Wireless flash memory card expansion system

• US 20070239929A1
• Filed: 04/07/2006
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kingston Technology Company, Inc. (Kingston Technology Corporation), Kingston Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kingston Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Sun, David, Le, Ngoc, Chen, Ben
• Granted Patent: US 8,176,230 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/3814 Wireless link with a computer system port
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0632 by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0661 Format or protocol conversion arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0679 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP]

Abstract

A Flash memory card system is disclosed. The Flash memory card system comprises a Flash memory wireless host adapter and a Flash memory bus wireless device. The Flash memory wireless host adapter comprises a Flash memory card connector and a Flash memory controller coupled to the Flash memory card connector. The Flash-52 memory card signals are converted to standard Flash memory internal bus signals by the Flash memory controller. The host adapter further comprises a Flash memory wireless module coupled to the Flash memory controller for receiving and transmitting the standard Flash memory bus signals wirelessly. The Flash-51 memory bus wireless device comprises a Flash memory bus wireless device adapter coupled to a Flash memory. The device adapter is paired to the wireless module for receiving and transmitting the standard Flash memory bus signals wirelessly. A host device storage capacity utilizing the Flash memory card system is expanded.

Claims

1. A Flash memory card system comprising:

a Flash memory wireless host adapter;

wherein the host adapter comprises a Flash memory card connector, a Flash memory controller coupled to the Flash memory card connector;

wherein Flash memory command, data and status signals are converted to standard Flash memory internal bus signals, the wireless host adapter for receiving and transmitting the standard Flash memory internal bus signals wirelessly; and

a Flash memory bus wireless device;

wherein Flash memory command data and status signals are converted to standard Flash memory internal bus signals, the Flash memory bus wireless device for receiving and transmitting the standard Flash memory internal bus signals wirelessly;

wherein a Host device storage capacity utilizing the Flash memory card is expanded.

2. The Flash memory card system of claim 1 wherein the Flash memory card connector comprises any of Secure Digital (SD) format, Compact Flash (CF) format, MultiMediaCard (MMC) format, Memory Stick (MS) format and Universal Serial Bus (USB) format.

3. The Flash memory card system of claim 1 wherein the Flash memory wireless host adapter includes a Flash memory card connector, a Flash memory bus wireless module which communicates with the Flash memory controller and communicates wirelessly to the Flash memory bus wireless device.

4. The Flash memory card system of claim 3 wherein Flash memory bus wireless module initiates a soft reset request to the Flash memory controller after a wireless Flash memory link is established, wherein the Flash memory controller via the soft reset in turn forces a host device to re-enumerate the Flash memory wireless host adapter.

5. The Flash memory card system of claim 1 wherein the Flash memory bus wireless device includes:

a Flash memory; and

a Flash memory bus wireless device adapter coupled to the Flash memory for communicating wirelessly to the host adapter.

6. The Flash memory card system of claim 3 wherein the Flash memory bus wireless module comprises:

a first Flash memory media access controller;

a first wireless bus physical layer in communication with the first Flash memory media access controller; and

a first antenna for providing a wireless signal.

7. The Flash memory card system of claim 5 wherein the Flash memory bus wireless device adapter comprises:

a second Flash memory media access controller;

a second wireless bus physical layer in communication with the second Flash memory media access controller; and

a second antenna for providing a wireless signal.

8. The Flash memory card system of claim 5 wherein the Flash memory bus wireless device includes a pairing element for causing the Flash memory bus wireless module to be paired with the Flash memory wireless host adapter.

9. The Flash memory card system of claim 6 wherein during initialization the pairing element is activated to establish pairing between the Flash memory wireless module to be paired with the Flash memory bus wireless device adapter.

10. The Flash memory card system of claim 8 wherein the pairing is performed automatically.

11. The Flash memory card system of claim 9 wherein the pairing is performed by software.

12. A system comprising:

a host device; and

a Flash memory card system comprising a Flash memory wireless host adapter;

wherein the host adapter comprises a Flash memory card connector, a Flash memory controller coupled to the Flash memory card connector;

wherein Flash memory command, data and status signals are converted to standard Flash memory internal bus signals, the wireless host adapter for receiving and transmitting the standard Flash memory internal bus signals wirelessly; and

a Flash memory bus wireless device;

wherein Flash memory command data and status signals are converted to standard Flash memory internal bus signals, the Flash memory bus wireless device for receiving and transmitting the standard Flash memory internal bus signals wirelessly;

wherein a Host device storage capacity utilizing the Flash memory card is expanded.

13. The system in accordance with claim 12 wherein the Flash memory card connector comprises any of Secure Digital (SD) format, Compact Flash (CF) format, MultiMediaCard (MMC) format, Memory Stick (MS) format and Universal Serial Bus (USB) format.

