Abstract: A technique for sharing a peripheral device among a group of systems comprises capturing a set of images of a user, and processing the set of images of the user to determine a user directive to designate a first system in the group as an owner of a peripheral device of a second system in the group. If the peripheral device is an input device, the technique further comprises redirecting, responsive to the user directive, from the second system to the first system, data entered using the input device of the second system. If the peripheral device is an output device, the technique further comprises forwarding, responsive to the user directive, from the first system to the second system, data for processing by the output device of the second system. In an embodiment, the user directive is in the form of the user's eye gaze directed at a camera.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments relate to storing and accessing files. In an embodiment, a method includes writing a file to a writing a file to a storage device having a file system having a file allocation table (FAT). Writing the file includes allocating a plurality of clusters of the file system to the file, wherein at least a portion of the allocated clusters is contiguous. The FAT includes a plurality of cluster addresses corresponding to the allocated clusters. A signature value is stored in a cluster address corresponding to a first cluster of the contiguous clusters to indicate the presence of the contiguous clusters. In each of a set of consecutive cluster addresses succeeding the cluster address corresponding to the first cluster, a value that partially represents the number of the contiguous clusters is stored. The number of contiguous clusters is determinable by combining the values stored in the consecutive cluster addresses.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments relate to storing and accessing files. In an embodiment, a method includes writing a file to a writing a file to a storage device having a file system having a file allocation table (FAT). Writing the file includes allocating a plurality of clusters of the file system to the file, wherein at least a portion of the allocated clusters is contiguous. The FAT includes a plurality of cluster addresses corresponding to the allocated clusters. A signature value is stored in a cluster address corresponding to a first cluster of the contiguous clusters to indicate the presence of the contiguous clusters. In each of a set of consecutive cluster addresses succeeding the cluster address corresponding to the first cluster, a value that partially represents the number of the contiguous clusters is stored. The number of contiguous clusters is determinable by combining the values stored in the consecutive cluster addresses.

Abstract: Several systems and methods for accessing files stored in a storage device are disclosed. In an embodiment, the method includes accessing a file allocation table (FAT) in a computer file system associated with the storage device. The FAT includes a plurality of cluster addresses corresponding to a plurality of clusters allocated to a file stored in the storage device. A cluster address is read to identify a location of a next cluster. One or more bits in the cluster address are read to determine a presence of a signature value indicating allocation of a set of contiguous clusters from among the plurality of clusters. A number of contiguous clusters is computed based on a pre-determined number of consecutive cluster addresses succeeding the cluster address if the signature value is present. The set of contiguous clusters are read from the storage device based on the computed number of contiguous clusters.

Abstract: A computer device (2010) with a file system having clusters and meta data. The computer device (2010) includes a processor (1030) and a storage (1025) coupled to the processor and having physical representations of instructions so that the processor is operable to reserve (230) at least one of the clusters and to create a log record when meta data for the file system is to be updated by a write (240) of such meta data beforehand to such a reserved cluster, and then set (250) at least one state entry to substantially represent readiness to write the meta data to the file system.

Abstract: A computer device (2010) with a file system having clusters and meta data. The computer device (2010) includes a processor (1030) and a storage (1025) coupled to the processor and having physical representations of instructions so that the processor is operable to reserve (230) at least one of the clusters and to create a log record when meta data for the file system is to be updated by a write (240) of such meta data beforehand to such a reserved cluster, and then set (250) at least one state entry to substantially represent readiness to write the meta data to the file system.

Abstract: Several systems and methods for accessing files stored in a storage device are disclosed. In an embodiment, the method includes accessing a file allocation table (FAT) in a computer file system associated with the storage device. The FAT includes a plurality of cluster addresses corresponding to a plurality of clusters allocated to a file stored in the storage device. A cluster address is read to identify a location of a next cluster. One or more bits in the cluster address are read to determine a presence of a signature value indicating allocation of a set of contiguous clusters from among the plurality of clusters. A number of contiguous clusters is computed based on a pre-determined number of consecutive cluster addresses succeeding the cluster address if the signature value is present. The set of contiguous clusters are read from the storage device based on the computed number of contiguous clusters.

