Method of self-detecting and dynamically displaying detected results for a card reader used to read flash memory cards

• US 20060006233A1
• Filed: 07/12/2004
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcorlink Corp.
• Original Assignee: Alcor Micro Corp.
• Inventors: Chang, Chi-Tung, Tsai, Hung-Chou, Chen, Chao-Yu
• Granted Patent: US 7,014,121 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/441
• 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 7/0021 for reading/sensing record carriers having surface contacts
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0047 for reading/sensing record carriers having edge contacts

Abstract

A method of self-detecting and dynamically displaying detected results for a card reader used to read flash memory cards includes the steps of sending out a detecting code to each card slot or any flash memory card inserted therein via detecting circuits provided on and controlled by a control chip in the card reader; storing a detected state code sent back by the detecting circuits in a state register of the control chip; sending the state code from the state register to a computer; comparing and determining the state code in the computer; displaying a current state of the card slot or the flash memory card inserted therein on a screen of the computer; and periodically repeating the self-detecting and displaying to always show the most current state of the card slots on the card reader or the inserted flash memory card.

Claims

1. A method of self-detecting and dynamically displaying detected results for a card reader used to read flash memory cards, said card reader being internally provided with a control chip for controlling more than one detecting circuit preformed thereon, said self-detecting and displaying method comprising the steps of:

A. Causing the control chip to send out a detecting code to each card slot or any flash memory card inserted in said card slot via the detecting circuits, so as to detect a current state of said card slots or said flash memory card inserted in one of said card slots;

B. Causing the detecting circuits to send back any detected state code to the control chip, and the control chip to temporarily store the received state code in a state register thereof;

C. Sending the state code from the state register of the control chip to a computer, to which the card reader is connected, and clearing all data in the state register;

D. Causing part of the software in the computer to immediately check and determine the state code on receipt of the same, and immediately display a current state of said card slots or said flash memory card on a screen of the computer; and

E. Periodically repeating the above self-detecting and displaying steps to present the most current state of said card slots of the card reader or said flash memory card inserted in said card slot.

2. The method of self-detecting and dynamically displaying detected results for a card reader used to read flash memory cards as claimed in claim 1, wherein said detecting circuits include an overcurrent protection, which enables said control chip to take measures of interrupting a power supply to a specific card slot when said card slot or a flash memory card inserted therein is detected as short-circuited, and to temporarily store said state code in said state register for the computer to retrieve later;

and when said part of software in the computer receives said state code, an icon or a color normally displayed for representing the card slot or the flash memory card is immediately changed to inform a user that the specific card slot or the flash memory card inserted therein is currently in a short-circuited and interrupted state and fails to work.

3. The method of self-detecting and dynamically displaying detected results for a card reader used to read flash memory cards as claimed in claim 1, wherein said card reader is one of the two types of one reader for one card and one reader for multiple cards.

4. The method of self-detecting and dynamically displaying detected results for a card reader used to read flash memory cards as claimed in claim 1, wherein an icon and a specific color representing each card slot on said card reader (in the case of one reader for multiple cards) before having any flash memory card inserted therein are shown on the screen of the computer.

5. The method of self-detecting and dynamically displaying detected results for a card reader used to read flash memory cards as claimed in claim 1, wherein when any one of said card slots on said card reader has a flash memory card inserted therein, said detecting circuits will immediately detect said card slot with the flash memory card as well as format and type of said inserted flash memory card, and send back a detected state code to said control chip for retrieval and comparison by the computer later;

and said part of software in the computer, after comparing said detected state code with data stored in an internal databank of the computer, showing a predetermined corresponding icon or color to substitute for an icon or color originally shown on the screen for representing said card slot in an empty state, so that a user could clearly know in which card slot a flash memory card is currently inserted and the type of the inserted flash memory card; and

a specific icon or color representing a current state of said inserted flash memory card also being shown on the screen.

6. The method of self-detecting and dynamically displaying detected results for a card reader used to read flash memory cards as claimed in claim 1, wherein when any one of said card slots on said card reader has a flash memory card inserted therein and said inserted flash memory card is in a write-protection state, said detecting circuits will immediately detect said card slot with the flash memory card as well as format and type of said inserted flash memory card, and send back a detected state code to said control chip for retrieval and comparison by the computer later;

and said part of software in the computer, after comparing said detected state code with data stored in an internal databank of the computer, showing a predetermined corresponding icon or color to substitute for an icon or color originally shown on the screen for representing said card slot in an empty state, so that a user could clearly know in which card slot a flash memory card is currently inserted and the type of the inserted flash memory card; and

a specific icon or color representing a current state of said inserted flash memory card also being shown on the screen.

7. The method of self-detecting and dynamically displaying detected results for a card reader used to read flash memory cards as claimed in claim 1, wherein when any one of said card slots on said card reader has a flash memory card inserted therein and said inserted flash memory card is in a damaged state, said detecting circuits will immediately detect said card slot with the flash memory card as well as format and type of said inserted flash memory card, and send back a detected state code to said control chip for retrieval and comparison by the computer later;

and said part of software in the computer, after comparing said detected state code with data stored in an internal databank of the computer, showing a predetermined corresponding icon or color to substitute for an icon or color originally displayed on the screen for representing said card slot in an empty state, so that a user could clearly know in which card slot a flash memory card is currently inserted and the type of the inserted flash memory card; and

a specific icon or color representing a current state of said inserted flash memory card also being shown on the screen.

8. The method of self-detecting and dynamically displaying detected results for a card reader used to read flash memory cards as claimed in claim 1, wherein when any one of said card slots on said card reader has a flash memory card inserted therein, said detecting circuits will immediately detect said card slot with the flash memory card as well as format, type, and remained storage capacity of said inserted flash memory card, and send back a detected state code to said control chip for retrieval and comparison by the computer later;

and said part of software in the computer, after comparing said detected state code with data stored in an internal databank of the computer, showing a predetermined corresponding icon or color to substitute for an icon or color originally displayed on the screen for representing said card slot in an empty state, so that a user could clearly know in which card slot a flash memory card is currently inserted and the type of the inserted flash memory card; and

a specific icon or color representing a current state of said inserted flash memory card also being shown on the screen.

9. The method of self-detecting and dynamically displaying detected results for a card reader used to read flash memory cards as claimed in claim 1, wherein when said detecting circuits detect that said flash memory card is reading/writing, a detected state code is sent back to said control chip for retrieval and comparison by the computer later;

and said part of software in the computer, after comparing said detected state code with data stored in an internal databank of the computer, immediately dynamically showing a predetermined corresponding icon or color to indicate the reading/writing state of said flash memory card and to substitute for an icon or color originally shown on the screen for representing said card slot in an empty state, so that a user could clearly know the current reading/writing state of said flash memory card.