Bypass interface for PCMCIA cards

• US 6,073,855 A
• Filed: 07/07/1998
• Issued: 06/13/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Holger Mackenthun
• Original Assignee: Holger Mackenthun
• Inventors: MacKenthun, Holger
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D
• Application Number:
  US09/111,321
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/375, 235/382, 235/382.5, 235/492, 235/486, 235/487
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0265 of PCMCIA type
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0291 for multiple cards

Abstract

Mechanical/electronic apparatus for receiving, maintaining and transmitting information and data, the apparatus including a host computer and at least two PCMCIA cards parallelly positioned in a PCMCIA card compartment and having a communication interface between the PCMCIA cards. The communication interface can bypass the standard PCMCIA bus which connects PCMCIA cards to a host computer and thus accelerate the transmission of information and data. The information and data exchange may be performed by coupling the cards through capacitive coupling, optical coupling and inductive coupling.

Claims

1. A mechanical/electronic apparatus for receiving, maintaining and transmitting information and data comprising:

a host computer having a PCMCIA card receiving compartment; and

at least two PCMCIA cards parallelly positioned in said PCMCIA compartment, in close proximity to each other having a bypass interface therebetween, said PCMCIA cards being capable of receiving, maintaining and transmitting information and data contactless by said bypass interface therebetween.

2. The mechanical/electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein said bypass interface is on the inside or on the surface of said PCMCIA cards.

3. The mechanical/electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein the PCMCIA cards can be inserted and removed independently from each other in the PCMCIA card receiving compartment and can transmit data via their bypass interfaces.

4. The mechanical/electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein the bypass interface in said PCMCIA cards is achieved by coupling the cards with an electric field therebetween.

5. The mechanical/electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein the bypass interface in said PCMCIA cards is achieved by coupling the cards with optical transmission paths therebetween.

6. The mechanical/electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein the bypass interface in said PCMCIA cards is achieved by coupling the cards with magnetic fields therebetween.

7. The mechanical/electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein the bypass interface in said PCMCIA cards is achieved by coupling an operational power from one to another card by a magnetic field therebetween.

8. A mechanical/electronic apparatus for receiving, maintaining and transmitting information and data comprising:

a) a computer capable of receiving, analyzing, maintaining and transmitting information and data;

said computer having a PCMCIA card receiving compartment; and

b) at least two PCMCIA cards inserted into said PCMCIA card receiving compartment of said computer parallel to each other without physical contact therebetween,

wherein

both of said PCMCIA cards containing a bypass interface and being capable of receiving, maintaining and transmitting information and data to each other and to said computer whereby said information and data can bypass said computer partially or completely.

9. The mechanical/electronic apparatus of claim 8 wherein said PCMCIA cards may receive, maintain and transmit to each other and to said computer and to external systems encrypted and decrypted information and data.

10. The mechanical/electronic apparatus of claim 8 wherein said information and data are received by said PCMCIA cards from external sources.

11. The mechanical/electronic apparatus of claim 8 wherein said information and data are received by said PCMCIA cards from said computer.

12. The mechanical/electronic apparatus of claim 8 wherein said information and data are pre-inputed in said PCMCIA cards.

13. The mechanical/electronic apparatus of claim 8 wherein the PCMCIA cards can be inserted and removed independently from each other in the PCMCIA card receiving compartment and can transmit data via their bypass interfaces.

14. The mechanical/electronic apparatus of claim 8 wherein the bypass interface in said PCMCIA cards is achieved by coupling the cards with an electric field therebetween.

15. The mechanical/electronic apparatus of claim 8 wherein the bypass interface in said PCMCIA cards is achieved by coupling the cards with optical transmission paths therebetween.

16. The mechanical/electronic apparatus of claim 8 wherein the bypass interface in said PCMCIA cards is achieved by coupling the cards with magnetic fields therebetween.

17. The mechanical/electronic apparatus of claim 8 wherein the bypass interface in said PCMCIA cards is achieved by coupling an operational power from one to another card by a magnetic field therebetween.

18. A method for receiving and transmitting information and data via a bypass interface between two or more PCMCIA cards comprising the steps of:

providing a computer having a PCMCIA card receiving compartment, and parallelly positioning two or more PCMCIA cards into said PCMCIA card compartment and providing a bypass interface between said cards without physical contact.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said PCMCIA cards can be inserted and removed independently from each other in the PCMCIA card receiving compartment and can transmit information and data via their bypass interfaces.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein said bypass interface in said PCMCIA cards is achieved by coupling the cards with an electric field therebetween.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein said bypass interface in said PCMCIA cards is achieved by coupling the cards with optical transmission paths therebetween.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein said bypass interface in said PCMCIA cards is achieved by coupling the cards with magnetic fields therebetween.

23. The method of claim 18 wherein said bypass interface in said PCMCIA cards is achieved by coupling an operational power from one to another card by a magnetic field therebetween.

24. A method for receiving analyzing maintaining and transmitting information and data, decrypting information and data and transmitting said information and data between two or more PCMCIA cards and a computer containing said cards comprising the steps of:

(A) providing

a computer having a PCMCIA card receiving compartment and is capable of receiving, analyzing, maintaining and transmitting information and data; and

at least two PCMCIA cards insertable into said PCMCIA receiving compartment of said computer parallel to each other without physical contact therebetween,

wherein

both of said PCMCIA cards containing a bypass interface and being capable of receiving and transmitting information and data whereby said information and data can bypass said computer partially or completely;

(B) providing information and data to said PCMCIA cards;

(C) allowing said cards to exchange said information and data and transmit said information and data to said computer; and

(D) allowing said computer to process, maintain and provide said information and data to a requester thereof.

25. A method for receiving, analyzing, maintaining and transmitting information and data between two or more PCMCIA cards and a computer containing said cards comprising the steps of:

(A) providing

a computer having a PCMCIA card receiving compartment and is capable of receiving, analyzing, maintaining and transmitting information and data; and

at least two PCMCIA cards insertable into a PCMCIA receiving compartment of said computer parallel to each other without physical contact therebetween,

wherein

both of said PCMCIA cards containing a bypass interface and being capable of receiving and transmitting information and data to each other and to said computer whereby said information and data can bypass said computer partially or completely;

(B) connecting a network to said computer through the bypass interface of said PCMCIA cards;

(C) inputting information and data into said PCMCIA cards from said network;

(D) allowing information and data exchange between said PCMCIA cards and having said PCMCIA card process said information and data;

(E) allowing said PCMCIA cards to transmit said information and data to said computer;

(F) allowing said computer to process and maintain said information and data; and

(G) having said computer output said processed information and data to a requester thereof.