Form factor card with status indicator

• US 20030133262A1
• Filed: 01/17/2002
• Published: 07/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Minneʼ, Mark W.
• Granted Patent: US 6,762,930 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/684
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07 with integrated circuit chips

Abstract

A form factor card compatible for use with a host electronic device that is capable of communicating a status of the form factor card to a user of the host electronic device. The form factor card comprises an adapter region for interfacing the card with the host electronic device, an on-card electronic device for performing a task for the host electronic device, an on-card intelligent controller, and an indicator in communication with the on-card intelligent controller to communicate an operational status of the form factor card.

Claims

1. A form factor card compatible for use with a host electronic device, the form factor card comprising:

an adapter region for interfacing the card with the host electronic device;

an on-card electronic device for performing a task for the host electronic device;

an on-card intelligent controller; and

an indicator in communication with the on-card intelligent controller to communicate an operational status of the form factor card.

2. The form factor card of claim 1, wherein the indicator is a visual indicator and includes an indicating light having an on and off status controlled by the on-card intelligent controller.

3. The form factor card of claim 2, wherein a plurality of indicating lights are controlled by the on-card intelligent controller to communicate a plurality of operational statuses of the card.

4. The form factor card of claim 3, wherein the plurality of indicating lights are a plurality of colors.

5. The form factor card of claim 2, wherein the on-card intelligent controller controls the indicating light on and off status for a finite time period to thereby reduce power consumption.

6. The form factor card of claim 2, wherein the on-card intelligent controller controls the indicating light on and off status to indicate that the on-card electronic device is communicating with the host electronic device.

7. The form factor card of claim 2, wherein the on-card controller controls the indicating light on and off status to indicate that the on-card electronic device is in a failure mode.

8. The form factor card of claim 2, wherein the on-card intelligent controller controls the indicating light on and off status to indicate that the card is properly interfaced with the host electronic device.

9. The form factor card of claim 1, wherein the on-card electronic device is a data storage device having a plurality of memory modules.

10. The form factor card of claim 1, wherein the on-card electronic device is an input/output device.

11. The form factor card of claim 10, wherein the input/output device is a fax/modem.

12. The form factor card of claim 10, wherein the input/output devices is a wireless pager.

13. A memory card compatible for use with a host electronic device, the memory card comprising:

an adapter region for mechanically and electrically interfacing with the host electronic device;

a data storage device having a plurality of memory units;

an on-card intelligent controller; and

an indicating light viewable by a host electronic device user wherein the on-card intelligent controller controls the indicating on or off status to thereby communicate to the user an operational status of the memory card.

14. The memory card of claim 13, wherein a plurality of indicating lights are controlled by the on-card intelligent controller to thereby communicate to the user a plurality of operational statuses of the memory card.

15. The memory card of claim 13, wherein the indicating light is a light emitting diode.

16. The memory card of claim 13, wherein the on-card intelligent controller controls the indicating light on and off status for a finite time period to thereby reduce power consumption.

17. The memory card of claim 13, wherein the on-card intelligent controller controls the indicating light on and off status to indicate that the host electronic device is communicating with the memory card.

18. The memory card of claim 13, wherein the on-card intelligent controller controls the indicating light on and off status to indicate that the memory card is properly interfaced with the host device.

19. The memory card of claim 13, wherein the on-card intelligent controller controls the indicating light on and off status to indicate that the data storage device is reaching full capacity.

20. The memory card of claim 13, wherein the on-card intelligent controller controls the indicating light on and off status to indicate that the data storage device has reached full capacity.

21. The memory card of claim 13, wherein the plurality of indicating lights are a plurality of colors.

22. A method of operating a form factor card including indicating operational status of the form factor card, the method comprising:

monitoring a status of the form factor card; and

controller turning on an indicator light communicating an operational status of the form factor card to the user.