Removable mother/daughter peripheral card
First Claim
1. A method of employing a type of memory system having a solid state memory and a controller therefor, comprising:
- utilizing a mother card having a controller function, and a daughter card having a solid state memory function without said controller function that is electrically and mechanically removably connectable with the mother card through a first type of interface, the solid state memory function of said daughter card operating with the controller function of the mother card when so connected,electrically and mechanically connecting said daughter card directly through the first type of interface with a first host system without use of a mother card, wherein the controller function is embedded within the first host system, and operating the first host system with the solid state memory function of said daughter card through the embedded controller function of the first host system,causing the first host system to store data into the memory of the daughter card while connected therewith,removing the daughter card from connection with the first host system,electrically and mechanically connecting the mother card directly through a second type of interface with a second host system that does not include the controller function embedded therein, electrically and mechanically connecting said daughter card directly with the mother card through the first type of interface, and operating the second host system by using a combination of the controller and solid state memory functions of the connected mother and daughter cards, andcausing the second host system to read the stored data from said daughter card when connected therewith.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A peripheral card having a Personal Computer ("PC") card form factor and removably coupled externally to a host system is further partitioned into a mother card portion and a daughter card portion. The daughter card is removably coupled to the mother card. In the preferred embodiment, a low cost flash "floppy" is accomplished with the daughter card containing only flash EEPROM chips and being controlled by a memory controller residing on the mother card. Other aspects of the invention includes a comprehensive controller on the mother card able to control a predefined set of peripherals on daughter cards connectable to the mother card; relocation of some host resident hardware to the mother card to allow for a minimal host system; a mother card that can accommodate multiple daughter cards; daughter cards that also operates directly with hosts having embedded controllers; daughter cards carrying encoded data and information for decoding it; and daughter cards with security features.
504 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of employing a type of memory system having a solid state memory and a controller therefor, comprising:
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utilizing a mother card having a controller function, and a daughter card having a solid state memory function without said controller function that is electrically and mechanically removably connectable with the mother card through a first type of interface, the solid state memory function of said daughter card operating with the controller function of the mother card when so connected, electrically and mechanically connecting said daughter card directly through the first type of interface with a first host system without use of a mother card, wherein the controller function is embedded within the first host system, and operating the first host system with the solid state memory function of said daughter card through the embedded controller function of the first host system, causing the first host system to store data into the memory of the daughter card while connected therewith, removing the daughter card from connection with the first host system, electrically and mechanically connecting the mother card directly through a second type of interface with a second host system that does not include the controller function embedded therein, electrically and mechanically connecting said daughter card directly with the mother card through the first type of interface, and operating the second host system by using a combination of the controller and solid state memory functions of the connected mother and daughter cards, and causing the second host system to read the stored data from said daughter card when connected therewith. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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4. The method of 3 wherein connecting the mother card with the second host system includes connecting the mother card with a personal computer.
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11. A method of employing a solid state memory system including flash EEPROM, comprising:
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utilizing a card including flash EEPROM without a controller function therefor being included within the card and a mother unit including a first controller providing said controller function, wherein the card is electrically and mechanically removably connectable with said mother unit through a first type of interface, the flash EEPROM operating with the first controller of the mother unit when so connected, electrically and mechanically connecting the card through the first type of interface directly to a first host system without use of said mother unit, wherein the controller function is provided by a second controller embedded within the first host system, operating the first host system to transfer data between the first host system and the flash EEPROM of the card through the second controller, removing the card from connection with the first host system, electrically and mechanically connecting the mother unit directly with a second type of interface of a second host system that does not include the controller function embedded therein, said first and second types of interfaces being different from each other, electrically and mechanically connecting said card directly with the mother unit through the first type of interface, and operating the second host system to transfer said data between the second host system and the flash EEPROM of the card through the first controller, thereby to exchange said data between the first and second host systems through the use of the card. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of employing a solid state memory system including flash EEPROM, comprising:
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utilizing a card including the flash EEPROM without a controller function therefor being included within the card and a mother unit including a first controller providing said controller function, wherein the card is electrically and mechanically removably connectable with said mother unit through a first type of interface, the flash EEPROM operating with the first controller of the mother unit when so connected, electrically and mechanically connecting the card through the first type of interface directly to a camera without use of said mother unit, wherein the controller function is provided by a second controller embedded within the camera, recording a visual field by the camera as data in the flash EEPROM of the card through the second controller, removing the card from connection with the camera, thereafter electrically and mechanically connecting the mother unit directly with a second type of interface of a host system that does not include the controller function embedded therein, said first and second types of interfaces being different from each other, electrically and mechanically connecting said card directly with the mother unit through the first type of interface, and operating the host system to transfer said data between the second host system and the flash EEPROM of the card through the first controller, whereby the visual field recorded by the camera may be viewed. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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Specification