Method and Devices for Data Transfer

Abstract

A storage apparatus is proposed for facilitating wireless communication between a computer device and one or more external portable electronic devices, or between those external devices. The storage apparatus includes a wireless transceiver for entering communication with any one of the devices. When the storage apparatus is communicating with any of the devices, it can transmit tot hat device any data stored in its memory for transmission to that device. Furthermore, the storage apparatus can receive from that device, and transmit to its memory, data to be relayed to another of the devices.

1 . A method of transferring data within a system including a computer device, a transfer apparatus and one or more external devices, each of the computer device and external devices including wireless communication means, and the transfer apparatus comprising a processor, a memory and wireless transceiver means, the method including the steps of:
 a first one of the devices transmitting a wireless signal to the transceiver means including data for transmission to a second one of the devices;   the processor storing the data in the memory; and   the processor using the transceiver means to transmit the data to the second device.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first device is one of the external devices and the second device is the computing device. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first device is the computing device and the second device is one of the external devices. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first device is a first said external device and the second device is a second said external device. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the establishment of communication between the data transfer apparatus and the first device includes transmission by the first device to the data transfer apparatus of an ID code using which the apparatus verifies the identity of the first device. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the establishment of communication between the data transfer apparatus and the second device includes transmission by the second device to the data transfer apparatus of an ID code using which the apparatus verifies the identify of the second device. 
   
   
       7 . A method according to  claim 5  in which the first device is one of the external devices and the data is stored in a location in the memory which depends on the identity of the first device. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the first device establishes communication with the data transfer apparatus upon determining that an internal memory of the first device contains a predetermined amount of data. 
   
   
       9 . A data transfer apparatus for a system comprising a computer device and one or more external electronic devices, each of the computer device and external devices including wireless communication means, the data transfer apparatus comprising:
 wireless transceiver means for receiving and transmitting wireless signals;   a processor; and   a memory;   the processor being arranged, upon receipt by the transceiver means of a wireless signal from a first one of the devices containing data for relay to a second one the devices, to store that signal in the memory, and, upon subsequently establishing communication with the second device, to transmit the data to the second device.   
   
   
       10 . A system comprising a computer device having wireless communication means, one or more external devices having respective wireless communication means, and a data transfer apparatus according to  claim 9 , the wireless communication means of the computer device and of the external devices being for communication with the transceiver means of the apparatus. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein at least one of the external devices includes an internal memory and is arranged to initiate communication with the data transfer apparatus to transmit the signal to the data transfer apparatus, upon the amount of data stored in the internal memory reaching or approaching the capacity of the internal memory.