Use of small electronic circuit cards with different interfaces in an electronic system

• US 20040256459A1
• Filed: 07/06/2004
• Published: 12/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Robert F. Wallace, Wesley G. Brewer, Yosi Pinto
• Inventors: Pinto, Yosi, Wallace, Robert F., Brewer, Wesley G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,090,124 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/441
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0719 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for application selection, e.g. an acceleration sensor or a set of radio buttons application selection on smart cards using pure software control, see G07F7/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/077 Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07732 the record carrier having a housing or construction similar to well-known portable memory devices, such as SD cards, USB or memory sticks housings for electrical equipment in general, see H05K5/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07733 the record carrier containing at least one further contact interface not conform ISO-7816
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07739 comprising a first part capable of functioning as a record carrier on its own and a second part being only functional as a form factor changing part, e.g. SIM cards type ID 0001, removably attached to a regular smart card form factor
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07743 External electrical contacts
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0013 by galvanic contacts, e.g. card connectors for ISO-7816 compliant smart cards or memory cards, e.g. SD card readers connectors in general H01R13/00; connectors for SIM cards used in mobile phones or the like H04B1/3816

Abstract

Electronic systems, such as automobile radios, portable and other computing devices, and global positioning system receivers, often require that a correct security code be inputted from a small memory card that is removably inserted into a card slot of the system before the system is rendered operable in total or in part, or before certain data can be retrieved. The same type of memory card is also used to store digital data that is utilized by the system in conjunction with its function that is enabled by the security code, such data cards being removably inserted into the same card slot as the card containing the security code. Alternately, both the utilization data and the security code are included on a single card. An example application is an automobile radio wherein data supplied by the second card are of music that is reproduced through the radio'"'"'s audio system.

Claims

1. An electronic card that is removably insertable into a receptacle which makes electrical contact with contacts on the card, wherein a physical shape of the card and an arrangement of the contacts conform with a first published card standard, while an electrical interface through the contacts conforms to a second published card standard, the first and second card standards specifying incompatible physical card shapes, arrangements of contacts and electrical signal interfaces.

2. The card according to claim 1, wherein the first card standard is that of the MMC or SD Card, while the second card standard is an ISO/IEC 7816 standard.

3. The card according to claim 2, wherein the card omits having the electrical signal interface at its said contacts according to the first card standard.

4. The card according to claim 3, wherein data of a security code is stored in the card in a manner to be accessible through the card contacts according to the electrical interface of the second card standard.

5. The card according to claim 2, wherein the card additionally includes the electrical signal interface at its said contacts according to the first card standard.

6. The card according to claim 5, wherein the card includes data stored, therein of a security code that is accessible through the card contacts according to the electrical interface of the second card standard, and additionally includes content data stored therein that is accessible through the card contacts according to the electrical interface of the first card standard, wherein the security code is adapted for use in enabling utilization of the content data.

7. A method using removable data memory cards, comprising:

providing a first card having a physical shape, arrangement of electrical contacts and an electrical interface through the contacts according to a first published card standard,

providing a second card having a physical shape and an arrangement of electrical contacts according to the first card standard and an electrical interface through the contacts according to a second published card standard, wherein the first and second card standards specify incompatible physical card shapes, arrangements of contacts and electrical signal interfaces,

inserting the first and second cards into at least one receptacle that electrically engages their contacts according to the arrangement of electrical contacts of the first card standard,

reading data stored in the first and second cards through a system electrically connected with the receptacle, and

utilizing the data read from the first and second cards by the system in a cooperative manner.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the data stored in the second card is a security code that is utilized by the system to enable utilization of data read from the first card.

9. The method according to either of claims 7 or 8, wherein the first card standard is of either the MMC or SD Card, and the second card standard is an ISO/IEC 7816 standard.

10. A method of operating an electronic device, comprising:

inputting a security code to the electronic device by inserting a first non-volatile memory card into a receptacle of the device on which the security code is stored,

comparing the inputted security code with a security code stored in a non-volatile manner within the device, and, if the security codes compare, enabling operation of the electronic device,

after inputting the security code from the first card, removing said first card from the receptacle,

thereafter inputting data to the electronic device that is utilized in the operation thereof by inserting a second non-volatile memory card into said receptacle on which the data is stored, and

thereafter operating the enabled electronic device with the use of said data.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the data inputted to the electronic device include audio data that is utilized by the device to generate sounds.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the sounds that are generated include music.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the electronic device includes a sound system installed in a vehicle.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the electronic device includes a global positioning system and the data inputted to the electronic device includes global positioning data.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the electronic device includes a portable electronic device and the data inputted to the electronic device include a program for at least in part operating the device.

16. An electronic device, comprising:

at least one receptacle into which a first electronic card having a shape and arrangement of contacts of a first published card standard is removably insertable to form an electrical connection between the contacts of the card and the device but wherein a second electronic card having a shape and arrangement of contacts of a second published card standard is not operatively insertable into the receptacle to make said connection, and

wherein the first memory card includes electronic functions and an electrical interface according to the second card standard that are distinct from electronic functions and an electrical interface of the first card standard.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the first card standard is that of the MMC or SD Card, while the second card standard is an ISO/IEC 7816 standard.

18. The card according to claim 17, wherein the first card omits having the electrical signal interface at its said contacts according to the first card standard.

19. The card according to claim 18, wherein data of a security code is stored in the first card in a manner to be accessible by the device through the first card contacts according to the electrical interface of the second card standard.

20. The card according to claim 17, wherein the first card additionally includes the electrical signal interface at its said contacts according to the first card standard.

21. The card according to claim 20, wherein the first card includes data stored therein of a security code that is accessible by the device through the first card contacts according to the electrical interface of the second card standard, and additionally includes content data stored therein that is accessible through the first card contacts according to the electrical interface of the first card standard, wherein the security code is adapted for use in enabling utilization of the content data.

22. An electronic device, comprising:

an electronic system that performs at least one designated function,

a stored security code,

at least one receptacle into which at least one type of non-volatile memory card is removably insertable,

a circuit connected to said at least one receptacle to receive a security code from a memory card inserted into said at least one receptacle and enable the electronic system to perform said at least one designated function when the received security code matches the stored security code, and

another circuit connected to said at least one receptacle to receive data from a memory card inserted into said at least one receptacle and supply that data to the electronic system for use in the performance of said at least one designated function.

23. The electronic device of claim 22, additionally comprising first and second memory cards of said at least one type, said first card containing the security code and the second card containing the data.

24. Sound apparatus, comprising:

at least first and second memory cards that each have a given physical format and pattern of electrical contacts from which data stored therein can be read, and

an audio unit for installation in a vehicle, including;

an audio amplifier,

a slot to receive insertion of one of the memory cards at a time and contact the given pattern of electrical contacts of an inserted memory card,

a security circuit that enables operation of the audio unit in response to a specific security code for the radio, and

a card interface circuit connected with the slot to provide a security code to the security circuit and audio data to the audio amplifier according to data contained on a card inserted in the slot,

said first memory card containing security code data to which the security circuit responds and the second memory card containing audio data to which the audio amplifier responds to reproduce sound according to the audio data.