file access layer  316  on the PC are formatted consistently with the protocol(s) of the network  309  by the network access layer  317 . According to one implementation, the network access layer  317  is designed to manage communications by establishing “connections” between source and destination pairs. That is, for example, a first application having a need to use resources  304  would result in a first connection being established between the network access layers  317 ,  308  of the PC  300  and the iPhone  302 , a second application having a need to use resources  304  would result in a second connection being established between the PC  300  and the iPhone  302 , etc. 
         [0018]    Thus, as shown in  FIG. 4 , in operation the process is as follows: 1) software (e.g., software application  319 ) running on the PC  300  desires access to the iPhone™&#39;s storage resources  304  and invokes  401  the remote file access interface  316 ; 2) the remote file access interface  316  invokes  402  the proprietary wireless network interface  317 ; 3) the proprietary wireless network interface  317  establishes  403  a connection over the USB  301  with the network interface  308  on the iPhone™  302 ; 4) remote access requests from the software  319  are “tunneled”  404  over the USB  301  through the artificially imposed network which are subsequently interpreted by the remote file access software  315  on the iPhone™  302  and presented to  405  the storage resources&#39;  304  controlling mechanism. 
         [0019]    In an alternative approach, a quasi-permanent connection could be made to exist between the PC  300  and iPhone  302  (e.g., that is established as part of an initial pairing sequence when the iPhone is first plugged into the USB port). Once the connection is established, the network interface  317  simply forwards remote access commands issued by interface  316  over the connection (i.e., no connection establishment phase is performed between the invocation of the network interface  317  by the remote file access interface  316  and the sending of remote file access commands over the USB). 
         [0020]    Remote file access protocols are known in the art. Examples include Common Internet File System (CIFS), Server Message Block (SMB) and Samba SMB. Typically, a remote file access protocol will effect a client-server relationship where the client issues requests to the server (typically store or read commands for specified items of data). According to one approach, when accessing the storage resources of the iPhone™, the PC  300  behaves as the client and the iPhone™ behaves as the server. Thus, for instance, the PC&#39;s remote file access protocol  316  will issue store commands with associated data and read commands identifying specific data to the network interface  317 , which, subsequently, packages these commands into the appropriate format (e.g., a data packet) for transport through the artificial network on the USB  301 . 
         [0021]    Note that the diagram of  FIG. 3  (and  FIG. 2 ) indicates that the iTunes™ and iPhone™ software  318 ,  314  on the PC  300  and iPhone™  302  include “pairing” routines  322 ,  323 . Pairing is essentially a process by which computing systems automatically find one another and establish a communicative relationship with one another so that data can be exchanged between the two. According to the diagram of  FIGS. 2 and 3 , pairing routines  322  and  323  perform automated discovery and handshaking algorithms and invoke the network interfaces  317 ,  308  to support communication between the PC  300  and iPhone™  302 . 
         [0022]    When an iPhone™  302  is plugged into the PC&#39;s USB port  206 ,  306  notification of a plug-in event reaches the pairing routines  322 ,  323  which discover each other and execute an authentication scheme to verify that a correct or trusted iPhone™  302  is plugged into the PC  300 , and contra-wise, that the iPhone™  302  is plugged into a correct or trusted PC  300 . Here, in order for the pairing routines  322 ,  323  to recognize a known or trusted partner, a registration process is typically performed between the two the first time the PC  300  and iPhone™  302  are ever connected to one another. The registration process may involve, for example, the generation of a unique passcode or key that the two partners agree will be used to verify identity during subsequent plug-in events. 
         [0023]    According to one embodiment of the system shown in  FIG. 3 , as part of the pairing semantics performed by pairing routines  322 ,  323  when the iPhone™  302  plugs into the USB port  306 , the PC&#39;s pairing routine  322  automatically causes the remote file access layer  316  to be invoked so as to establish a “ready” client-server connection to the iPhone™&#39;s storage resources  304  for general “memory-stick” like use upon completion of the activities initiated in response to the plug-in event. An icon that identifies the introduction of the iPhone™&#39;s file storage resources and/or a software application or embedded function for accessing these resources (through interface  316 ) can pop up on the PC&#39;s display, or otherwise be made available to the user, as part of these activities. 
         [0024]    According to another embodiment, consistent with the idea that general memory stick like usage of the iPhone™&#39;s storage resources  304  is made available upon a plug-in event, the pairing routines  322 ,  323  are migrated to the remote file access layers  316 ,  315 . As such, the authentication procedures that take place between the PC  300  and iPhone™  302  during a plug-in event are executed from the remote file access layers  316 ,  315  rather than the “closed” iTune™/iPhone™ specific software  318 ,  314 . 
