Smart diskette device adaptable to receive electronic medium

• US 6,089,459 A
• Filed: 06/02/1997
• Issued: 07/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1992
• 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, Burkart, Axel
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien
• Assistant Examiner(s): Felten, Daniel S
• Application Number:
  US08/867,496
• Time in Patent Office: 1,142 Days
• Field of Search: 235/441, 235/492, 235/487, 235/486, 395/882, 395/821, 379/111
• 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 19/07703 the interface being visual
• 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 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart 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
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 31/00 Arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus with cameras or projectors G03B31/00 ; recording/reproducing of music for electrophonic musical instruments G10H1/0033; automatic arrangements for answering calls or for recording messages for absent subscribers H04M1/64; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with dictation recording and playback systems H04M11/10; connection of TV recorder with other related apparatus, e.g. TV camera or receiver, in which the TV signal is significantly involved H04N, e.g. H04N23/00, H04N5/765; combination of radio or TV with other apparatus, e.g. with vehicles H05K11/00

Abstract

An element which can be plugged into an electronic data processing (EDP) device, for receiving a user card which is equipped with components, including at least one of a processor and/or data memory, a frame having an exterior form, which is designed to accommodate the user card, a first interface for transferring data between the element and the EDP device, and a second interface formed by contacts on the user card and on the frame, for transferring data to and from the user card. The exterior form of the frame is that of a diskette so that it can be inserted into a diskette station of an EDP device. The first interface between the element and the EDP device is designed in a standard fashion, so that data can be transferred using a standard read/write device already present in the diskette station of the EDP device. The frame carries a battery for supplying current via the interface to the components located on the user card, if required, and carries an additional processor and data memory for providing the element with additional processor and storage capacity.

Claims

1. An element which can be plugged into an electronic data processing device, comprising:

a card which is equipped with data memory;

a frame, having an exterior form, which is designed to

accommodate said card;

a first interface for transferring data between the element and the electronic data processing device; and

a second interface formed by contacts on the card and on the frame, for transferring data to and from the card;

the exterior form of said frame being that of a diskette so that the frame can be inserted into a diskette station of an electronic data processing device;

said first interface between the element and the electronic data processing device being designed so that data can be transferred using a read/write device already present in the diskette station of the electronic data processing device;

said frame carrying a battery for supplying current via the second interface to the memory located on the card, and carrying a processor and additional data memory for providing the element with processing and storage capacity via a data link established by the second interface.

2. The element according to claim 1, wherein said frame has a recess for accommodating the drive of the diskette station.

3. The element according to claim 1, wherein the first interface is part of the card.

4. The element according to claim 1, wherein said frame is equipped with a current generator.

5. The element according to claim 4, wherein the current generator comprises a rotor which is driven by a drive of the diskette station when the element is inserted therein, a stator and a regulator.

6. A patient data card comprising an element according to claim 1, wherein patient data is stored thereon.

7. A process for access protection comprising utilizing a plurality of elements according to claim 1, wherein access to the data memory is not permitted until a valid access code has been entered.

8. A process according to claim 7, further comprising modifying the access code, wherein modification of the access code is permitted only if the previously valid access code has been input.

9. The element according to claim 1, wherein said card has a recess for accommodating the drive of the diskette station.

10. The element according to claim 1, wherein said frame and said card have a respective recess for accommodating the drive of the diskette station.

11. The element according to claim 1, wherein the frame is equipped with guide rails which accommodate said card.

12. The element according to claim 1, wherein the frame includes a slot into which said card is inserted.

13. The element according to claim 1, wherein the frame includes a recessed grip for facilitating insertion and removal of said card to and from the frame.

21. The element according to claim 1, wherein the card further comprises a memory control circuit.

22. The element according to claim 21, wherein the memory control circuit comprises a processor.

23. The element according to claim 21, wherein the memory control circuit comprises hard-wired logic.

24. The element according to claim 21, wherein the memory control circuit comprises programmable logic arrays.

25. The element according to claim 1, wherein the card is wallet-sized.

26. The element according to claim 1, wherein the card is a chip card.

27. The element according to claim 1, wherein the card is a mini chip card.

28. The element according to claim 1, wherein the card includes at least two megabytes of memory.

29. The element according to claim 28, wherein the card includes at least sixteen megabytes of memory.

30. The element according to claim 1, wherein the card stores digital data.

31. The element according to claim 1, wherein the card comprises a removable memory card for a digital device.

32. The element according to claim 1, wherein the data memory comprises flash memory.

33. The element according to claim 1, wherein the data memory comprises RAM.

34. The element according to claim 1, wherein the data memory comprises ROM.

35. The element according to claim 1, wherein the data memory comprises EEPROM.

14. An apparatus which can be inserted into a standard diskette drive of a computer and which can receive therein a memory card, the apparatus comprising:

