Abstract:
Another embodiment of the invention provides a data saving system including a portable device having a first data, a third party and a storage management server. The storage management server connects at least one backup device, wherein when the portable device wants to save the first data, the portable device transmits the first data and a save command to the third party, the storage management server monitors the third party to determine whether there is data designated to the storage management server, and if yes, the storage management server acquires and transmits the first data to the backup device.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/416,281, filed Nov. 22, 2010, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a data saving method, and more particularly to a data saving method for a portable device via a third party. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    With the growth of the usage of the portable device, a problem has been raised: backing up data of the portable device. One solution is to connect the portable device to a computer or data storage device and store data therein. However, this solution is not convenient for a user. Another solution is directly connecting the portable device to a backup device via a specific communication interface, such as an internet interface. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    An embodiment of the invention provides a portable device that save a first data at a backup device via a third party. The portable device comprises a storage device storing the first data to be saved; and a processor to execute a client-side program to store the first data. The client-side program comprising the steps of: transmitting the first data to the third party; transmitting a saving command to the third party; monitoring the third party by a server to check whether there is data designated to the server; acquiring and transmitting the first data, by the server, to the backup device; transmitting a saving result designated to the portable device, by the server, to the third party; and acquiring the saving result by the portable device. 
         [0007]    Another embodiment of the invention provides a saving method for a portable device. The method comprises transmitting a first data from the portable device to a third party; transmitting a saving command generated by the portable device to the third party; monitoring the third party, by a server, to check whether there is data designated to the server for saving; acquiring and transmitting the first data, by the server, to a backup device; saving the first data by the backup device; transmitting a saving result designated to the portable device, by the server, to the third party; acquiring the saving result by the portable device. 
         [0008]    Another embodiment of the invention provides a data storage system comprising a portable device having a first data to be saved, a third party and a storage management server. The storage management server connects at least one backup device, wherein when the portable device wants to save the first data, the portable device transmits the first data and a save command to the third party, the storage management server monitors the third party to determine whether there is data designated to the storage management server, and if yes, the storage management server acquires and transmits the first data to the backup device. 
         [0009]    A detailed description is given in the following embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The present invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a data saving mechanism with a third party according to one embodiment of the invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of a data saving mechanism with a third party according to another embodiment of the invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a saving procedure according to one embodiment of the invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a saving procedure according to another embodiment of the invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of a data saving mechanism with a third party according to another embodiment of the invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram of a data saving mechanism with a third party according to another embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    The following description is of the best-contemplated mode of carrying out the invention. This description is made for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention and should not be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the invention is best determined by reference to the appended claims. 
         [0018]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a data saving mechanism with a third party according to one embodiment of the invention. The server  12  connects to at least one storage device, such as storage device  14   a ,  14   b  or  14   c . The server  12  communicates with the storage devices via a cable, a USB cable, or a wireless interface. The wireless interface may be a WiFi interface, a Bluetooth interface, an IrDA interface, a CDMA interface or other similar interface. In the present innovation, the portable device  11  does not directly communicate with the server  12 . All the data, command, request or other similar exchanged terms between the portable device  11  and the server  12  must be transferred by the third party  13 . 
         [0019]    When the Portable device  11  wants to store data, the portable device  11  first transmits the first data to the third party  13 , and then transmits a command to the third party  13 . In another embodiment, both the first data and the command may be transmitted simultaneously to the third party  13 . The server  12  monitors the third party  13  to see whether there is data designated to the server  12  or the storage device  14   a ,  14   b  or  14   c . The user using the portable device  11  can know which storage devices are available by a program embedded in the portable device  11 . The first data contains a label indicating the destination storage device. The label may comprise a first unique identification of the storage device. The label may also comprise a second unique identification of the server  12 . The storage device  14   a ,  14   b  or  14   c  monitors the label of the data stored in the third party  13  and analyses the first unique identification and the second unique identification thereof to determine whether there is data designated to the storage device  14   a ,  14   b  or  14   c . The server  12  monitors the third party  13  continuously or periodically to determine whether there is data designated to the server  12 . If yes, the server  12  acquires the first data and transmits to the target storage device. After the server  12  acquires the first data in the third party, the server  12  deletes the first data in the third party for security concern. 