         [0025]    Another advancement observed in  FIG. 3  is the presence of a wireless local area network (WLAN) interface  321  on the iPhone™. The presence of a working WLAN (e.g., WiFi, Bluetooth, etc.) between the iPhone™  302  and the PC  300  enable an alternate communication mechanism between the two. According to the architecture of  FIG. 3 , the remote file access layers  316 ,  315  of the PC  300  and iPhone™ are respectively coupled to the WLAN interfaces  320 ,  321  to enable access to the iPhone™&#39;s storage resources  304  by the PC 300  through the WLAN. Here, all the previously made comments concerning the operation of the remote file access layers  316 ,  315  are still applicable (except for their invocation of the proprietary network interface  317 ,  308 ), including the integration and performance of pairing routines. The coupling of pairing routines to a WWAN now permits the iPhone™  302  to be “paired” with the trusted PC  300  simply by coming into proximity (rather than direct physical contact through the USB  301 ) with the PC  300 . 
         [0026]    That is, for example, if a user holding an operative iPhone™ walks into the same room as the PC, the PC  300  and iPhone™  302  can be paired with one another through the WLAN. Here, the pairing routines detect the presence of the pairing partner through notification arising out of their respective WLAN interfaces. Integrating or otherwise coupling the pairing routines with the remote file access layers  316 ,  317  permits the automatic availability of remote storage services offered by the iPhone™ to the PC  300  simply by, for instance, a user holding the iPhone™  302  and walking into the same room as the PC  300 . 
         [0027]    Here, a security issue presents itself. What happens if a third person who inappropriately is in possession of the iPhone™ walks into the same room as the PC? Here, the machines  300 ,  302  trust each other—but the user is not trustworthy. If the machines  300 ,  302  implement an automatic pairing relationship, the untrustworthy user now has access to the data stored on the iPhone™. Since the iPhone™ storage resources have been opened up to store non-iTunes™/iPhone™ specific data, potentially, highly confidential/sensitive information may now be stored on the iPhone™. 
         [0028]    Accordingly, an embodiment includes enhancing the pairing schemes to force the user to identify himself/herself as part of the pairing process. For instance, the user may have an associated password. When the user walks into the room with the iPhone™, the pairing routines cause a window to be displayed to the user (on the PC and/or the iPhone™) that requests the user to enter his/her password. If the correct password is provided, the pairing schemes are permitted to form a communicative relationship between the two machines  300 ,  302 . According to one embodiment, the user is given the option as to whether or not the pairing schemes are to perform user authentication/verification as part of the machine pairing process. Note that the addition of user authentication to machine pairing can also be applied to direct, physical connection over the USB  301  as well. 
         [0029]      FIG. 5  shows an integrated methodology that mixes the features of automatic remote file access and user authentication as part of the pairing process. According to the process of  FIG. 5 , a user holding a handheld device walks into proximity with a computing system  501  where the computing system and the handheld device have a trusted relationship and respective operative WLAN interconnects. As a consequence of the operative WLAN interconnects, one or both of the machines become aware of the presence of the other  502 . However, before a communicative session is permitted between the two machines, the user is presented with a request (e.g., on the computing system, the handheld or both) to enter some kind of authentication or verification information (e.g., a userid, password, both, etc.)  503 . If the user does not respond correctly the process ends with the two machines not having established a trusted working relationship. If the user responds appropriately, the two machines establish a trusted working relationship which may include as part of the pairing sequence, among other things, the establishment of a quasi-permanent connection over the wireless network and the automatic availability of the handheld device&#39;s storage resources to the computing system  504 . Again, the same process can be applied to direct contact (e.g., through a USB) rather than through wireless connectivity. 
         [0030]    It should be emphasized above that the iPhone™&#39;s other functions (e.g., cell phone communications, Internet communication, media playback through the iPhone™&#39;s earphones, etc.) can be continuously operable before, during and after the aforementioned pairing sequences or attempted pairing sequences. 
         [0031]    The iPhone™ is viewed, more generally, as a handheld device.  FIG. 6  shows an embodiment of a handheld device  600  which adequately describes the iPhone™. Handheld device  600  may include an antenna system  601 . Handheld device  600  may also include a digital and/or analog radio frequency (RF) transceiver  602 , coupled to the antenna system  601 , to transmit and/or receive voice, digital data and/or media signals through antenna system  601 . In order to support both WLAN or WWAN multiple antenna and transceiver systems may be instantiated. 
