PCMCIA compatible memory card with serial communication interface

• US 6,434,648 B1
• Filed: 12/10/1998
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SMART Modular Technologies Incorporated (Smart Global Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: SMART Modular Technologies Incorporated (Smart Global Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Merry, David E. Jr., Lambert, Grady David, Assour, Jacques
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoleil, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, RAYMOND NGAN
• Application Number:
  US09/208,890
• Time in Patent Office: 1,342 Days
• Field of Search: 710/102, 710/62, 710/63-64, 710/71, 710/72, 710/129
• US Class Current: 710/305
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/387 for adaptation of different data processing systems to different peripheral devices, e.g. protocol converters for incompatible systems, open system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4018 with data-width conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4282 on a serial bus, e.g. I2C bus, SPI bus on daisy chain buses G06F13/4247

Abstract

A PCMCIA compatible memory card having a serial communication interface is provided. The serial communication interface includes a controller, a serial transceiver, and a serial communication port. Coupled between the controller and the serial communication port, the transceiver enables the controller to send or receive data through the serial communication port. Nonvolatile memory on the card is accessible by the controller. A cable connects the serial communication port of the memory card to a serial communication port of an external host computer. The controller operates in accordance with commands received from the host computer through the serial communication port of the card for sending data read from memory of the card to the computer, writing data to memory of the card received from the computer, loading a file into memory of the card received from the computer, erasing data from memory of the card, or verifying data in memory on the card. The memory card may be part of a system including the computer and the cable connecting the computer to the serial communication port of the card. The nonvolative memory of the memory card can also be accessed by a digital system having a PCMCIA interface slot via a PCMCIA parallel interface on the memory card. In one embodiment, the computer is connected through the memory card to an external memory card by connecting the PCMCIA parallel interface of the memory card to the parallel interface of the external memory card. This couples the controller of the card to the memory of the external memory card and enables commands received by the controller from the computer to affect the memory of the external memory card.

Claims

1. A system for enabling serial communication of data between a memory card and a computer comprising:

a PCMCIA compatible memory card having a data storage memory than can be written to and read from via a PCMCIA compatible parallel interface and a serial communication port through which data stored in the data storage memory can be transmitted in a serial format;

a computer having at least one serial communication port; and

means for connecting the serial communication port of said memory card to the serial communication port of said computer through which serial data is transmitted between said memory card and said computer,

wherein said memory card includes (a) one or more memory components, (b) a controller coupled to said memory components, and (c) a transceiver coupled between said controller and said serial communication port of the memory card which enables said controller to send and receive signals representing data through said serial communication port of the memory card, and

wherein said controller comprises means for receiving a file from said computer through said serial communication port of said memory card and storing said received file in said memory.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein said memory card further comprises:

one or more memory components; and

a parallel interface for connecting said memory card into a PCMCIA compatible slot of a computer-based system to enable said computer-based system to access the memory components of said memory card.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein said memory components represents one or more FLASH memory components.

4. The system according to claim 1 wherein said memory components represents a memory array representing FLASH memory components and an ATA controller for accessing the FLASH memory components.

5. The system according to claim 1 wherein said controller operates in accordance with commands received from said computer through the serial communication port of said memory card.

6. The system according to claim 1 wherein said controller comprises means for writing data received from said computer through said serial communication port of said memory card to said memory.

7. The system according to claim 1 wherein said controller comprises means for reading data from said memory and transmitting read data through said serial communication port of said memory card to said computer.

8. The system according to claim 1 wherein said controller comprises means for erasing data from said memory in response to a command from said computer sent through said serial communication port of said memory card.

9. The system according to claim 1 wherein said computer comprises means for sending said file to said memory card in which said file is provided from one of a memory storage associated with said computer or a network coupled to said computer.

10. The system according claim 1 wherein said controller comprises means for performing a self test in response to a command from said computer sent through said serial communication port of said memory card.

11. The system according to claim 1 wherein said transceiver provides for decoding signals received from said serial communication port of the memory card into signals appropriate for said controller, and for encoding signals received from said controller into signals appropriate for transmission through said serial communication port of said memory card to said serial communication port of said computer via said connecting means.

12. The system according to claim 1 wherein said connecting means is a cable having one end capable of connecting to said serial communication port of the memory card and having another end capable of connecting to the serial communication port of the computer.

13. The system according to claim 12 wherein said cable supplies power to said memory card from said computer, said power being provided to said cable from said computer through another cable from another port of the computer.

