DUAL BUS EXPRESSCARD PERIPHERAL DEVICE

• US 20090006681A1
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sandisk Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Hubert, Jonathan, Hanlon, Jason P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,051,229 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/74
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/409 Mechanical coupling back panels H05K7/1438

Abstract

A peripheral device is disclosed having two associated memory modules, and which is configured to fit within the ExpressCard slot. One memory module communicates with a host over the PCIe bus interface of the ExpressCard slot, while the other memory module communicates with the host over the USB interface of the ExpressCard slot.

Claims

1. A peripheral device capable of operating with first and second buses within a memory card slot associated with a host device, comprising:

a first semiconductor memory associated with the peripheral device, the first semiconductor memory capable of communicating with the host device via the first bus; and

a second semiconductor memory associated with the peripheral device, the first semiconductor memory capable of communicating with the host device via the second bus.

2. A peripheral device as recited in claim 1, further comprising an interface connector for mating with a connector within the memory card slot, the interface connector including a first set of electrical contacts dedicated to the first bus, and a second set of electrical contacts dedicated to the second bus.

3. A peripheral device as recited in claim 2, wherein the first semiconductor memory is electrically coupled to the first set of electrical contacts.

4. A peripheral device as recited in claim 3, wherein the second semiconductor memory is electrically coupled to the second set of electrical contacts.

5. A peripheral device as recited in claim 1, wherein the first semiconductor memory is integrated into the peripheral device.

6. A peripheral device as recited in claim 5, wherein the second semiconductor memory is affixed to a card reader integrated within the peripheral device.

7. A peripheral device as recited in claim 5, wherein the second semiconductor memory is integrated into the peripheral device.

8. A peripheral device as recited in claim 1, wherein the first semiconductor memory is removably inserted into the card slot.

9. A peripheral device as recited in claim 8, wherein the second semiconductor memory is removably inserted into the card slot.

10. A peripheral device as recited in claim 9, wherein the first and second semiconductor memories include connectors for affixing the first and second semiconductor memories to each other.

13. A peripheral device as recited in claim 11, further comprising an interface connector for mating with a connector within the ExpressCard slot, the interface connector including a first set of electrical contacts dedicated to the first bus, and a second set of electrical contacts dedicated to the second bus.

11. A peripheral device capable of operating with the PCIe bus and USB interfaces within the ExpressCard slot associated with a host device, comprising:

a first semiconductor memory associated with the peripheral device, the first semiconductor memory capable of communicating with the host device via the PCIe bus interface; and

a second semiconductor memory associated with the peripheral device, the first semiconductor memory capable of communicating with the host device via the USB interface.

12. A peripheral device as recited in claim 11, wherein the first and second semiconductor memories are capable of communicating with the host device concurrently via their respective buses.

14. A peripheral device as recited in claim 11, wherein the first semiconductor memory is electrically coupled to the first set of electrical contacts.

15. A peripheral device as recited in claim 14, wherein the second semiconductor memory is electrically coupled to the second set of electrical contacts.

16. A peripheral device as recited in claim 11, wherein the first semiconductor memory is integrated into the peripheral device.

17. A peripheral device as recited in claim 16, wherein the second semiconductor memory is affixed to a card reader integrated within the peripheral device.

18. A peripheral device as recited in claim 16, wherein the second semiconductor memory is integrated into the peripheral device.

19. A peripheral device as recited in claim 11, wherein the first semiconductor memory is removably inserted into the ExpressCard slot.

20. A peripheral device as recited in claim 19, wherein the second semiconductor memory is removably inserted into the ExpressCard slot.

21. A peripheral device as recited in claim 20, wherein the first and second semiconductor memories include connectors for affixing the first and second semiconductor memories to each other.

22. A peripheral device capable of operating with the PCIe bus and USB interfaces within the ExpressCard slot associated with a host device, comprising:

a first semiconductor memory removably insertable into the ExpressCard slot, the first semiconductor memory capable of communicating with the host device via the PCIe bus interface; and

a second semiconductor memory associated with the peripheral device, the first semiconductor memory capable of communicating with the host device via the USB interface when the first semiconductor memory is inserted into the ExpressCard slot, and the first semiconductor memory capable of communicating with the host device via the PCIe bus interface when the first semiconductor memory is absent from the ExpressCard slot.

23. A peripheral device as recited in claim 22, wherein the first and second semiconductor memories are capable of communicating with the host device concurrently via their respective buses when both the first and second semiconductor memories are present within the ExpressCard slot.

24. A peripheral device as recited in claim 22, wherein the second semiconductor memory is affixed to a card reader integrated within the peripheral device.

25. A peripheral device as recited in claim 22, wherein the second semiconductor memory is removably inserted into the ExpressCard slot.

26. A peripheral device as recited in claim 25, wherein the first and second semiconductor memories include connectors for affixing the first and second semiconductor memories to each other.

27. A memory card for operation with an ExpressCard slot associated with a host device, the memory card comprising:

a first interface for connecting the memory card to the host device over a PCIe bus interface of the ExpressCard slot when the memory card is the only memory module in use in association with the ExpressCard slot;

a second interface for connecting the memory card to the host device over a USB interface of the ExpressCard slot when the memory card is in use together with another memory module associated with the ExpressCard slot;

a controller for determining whether the memory card is the only memory module in use in association with the ExpressCard slot or the memory card is in use together with another memory module associated with the ExpressCard slot.

28. The memory card recited in claim 27, wherein the memory card has a length of approximately 45 mm, a width of approximately 34 mm and a height of approximately 4 mm.

29. The memory card recited in claim 27, further comprising a lip on a back end of the memory card having a height capable of preventing the memory card from being completely inserted within the ExpressCard slot.

30. The memory card recited in claim 27, further comprising an LED on a back end of the memory card for indicating data exchange to and from the memory card.