Portable Data Archiving Device

Abstract

Techniques for archiving data, including methods, systems, and apparatus, including machine-readable media storing executable instructions. In some implementations, an apparatus includes one or more processors, a battery, a non-volatile data storage device, and machine-readable media including executable instructions for performing data archiving operations. In some implementations, communication with a source device is established. An identifier for the source device is received. A user interface may be provided to receive user input requesting data from the source device. The data from the source device may be received by the apparatus and stored at the particular storage area assigned to the source device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 one or more processors;   a battery;   a non-volatile data storage device, the non-volatile data storage device having a plurality of different data storage areas; and   machine-readable media storing executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
 establishing communication between the apparatus and a source device; 
 receiving an identifier for the source device at the apparatus; 
 identifying, based on the received identifier for the source device, a particular data storage area of the non-volatile data storage device for storing data from the source device, the particular data storage area being assigned to the source device such that the apparatus disallows other source devices from accessing data from the particular data storage area; 
 providing a user interface comprising controls of the apparatus that permit a user to indicate data to be stored by the apparatus; 
 receiving, by the apparatus, user input that indicates data on the source device to be stored on the non-volatile data storage device; 
 in response to receiving the user input, obtaining, from the source device, the data indicated by the user input; and 
 storing the accessed data on the non-volatile data storage device in the particular data storage area assigned to the source device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the non-volatile data storage device has data storage areas that are respectively assigned to different source devices, wherein for each assigned data storage areas, the apparatus is configured to (i) allow the assigned source device to access the data storage area by and (ii) disallow access to the data storage area by devices other than the assigned source device. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 after the source device has been disconnected from the apparatus, re-establishing communication between the apparatus and the source device; and   after re-establishing communication between the apparatus and the source device:
 receiving the identifier for the source device; 
 determining, based on the identifier, that the particular data storage area is assigned to the source device; 
 receiving user input requesting to restore, to the source device, data that corresponds to the source device and that is stored by the non-volatile data storage device; and 
 in response to receiving the user input requesting to restore the data, transferring data from the particular data storage area to the source device. 
   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 establishing communication between the apparatus and a second source device that is different from the first source device;   receiving an identifier for the second source device;   identifying, based on the identifier, a second data storage area of the non-volatile data storage device that is assigned to the second source device, the second data storage area being different from and separate from the particular data storage area;   receiving user input indicating data of the second source device to be stored by the apparatus; and   storing the data indicated by the user input in the second data storage area of the non-volatile data storage device.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the source device is a first source device, and wherein the operations further comprise:
 establishing communication between the apparatus and a second source device that is different from the first source device;   receiving an identifier for the second source device;   determining, based on the identifier for the second source device, that the received identifier for the second source device does not match the identifier assigned to the first source device; and   denying the second source device access to the data in the particular data storage area that is assigned to the first source device.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein denying the second source device access to the data in the particular data storage area that is assigned to the first source device comprises hiding file directories associated with the particular data storage area assigned to the first source device. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the source device is a first source device, and wherein the non-volatile data storage device has a shared data storage area, the apparatus allowing multiple source devices to access data in the shared data storage area;
 wherein the operations further comprise:
 displaying, on the screen, a user interface that (i) identifies files and folders stored in the particular storage area assigned to the first source device, and (ii) includes controls for selecting files and folders in the particular data storage area assigned to the first source device; 
 receiving user input that indicates interaction with the user-selectable controls to specify a subset of the files and folders stored in the particular data storage area assigned to the first source device; 
 receiving user input indicating that the selected subset of the files and folders should be made accessible to devices other than the first source device; and 
 in response to receiving the indicating that the selected subset of the files and folders should be made accessible to devices other than the first source device, copying the files and folders in the selected subset from the particular data storage area to the shared data storage area. 
   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 receiving user input that selects, from among files and folders in the shared data storage area, one or more files that were copied to the shared data storage area from the particular data storage area that is assigned to the first source device;   receiving user input that requests a transfer of the selected one or more files from the shared data storage area to (i) a second source device that is different from the first source device, or (ii) a data storage area of the non-volatile storage device that is assigned to the second source device; and   in response to receiving the user input that requests the transfer, transmitting a copy of the selected one or more files to (i) the second source device, or (ii) the data storage area assigned to the second source device.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of claim  9 , wherein accessing the identifying information from the source device comprises receiving an operating system identifier for an operating system of the source device. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of claim  9 , wherein accessing the identifying information from the source device comprises receiving a vendor identifier for the source device and a product identifier for the source device. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of claim  9 , wherein accessing the identifying information from the source device comprises receiving a device identifier for the host. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the non-volatile data storage device is a hard disk drive or a solid state drive. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein establishing communication with the source device comprises establishing communication with the source device over a Universal Serial Bus connection. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the screen is a touchscreen, and wherein the one or more processors comprise:
 a first processor configured to manage communications with the source device; and   a second processor configured to process user input received through the touchscreen.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a touchscreen;
 wherein the operations further comprise displaying, on the touchscreen, a user interface comprising displaying, on the touchscreen, a user interface comprising user selectable controls that permit a user to indicate data to be archived using the apparatus.   
     
     
         17 . A method performed by one or more processing devices of a backup device, the method comprising:
 establishing communication between the backup device and a source device, wherein the backup device includes a non-volatile storage device;   receiving, by the backup device, an identifier for the source device;   identifying, based on the received identifier for the source device, a particular data storage area of the non-volatile data storage device for storing data from the source device, the particular data storage area being assigned to the source device such that the backup device disallows other source devices from accessing data from the particular data storage area;   providing a user interface comprising controls of the backup device that permit a user to select data to be stored by the backup device;   receiving, by the backup device, user input that indicates data on the source device to be stored on the non-volatile data storage device of the backup device;   in response to receiving the user input, obtaining, by the backup device, the data indicated by the user input from the source device; and   storing, by the backup device, the retrieved data on the non-volatile data storage device in the particular data storage area assigned to the source device.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 after the source device has been disconnected from the backup device, re-establishing communication between the backup device and the source device; and   after re-establishing communication between the backup device and the source device:
 receiving the identifier for the source device; 
 determining, based on the identifier, that the particular data storage area is assigned to the source device; 
 receiving user input requesting to restore, to the source device, data that corresponds to the source device and that is stored by the non-volatile data storage device; and 
 in response to receiving the user input requesting to restore the data, transferring data from the particular data storage area to the source device. 
   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 establishing communication between the backup device and a second source device that is different from the first source device;   receiving an identifier for the second source device;   identifying, based on the identifier, a second data storage area of the non-volatile data storage device that is assigned to the second source device, the second data storage area being different from and separate from the particular data storage area;   receiving user input indicating data of the second source device to be stored by the backup device; and   storing the data indicated by the user input in the second data storage area of the non-volatile data storage device.   
     
     
         20 . One or more non-transitory machine-readable media storing executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
 establishing communication between the backup device and a source device, wherein the backup device includes a non-volatile storage device;   receiving, by the backup device, an identifier for the source device;   identifying, based on the received identifier for the source device, a particular data storage area of the non-volatile data storage device for storing data from the source device, the particular data storage area being assigned to the source device such that the backup device disallows other source devices from accessing data from the particular data storage area;   providing a user interface comprising controls of the backup device that permit a user to select data to be stored by the backup device;   receiving, by the backup device, user input that indicates data on the source device to be stored on the non-volatile data storage device of the backup device;   in response to receiving the user input, obtaining, by the backup device, the data indicated by the user input from the source device; and   storing, by the backup device, the retrieved data on the non-volatile data storage device in the particular data storage area assigned to the source device.