Abstract: A computing system including: a host system; at least one device, mechanically connected to the host system, each device having an active state and an inactive state, wherein each device is conductively disconnected from the host system when the inactive state is enabled; and a mechanism for the host system to switch each device between the active state and the inactive state Preferably, at least one device is connected to the host system via a connector. Preferably, the device is hard-wired to the host system. Preferably, some wires of at least one device are isolated from the host system via a mechanical contactor. Preferably, some wires of at least one device are isolated from the host system via an optical isolator. Preferably, the system further includes: a switching battery; and a mechanism for charging the battery when at least one device is disconnected from the host system.

Abstract: The present invention discloses methods for protecting a peripheral device in a computing system from electrical surge currents, the method including the steps of: providing a controller operationally connected to a host system; and reversibly conductively connecting, via the controller, wires of the device to the host system. Preferably, the device is connected to the host system via a connector. Preferably, the device is hard-wired to the host system. Preferably, at least some wires of the device are isolated from the host system via a mechanical contactor. Preferably, at least some wires of the device are isolated from the host system via an optical isolator. Preferably, the method further includes the step of: charging a switching battery when the device is disconnected from the host system. Most preferably, the method further includes the step of: powering the device using the battery when the device is connected to the host system.

Abstract: A videophone device including two units 30, 34 is disclosed. When decoupled from each other, the first unit is a mobile phone 34 (for example, a cellular phone or a VOIP phone) that provides voice telephony services, and the second unit 30 is a video playback device (for example, an MP4 player) that provides media playback services. When coupled to each other to form a ‘tandem device’ 32, the tandem device 32 is operative to provide video telephony services using an onboard CODEC 224 of the media playback device, a screen 250 of the media playback device, and an RF transceiver 130 of the mobile phone. Various packaging features are disclosed. A tandem device including a screenless GPS device 330 and a mobile phone is also disclosed herein.

Abstract: A method enables a storage device to autonomously (i.e., without intervention of a host device) determines whether an integral sequence of commands, which is related to one or more storage commands issued by the host device, is in a certain state (i.e., it is “active” or “inactive”) or is transitioning from “active” state to “inactive” state, or from “inactive” state to “active” state. Depending on the determined state or transition, the storage device determines whether to refrain from executing Extra-Sequence (“ESQ”) operations and permit executing Intra-Sequence (“ISQ”) operations, or vice versa.

Abstract: A device for detecting a timeout event during a transaction between a user and a host includes a memory storing a set of predetermined threshold values in association with corresponding operations. A timing control unit that is operative to provide timing information. A controller is operative to detect a timeout event based on the timing information provided thereto and on the predetermined threshold vale of a corresponding operation. Activation of the device is conditional upon a signal received from a host. In another example embodiment, a device for detecting a timeout event during a transaction between a user and a host based on timing information and the predetermined threshold values includes means to access external power from the host.

Abstract: A method of operating a communications system including a mobile phone and a media playback device is disclosed. When the mobile phone is uncoupled from the media playback device, voice telephony services are provided by the mobile phone using an onboard RF transceiver of the mobile phone. When the media playback device is uncoupled from mobile phone, media playback services are provided by the media playback device using an onboard CODEC and an onboard display screen of the media playback device. When the media playback device and the mobile phone are operatively coupled together to form a tandem device, video telephony services are provided by the tandem device using the RF transceiver of the mobile phone, the CODEC of the media playback device and the display screen of the media playback device. Methods of operating a GPS system including a screenless GPS device and a mobile phone are also disclosed herein.

Abstract: The present invention discloses methods for storing data in a flash-memory storage device, the method including the steps of: receiving, by the device, primary data to be stored in the device and to be read from the device at a primary reading speed; storing at least part of the primary data only in fast pages in the device, wherein the fast pages are located in multi-level cells of the device; designating, by the device, secondary data to be read from the device at a secondary reading speed, wherein the secondary reading speed is slower than the primary reading speed; and storing at least part of the secondary data only in slow pages in the device, wherein the slow pages are located in the multi-level cells. Preferably, the method further includes the step of: moving the secondary data from a previously-stored area in the device to the slow pages.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable code embodied on the computer-readable storage medium, the computer-readable code including: program code for interleaving fast-reading data and filler data in fast pages and slow pages, respectively. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable code embodied on the computer-readable storage medium, the computer-readable code including: program code for reconstructing a data object from data stored only in designated pages. Preferably, the designated pages are fast pages or slow pages. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable code embodied on the computer-readable storage medium, the computer-readable code including: program code for at least one data object configured to be stored in fast pages and slow pages, wherein initial pages of at least one data object are stored only in primary pages, and the subsequent pages of at least one data object are stored only in secondary pages.

Abstract: Data to be screened for undesired content can be quickly downloaded into a non-volatile storage of a system, stored in a manner so as to be unavailable to the system for general use, and then screened later at a convenient time regardless of whether the data source is still available. At the time of screening, a screening module retrieves the data objects stored in the non-volatile storage and indicates whether they comply with screening criteria. Data objects not complying with the screening criteria are either deleted or otherwise made unavailable for general use by the system. By retaining the data objects that do not comply with the screening criteria, the downloaded content remains available for a different system having less restrictive or otherwise different screening criteria.

Abstract: A method for storing data in a computer having a magnetic hard disk drive (HDD) and an electronic solid-state drive (SSD). The method includes configuring the computer so that the HDD and the SSD are each independently accessible by an operating system of the computer. A plurality of files is received for storage by the computer. A predicted use profile of the computer is defined. A respective one of the HDD and the SDD is selected for the storage of each of the files responsively to the predicted use profile.