a frame, having an exterior form, and designed to receive the memory card therein;

a first interface which transfers data between the apparatus and the computer; and

a second interface including contacts on the frame which connect with corresponding contacts on the memory card when the memory card is inserted in the apparatus, for transferring data to and from the memory card;

wherein the exterior form of the frame is substantially that of a standard diskette so that it can be inserted into a standard diskette drive of a computer;

wherein the first interface between the apparatus and the computer is designed so that data can be transferred using a read/write device already present in the diskette drive of the computer;

wherein the frame carries a battery, the battery capable of supplying current via the second interface to data memory located on the memory card; and

wherein said frame carries a processor and additional data memory for providing the apparatus with processing capabilities and on-board storage capacity .

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said frame is equipped with a current generator.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the current generator comprises a rotor, a stator and a regulator, wherein the rotor is driven by the diskette drive when the apparatus is inserted therein.

17. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the frame has a cut-out portion for facilitating insertion and removal of the memory card to and from the frame.

18. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the frame carries two batteries.

19. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the memory card has a capacity for storing megabytes of data.

20. An apparatus for insertion into a standard diskette drive of a computer and for receiving therein a memory card, the apparatus comprising:

frame means for receiving a memory card therein and for insertion into a standard diskette drive of a computer;

interface means, disposed on the frame means, for interfacing a memory card with a standard diskette drive of a computer when the memory card is received by the frame means and when the frame means is inserted in the diskette drive of the computer, so that data can be communicated between the computer and the memory card via the apparatus;

processing means, disposed on the frame means, for providing the apparatus with processing capabilities; and

power supply means, disposed on the frame means, for providing a power source to the apparatus and to a memory card when the memory card is received by the frame means;

wherein the frame means has substantially the exterior shape of a standard diskette.

36. A method of transferring data between a card and an electronic data processing device comprising the steps of:

providing a frame which is designed to accommodate said card, where the frame has an exterior form of a diskette that can be inserted into the diskette station of an electronic data processing device;

providing a first interface for transferring data between the frame and the electronic data processing device;

providing a second interface formed by contacts on the frame and contacts on the card for transferring data to and from the card;

inserting the card into the frame thereby connecting the contacts on the card to the contacts on the frame;

inserting the frame into the electronic data processing device;

transferring data to and from the card to the electronic data processing device via the first and second interfaces.

37. A method of manipulating data collected by a digital device comprising the steps of:

collecting data with the digital device and storing the data in a removable memory device;

removing the removable memory device from the digital device;

inserting the removable memory device in a frame, the frame having an exterior form of a diskette which can be inserted into the diskette station of a computer, and having an interface for transferring data between the removable memory device and the computer;

inserting the frame containing the removable memory device into the diskette station of the computer;

transferring data between the removable memory device and the computer; and

manipulating the data with the computer.

38. The method of claim 37, where the data comprises text.

39. The method of claim 37 where the manipulation comprises reading data from the removable memory device.

40. The method of claim 37 where the manipulation comprises writing data to the removable memory device.

41. The method of claim 37 where the manipulation comprises copying data from the removable memory device to another memory device with the computer.

42. The method of claim 37 where the manipulation comprises displaying the data on the removable memory device on a display with the computer.

43. The method of claim 37 where the removable memory device comprises RAM.

44. The method of claim 37 where the removable memory device comprises ROM.

45. The method of claim 37 where the removable memory comprises EEPROM.

46. The method of claim 37 where the removable memory device stores at least two megabytes of data.

47. The method of claim 46 where the removable memory device stores at least sixteen megabytes of data.

48. A method of manipulating data stored in a memory device comprising the steps of:

storing the data in the memory device;

inserting the memory device in a frame, the frame having an exterior form of a diskette which can be inserted into the diskette station of a computer, and having an interface for transferring data between the memory device and the computer;

inserting the frame containing the memory device into the diskette station of the computer;

transferring data between the memory device and the computer; and

manipulating the data with the computer.