Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080288700 | Removable computer with mass storage - The present invention provides a detachable add-on card unit to a host system that combines mass storage capability and a processor on the same card. The card can receive data from the host, process the data, and store it in processed form, as well as the reverse process of retrieving stored data, processing it, and supplying it to the host. The non-volatile mass storage memory may contain program storage as well as card system data and user data. The end user of the card can program applications into the program storage. The combination of mass storage and a processor also adds to the capabilities of the on-card processor, allowing the card to store and execute programs. The present invention is able to provide a programmable add-on card unit to a host system. A number of applications can be stored in the card's mass storage and loaded as needed by the on-card micro-controller. | 11-20-2008 |
20090240854 | Multiple Removable Non-Volatile Memory Cards Serially Communicating With a Host - Two or more very small encapsulated electronic circuit cards to which data are read and written are removably inserted into two or more sockets of a host system that is wired to the sockets. According to one aspect of the disclosure, command and response signals are normally communicated between the host and the cards by a single circuit commonly connected between the host and all of the sockets but during initialization of the system a unique relative card address is confirmed to have been written into each card inserted into the sockets by connecting the command and status circuit to each socket one at a time in sequence. This is a fast and relatively simple way of setting card addresses upon initialization of such a system. According to a second aspect of the disclosure, the host adapts to transferring data between it and different cards of the system over at least two different number of the data lines commonly connected between the host and all of one or more sockets, each card permanently storing a host readable indication of the number of parallel data lines the card is capable of using. This allows increasing the rate of data transfer when the need justifies an increased card circuit complexity. According to a third aspect of the disclosure, a serial stream of data is sent over a number of data lines from one to many by alternately connecting bits of the stream to a particular number of individual lines. | 09-24-2009 |
20100199032 | ENHANCED DATA COMMUNICATION BY A NON-VOLATILE MEMORY CARD - A method of transmitting a stream of data bits from a memory card to a host device includes determining, at the memory card, a first number of data lines between the memory card and the host device, from one to a plurality of data lines. If the first number of data lines is determined to be a plurality of data lines, the method includes switching, at the memory card, the data stream between one of the first number of data lines and another of the first number of data lines after each occurrence of a second number of one or more bits of the data stream having passed toward the host device. The method also includes, if the first number of data lines is determined to be one data line, transmitting, from the memory card, the stream of data bits over the one data line to the host device. | 08-05-2010 |
20110022665 | DEVICE IDENTIFIER SELECTION - Systems and methods of device identifier selection are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, a method includes receiving an enumeration message via a host interface of a device operatively coupled to a host device as well as to one or more other devices and identifying the enumeration message as a command originated by the host device or as a response message from one of the other devices. The method includes, in response to identifying the enumeration message as a command, selectively sending an enumeration response message to the host device. The enumeration response message indicates a distinctive device identifier value. The method also includes, in response to identifying the enumeration message as a response message from one of the other devices, reading from the response message an identifier value used by such other device and at least temporarily storing this identifier value at the device to enable the device to select the distinctive device identifier value. | 01-27-2011 |
20110022666 | DEVICE IDENTIFIER SELECTION - Systems and methods of device identifier selection are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, a method includes, at a hub device having a plurality of ports including a first port, a second port, and a third port, receiving a first message from a host device. The first message including a broadcast indicator. The method also includes, in response to determining that the first message requests enumeration, emulating a ring communication topology by serially propagating messages including an enumeration indicator to a first device via the first port and to a second device via the second port. The method further includes, in response to determining that the first message does not request enumeration, selectively sending the first message to the first device substantially concurrently with sending the first message to the second device. Emulating the ring communication topology enables the hub device to provide a first distinctive identifier value of the first device and a second distinctive identifier value of the second device to the host device. | 01-27-2011 |
20110040918 | Host for Use with Dual Interface Card with Backward and Forward Compatibility - Techniques are presented that allow a memory card operable according to two protocols (such as a legacy protocol and newer protocol), and having a corresponding dual interface, to be used with hosts that support the new protocol as well as having backward compatibility with legacy hosts, while preventing the use of legacy cards with hosts that support the new protocol but do not support the legacy protocol. The card that supports the new protocol has a similar form factor to the legacy card, includes an indentation. A host that supports the new, but not the legacy, type card includes a mechanical structure within the attachment slot that, based on the card indentation, can distinguish the card types and prevent the non-supported card from being attached. | 02-17-2011 |