         [0020]    The first data transmitted by the portable device  11  further comprises a first security information, and before the server  12  stores the first data to the designated storage device, the server  12  first confirms whether the selected storage device is the designated storage device according to the first security information and a second security information of the selected storage device. Only when the second security information matches the first security information, then, will the data be stored in the selected storage device. The first and second security information may be implemented as a private key and a public key. 
         [0021]    When the target storage device finishes saving the data, the target storage device transmits the saving result to the server  12  and the server  12  uploads the saving result designated to the portable device  11  to the third party  13 . It is noted that the saving result may also contain a label corresponding to the portable device  11  and the label may comprise a third unique identification of the portable device  11 . 
         [0022]    The portable device  11  monitors the third party  13  continuously or periodically to determine whether there is a saving result designated to the portable device  11 . If yes, the portable device  11  acquires the saving result. It is noted that the portable device  11  cannot access the data stored at the target storage device anymore after data the data saving process is completed. The stored data in the storage device is accessed in another access mechanism. For example, a user uses another personal computer to access the stored data via internet or intranet. In the present innovation, the third party  13  exchanges information or data between the portable device  11  and the server  12  only, and the third party  13  does not voluntarily transmit data to the server  12  or the portable device  11 . In one example, the third party  13  is merely a storage medium and is capable of being accessed by both the server  12  and the portable device  11 . In other words, when the portable device  11  accesses the third party  13 , the control of the third party  13  is transferred to the portable device  11 , and when the server  12  accesses the third party  13 , the control of the third party  13  is transferred to the server  12 . 
         [0023]    The third party  13  may contain a security mechanism to verify the server  12  and the portable device  11 , and after the verification procedure has passed verification, the server  12  and the portable device  11  are authorized to access the third party  13 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of a data saving mechanism with a third party according to another embodiment of the invention. In  FIG. 2 , the storage devices  14   a ,  14   b  and  14   c  directly access the third party  13  without the server  12  in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0025]    When the Portable device  11  wants to store data, the portable device  11  first transforms the first data into a second data with an XML format or creates an XML file containing the first data. The portable device  11  then transmits the second data and a command to the third party  13 . The storage device  14   a ,  14   b  or  14   c  monitors the third party  13  to see whether there is data designated to the storage device  14   a ,  14   b  or  14   c . The user using the portable device  11  can know which storage device is available by an application program embedded in the portable device  11 . The second data contains a label indicating the destination storage device. The storage devices  14   a ,  14   b  and  14   c  monitor the third party  13  continuously or periodically to determine whether there is data designated to the storage devices  14   a ,  14   b  or  14   c . If the second data is designated to the storage devices  14   a , the storage device  14   a  acquires and stores the second data. After saving, the storage device  14   a  transmits a saving result to the third party  13 . 
         [0026]    The portable device  11  monitors the third party  13  continuously or periodically to determine whether there is a saving result designated to the portable device  11 . If yes, the portable device  11  acquires the saving result. It is noted that the portable device  11  cannot access the data stored at the target storage device anymore after the data saving process is completed. The stored data in the storage device is accessed by another access mechanism. In the present innovation, the third party  13  merely exchanges information or data between the portable device  11  and the storage device  14   a ,  14   b  or  14   c , and the third party  13  cannot voluntarily transmit data to the storage device  14   a ,  14   b  or  14   c  or the portable device  11 . In one example, the third party  13  is merely a storage medium and is accessed by the entire storage device  14   a ,  14   b ,  14   c  and the portable device  11 . The third party  13  may contain a security mechanism to verify the storage device  14   a ,  14   b ,  14   c  and the portable device  11 . After the verification procedure has passed verification, the storage devices  14   a ,  14   b ,  14   c  and the portable device  11  are authorized to access the third party  13   
         [0027]      FIG. 3  is a data storing procedure according to one embodiment of the invention. The following steps explain the operation of the data saving procedure. 
