1. A method for transferring data from a first device to a second device via an intermediary device, the method comprising:
at the intermediary device:
coupling the intermediary device to the second device via a first connection;
receiving profile information from the second device via the first connection, the profile information describing one or more capabilities of the second device;
storing, in a table of associations between devices and profiles in a memory of the intermediary device:
an association between the second device and the profile information received from the second device, and
an indication that the association represents a remote device profile;
coupling the intermediary device to the first device via a second connection;
forwarding the profile information to the first device via the second connection; and
transferring the data from the first device through the intermediary device to the second device via the first and second connections.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device and the second device are paired as a result of a previous pairing operation, and
coupling the intermediary device to the first device via the second connection comprises establishing a trust relationship between the first device and the intermediary device using security credentials generated by the previous pairing operation between the first device and the second device.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein coupling the intermediary device to the second device via the first connection comprises pairing the intermediary device with the second device.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein transferring the data from the first device through the intermediary device to the second device via the first and second connections is performed without a pairing existing directly between the first device and the second device.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the profile information is forwarded to the first device via the second connection in response to receiving a request from the first device for profiles of a requested type, and forwarding the profile information to the first device via the second connection comprises:
selecting the profile information from the table of associations stored in the memory of the intermediary device, wherein the profile information is of the requested type; and
sending the profile information to the first device via the second connection.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein transferring the data from the first device through the intermediary device to the second device via the first and second connections comprises:
receiving a request to transfer data between the first device and a device having one or more capabilities specified in the received profile information;
searching the table of associations stored in the memory of the intermediary device for an entry that includes the received profile information;
locating the entry in the table of associations, the entry including an indication that associates the second device with the received profile information; and
transferring the data to the second device associated with the received profile information and represented by the entry in the table, in response to the entry including an indication that the association represents a remote device profile.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the intermediary device couples to the second device via the first connection at least by performing a key exchange between the intermediary device and the second device.
8. An apparatus for transferring data from a first device to a second device, the system comprising:
a processor configured to cause the apparatus to:
couple an intermediary device to the second device via a first connection;
receive, at the intermediary device via the first connection, profile information from the second device, the profile information describing one or more capabilities of the second device;
store, in a table of associations between devices and profiles in a memory of the intermediary device:
an association between the second device and the profile information received from the second device, and
an indication that the association represents a remote device profile;
couple the first device to the intermediary device via a second connection, the first device configured to receive the profile information via the second connection; and
transfer, based upon the profile information, data between the first device and the second device through the intermediary device via the first and second connections.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a trust relationship exists between the first device and the second device as a result of a previous key exchange between the first device and the second device, and to couple the first device to the intermediary device via the second connection, the processor is further configured to cause the apparatus to:
establish a trust relationship between the first device and the intermediary device using security credentials generated by the previous key exchange between the first device and the second device.
10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein to couple the intermediary device to the second device via the first connection the processor is configured to cause the apparatus to:
perform a key exchange between the intermediary device and the second device.
11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the apparatus to transfer the data from the first device through the intermediary device to the second device via the first and second connections without a trust relationship existing directly between the first device and the second device.
12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the apparatus to:
forward the profile information describing the second device from the intermediary device to the first device via the second connection in response to receiving a request from the first device for profiles of a requested type by:
selecting the profile information from the table of associations stored in the memory of the intermediary device, wherein the profile information is of the requested type; and
sending the profile information to the first device via the second connection.
13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein to transfer data from the first device through the intermediary device to the second device via the first and second connections, the processor is configured to cause the apparatus to:
receive a request to transfer data between the first device and a device having one or more capabilities specified in the profile information;
search a table of associations stored in a memory of the intermediary device for an entry that includes the profile information;
receive the data from the first device at the intermediary device via the second connection; and
send the data from the intermediary device to the device associated with the profile information and represented by the entry in the table via the first connection, in response to the entry including an indication that the association represents a remote device profile.
14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the intermediary device comprises at least the apparatus.
15. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus couples the intermediary device to the second device via the first connection by pairing the intermediary device with the second device.
16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for a computer system, the non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer program code that, when executed by a processor of the computer system causes the computer system to transfer data from a first device to a second device by:
coupling an intermediary device to the second device via a first connection;
transferring profile information describing one or more capabilities of the second device from the second device to the intermediary device via the first connection;
storing, in a table of associations between devices and profiles in a memory of the intermediary device:
an association between the second device and the profile information received from the second device, and
an indication that the association represents a remote device profile;
coupling the first device to the intermediary device via a second connection; and
transferring, based upon the profile information, data between the first device and the second device through the intermediary device via the first and second connections.
