Use of small electronic circuit cards with different interfaces in an electronic system

• US 7,090,124 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2004
• Issued: 08/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SanDisk Corporation (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Pinto, Yosi, Wallace, Robert F., Brewer, Wesley G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Application Number:
  US10/886,309
• Publication Number:
  US 20040256459A1
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 235/492, 235/380, 235/487, 235/382, 235/441, 902/2, 902/26
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0719 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for application selection, e.g. an acceleration sensor or a set of radio buttons application selection on smart cards using pure software control, see G07F7/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/077 Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07732 the record carrier having a housing or construction similar to well-known portable memory devices, such as SD cards, USB or memory sticks housings for electrical equipment in general, see H05K5/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07733 the record carrier containing at least one further contact interface not conform ISO-7816
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07739 comprising a first part capable of functioning as a record carrier on its own and a second part being only functional as a form factor changing part, e.g. SIM cards type ID 0001, removably attached to a regular smart card form factor
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07743 External electrical contacts
• 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: 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

Abstract

Electronic systems, such as automobile radios, portable and other computing devices, and global positioning system receivers, often require that a correct security code be inputted from a small memory card that is removably inserted into a card slot of the system before the system is rendered operable in total or in part, or before certain data can be retrieved. The same type of memory card is also used to store digital data that is utilized by the system in conjunction with its function that is enabled by the security code, such data cards being removably inserted into the same card slot as the card containing the security code. Alternately, both the utilization data and the security code are included on a single card. An example application is an automobile radio wherein data supplied by the second card are of music that is reproduced through the radio'"'"'s audio system.

Claims

1. A method of operating an electronic device, comprising:

inputting a security code to the electronic device by inserting a first non-volatile memory card into a receptacle of the device on which the security code is stored,

comparing the inputted security code with a security code stored in a non-volatile manner within the device, and, if the security codes compare, enabling operation of the electronic device,

after inputting the security code from the first card, removing said first card from the receptacle,

thereafter inputting data to the electronic device that is utilized in the operation thereof by inserting a second non-volatile memory card into said receptacle on which the data is stored, and

thereafter operating the enabled electronic device with the use of said data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data inputted to the electronic device include audio data that is utilized by the device to generate sounds.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the sounds that are generated include music.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the electronic device includes a sound system installed in a vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device includes a global positioning system and the data inputted to the electronic device includes global positioning data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device includes a portable electronic device and the data inputted to the electronic device include a program for at least in part operating the device.

7. In an electronic non-volatile memory card adapted for removable insertion into a receptacle of a host device to establish electrical connection therebetween through mechanical connection with electrical contacts on the card, wherein a physical shape of the card, an arrangement of the contacts and an electrical interface through the contacts for accessing the non-volatile memory therein all conform to a first card standard, and further wherein a security code is stored within the card and accessible through the card contacts according to an electrical interface of a second published card standard, the first and second published card standards specifying incompatible physical card shapes, arrangements of contacts and electrical signal interfaces, the security code being adapted for use to enable access to the non-volatile memory within the card according to the electrical interface of the first card standard.

8. The electronic card of claim 7, wherein the second card standard is an ISO/IEC 7815 standard.

9. The electronic card of claim 8, wherein the first card standard is that of the MMC or SD card.

10. An electronic system, comprising:

a first electronic card having a shape and arrangement of contacts according to a first published card standard, and non-volatile re-programmable memory accessible therethrough,

an electronic device having a receptacle into which the first electronic card is removably insertable to form a mechanical and electrical connection between the contacts of the card and the device but wherein a second electronic card having a shape and arrangement of contacts according to a second published card standard is not operatively insertable into the receptacle to make such a mechanical or electrical connection with the receptacle of the device, and

wherein the first electronic card contains data of a security code that is readable by the device through the card contacts by an electrical interface according to the second published card standard that is distinct from an electrical interface according to the first published card standard.

11. The electronic system according to claim 10, wherein the second published card standard is an ISO/IEC 7815 standard.

12. The electronic system according to claim 11, wherein the first published card standard is that of the MMC or SD card.

13. The electronic system according to claim 10, wherein the electronic device additionally comprises:

a first electronic circuit connected with the receptacle to access the memory in the first electronic card by the electrical interface according to the first published card standard, and

a second electronic circuit connected with the receptacle to access the security code in the first electronic card according to the second published card standard.