14. The system according to claim 1 wherein said connecting means comprises means for supplying power to said memory card.

15. The system according to claim 14 wherein said memory card further comprises a parallel interface and means for receiving power from one of said parallel interface and said connecting means.

16. The system according to claim 1 wherein said serial communication between said memory card and said computer operates in accordance with one of the communication protocols selected from the group of RS-212, RS-422, RS-485, USB, or IrDA.

17. A system for enabling serial communication of data between a memory card and a computer comprising:

a PCMCIA compatible memory card having a data storage memory than can be written to and read from via a PCMCIA compatible parallel interface and a serial communication port through which data stored in the data storage memory can be transmitted in a serial format;

a computer having at least one serial communication port; and

means for connecting the serial communication port of said memory card to the serial communication port of said computer through which serial data is transmitted between said memory card and said computer,

wherein said memory card represents a first memory card and said memory card further comprises a PCMCIA compatible interface, and said system further comprises means for connecting said first memory card at said PCMCIA compatible interface to an interface of a second memory card to enable communication of data between said computer and said second memory card through said first memory card.

18. The system according to claim 17 wherein said second memory card has memory and said first memory card has a controller which operates in accordance with commands received from said computer through said serial communication port to operate upon the memory of said second memory card through said means from connecting said first memory card to said second memory card.

19. A system for enabling serial communication of data between a memory card and a computer comprising:

a PCMCIA compatible memory card having a data storage memory than can be written to and read from via a PCMCIA compatible parallel interface and a serial communication port through which data stored in the data storage memory can be transmitted in a serial format;

a computer having at least one serial communication port; and

means for connecting the serial communication port of said memory card to the serial communication port of said computer through which serial data is transmitted between said memory card and said computer,

wherein said memory card includes (a) one or more memory components, (b) a controller coupled to said memory components, and (c) a transceiver coupled between said controller and said serial communication port of the memory card which enables said controller to send and receive signals representing data through said serial communication port of the memory card, and

wherein said controller includes means for encrypting data to be sent through said serial communication port of the memory card to said computer, and means for decrypting data received from said serial communication port of the memory card from said computer.

20. A system for enabling serial communication of data between a memory card and a computer comprising:

a PCMCIA compatible memory card having a data storage memory than can be written to and read from via a PCMCIA compatible parallel interface and a serial communication port through which data stored in the data storage memory can be transmitted in a serial format;

a computer having at least one serial communication port; and

means for connecting the serial communication port of said memory card to the serial communication port of said computer through which serial data is transmitted between said memory card and said computer,

wherein said memory card includes (a) one or more memory components, (b) a controller coupled to said memory components, and (c) a transceiver coupled between said controller and said serial communication port of the memory card which enables said controller to send and receive signals representing data through said serial communication port of the memory card, and

wherein said controller comprises means for detecting an expiration date associated with said memory card.

21. A system for enabling serial communication of data between a memory card and a computer comprising:

a PCMCIA compatible memory card having a data storage memory than can be written to and read from via a PCMCIA compatible parallel interface and a serial communication port through which data stored in the data storage memory can be transmitted in a serial format;

a computer having at least one serial communication port; and

means for connecting the serial communication port of said memory card to the serial communication port of said computer through which serial data is transmitted between said memory card and said computer,

wherein said memory card includes (a) one or more memory components, (b) a controller coupled to said memory components, and (c) a transceiver coupled between said controller and said serial communication port of the memory card which enables said controller to send and receive signals representing data through said serial communication port of the memory card, and

wherein said controller comprises means for operating said memory card in accordance with said memory card receiving a valid pin number received from said computer.

22. A method of transferring data from a first device into a second device, the method comprising the steps of:

plugging a memory card into the first device so that the memory card interfaces with the first device using a parallel interface;

writing data from the first device into a data storage element in the memory card via the parallel interface;

linking, via a serial interface, the memory card to the second device; and

sending the data written in the writing step from the data storage element in the memory card to the second device via the serial interface,

wherein the memory card interfaces with the second device using a USB interface.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the memory card interfaces with the first device using a parallel interface that conforms with the PCMCIA standard.

