Transfer device for transferring data between an electronic data processing device and a card

• US 6,015,093 A
• Filed: 06/24/1999
• Issued: 01/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Kagaku Media Company Limited (Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SmartDiskette GmbH
• Inventors: Barrett, Paul, Eisele, Raymund
• Primary Examiner(s): Hajec, Donald
• Assistant Examiner(s): TREMBLAY, MARK STEPHEN
• Application Number:
  US09/339,680
• Time in Patent Office: 208 Days
• Field of Search: 235/487, 235/492, 235/486, 235/475, 235/375
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/077 Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07741 comprising a first part operating as a regular record carrier and a second attachable part that changes the functional appearance of said record carrier, e.g. a contact-based smart card with an adapter part which, when attached to the contact card makes the contact card function as a non-contact card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0013 by galvanic contacts, e.g. card connectors for ISO-7816 compliant smart cards or memory cards, e.g. SD card readers connectors in general H01R13/00; connectors for SIM cards used in mobile phones or the like H04B1/3816
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/0327 for special applications not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A pocket interface unit for a smart diskette. The smart diskette has a housing of the shape and size of a standard diskette, electrical contacts and/or a magnetic transducer, an activation switch, and further has an interface, a processor and memory disposed in the housing and operatively coupled to the electrical contacts/magnetic transducer. The interface unit includes a frame adapted to removably attach to the smart diskette housing, electrical contacts and/or magnetic transducer for engaging corresponding electrical contacts and/or magnetic transducer on the smart diskette, a switch operating mechanism for operating an activation switch on the smart diskette when the smart diskette is attached to the frame, a display operatively coupled to the electrical contacts and/or magnetic transducer, for displaying text and/or graphical data under control of the smart diskette, and a plurality of user actuatable keys, operatively coupled to the electrical contacts and/or magnetic transducer, for facilitating user input of data under the control of the smart diskette. The pocket interface unit thereby provides a user interface with the smart diskette.

Claims

1. A tansfer device for use in transferring data between an electronic data processing device having a diskette station including a read/write device normally used to read magnetic media and a removable card having a storage device for storing data, said transfer device comprising:

a frame having an exterior form designed to accommodate said removable card, and including an insertion port receiving the card, the exterior form of said frame being substantially the same as that of a diskette to allow insertion of said frame into a diskette station of an electronic data processing device;

a first interface included at least partially within said frame and operable to transfer data between said transfer device and said electronic data processing device through said read/write device in the diskette station of said electronic data processing device normally used to read magnetic media;

processing circuitry disposed within said frame and coupled to said first interface for controlling transfer of data from said card to said transfer device; and

a second interface coupled to said processing circuitry and disposed within said frame for coupling data from said card for transfer of data from said card to said data transfer device.

2. The transfer device of claim 1, wherein said card includes a digital memory and further including a battery housed in said frame, said battery operable to supply current through said second interface to electronic components located on an electronic card.

3. The transfer device of claim 2, further including a data memory housed in said frame and coupled to said processing circuitry, said processing circuitry including a digital processor operable to communicate with said card through said second interface.

4. The transfer device of claim 2, wherein said electronic components located on said electronic card include a processor and associated memory.

5. The transfer device of claim 1, wherein said diskette station of an electronic data processing device is integral with the electronic data processing device.

6. The transfer device of claim 1, further including an electronic card.

7. The transfer device of claim 6, wherein said electronic card is a smart card.

8. The transfer device of claim 6, wherein said electronic card is a chip card.

9. The transfer device of claim 6, wherein said electronic card is adapted to store confidential information which may be accessed only upon receipt of a security code.

10. The transfer device of claim 1, wherein said frame includes an insertion port having a recess or receiving and surrounding at least most of the side periphery of said card.

11. The transfer device of claim 1, further including:

a data transfer device memory included within said frame and coupled to said data transfer device processing circuitry.

12. The transfer device of claim 1, wherein said card includes a storage device adapted to store confidential data which may be accessed only upon verification of an appropriate access code.

13. The transfer device of claim 1, wherein said first interface includes a magnetic interface and wherein said second interface includes a connector for making electrical contact with electrical contacts on said card.

14. A data transfer device for use in transferring data between an electronic data processor device having a floppy disk drive including a diskette station for receiving diskettes inserted therein, and a card having a memory for storing data, said data transfer device comprising:

a frame having an exterior form being substantially the same as a diskette such that the frame can be inserted into a diskette station of said electronic data processor, said frame including an insertion port having a recess for receiving and surrounding at least most of the side periphery of said card;

a card interface disposed within said frame for coupling data from said card for transfer of data from said card to said data transfer device;

a data link for receiving data from said card;

a data transfer device processor, coupled to said data link, for receiving data on said data link from said card;

a data transfer device memory, coupled to said data transfer device processor;

a battery for supplying power to at least one component on said data transfer device and to at least one component on said electronic card via said connector; and

interface circuitry, coupled to said data transfer device processor, for transferring data between said data transfer device and said diskette station of said electronic data processor.

15. A data transfer device according to claim 14, wherein said interface circuitry is operable to receive data from the electronic data processor and couple said data to said data link for writing to said memory on said card.

16. The transfer device of claim 15, wherein said memory on said card is adapted to store confidential data which may be accessed only upon receipt of an appropriate access code.

17. The transfer device of claim 14, wherein said interface circuitry is operable to receive data from said memory on said card by way of said data link and to transfer the data received from said memory on said memory card to said diskette station of said electronic data processor.

18. A data transfer device for use in transferring data between a data carrying module and an electronic data processor device having a floppy disk drive including a diskette station for receiving diskettes inserted therein comprising:

a frame having an exterior form being substantially the same as a diskette such that the frame can be inserted into a diskette station of said electronic data processor;

a removable data carrying module, having a periphery which is substantially smaller in size than said frame;

said frame including an insertion port having a recess for receiving said removable data carrying module and surrounding at least most of the side periphery of said data carrying module;

an data carrying module interface on said frame for receiving data from said data carrying module;

a data link coupled to said interface on said frame for receiving data transferred from said removable data carrying module;

a data processor mounted on said frame and coupled to said data link for receiving data on said data link from said data carrying module;

a memory mounted on said frame and coupled to said data processor;

a battery mounted on said frame for supplying power to at least one component mounted on said frame; and

interface circuitry mounted on said frame and coupled to said data processor mounted on said frame, for transferring data between said data carrying module and said diskette station of said electronic data processor.

19. A data transfer device according to claim 18, wherein the data carrying module includes a memory having a storage capacity of at least two megabytes.

20. A data transfer device according to claim 18, wherein the data carrying module includes processing circuitry.

21. A data transfer device according to claim 20, wherein said processing circuitry is a data processor.