14. The system in accordance with claim 12 wherein the Flash memory wireless host adapter includes a Flash memory card connector, a Flash memory bus wireless module which communicates with the Flash memory controller and communicates wirelessly to the Flash memory bus wireless device.

15. The Flash memory card system of claim 14, wherein Flash memory bus wireless module initiates a soft reset request to the Flash memory controller after a wireless Flash memory link is established, wherein the Flash memory controller via the soft reset in turn forces a host device to re-enumerate the Flash memory wireless host adapter.

16. The system in accordance with claim 12 wherein the Flash memory bus wireless device includes:

a Flash memory; and

a Flash memory bus wireless device adapter coupled to the Flash memory for communicating wirelessly to the host adapter.

17. The system in accordance with claim 14 wherein the Flash memory bus wireless module comprises:

a first Flash memory media access controller;

a first wireless bus physical layer in communication with the first Flash memory media access controller; and

a first antenna for providing a wireless signal.

18. The system in accordance with claim 16 wherein the Flash memory bus wireless device adapter comprises:

a second Flash memory media access controller;

a second wireless bus physical layer in communication with the second Flash memory media access controller; and

a second antenna for providing a wireless signal.

19. The system in accordance with claim 16 wherein the Flash memory bus wireless device includes a pairing element for causing the Flash memory bus wireless module to be paired to the Flash memory wireless host adapter.

20. The system in accordance with claim 17 wherein during initialization the pairing element is activated to establish pairing between the Flash memory wireless module to be paired in the Flash memory bus wireless device adapter.

21. The system in accordance with claim 19 wherein the pairing is performed automatically.

22. The system in accordance with claim 20 wherein the pairing is performed by software.

23. The system in accordance with claim 12 wherein the host device comprises any of or any combination of digital still cameras, personal digital assistants, MP3 players, personal media players, cell phones, and portable consumer electronic devices.

24. A Flash memory card system comprising:

a Flash memory to hard drive wireless host adapter;

wherein the host adapter comprises a Flash memory card connector, a Flash memory to hard drive converter controller coupled to the Flash memory card connector;

wherein Flash memory command, data and status signals are converted to standard hard drive internal bus signals signals, the wireless host adapter for receiving and transmitting the standard hard drive internal bus signals wirelessly; and

a direct attached storage wireless device;

wherein the Flash memory command data and status signals are converted to standard hard drive internal bus signals, the direct attached storage wireless device for receiving and transmitting the standard hard drive internal bus signals wirelessly;

wherein a Host device storage capacity utilizing the Flash memory card is expanded.

25. The Flash memory card system of claim 24 wherein the Flash memory card connector comprises any of Secure Digital (SD) format, Compact Flash (CF) format, MultiMediaCard (MMC) format, Memory Stick (MS) format and Universal Serial Bus (USB) format.

26. The Flash memory card system of claim 24 wherein the Flash memory to hard drive wireless host adapter includes a Flash memory card connector, a hard drive I/O bus wireless device module which communicates with the Flash memory to hard drive converter controller and communicates wirelessly to the direct attached wireless device.

27. The Flash memory card system of claim 26 wherein the hard drive I/O bus wireless device module initiates a soft reset request to the Flash memory to hard drive converter controller after a wireless link is established, wherein the Flash memory to hard drive converter controller in turn forces a host device to re-enumerate the Flash memory to hard drive wireless host adapter.

28. The Flash memory card system of claim 24 wherein the direct attached storage wireless device includes:

a hard drive; and

a hard drive I/O bus wireless device module coupled to the hard drive for communicating wirelessly to the host adapter.

29. The Flash memory card system of claim 26 wherein the hard drive I/O bus wireless host module comprises:

a first hard drive I/O media access controller;

a first wireless bus physical layer in communication with the first hard drive I/O media access controller; and

a first antenna for providing a wireless signal.

30. The Flash memory card system of claim 28 wherein the hard drive wireless device module comprises:

a second hard drive I/O media access controller;

a second wireless bus physical layer in communication with the second hard drive I/O media access controller; and

a second antenna for providing a wireless signal.

31. The Flash memory card system of claim 28 wherein the direct attached storage wireless device includes a pairing element for causing the direct attached storage wireless device to be paired with the Flash memory to hard drive wireless host adapter.

32. The Flash memory card system of claim 29 wherein during initialization the pairing element is activated to establish pairing between the hard drive I/O bus wireless device module to be paired with the hard drive I/O bus wireless host module.

33. The Flash memory card system of claim 31 wherein the pairing is performed automatically.

34. The Flash memory card system of claim 32 wherein the pairing is performed by software.