24. A system for enabling serial communication of data between a memory card and a computer comprising:

a memory card having (a) a card-shaped form factor adapted for insertion into a connectorized slot in an electronic device, (b) a data storage memory than can be written to and read from via a parallel interface, (c) a connector located on one edge of the memory card through which parallel interface signals are received by the card from the electronic device and through which parallel interface signals are transmitted by the card to the electronic device, and (d) a serial communication port through which data stored in the data storage memory can be transmitted in a serial format;

a computer having at least one serial communication port; and

means for connecting the serial communication port of said memory card to the serial communication port of said computer through which serial data is transmitted between said memory card and said computer,

wherein said memory card comprises one or more memory components, a controller coupled to said memory components, and a transceiver coupled between said controller and said serial communication port of the memory card which enables said controller to send and receive signals representing data through said serial communication port of the memory card, and

wherein said controller comprises means for receiving a file from said computer through said serial communication port of said memory card and storing said received file in said memory.

25. The system according to claim 24 wherein said memory card further comprises:

one or more memory components; and

a parallel interface for connecting said memory card into a compatible slot of a computer-based system to enable said computer-based system to access the memory components of said memory card.

26. The system according to claim 24 wherein said memory components represents one or more FLASH memory components.

27. The system according to claim 24 wherein said memory components represents a memory array representing FLASH memory components and an ATA controller for accessing the FLASH memory components.

28. The system according to claim 24 wherein said controller operates in accordance with commands received from said computer through the serial communication port of said memory card.

29. The system according to claim 24 wherein said controller comprises means for writing data received from said computer through said serial communication port of said memory card to said memory.

30. The system according to claim 24 wherein said controller comprises means for reading data from said memory and transmitting read data through said serial communication port of said memory card to said computer.

31. The system according to claim 24 wherein said controller comprises means for erasing data from said memory in response to a command from said computer sent through said serial communication port of said memory card.

32. The system according to claim 24 wherein said computer comprises means for sending said file to said memory card in which said file is provided from one of a memory storage associated with said computer or a network coupled to said computer.

33. The system according claim 24 wherein said controller comprises means for performing a self test in response to a command from said computer sent through said serial communication port of said memory card.

34. The system according to claim 24 wherein said connecting means is a cable having one end capable of connecting to said serial communication port of the memory card and having another end capable of connecting to the serial communication port of the computer.

35. The system according to claim 34 wherein said cable supplies power to said memory card from said computer, said power being provided to said cable from said computer through another cable from another port of the computer.

36. The system according to claim 24 wherein said connecting means comprises means for supplying power to said memory card.

37. The system according to claim 36 wherein said memory card further comprises a parallel interface and means for receiving power from one of said parallel interface and said connecting means.

38. The system according to claim 24 wherein said serial communication between said memory card and said computer operates in accordance with one of the communication protocols selected from the group of RS-212, RS-422, RS-485, USB, or IrDA.

39. The system according to claim 24 wherein said memory card represents a first memory card and said memory card further comprises a PCMCIA compatible interface, and said system further comprises means for connecting said first memory card at said PCMCIA compatible interface to an interface of a second memory card to enable communication of data between said computer and said second memory card through said first memory card.

40. The system according to claim 24 wherein said controller comprises:

means for encrypting data to be sent through said serial communication port of the memory card to said computer; and

means for decrypting data received from said serial communication port of the memory card from said computer.

41. The system according to claim 24 wherein said controller comprises means for detecting an expiration date associated with said memory card.

42. The system according to claim 24 wherein said controller comprises means for operating said memory card in accordance with said memory card receiving a valid pin number received from said computer.

43. The system according to claim 39 wherein said second memory card has memory and said first memory card has a controller which operates in accordance with commands received from said computer through said serial communication port to operate upon the memory of said second memory card through said means from connecting said first memory card to said second memory card.

44. A system for enabling serial communication of data between a memory card and a computer comprising:

a memory card having (a) a card-shaped form factor adapted for insertion into a connectorized slot in an electronic device, (b) a data storage memory than can be written to and read from via a parallel interface, (c) a connector located on one edge of the memory card through which parallel interface signals are received by the card from the electronic device and through which parallel interface signals are transmitted by the card to the electronic device, and (d) a serial communication port through which data stored in the data storage memory can be transmitted in a serial format;

a computer having at least one serial communication port; and

means for connecting the serial communication port of said memory card to the serial communication port of said computer through which serial data is transmitted between said memory card and said computer,

wherein said transceiver provides for decoding signals received from said serial communication port of the memory card into signals appropriate for said controller, and for encoding signals received from said controller into signals appropriate for transmission through said serial communication port of said memory card to said serial communication port of said computer via said connecting means.