20110072185 | MULTI-PROTOCOL STORAGE DEVICE BRIDGE - A bridge includes a host interface via which data/commands are received from and transferred to a host, and a storage device interface via which data/commands are received from and transferred to a storage device. The bridge also includes one SDPC, a controller and a switching system that is configurable by the controller to connect the protocol converter to the host interface and the storage device interface if the storage device protocol used by the host device differs from the storage device protocol used by the storage device, and to connect the host device interface to the storage device interface, not via the bi-directional protocol converter, if the two storage device protocols are the same. The bridge may include two SDPCs, each for converting a different protocol to the host protocol and vice versa, with the switching system being configurable to switch between the two SDPCs. The bridge may omit the SDPC altogether, with the switching system being configurable to switch between connecting (1) the host device interface to the storage device interface, and (2) bypassing the storage device interface. | 03-24-2011 |
20110113158 | ENHANCED DATA STORAGE DEVICE - A data storage device includes one or more electrical contacts and one or more data paths through the electrical contacts. The one or more electrical contacts enable bits to be transferred into and out of the data storage device via the one or more data paths. The data storage device also includes a memory that stores an indication of a number of the one or more data paths. The data storage device is configured to provide the indication via at least one of the one or more data paths while the data storage device is operatively coupled to a host device to indicate to the host device the number of the one or more data paths. | 05-12-2011 |
20110145556 | AUTOMATIC AND CONTROLLABLE SYSTEM OPERATION - Systems and methods for automatically and controlling operation of one or more devices in a system are provided. In a particular embodiment, a command is received by a device in order for the device to determine whether to perform an operation (such as perform initialization of the device). The command may include information indicative of resource capabilities of at least a part of the system. Using the information, the device may determine whether to begin performing the operation (such as initialization), and perform the operation if it is determined to do so. | 06-16-2011 |
20110189866 | Dual Interface Card with Backward and Forward Compatibility - Techniques are presented that allow a memory card operable according to two protocols (such as a legacy protocol and newer protocol), and having a corresponding dual interface, to be used with hosts that support the new protocol as well as having backward compatibility with legacy hosts, while preventing the use of legacy cards with hosts that support the new protocol but do not support the legacy protocol. The card that supports the new protocol has a similar form factor to the legacy card, includes an indentation. A host that supports the new, but not the legacy, type card includes a mechanical structure within the attachment slot that, based on the card indentation, can distinguish the card types and prevent the non-supported card from being attached. | 08-04-2011 |
20130012049 | DUAL INTERFACE CARD WITH BACKWARD AND FORWARD COMPATIBILITY - A memory card includes a first set of contacts and a second set of contacts. A first edge of the memory card includes an indentation. Insertion of the memory card into a first slot of a host device engages the first set of contacts. The indentation is configured to accept a pivoting lever arm located in the first slot when the memory card is inserted into the first slot. | 01-10-2013 |
20130013836 | HOST FOR USE WITH DUAL INTERFACE CARD WITH BACKWARD AND FORWARD COMPATIBILITY - A host device includes a slot configured to receive a first type of memory card having an indentation and a mechanical structure. The mechanical structure includes a pivot structure and a lever arm. The lever arm is configured to pivot on the pivot structure and a portion of the lever arm is configured to at least partially fit into the indentation to distinguish the first type of memory card from a second type of memory card. | 01-10-2013 |
20130138846 | ENHANCED DATA STORAGE DEVICE - A data storage device includes one or more data paths through electrical contacts of the data storage device. The data paths are operably connected to allow bits to be transferred into and out of the data storage device. The data storage device stores an indication of a number of the one or more data paths in a configuration register. A method includes performing, while the data storage device is operatively coupled to a host device, receiving a command of the host device to read the configuration register and providing the indication via at least one of the one or more data paths. Providing the indication enables indicating to the host device the number of the one or more data paths. | 05-30-2013 |
20130151677 | DEVICE IDENTIFIER SELECTION - A method includes receiving an enumeration message via a host interface of a device that is operatively coupled to a host device and to one or more other devices. The method includes identifying the enumeration message as a command originated by the host device or as a response message from one of the other devices. In response to identifying the enumeration message as a command, an enumeration response message is sent to the host device. The enumeration response message indicates a distinctive device identifier value. The method also includes, in response to identifying the enumeration message as a response message from one of the other devices, reading from the response message an identifier value used by such other device and at least temporarily storing this identifier value at the device to enable the device to select the distinctive device identifier value. | 06-13-2013 |
20140289378 | DEVICE IDENTIFIER SELECTION - A method includes receiving an enumeration message via a host interface of a device that is operatively coupled to a host device and to one or more other devices. The method includes identifying the enumeration message as a command originated by the host device or as a response message from one of the other devices. In response to identifying the enumeration message as a command, an enumeration response message is sent to the host device. The enumeration response message indicates a distinctive device identifier value. The method also includes, in response to identifying the enumeration message as a response message from one of the other devices, reading from the response message an identifier value used by such other device and at least temporarily storing this identifier value at the device to enable the device to select the distinctive device identifier value. | 09-25-2014 |