Abstract: Methods of operating a portable media device 100 including two onboard hardware media decoders (124, 128) operative to decode a given digital content item 148 are disclosed. In some embodiments, one of the onboard hardware media decoders 128 has a relatively high power consumption and produces a relatively ‘high quality’ media signal, and the other of the onboard hardware media decoder 124 has a relatively low power consumption and produces a relatively ‘low quality’ media signal.

Abstract: A portable media device 100 including two onboard hardware media decoders (124, 128) operative to decode a given digital content item 148 is provided. In some embodiments, one of the onboard hardware media decoders 128 has a relatively high power consumption and produces a relatively ‘high quality’ media signal, and the other of the onboard hardware media decoder 124 has a relatively low power consumption and produces a relatively ‘low quality’ media signal.

Abstract: Methods and systems for counting items in storage containers in an array of at least two storage containers, the method including the steps of: providing a storage array of at least two storage containers, each of the storage containers containing an unknown amount of items; providing a receiving array of at least two receiving containers, wherein the receiving containers initially contain no items; extracting a layer of the items from the storage array; inserting the layer into corresponding locations in the receiving array; repeating the steps of extracting and inserting while at least one of the storage containers is not empty; counting, for each storage container in the storage array, a productive-extraction amount; and reporting, for at least some of the storage containers, the productive-extraction amount from each storage container. Preferably, the method further includes recovering a storage identity upon recovery from a system failure that erases the productive-extraction amount.

Abstract: A computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable code embodied thereon including: program code for restricting access, by a file system running on a host system, to a restricted area of a storage area of a storage device; and program code for enabling at least one application to access the restricted area via the file system. Preferably, the computer-readable code further includes: program code for enabling the storage device to copy data from a non-restricted area to the restricted area. Preferably, the computer-readable code further includes: program code for directing the storage device to route host-system read-requests, directed to addresses in the restricted area, to addresses in a non-restricted area. Preferably, the computer-readable code further includes: program code for applying access commands of the host system to restricted data residing in the restricted area when the host system requests access to non-restricted data addressed to a non-restricted area.

Abstract: A reversible receptacle for coupling with a USB A-type standard connector, including a first set of four electrical contact regions and a second set of four electrical contact regions, the contact regions configured such that in a first coupling orientation of the reversible receptacle with the standard plug, only the first set of electrical contact regions is mechanically connected with the contacts of the standard plug and in a second coupling orientation of the reversible receptacle with the standard plug, only the second set of electrical contact regions is mechanically connected with the contacts of the standard plug. Also provided are corresponding reversible USB appliances based upon the aforementioned reversible receptacles.

Abstract: A computerized system is booted from a flash memory device configured to always operate one or more of its blocks only in a M-bit-per-cell mode and the rest of its blocks in a N>M-bit-per-cell mode. When the system is powered up, an initialization program is retrieved from the M-bit-per-cell block(s), corrected for errors using a first error correction method, and executed. Data accessed subsequently from the N-bit-per-cell blocks are corrected using an error correction method that corrects more errors per block than the first error correction method.

Abstract: User data are stored in a memory that includes one or more blocks of pages by, for one of the blocks, and optionally for all of the blocks, whenever writing any of the user data to that block, writing the block according to a predefined plan for specifying, with respect to each page of that block, a portion of the user data that is to be written to that page. Alternatively or additionally, each page that stores user data has associated therewith a metadatum related to the age of the user data stored therein; and, for one of the blocks, at any time that two or more of the pages of that block store user data, a common value of the metadatum is associated with all such pages.

Abstract: A double-sided USB connector may include a first PCB that may provide a first set of electrical contacts on its first side and solder pads on its second side. The first PCB may further include a components side, solder pads, and signal traces. The double-sided USB connector may also include a second PCB that may provide a second set of electrical contacts on its first side and terminals on its second side. Contacts selected from the second set of contacts may be connected to selected terminals, for example through via paths in the second PCB. Contacts from the first and second sets of contacts may selectively be connected to components on the first PCB using signal traces rather than wires. The first PCB may be joined to the second PCB by using the terminals, and the two PCBs may be packaged using a common molded body.

Abstract: Each of a plurality of flash memory cells is programmed to a respective one of L?2 threshold voltage states within a threshold voltage window. A histogram is constructed by determining how many of some or all of the cells have threshold voltages in each of two or more of m?2 threshold voltage intervals within the threshold voltage window. Reference voltages for reading the cells are selected based on estimated values of shape parameters of the histogram. Alternatively, the cells are read relative to reference voltages that define m?2 threshold voltage intervals that span the threshold voltage window, to determine numbers of at least a portion of the cells whose threshold voltages are in each of two or more of the threshold voltage intervals. Respective threshold voltage states are assigned to the cells based on the numbers without re-reading the cells.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a URD including: a non-volatile storage memory having program code, wherein said program code is configured to enable a network protocol for communicating with a host system; and a controller for controlling operations performed on said storage memory. Preferably, the storage memory includes flash memory. A URD including: a host system having a firewall; and a URD having a non-volatile storage memory, wherein said storage memory includes program code, and wherein said program code is configured to enable a network protocol, said URD operationally connected to said host system; wherein said firewall is configured to provide security measures related to said URD. Preferably, the firewall is a software firewall or a hardware firewall.