         [0032]    Handheld device  600  may also include a digital processing system  603  to control the digital RF transceiver and to manage the voice, digital data and/or media signals. Digital processing system  603  may be a general purpose processing unit, such as a microprocessor or controller for example. Digital processing system  603  may also include a special purpose processing device, such as an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit), FPGA (field-programmable gate array) or DSP (digital signal processor). Digital processing system  603  may also include other devices, as are known in the art, to interface with other components of handheld device  600 . For example, digital processing system  603  may include analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters to interface with other components of handheld device  600 . Digital processing system  603  may include a media processing system  609 , which may also include a general purpose or special purpose processing device to manage media, such as files of audio data. The digital processing system  603  may also include memory resources for storing program code and data that is processed by a processing unit. 
         [0033]    Handheld device  600  may also include a storage device  604 , coupled to the digital processing system, to store data and/or operating programs for the handheld device  600 . Storage device  604  may be, for example, any type of solid-state or magnetic memory device including non volatile storage such as FLASH memory or a hard disk drive. Program code processed by the digital processing system is typically stored in storage device  604 . 
         [0034]    Handheld device  600  may also include one or more input devices  605 , coupled to the digital processing system  603 , to accept user inputs (e.g., telephone numbers, names, addresses, media selections, etc.) Input device  605  may be, for example, one or more of a keypad, a touchpad, a touch screen, a pointing device in combination with a display device or similar input device. Additional input devices may be instantiated to provide, for instance, a local, physical I/O such as a USB. 
         [0035]    Handheld device  600  may also include at least one display device  606 , coupled to the digital processing system  603 , to display information such as messages, telephone call information, contact information, pictures, movies and/or titles or other indicators of media being selected via the input device  605 . Display device  606  may be, for example, an LCD display device. In one embodiment, display device  606  and input device  605  may be integrated together in the same device (e.g., a touch screen LCD such as a multi-touch input panel which is integrated with a display device, such as an LCD display device). Examples of a touch input panel and a display integrated together are shown in U.S. published application No. 20060097991. The display device  606  may include a backlight  606   a  to illuminate the display device  606  under certain circumstances. It will be appreciated that the handheld device  600  may include multiple displays. 
         [0036]    Handheld device  600  may also include a battery  607  to supply operating power to components of the system including digital RF transceiver  602 , digital processing system  603 , storage device  604 , input device  605 , microphone  605 A, audio transducer  608 , media processing system  609 , sensor(s)  610 , and display device  606 . Battery  607  may be, for example, a rechargeable or non-rechargeable lithium or nickel metal hydride battery. 
         [0037]    Handheld device  600  may also include audio transducers  608 , which may include one or more speakers, and at least one microphone  605 A. 
         [0038]    Handheld device  600  may also include one or more sensors  610  coupled to the digital processing system  603 . The sensor(s)  610  may include, for example, one or more of a proximity sensor, accelerometer, touch input panel, ambient light sensor, ambient noise sensor, temperature sensor, gyroscope, a hinge detector, a position determination device, an orientation determination device, a motion sensor, a sound sensor, a radio frequency electromagnetic wave sensor, and other types of sensors and combinations thereof. Based on the data acquired by the sensor(s)  610 , various responses may be performed automatically by the digital processing system, such as, for example, activating or deactivating the backlight  606   a , changing a setting of the input device  605  (e.g. switching between processing or not processing, as an intentional user input, any input data from an input device), and other responses and combinations thereof. 
         [0039]    In one embodiment, digital RF transceiver  602 , digital processing system  603  and/or storage device  604  may include one or more integrated circuits disposed on a printed circuit board (PCB). 
         [0040]    Processes taught by the discussion above may be performed with program code such as machine-executable instructions that cause a machine that executes these instructions to perform certain functions. In this context, a “machine” may be a machine that converts intermediate form (or “abstract”) instructions into processor specific instructions (e.g., an abstract execution environment such as a “virtual machine” (e.g., a Java Virtual Machine), an interpreter, a Common Language Runtime, a high-level language virtual machine, etc.)), and/or, electronic circuitry disposed on a semiconductor chip (e.g., “logic circuitry” implemented with transistors) designed to execute instructions such as a general-purpose processor and/or a special-purpose processor. Processes taught by the discussion above may also be performed by (in the alternative to a machine or in combination with a machine) electronic circuitry designed to perform the processes (or a portion thereof) without the execution of program code. 
