Portable data transfer and mass storage device for removable memory modules

• US 7,457,527 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2003
• Issued: 11/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Zulu 360 LLC
• Original Assignee: SMDK Corporation
• Inventors: Battaglia, Michael S., Drennan, Offie Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Chevalier, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): ONUAKU, CHRISTOPHER O
• Application Number:
  US10/629,905
• Publication Number:
  US 20040057702A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,945 Days
• Field of Search: 386/46, 386/117, 386/124, 386/125, 348/231.99, 348/231.1, 348/231.2, 348/231.3, 348/231.9, 348/220.1, 358/906, 358/909.1
• US Class Current: 386/362
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2158 using a detachable storage unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2166 for mass storage, e.g. in document filing systems information retrieval G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0087 Image storage device

Abstract

A hand-held battery powered device for transferring data between one or more flash memory modules and a mass storage device. The device includes one or more slots to accept a flash memory module into a housing which includes fixed or removable mass storage device and logic circuitry disposed within the housing for transferring data between the flash memory module and mass storage device. Ports are disclosed for transferring data from the resident mass storage device to the user'"'"'s computer.

Claims

1. For use in transferring image data between a removable digital memory module and a user'"'"'s computer, a portable, hand-held, digital camera picture image data transfer and repository device embodied in a housing connectable to both a removable memory module and a user'"'"'s notebook or desktop computer and which is of a size which can be held in a user'"'"'s palm, said repository device comprising:

a housing of a size to be held in the palm of a user'"'"'s hand and including a memory input port sized to receive a digital camera memory module having at least one digital data structure;

a mass storage device operatively coupled to receive and store picture image data from a digital camera memory module inserted into said memory input port and for storing said image data, said mass storage device having at least one gigabyte of storage and being accessible for downloading said image data to a user'"'"'s computer;

a user operable control button for initiating a copy operation for copying image data stored in said memory module to said mass storage device;

processing circuitry for controlling the transfer of data stored in said digital camera memory module inserted into said memory input port to said mass storage device, said processing circuitry being operable responsive to a user'"'"'s actuation of said control button to initiate a copy operation and to verify that the copy operation has been correctly performed;

said processing circuitry being operable in response to a user input to change a name associated with said digital data structure;

a display device for displaying picture image data; and

an output interface, coupled to said mass storage device, for use in transferring image data stored in said mass storage device to said user'"'"'s computer, said output interface being compatible with an interface of said user'"'"'s computer.

2. A portable, hand-held, digital camera picture image data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said

processing circuitry is operable to reformat a digital camera memory module inserted into said memory input port to place said digital camera memory module into a state where it can be reused in the user'"'"'s digital camera for picture capture.

3. A portable, hand-held, digital camera picture image data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said output interface includes a USB interface operatively coupled to said mass storage for transferring picture image data to a user'"'"'s computer and wherein said processing circuitry is operable to power down upon detecting more than a predetermined idle time.

4. A portable, hand-held, digital camera picture image data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said processing circuitry in determining that the copy operation has been correctly performed is operable to determine whether the data stored in the memory module conforms with a standard format.

5. A portable, hand-held, digital camera picture image data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said mass storage device is a removable hard.

6. A portable, hand-held, digital camera picture image data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said mass storage device is a hard drive and wherein said data repository device is operable to receive digital image data from a user'"'"'s computer.

7. A portable, hand-held, digital camera picture image data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said processing circuitry is a RISC-based processor operable to edit image-related data.

8. A portable, hand-held, digital camera picture image data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 7, wherein said processing circuitry is operable to delete files on said removable memory module.

9. A portable, hand-held, digital camera picture image data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 7, wherein graphical images may be displayed on said display to preview a video image prior to transfer to said mass storage device.

10. A portable, hand-held, digital camera picture image data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said mass storage device is removable.

11. For use in transferring data between a removable flash memory module and a user'"'"'s computer, a portable, hand-held, general purpose, digital data transfer and repository device embodied in a housing connectable to both a removable memory module and a user'"'"'s notebook or desktop computer and which is of a size which can be held in a user'"'"'s palm, said repository device comprising:

a housing of a size to be held in the palm of a user'"'"'s hand and including a flash memory insertion section for receiving a digital memory module having at least one digital data structure,

a mass storage device contained within said hand-held housing and operatively coupled to receive and store digital data from said digital memory module, said mass storage device having at least one gigabyte of storage and being accessible for data transfer between said portable repository device and a user'"'"'s computer;

at least one user operable button for permitting a user to change a name associated with said at least one digital data structure;

a RISC-based processor contained within said hand-held housing for controlling the transfer of data stored in said digital memory module to said mass storage device, said RISC-based processor being operable in response to a user'"'"'s actuation of said at least one user operable button to change a name associated with said digital data structure,

a display device for displaying data relating to the contents of said digital memory module;

said RISC-based processor being operable in a preview mode for controlling the display of data on said display device to thereby enable a user to preview the data; and

an output interface, coupled to said mass storage device, for use in transferring data between said mass storage device and said user'"'"'s computer, said output interface being compatible with an interface of said user'"'"'s computer.

