Systems and methods for storing and transferring personal data

• US 20070084711A1
• Filed: 10/18/2006
• Published: 04/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clifford J. August
• Original Assignee: Clifford J. August
• Inventors: Leung, Henry, August, Clifford, Sternberg, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,760,100 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 200/341
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/05 Card, e.g. credit card
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/032 using RFID technology in switching devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/0271 structurally combining a switch and an electronic component for relays H01H50/021
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/14 Protecting elements, switches, relays or circuit breakers

Abstract

A button assembly for exchanging data comprising a button housing assembly, a circuit board, a switch element, and an actuator member. The circuit board is arranged within the button housing assembly. The circuit board stores data. The switch element is mounted on the circuit board. The actuator member is supported on the button housing assembly. Application of a force to the actuator member causes the actuator member to engage the switch element and form an antenna circuit. The data on the circuit board can be downloaded when the antenna circuit is formed.

Claims

1. A button assembly for exchanging data, comprising:

a button housing assembly;

a circuit board arranged within the button housing assembly, where the circuit board stores data;

a switch element mounted on the circuit board;

an actuator member supported on the button housing assembly, where application of a force to the actuator member causes the actuator member to engage the switch element and form an antenna circuit;

whereby

the data on the circuit board can be downloaded when the antenna circuit is formed.

2. A button assembly as recited in claim 1, in which:

the button housing assembly comprises first and second housing members;

an actuator opening is formed in the second housing member; and

an exposed surface of the actuator member is accessible through the actuator opening to facilitate application of the force to the actuator member.

3. A button assembly as recited in claim 1, in which:

the button housing assembly comprises first and second housing members;

a support surface is formed on the first housing member; and

the circuit board is supported within the housing at least in part by the support surface.

4. A button assembly as recited in claim 3, in which the circuit board is supported within the button housing assembly at least in part by the actuator member.

5. A button assembly as recited in claim 3 in which:

a retaining surface is formed on the second housing member; and

the circuit board is supported within the button housing assembly at least in part by the retaining surface.

6. A button assembly as recited in claim 1, in which at least one of the button housing assembly and the actuator member is imprinted with at least one of text and graphics.

7. A data storage assembly as recited in claim 6, in which at least one of the text and graphics relates to the data stored by the circuit board.

8. A dock assembly for exchanging data, comprising:

a dock housing assembly, where the dock housing assembly defines at least one dock coil location; and

at least one port that allows data to be transferred out of the dock assembly;

whereby

at least one data storage device is arranged adjacent to the at least one dock coil location to exchange data between the dock assembly and the data storage element.

9. A dock assembly as recited in claim 8, in which the dock housing assembly comprises a plurality of dock coil locations, where a data storage device may be located at each of the plurality of dock coil locations.

10. A dock assembly as recited in claim 8, in which the dock housing assembly defines a substantially flat surface at each of the at least one dock coil locations, where the data storage device is placed on the at least one substantially flat surface to arrange the data storage device adjacent to the at least one dock coil location.

11. A dock assembly as recited in claim 8, in which the dock housing assembly further comprises:

a housing member defining a dock coil projection; and

an axle assembly for supporting at least one card for rotation about an axis;

whereby

each of the cards supports at least one data storage device;

the axle assembly supports at least a selected one of the cards at a selected location; and

the at least one data storage device supported by the selected card is adjacent to the dock coil projection.

12. A dock assembly as recited in claim 8, in which the at least one data storage device is a button assembly comprising:

a button housing assembly;

a circuit board arranged within the button housing assembly, where the circuit board stores data;

a switch element mounted on the circuit board;

an actuator member supported on the button housing assembly, where application of a force to the actuator member causes the actuator member to engage the switch element and form an antenna circuit;

whereby

the data on the circuit board can be downloaded when the antenna circuit is formed.

13. A dock assembly as recited in claim 8, further comprising at least one communications port for communicating data exchanged with the at least one data storage device to a host device.

14. A dock assembly as recited in claim 13, in which the host device is at least one computing device selected from a group of computing devices consisting of a POTS telephone, a PBX telephone, a general purpose computer, personal digital assistant, cellular telephone, camera, MP3 player, and a video player.

15. A dock assembly as recited in claim 13, in which the dock assembly obtains power from the host device.

16. A data storage assembly for exchanging data, comprising:

a substrate; and

a button assembly attached to the substrate, where the button assembly comprises

a button housing assembly;

a circuit board arranged within the button housing assembly, where the circuit board stores data;

a switch element mounted on the circuit board;

an actuator member supported on the button housing assembly, where application of a force to the actuator member causes the actuator member to engage the switch element and form an antenna circuit;

whereby

the data on the circuit board can be downloaded when the antenna circuit is formed.

17. A data storage assembly as recited in claim 16, in which the substrate is selected from a group of substrates consisting of a business card, a rolodex card, and a credit card.

18. A data storage assembly as recited in claim 16, in which:

the button housing assembly defines a perimeter groove; and

the perimeter groove receives at least a portion of the substrate to attach the button assembly to the substrate.

19. A data storage assembly as recited in claim 16, in which at least one of the substrate, the button housing assembly, and the actuator member is imprinted with at least one of text and graphics.

20. A data storage assembly as recited in claim 19, in which at least one of the text and graphics relates to the data stored by the circuit board.