         [0041]    It is believed that processes taught by the discussion above may also be described in source level program code in various object-orientated or non-object-orientated computer programming languages (e.g., Java, C#, VB, Python, C, C++, J#, APL, Cobol, Fortran, Pascal, Perl, etc.) supported by various software development frameworks (e.g., Microsoft Corporation&#39;s .NET, Mono, Java, Oracle Corporation&#39;s Fusion, etc.). The source level program code may be converted into an intermediate form of program code (such as Java byte code, Microsoft Intermediate Language, etc.) that is understandable to an abstract execution environment (e.g., a Java Virtual Machine, a Common Language Runtime, a high-level language virtual machine, an interpreter, etc.) or may be compiled directly into object code. 
         [0042]    According to various approaches the abstract execution environment may convert the intermediate form program code into processor specific code by, 1) compiling the intermediate form program code (e.g., at run-time (e.g., a JIT compiler)), 2) interpreting the intermediate form program code, or 3) a combination of compiling the intermediate form program code at run-time and interpreting the intermediate form program code. Abstract execution environments may run on various operating systems (such as UNIX, LINUX, Microsoft operating systems including the Windows family, Apple Computers operating systems including MacOS X, Sun/Solaris, OS/2, Novell, etc.). 
         [0043]    An article of manufacture may be used to store program code. An article of manufacture that stores program code may be embodied as, but is not limited to, one or more memories (e.g., one or more flash memories, random access memories (static, dynamic or other)), optical disks, CD-ROMs, DVD ROMs, EPROMs, EEPROMs, magnetic or optical cards or other type of machine-readable media suitable for storing electronic instructions. Program code may also be downloaded from a remote computer (e.g., a server) to a requesting computer (e.g., a client) by way of data signals embodied in a propagation medium. 
         [0044]    The PC  300  of  FIG. 3  is generally understood to be a computing system an exemplary architecture of which is depicted in  FIG. 7 .  FIG. 7  shows an embodiment of a computing system (e.g., a computer). The exemplary computing system of  FIG. 7  includes: 1) one or more processors  701 ; 2) a memory control hub (MCH)  702 ; 3) a system memory  703  (of which different types exist such as DDR RAM, EDO RAM, etc,); 4) a cache  704 ; 5) an I/O control hub (ICH)  705 ; 6) a graphics processor  706 ; 7) a display/screen  707  (of which different types exist such as Cathode Ray Tube (CRT), Thin Film Transistor (TFT), Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), DPL, etc.; 8) one or more I/O devices  708 . 
         [0045]    The one or more processors  701  execute instructions in order to perform whatever software routines the computing system implements. The instructions frequently involve some sort of operation performed upon data. Both data and instructions are stored in system memory  703  and cache  704 . Cache  704  is typically designed to have shorter latency times than system memory  703 . For example, cache  704  might be integrated onto the same silicon chip(s) as the processor(s) and/or constructed with faster SRAM cells whilst system memory  703  might be constructed with slower DRAM cells. By tending to store more frequently used instructions and data in the cache  704  as opposed to the system memory  703 , the overall performance efficiency of the computing system improves. 
         [0046]    System memory  703  is deliberately made available to other components within the computing system. For example, the data received from various interfaces to the computing system (e.g., keyboard and mouse, printer port, LAN port, modem port, etc.) or retrieved from an internal storage element of the computing system (e.g., hard disk drive) are often temporarily queued into system memory  703  prior to their being operated upon by the one or more processor(s)  701  in the implementation of a software program. Similarly, data that a software program determines should be sent from the computing system to an outside entity through one of the computing system interfaces, or stored into an internal storage element, is often temporarily queued in system memory  703  prior to its being transmitted or stored. 
         [0047]    The ICH  705  is responsible for ensuring that such data is properly passed between the system memory  703  and its appropriate corresponding computing system interface (and internal storage device if the computing system is so designed). The MCH  702  is responsible for managing the various contending requests for system memory  703  access amongst the processor(s)  701 , interfaces and internal storage elements that may proximately arise in time with respect to one another. 
         [0048]    One or more I/O devices  708  are also implemented in a typical computing system. I/O devices generally are responsible for transferring data to and/or from the computing system (e.g., a networking adapter); or, for large scale non-volatile storage within the computing system (e.g., hard disk drive). ICH  705  has bi-directional point-to-point links between itself and the observed I/O devices  708 . 
         [0049]    It is believed that processes taught by the discussion above can be practiced within various software environments such as, for example, object-oriented and non-object-oriented programming environments, Java based environments (such as a Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE) environment or environments defined by other releases of the Java standard), or other environments (e.g., a .NET environment, a Windows/NT environment each provided by Microsoft Corporation). 
         [0050]    In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments thereof. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. 
         [0051]    Although the presentation has repeatedly referred to the iPhone™ it should be understood that the claims that follow are not to be construed as being directly solely to iPhone™ products.