         [0028]    Step  1 : The portable device  31  first transmits the first data with a destination label corresponding to the target device to the third party  32 . 
         [0029]    Step  2 : The portable device  31  transmits a command to the third party  33 . 
         [0030]    Step  3 : The server  32  monitors the third party  33  to see whether there is data designated to the server  32  or the storage device  34 . 
         [0031]    Step  4 : The server  32  acquires first. 
         [0032]    Step  5 : The server  32  confirms and determines whether the storage device  34  is the target device. 
         [0033]    Step  6 : The storage device  34  passes the confirmation procedure. 
         [0034]    Step  7 : The server  32  transmits the first data to the storage device  34 . 
         [0035]    Step  8 : The storage device  34  transmits the saving result to the server  32  after saving. 
         [0036]    Step  9 : The server  32  uploads the saving result designated to the portable device  31  to the third party  33 . 
         [0037]    Step  10 : The portable device  31  monitors the third party  33  continuously or periodically to determine whether there is a saving result designated to the portable device  31 . 
         [0038]    Step  11 : The portable device  31  acquires the saving result. 
         [0039]      FIG. 4  is a data storing procedure according to another embodiment of the invention. The following steps explain the operation of the data saving procedure. 
         [0040]    Step  1 : The portable device  31  first transmits the first data with target device information to the third party  32 . 
         [0041]    Step  2 : The portable device  31  transmits a command to the third party  33 . 
         [0042]    Step  3 : The storage device  32  monitors the third party  33  to see whether there is data designated to the storage device  32 . 
         [0043]    Step  4 : The storage device  32  acquires and saves the data-under-saving. 
         [0044]    Step  5 : The storage device  32  deletes the data-under-saving in the third party  33 . 
         [0045]    Step  6 : The storage device  32  uploads the saving result designated to the portable device  31  to the third party  33 . 
         [0046]    Step  7 : The portable device  31  monitors the third party  33  continuously or periodically to determine whether there is a saving result designated to the portable device  31 . 
         [0047]    Step  8 : The portable device  31  acquires the saving result. 
         [0048]      FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of a data saving mechanism with a third party according to another embodiment of the invention. The portable device  51  comprises a first controller  511 , a first security software  513  and client-side software  512 . The server  52  comprises a second controller  521 , server-side software  523  and second security software  522 . The client-side software  512  and the server-side software  523  first execute a security verification procedure with the third party  53  to get the access right of the third party  53 . In the present innovation, the third party  53  plays a role for exchanging information or data between the portable device  51  and the server  52  only, and the third party  53  does not voluntarily transmit data to the server  52  or the portable device  51 . Furthermore, the portable device  51  does not directly communicate with the server  52 . All the data, command, request or other similar exchanged between the portable device  51  and the server  52  must be transferred by the third party  53 . 
         [0049]    When the portable device  51  wants to store a first data, the first controller  511  executes the client-side software  512  to transmit the first data to the third party  53 , and then transmits a command to the third party  53 . The first data contains a label indicating the destination storage device and security information generated by the security software  522 . The label may comprise a first unique identification of the storage device S 1 , S 2  or S 3 . The label may also comprise a second unique identification of the server  52 . 
         [0050]    The server-side software  523  executed by the second controller  521  monitors the third party  53  to see whether there is data designated to the server  52  or the storage device S 1 , S 2  or S 3 . The user using the portable device  51  can know which storage device are available by the client-side software  512  embedded in the portable device  51 . The server-side software  523  monitors the third party  53  continuously or periodically to determine whether there is data designated to the server  52 . If yes, the second controller  521  acquires the first data. Before transmitting the first data to the target storage, the security verification procedure  522  verifies a second security information of the target storage device with the first security information. After passing verification, the server  92  transmits data to be saved to the target storage 
         [0051]    After the target storage device finishes saving the first data, the target storage device transmits the saving result to the server  52  and the second controller  521  uploads the saving result designated to the portable device  51  to the third party  53  by the server-side software  522 . It is noted that the saving result may also contain a label indicating the portable device  51  and the label may comprise a third unique identification of the portable device  51 . 