Abstract: A computer device (2010) with a file system having clusters and meta data. The computer device (2010) includes a processor (1030) and a storage (1025) coupled to the processor and having physical representations of instructions so that the processor is operable to reserve (230) at least one of the clusters and to create a log record when meta data for the file system is to be updated by a write (240) of such meta data beforehand to such a reserved cluster, and then set (250) at least one state entry to substantially represent readiness to write the meta data to the file system.

Abstract: A computer device (2010) has a file system having clusters and meta data. The computer device (2010) includes a processor (1030) and a storage (1025) coupled to the processor and having physical representations of instructions so that the processor is operable to reserve (230) at least one of the clusters and to create a log record when meta data for the file system is to be updated by a write (240) of such meta data beforehand to such a reserved cluster, and then set (250) at least one state entry to substantially represent readiness to write the meta data to the file system.

Abstract: Storage optimizations by directory compaction in a file allocation table (FAT) file system. The method comprises determining if a cluster comprises a deleted content, indicating that the deleted content is deleted, and updating an entry of a FAT associated with the cluster to indicate that the cluster is free. The method may also comprise indicating that the deleted content is deleted and modifying a metadata of at least one of a file of the cluster and a directory of the cluster according to a specified protocol.

Abstract: A technique for sharing a peripheral device among a group of systems comprises capturing a set of images of a user, and processing the set of images of the user to determine a user directive to designate a first system in the group as an owner of a peripheral device of a second system in the group. If the peripheral device is an input device, the technique further comprises redirecting, responsive to the user directive, from the second system to the first system, data entered using the input device of the second system. If the peripheral device is an output device, the technique further comprises forwarding, responsive to the user directive, from the first system to the second system, data for processing by the output device of the second system. In an embodiment, the user directive is in the form of the user's eye gaze directed at a camera.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for preserving geographic metadata are disclosed. An electronic device may be configured to receive file data from an external device or network, obtain geographic metadata corresponding to the file data, identify non-reserved storage segments for storing the file data, and identify reserved storage segments for storing the geographic metadata. The reserved storage segments may be data clusters or data sectors. In certain embodiments, the reserved storage segments are identified based on the non-reserved storage segments. The electronic device may also be configured to write the file data to the non-reserved storage segments and write the geographic metadata to the reserved storage segments. Additional embodiments include systems, apparatuses, and methods for configuring a data storage device to preserve geographic metadata by storing the geographic metadata in reserved data segments.

Abstract: A computer device (2010) with a file system having clusters and meta data. The computer device (2010) includes a processor (1030) and a storage (1025) coupled to the processor and having physical representations of instructions so that the processor is operable to reserve (230) at least one of the clusters and to create a log record when meta data for the file system is to be updated by a write (240) of such meta data beforehand to such a reserved cluster, and then set (250) at least one state entry to substantially represent readiness to write the meta data to the file system. Various file systems, processes, circuits, devices and electronic systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: Performance optimizations by dynamic reduction of file allocation tables (FAT). A method of a file system includes reading a boot sector to determine a count of FAT instances. The method may set a count of FAT instances referred to in a boot sector to one if the count is greater than one. The method may modify the boot sector to refer to a data sector including a FAT instance as a reserved data sector. In addition, the method may include setting the count of FAT instances to one during at least one of a periodic operation of a dedicated application program interface and a file system mounting.

Abstract: Storage optimizations by directory compaction in a file allocation table (FAT) file system. The method comprises determining if a cluster comprises a deleted content, indicating that the deleted content is deleted, and updating an entry of a FAT associated with the cluster to indicate that the cluster is free. The method may also comprise indicating that the deleted content is deleted and modifying a metadata of at least one of a file of the cluster and a directory of the cluster according to a specified protocol.

Abstract: Systems and methods for on the fly compression and storage device for compressing/decompressing data are disclosed. In one embodiment, an on the fly compression and storage system includes a file system for forwarding data for storing, one or more compression drivers, with one of the compression drivers invoked for compressing the data forwarded by the file system into compressed data, and a storage device for storing the compressed data. The compressing of the data and the storing of the compressed data are seamlessly performed. A status of the storage device is dynamically updated to the file system based on the compressing of the data.