7-in-1 card reader for PCMCIA interface

• US 6,976,624 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2003
• Issued: 12/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wem Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Wem Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Hsiao, Wen-Hsiang
• Primary Examiner(s): FUREMAN, JARED
• Application Number:
  US10/656,276
• Publication Number:
  US 20050051626A1
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: 235/451, 235/441, 235/440, 235/492, 235/486, 361/737, 361/764, 439/630, 439/631, 439/64, 439/638, 710/62, 710/301
• US Class Current: 235/451
• 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 7/0021 for reading/sensing record carriers having surface contacts
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0047 for reading/sensing record carriers having edge contacts

Abstract

The 7-in-1 card reader has an electric connecting circuit in its cartridge coincident with an insertion slot of a PCMCIA interface; the cartridge is provided on the front side thereof with a first connecter for connecting an electric device having the PCMCIA interface, and on the rear end thereof with a first connecter module and a second connecter module for insertion of memory cards taken among those of seven specifications or those of CE, MD, MMC, MS, SD, SM and XD memory cards, and for proceeding to data reading, exchanging and transferring with the memory card through the electric connecting circuit, so that the electric device with the PCMCIA interface can read and write on the memory cards of the seven specifications.

Claims

1. A 7-in-1 card reader for a PCMCIA interface, said card reader comprises:

a cartridge having a shape in coincidence with an insertion slot of said PCMCIA interface, and being provided therein with an electric connecting circuit;

a first connecter of a specification in coincidence with that of said PCMCIA interface, being fixed on a front side of said cartridge to connect with said electric connecting circuit;

a first connecter module provided on a rear end of said cartridge to connect with said electric connecting circuit, and having a plurality of insertion slots for memory cards of specifications including those of CF, MD, MMC, MS and SD memory cards on a side thereof other than another side connecting with said electric connecting circuit, connecting pins are provided at said insertion slots to connect with said connecting circuit;

a second connecter module provided on said rear end of said cartridge to connect with said electric connecting circuit, and having an insertion slot for memory cards of specifications including those of SM and XD memory cards on a side thereof other than said another side connecting with said electric connecting circuit;

thereby a card reader is formed for connecting an electric device and for inserting therein and connecting thereto memory cards taken among those of seven specifications, that is to say, those of CF, MD, MMC, MS, SD, SM and XD memory cards through said PCMCIA interface as well as for proceeding to data reading, exchanging and transferring with said electric device.

2. The 7-in-1 card reader for a PCMCIA interface as in claim 1, wherein one of said insertion slots on said first connecter module is common for an MMC memory card and an SD memory card, said insertion slot is provided on an inner side thereof with a channel with a width and a thickness in coincidence with those of an MMC memory card and an SD memory card to prevent wrong insertion of a memory card.

3. The 7-in-1 card reader for a PCMCIA interface as in claim 1, wherein one of said insertion slots on said first connecter module is common for a CF memory card and an MD memory card, said insertion slot is provided on an inner side thereof with a channel with a width and a thickness in coincidence with those of an CF memory card and an MD memory card to prevent wrong insertion of a memory card.

4. The 7-in-1 card reader for a PCMCIA interface as in claim 1, wherein said first connecter is connected with said connecting circuit by using said connecting pins, a coupling part provided on a side of said first connecter other than said another side connecting with said connecting circuit forming inserting connection with said PCMCIA interface;

said cartridge has an upper cover and a lower cover to envelop a part of a main body of said connecting circuit and a part a main body of said first connecter to expose said coupling part of said first connecter at said front side of said cartridge.

5. The 7-in-1 card reader for a PCMCIA interface as in claim 1, wherein said cartridge is provided on a rear part thereof with a cover to envelop main parts of said first and second connector modules.

6. The 7-in-1 card reader for a PCMCIA interface as in claim 1, wherein said cartridge is provided on a rear part thereof with a cover to envelop main parts of said first and second connector modules, said cover is further provided with indicating lights connecting respectively to said insertion slots of said second and third connecters;

said indicating lights show states of operation of memory cards in said insertion slots.