Data Backup Devices and Methods for Backing Up Data

Abstract

A data backup system comprises an emulation component and a storage device having logical storage areas. The emulation component is configured to represent a first logical storage area of the storage device, such as a solid state memory or a disk drive partition, as if it were an auto-launch device. Accordingly, a data source, such as a personal computer, will interact with the first logical storage area as if it were the auto-launch device. As some operating systems are configured to recognize auto-launch devices upon connection and automatically execute applications stored thereon, merely connecting the data backup system to a data source running such an operating system can cause a backup application stored by the first logical storage area to automatically execute on the data source to selectively back up data to a second logical storage area of the storage device.

1 . A data backup system comprising:
 a communication interface;   a first storage device including a writable data storage medium comprising first and second logical storage areas; and   an emulation component in communication between the first storage device and the communication interface and comprising:
 logic configured to represent the first logical storage area as an auto-launch device; and 
 logic configured to represent the second logical storage area as a second storage device including a writable data storage medium. 
   
     
     
         2 . The data backup system of  claim 1  wherein the communication interface comprises a USB communication interface. 
     
     
         3 . The data backup system of  claim 1  wherein the communication interface comprises a FireWire communication interface. 
     
     
         4 . The data backup system of  claim 1  wherein the first storage device comprises a HDD. 
     
     
         5 . The data backup system of  claim 4  wherein the first and second logical storage areas comprise first and second partitions. 
     
     
         6 . The data backup system of  claim 5  wherein the logic configured to represent the first logical storage area as the auto-launch device represents the first partition as a CD drive. 
     
     
         7 . The data backup system of  claim 5  wherein the logic configured to represent the first logical storage area as the auto-launch device represents the first partition as a DVD drive. 
     
     
         8 . The data backup system of  claim 1  wherein the first storage device comprises solid-state memory. 
     
     
         9 . The data backup system of  claim 8  wherein the solid-state memory comprises an SD memory card. 
     
     
         10 . The data backup system of  claim 8  wherein the solid-state memory comprises a CF memory card. 
     
     
         11 . The data backup system of  claim 1  wherein the first storage device comprises an optical device. 
     
     
         12 . The data backup system of  claim 11  wherein the optical device comprises a CD drive. 
     
     
         13 . The data backup system of  claim 12  wherein the writable data storage medium comprises a CD-R. 
     
     
         14 . The data backup system of  claim 12  wherein the writable data storage medium comprises a CD-RW. 
     
     
         15 . The data backup system of  claim 11  wherein the optical device comprises a DVD drive. 
     
     
         16 . The data backup system of  claim 15  wherein the writable data storage medium comprises a DVD+R. 
     
     
         17 . The data backup system of  claim 15  wherein the writable data storage medium comprises a DVD-R. 
     
     
         18 . The data backup system of  claim 15  wherein the writable data storage medium comprises a DVD+RW. 
     
     
         19 . The data backup system of  claim 15  wherein the writable data storage medium comprises a DVD-RW. 
     
     
         20 . The data backup system of  claim 1  wherein the emulation component further comprises logic configured to
 receive auto-launch device commands from the communication interface, translate the auto-launch device commands to first storage device commands, and send the first storage device commands to the first logical storage area, and 
 receive first storage device responses from the first logical storage area, translate the first storage device responses into auto-launch device responses, and send the auto-launch device responses to the communication interface. 
 
     
     
         21 . The data backup system of  claim 20  wherein the emulation component further comprises logic configured to
 receive second storage device commands from the communication interface and send the second storage device commands to the second logical storage area, and 
 receive second storage device responses from the second logical storage area, and send the second storage device responses to the communication interface. 
 
     
     
         22 . The data backup system of  claim 1  wherein a data backup application is stored in the first logical storage area. 
     
     
         23 . A method for backing up data stored on a data source, the method comprising:
 returning a response to an inquiry from the data source, the response identifying a first storage device of a first device type as being of a second device type, where the second device type belongs to a class of device types that, upon connection to the data source, will trigger an operating system of the data source to automatically execute a backup application stored on the first storage device; and   providing the backup application to the data source to selectively copy data stored on the data source, providing the backup application including
 receiving auto-launch device commands from the data source, translating the auto-launch device commands into first storage device commands, and sending the first storage device commands to the storage device; and 
 receiving first storage device responses from the first storage device, translating the first storage device responses into auto-launch device responses, and sending the auto-launch device responses to the data source. 
   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  further comprising selectively copying data files to a second storage device. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein selectively copying data files to the second storage device includes searching one or more storage devices associated with the data source for data files that meet a predefined criterion. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the predefined criterion is that the data files have not previously been copied to a data backup system. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the predefined criterion is that the data files have one or more file types associated with a type of content. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 24  wherein selectively copying data files to the second storage device includes creating a directory structure on the second storage device to indicate the location of a copied file on the data source. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 24  wherein selectively copying data files to the second storage device is initiated by a user command. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 24  wherein selectively copying data files to the second storage device is initiated by connecting a removable storage device to a communication port of a data backup system. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 24  wherein selectively copying data files to the second storage device includes determining whether a data source has been previously paired with a data backup system. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the first storage device comprises the second storage device. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 24  wherein selectively copying data files to the second storage device includes sending copied files to a web-based storage facility. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 24  wherein selectively copying data files to the second storage device includes sending copied files to a networked drive.