REMOTE ATTACHABLE FLASH DRIVE

• US 20120140401A1
• Filed: 12/01/2011
• Published: 06/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sandisk Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: YAIRI, RAHAV, MARDIKS, EITAN, POMERANTZ, ITZHAK, BAUM, EREZ
• Granted Patent: US 8,730,660 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.32
• 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: Y10T 29/49124 On flat or curved insulated base, e.g., printed circuit, etc.

Abstract

A sticky drive includes a flash storage device and a mounting structure having a stickable surface. The mounting structure is coupled to the flash storage device to enable a user to attach the flash storage device to a user-selected object.

Claims

1. A sticky drive comprising:

a flash storage device; and

a mounting structure having a stickable surface, the mounting structure coupled to the flash storage device to enable a user to attach the flash storage device to a user-selected object.

2. The sticky drive of claim 1, wherein the flash storage device is coupled to a flexible tongue of the mounting structure and wherein, after the stickable surface has been attached to the user-selected object, the flexible tongue can be flexed to move the flash storage device from a default position to a position further from the user-selected object.

3. The sticky drive of claim 1, wherein the mounting structure includes a magnetic material and wherein electrical contacts coupled to the flash storage device are positioned to couple to corresponding conductive leads of a connectivity tool while the connectivity tool is magnetically coupled to the sticky drive.

4. The sticky drive of claim 1, wherein the sticky drive is coupled to a computer via a cable.

5. The sticky drive of claim 1, wherein the sticky drive is coupled to a computer wirelessly.

6. The sticky drive of claim 1, wherein the sticky drive is coupled to a computer via a power line communication (PLC) modem.

7. A connectivity tool to enable communication between a flash drive and a computer, the connectivity tool comprising:

a flash memory card reader terminating with a universal serial bus (USB) plug; and

a USB extension cable fixedly attached to the flash memory card reader to enable at least one of sending data to a flash memory card and receiving data from the flash memory card while the flash memory card is operatively coupled to the flash memory card reader.

8. A connectivity tool to enable communication between a storage device of a sticky drive and a computer, the connectivity tool comprising:

multiple conductive leads positioned to contact corresponding electrical contacts of the storage device when the connectivity tool is removably attached to the storage device; and

a connectivity module configured to enable data communication between the storage device and the computer.

9. The connectivity tool of claim 8, further comprising a magnet operative to magnetically attach the connectivity tool to a magnetic or ferromagnetic material that is coupled to the storage device.

10. The connectivity tool of claim 8, further comprising a clamp operative to attach the connectivity tool to the storage device.

11. The connectivity tool of claim 10, wherein the clamp is spring-biased to maintain an attached configuration with the storage device.

12. The connectivity tool of claim 8, wherein the connectivity tool is functionally and stably attachable to the storage device via static mechanical coupling.

13. The connectivity tool of claim 12, wherein the static mechanical coupling is based on friction.

14. The connectivity tool of claim 8, wherein the connectivity module includes a universal serial bus (USB) cable.

15. The connectivity tool of claim 8, wherein the connectivity module includes a memory card reader coupled to a universal serial bus (USB) cable.

16. The connectivity tool of claim 15, wherein the memory card reader is compliant with a microSD memory card standard.

17. The connectivity tool of claim 8, wherein the connectivity module includes a wireless transceiver.

18. The connectivity tool of claim 8, wherein the connectivity module includes a power line communication (PLC) modem.

19. A method comprising:

connecting a universal serial bus (USB) male plug having a first set of pads to a printed board of a USB female socket having a second set of pads,

wherein a first pad plane substantially corresponds to the first set of pads and wherein a second pad plane substantially corresponds to the second set of pads, and

wherein connecting the USB male plug to the USB female socket is performed by bringing the first set of pads in contact with the second set of pads via a motion in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first pad plane and to the second pad plane.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first set of pads is maintained in contact with the second set of pads via a connectivity tool.