         [0052]    The client-side software  512  monitors the third party  13  continuously or periodically to determine whether there is a saving result designated to the portable device  51 . If yes, the first controller  511  acquires the saving result by the client-side software  512 . In the present innovation, the third party  53  exchanges information or data between the portable device  51  and the server  52  only, and the third party  53  does not voluntarily transmit data to the server  52  or the portable device  51 . In one example, the third party  53  is merely a storage medium and is capable of being accessed by both the server  52  and the portable device  51 . 
         [0053]      FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram of a data saving mechanism with a third party according to another embodiment of the invention. The most different feature of this embodiment is that the server-side software  523  is embedded in a dongle  54 . The dongle  54  connects to the server  52 , a hard disk of the server  52  or router of an internet network, stores the server-side software  523  and authorization information. 
         [0054]    The portable device  51  comprises a first controller  511 , a first security software  513  and client-side software  512 . The server  52  comprises a second controller  521  and second security software  522 . The client-side software  102  and the server-side software  104  first execute a security verification procedure with the third part  13  to get the access right of the third party  13 . In the present innovation, the third party  13  exchanges information or data between the portable device  11  and the server  12  only, and the third party  13  does not voluntarily transmit data to the server  12  or the portable device  11 . Furthermore, the portable device  11  does not directly communicate with the server  12 . All the data, commands, requests or other similar information exchanged between the portable device  11  and the server  12  must be transferred by the third party  13 . 
         [0055]    When the portable device  51  wants to store data, the first controller  511  executes the client-side software  512  to transmit the first data to the third party  53 , and then transmits a command to the third party  53 . The first data contains a label indicating the destination storage device and security information generated by the security software  522 . The label may comprise a first unique identification of the storage device S 1 , S 2  or S 3 . The label may also comprise a second unique identification of the server  52 . 
         [0056]    The server-side software  523  monitors the third party  53  to see whether there is data designated to the server  52  or the storage device S 1 , S 2  or S 3 . The user using the portable device  51  can know which storage device are available by the client-side software  512  embedded in the portable device  51 . The server-side software  523  monitors the third party  53  continuously or periodically to determine whether there is data designated to the server  52 . If yes, the server-side software  523  acquires and passes the first data to the server  52 . When receiving the first data, the second controller  103  transmits the data-under-saving to the target storage device. 
         [0057]    After the target storage device finishes saving the first data, the target storage device transmits the saving result to the server  52  and the second controller  521  uploads the saving result designated to the portable device  51  to the third party  53  with the cooperation of the server-side software  523 . It is noted that the saving result may also contains a label indicating the portable device  51  and the label may comprise a third unique identification of the portable device  51 . The client-side software  512  monitors the third party  53  continuously or periodically to determine whether there is a saving result designated to the portable device  51 . If yes, the first controller  511  acquires the saving result by the client-side software  512 . In the present innovation, the third party  53  exchanges information or data between the portable device  51  and the server  52  only, and the third party  53  does not voluntarily transmit data to the server  52  or the portable device  51 . In one example, the third party  53  is merely a storage medium and is capable of being accessed by both the server  52  and the portable device  51 . 
         [0058]    The first data transmitted by the portable device  51  comprises a first security information generated by the first security software  513 , and before the server  52  stores the first data to the designated storage device, the second controller executes the second security software  513  to confirm whether the selected storage device is the designated storage device according to the first security information and a second security information of the selected storage device. Only when the second security information matches the first security information, then, will the data be stored in the selected storage device. The first and second security information may be implemented as a private key and a public key. 
         [0059]    While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.