17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein execution of the computer program code further causes the computer system to:
forward the profile information describing the one or more capabilities of the second device from the intermediary device to the first device via the second connection in response to receiving a request from the first device for profiles of a requested type by:
selecting the profile information from the table of associations stored in the memory of the intermediary device, wherein the profile information is of the requested type; and
sending the profile information to the first device via the second connection.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein execution of the computer program code causes the computer system to transfer data from the first device through the intermediary device to the second device via the first and second connections by:
receiving a request to transfer data between the first device and a device having one or more capabilities specified in the profile information;
searching the table of associations stored in the memory of the intermediary device for an entry that includes the profile information;
receiving the data from the first device at the intermediary device via the second connection; and
sending, via the first connection, the data from the intermediary device to the device associated with the profile information and represented by the entry in the table, in response to the entry including an indication that the association represents a remote device profile.
19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the computer system transfers the data between the first device and the second device without a trust relationship existing directly between the first device and the second device.
20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the computer system couples the intermediary device to the second device via the first connection by pairing the intermediary device with the second device.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for indicating a current loading status of a removable media device provided for being loaded with at least one removable medium, the at least one removable medium associated with a characteristic feature and the removable media device being connectable to a device for reading andor writing AV storage media, comprising:
detecting connection or disconnection of the removable media device;
updating the current loading status of the removable media device in case a connection or disconnection of the removable media device is detected, the current loading status being different from the characteristic feature;
checking whether a type of user input is related to the removable media device upon occurrence of user input, wherein the user input is not generated by the connection or disconnection of the removable media device;
keeping the current loading status of the removable media device if the type of user input is not related to the removable media device;
checking whether a characteristic feature of the at least one removable medium loaded in the removable media device has changed, if the type of user input is related to the removable media device;
keeping the current loading status of the removable media device if the characteristic feature of the at least one removable medium loaded in the removable media device has not changed; and
updating the current loading status of the removable media device if the characteristic feature of the at least one removable medium loaded in the removable media device has changed.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the characteristic feature is an identifier of the at least one removable medium.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein user input types related to the removable media device are one or more of input command to enter removable media device sub-menu, input command to navigate within a removable media device sub-menu, input command to access a removable medium, and input command that generally is preceding an access to a removable medium.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein checking whether a characteristic feature of the at least one removable medium has changed is performed repeatedly in case an error status has been detected.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein identifiers of all removable media of a multicard reader type media device are checked.
6. The method according to claim 1, wherein, for a multicard reader type media device the file structure of all inserted removable media is read and assembled to a single file structure.
7. An apparatus for reading andor writing AV storage media comprising:
a connector for a removable media device having at least one removable medium, the removable medium associated with a characteristic feature the removable media device associated with a current loading status;
a user input device that receives user input; and
a controller that
detects connection or disconnection of the removable media device,
updates the current loading status of the removable media device in case a connection or disconnection of the removable media device is detected, the current loading status being different from the characteristic feature,
checks whether a type of user input is related to the removable media device upon occurrence of user input, wherein the user input is not generated by the connection or disconnection of the removable media device,
checks for a change in the characteristic feature of the at least one removable medium loaded in the removable media device when the type of user input is related to the removable media device, and
updates the current loading status of the removable media device when the characteristic feature of the at least one removable medium loaded in the removable media device is changed.
8. The apparatus in claim 7, wherein the characteristic feature is an identifier of the removable medium.
9. The apparatus in claim 7, wherein the user input includes an input command to enter a removable media device’s sub-menu, an input command to navigate within a removable media device’s sub-menu, an input command to access a removable medium, and an input command that precedes access to a removable medium.
10. The apparatus in claim 7, wherein the controller checks whether a characteristic feature of the removable medium has been changed is repeated in case an error status has been detected.
11. The apparatus in claim 7, wherein the removable media device is a multicard removable media device; and wherein the controller checks identifiers of all removable media of the multicard removable media device.
12. The apparatus in claim 7, wherein the removable media device is a multicard removable media device; and wherein the controller reads file structures of all inserted removable media and assembles them into a single file structure.