Credit Card Sized USB Flash Drive
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A flash memory drive comprising:
- a re-programmable non-volatile flash memory;
a body having a peripheral edge around the body and two principal faces, the faces having a length and a width of a credit card;
a member extendable some distance away from the body of the card, the member comprising a USB connector on a distal portion of the member,a portion of the body having a thickness acceptable for insertion into a standard credit card reader; and
means for distancing the member away from the body such that the connector on the distal portion can be inserted into a host device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A flash memory mass storage drive stores user files in a convenient credit card sized drive. Embodiments function as both a credit card and a mass storage drive. Communication may be through a host interface connector such as a USB connector, a magnetic interface, a smart card interface, and/or a near field communication interface. In certain embodiments the drive comprises a portion that is sufficiently thin to be swiped through a standard credit card, ATM, or point of sale device. The USB connector of the drive can easily be plugged into even a crowded receptacle of a host computing device.
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Citations
47 Claims
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1. A flash memory drive comprising:
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a re-programmable non-volatile flash memory; a body having a peripheral edge around the body and two principal faces, the faces having a length and a width of a credit card; a member extendable some distance away from the body of the card, the member comprising a USB connector on a distal portion of the member, a portion of the body having a thickness acceptable for insertion into a standard credit card reader; and means for distancing the member away from the body such that the connector on the distal portion can be inserted into a host device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A flash memory drive comprising:
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a re-programmable non-volatile flash memory; and a body having a perimeter and two principal faces, the faces having a length and a width of a credit card such that there is a long side and a short side of the body, a member extendable some distance away from the body of the card, the member comprising a USB connector on a distal portion of the member, the member rotating about an axis of rotation at a proximal end of the member, the axis of rotation operable to change location within the perimeter of the body. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A credit card system comprising:
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a body having the width of a standard credit card; a mass storage non volatile memory that is operably connected to transfer data between the memory and outside of the card with a first set of contacts commonly accepted by a female receptacle of host computing devices; and a cover carried by the card and rotatable by hand between at least first and second positions about an axis extending across a width of the card, the first set of contacts being covered when the cover is in the first position and exposed for insertion into the female receptacle when the cover is in the second position. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An enclosed electronic circuit card, comprising:
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a first portion having a predominately rectangular shape with the width of a credit card and a length; a second portion rigidly connected to the first portion and having a rectangular shape with a width less than that of the first portion, a set of contacts positioned on an outside surface thereof at an end of the second portion; and a cover hinged to the first portion of the memory card in a manner to be rotatable by hand about an axis extending across the width of the card between at least a first position that covers the second set of contacts and a second position that exposes the second set of contacts. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A portable credit card system comprising:
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a first element comprising a credit card interface for conducting credit card transactions; and a second element comprising; a USB flash memory drive comprising a mass storage flash memory, a memory controller, and a USB connector coupled to the memory controller, the second element detachable from the first element in order to be connected to a USB port of a host computing device, the second element attachable to the first element in order to be stored in a wallet, such that when the first and second element are attached, the credit card system has the length and width of a credit card. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A credit card comprising:
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a mass storage flash memory drive comprising a memory controller and flash memory; a first interface that transmits user information magnetically to a first type of reader; a second interface comprising data contacts that transmit user information electronically to a second type of reader; and a third interface comprising data contacts that transmits user files electronically to a third type of reader. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A flash memory drive comprising:
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a re-programmable non-volatile flash memory; a body having a length and a width of a credit card; and a rigid member comprising a USB connector on a distal portion of the member, a portion of the body having a thickness acceptable for insertion into a standard credit card reader, the body capable of bending back upon itself thereby sufficiently exposing the USB connector of the member so that it may be inserted into a USB receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A flash memory drive comprising:
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a re-programmable non-volatile flash memory; a memory controller; a USB connector; a body having a length and a width of a credit card, the body comprising a flexible substrate, the flexible substrate configured to bend and make the USB connector available for insertion into a USB receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47)
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Specification