Integrated-disk drive having an intelligent electronic circuit mounted as part of the disk

• US 6,535,465 B1
• Filed: 10/02/1998
• Issued: 03/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intelligentdisc Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Optrom
• Inventors: Saito, Tetsuo, Shigetomi, Takashi, Komaki, Tsunematsu
• Primary Examiner(s): DINH, TAN X
• Application Number:
  US09/155,772
• Time in Patent Office: 1,628 Days
• Field of Search: 369/14, 369/15, 369/272, 369/273, 369/274, 369/280, 360/132, 360/133
• US Class Current: 369/14
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 25/04 using flat record carriers, e.g. disc, card
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 25/043 using rotating discs

Abstract

The present invention provides a drive-integrated disk (an intelligent disk (ID)) having an electronic circuit controlling an external system as a peripheral. The drive-integrated disk comprises a disk block for storing information, a disk drive unit for accessing to the disk block, an electronic circuit block which connects to the disk drive unit via a bus, and a data input/output terminal group for connecting the electronic circuit block to an external apparatus, and is formed in a card shape.

Claims

1. A drive-integrated disk comprises, a card which includes

a disk block for storing information;

a disk drive unit for accessing to the disk block;

an electronic circuit block which connects to the disk drive unit via a bus; and

a data input/output terminal group for connecting the electronic circuit block to an external apparatus.

2. The drive-integrated disk according to claim 1, wherein said data input/output terminal group is formed as a connector at least at an end of the card.

3. The drive-integrated disk according to claim 1, wherein a bootstrap program, system programs, and application programs are stored in said disk block and electronic circuit block and are being distributed at desired positions.

4. The drive-integrated disk according to claim 1, wherein said disk block is formed on one of a front and rear surfaces of the disk and said electronic circuit block is formed on another of the front and rear surfaces of the disk.

5. The drive-integrated disk according to claim 1, wherein said data input/output terminal group is located in correspondence to a terminal group of an IC card.