Wireless enabled memory module
First Claim
1. A removable module for coupling to a digital host and a wireless network, the coupling to the host being via an expansion port of the host, the wireless network having at least one remote wireless device, the module comprising:
- a host-to-module interconnect to removably couple with the host;
a host-to-module interface controller coupled to the host-to-module interconnect;
wireless transceiver circuitry to couple with the wireless network;
a memory controller;
an embedded non-volatile memory coupled to the memory controller; and
a control sub-system coupled to the host-to-module interface controller, the wireless transceiver circuitry, and the memory controller, the control sub-system managing data transfer between the embedded non-volatile memory and the wireless network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A wireless-enabled memory module provides host devices access to a memory via a standard memory expansion interface and further incorporates embedded processing capability and a wireless network capability. The wireless-enabled memory module can be used in any host device providing a compatible memory card controller and interface. Host devices so equipped become wireless-memory enabled devices and can provide memory access to any other remote device enabled for compatible wireless communications. It is thereby possible for a remote device to access the memory content of the memory module, and cause transfers of either full-size or scaled versions of the content to the remote device through a first network, and optionally further transfer the content from the remote device through a second network to the Internet in the form of an e-mail message or MMS attachment.
130 Citations
168 Claims
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1. A removable module for coupling to a digital host and a wireless network, the coupling to the host being via an expansion port of the host, the wireless network having at least one remote wireless device, the module comprising:
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a host-to-module interconnect to removably couple with the host;
a host-to-module interface controller coupled to the host-to-module interconnect;
wireless transceiver circuitry to couple with the wireless network;
a memory controller;
an embedded non-volatile memory coupled to the memory controller; and
a control sub-system coupled to the host-to-module interface controller, the wireless transceiver circuitry, and the memory controller, the control sub-system managing data transfer between the embedded non-volatile memory and the wireless network. - View Dependent Claims (3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 50, 52, 54, 60, 74, 80, 86, 87, 92)
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2. A removable module for operative coupling to a digital host, a removable memory, and a wireless network, the coupling to the host being via an expansion port of the host, the wireless network having at least one remote wireless device, the module comprising:
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a host-to-module interconnect to removably couple with the host;
a host-to-module interface controller coupled to the host-to-module interconnect;
wireless transceiver circuitry to couple with the wireless network;
a removable memory controller;
a slot to receive and couple the removable memory to the removable memory controller; and
a control sub-system coupled to the host-to-module interface controller, the wireless transceiver circuitry, and the removable memory controller, the control sub-system managing data transfer between the removable memory and the wireless network. - View Dependent Claims (4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 51, 53, 55, 61, 75, 81, 88, 89, 93, 94)
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19. A method of transferring data, the method comprising:
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coupling a removable module to an expansion port of a host, the removable module having a host-to-module interconnect to removably couple with the host, a host-to-module interface controller coupled to the host-to-module interconnect, a control sub-system coupled to the host-to-module interface controller, wireless transceiver circuitry coupled to the control sub-system, and a memory controller coupled to a non-volatile memory and coupled to the control sub-system;
accessing the non-volatile memory through a user interface of a remote wireless-enabled device, the remote device being capable of communicating over a first wireless network to the removable module; and
transferring selected data between the remote device and the non-volatile memory. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 56, 57, 62, 63, 66, 67, 70, 71, 76, 77, 82, 83, 90, 91, 95, 96, 97)
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38. A system for transferring data, comprising:
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a host with an expansion port;
a removable module coupled to the expansion port, the removable module having a host-to-module interconnect to removably couple with the host, a host-to-module interface controller coupled to the host-to-module interconnect, a control sub-system coupled to the host-to-module interface controller, wireless transceiver circuitry coupled to the control sub-system, and a memory controller coupled to the control sub-system;
a non-volatile memory coupled to the memory controller;
a remote wireless-enabled device capable of communicating over a first wireless network to the removable module; and
wherein the control sub-system manages data transfer between the non-volatile memory and the remote wireless-enabled device via the first wireless network. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 58, 59, 64, 65, 68, 69, 72, 73, 78, 79, 84, 85, 98)
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99. A method comprising the steps of:
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accessing memory content of a memory through a user interface of a remote wireless-enabled device, the remote device being capable of communicating over a wireless network to an accessory module communicating with the memory;
transferring data between the remote device and the memory; and
wherein the accessory module may be coupled and uncoupled with an expansion port of a host. - View Dependent Claims (100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130)
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131. A system including:
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a removable module having a host connector to couple to a host in a removable manner, an interface controller coupled to the host connector and adapted to exchange data with the host, a wireless transceiver to communicate via a wireless network, a memory controller to load data from and store data into a memory, and a control sub-system coupled to the interface controller, the wireless transceiver, and the memory controller; and
wherein the control sub-system is adapted to manage data transfers between the memory and the wireless network. - View Dependent Claims (132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152)
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153. A method comprising the steps of:
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in a removable module coupled to a host via an expansion port, accessing memory content of a non-volatile memory in response to commands received from the host; and
further in the removable module, accessing the memory content in response to commands received via a wireless transceiver included in the removable module. - View Dependent Claims (154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168)
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Specification