12. A portable, hand-held, digital data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 11, wherein said at least one user operable button permits a user to associate text information with an image.

13. A portable, hand-held, digital data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 11, wherein said digital data structure is a file and the user is able to change the name of a file.

14. A portable, hand-held, digital data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 11, wherein said at least one user operable button permits a user to enter data for creating a directory.

15. A portable, hand-held, digital data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 11, wherein said at least one user operable button permits a user to enter data indicative of where data is to be moved.

16. A portable, hand-held, digital data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 11, further including a display device for displaying video image data;

wherein said data repository device is operable to receive digital image data from a users'"'"'s computer.

17. A portable, hand-held, digital data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 11, wherein said digital memory module stores audio data.

18. A portable, hand-held, digital data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 11, wherein said RISC-based processor is operable to reformat a memory module inserted into said flash memory insertion section to place the memory module into a state where it can be reused, said processor being operable to power down upon detecting more than a predetermined idle time.

19. For use in transferring image data between a removable digital memory module and a user'"'"'s computer, a portable, hand-held, digital camera picture image data transfer and repository device embodied in a housing connectable to both a removable memory module and a user'"'"'s notebook or desktop computer and which is of a size which can be held in a user'"'"'s palm, said repository device comprising:

a housing of a size to be held in the palm of a user'"'"'s hand and including at least one flash memory input port sized to receive a digital camera memory module storing at least one digital data structure;

a mass storage device operatively coupled to receive and store picture image data from a digital camera memory module inserted into said memory input port and for storing said image data, said mass storage device having at least one gigabyte of storage and being accessible for downloading said image data to a user'"'"'s computer;

an LCD display for displaying digital camera image data;

a user operable control button for initiating a copy operation for copying image data stored in said memory module to said mass storage device;

a RISC-based processor for controlling the transfer of data stored in said digital camera module inserted into said memory input port to said mass storage device, said RISC-based processor being responsive to a user'"'"'s actuation of said control button to initiate a copy operation and to verify that the copy operation has been correctly performed;

said RISC based processor being operable in an image preview mode for controlling the display of digital camera image data to thereby enable a user to preview the digital camera image data, said RISC-based processor being operable in response to a user input to change a name associated with said digital data structure;

at least one LED display, said processor being operable to energize said at least one LED to provide at least one status indication; and

an output interface, coupled to said mass storage device, for use in transferring image data stored in said mass storage device to said user'"'"'s computer, said output interface being compatible with an interface of said user'"'"'s computer.

20. A portable, hand-held, digital camera picture image data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 19, wherein said

RISC-based processor is operable to access information from diverse kinds of digital camera memory modules.

21. A portable, hand-held, digital camera picture image data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 19, wherein said output interface includes a USB interface operatively coupled to said mass storage device for transferring picture image data to a user'"'"'s computer.

22. A portable, hand-held, digital camera picture image data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 19, wherein said memory input port is Compact Flash compatible, and further including an additional memory input port sized to receive a further flash media distinct from a Compact Flash media.

23. A portable, hand-held, digital camera picture image data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 19, wherein said data repository device is operable to receive digital image data from a user'"'"'s computer.

24. A portable, hand-held, digital camera picture image data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 22, wherein said RISC-based processor circuitry is operable to edit data, said processor being operable to power down upon detecting more than a predetermined idle time.

25. A portable, hand-held, digital camera picture image data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 24, wherein said processing circuitry is operable to delete files on said memory module.

26. A portable, hand-held, digital camera picture image data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 24, wherein graphical images may be displayed on said display to preview a video image prior to transfer to said mass storage device.

27. A portable, hand-held, digital camera picture image data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 19, wherein said mass storage device is removable.

28. For use in transferring image data between a removable digital memory module and a user'"'"'s computer, a portable, hand-held, digital camera picture image data transfer and repository device embodied in a housing connectable to both a removable memory module and a user'"'"'s notebook or desktop computer and which is of a size which can be held in a user'"'"'s palm, said repository device comprising:

a housing of a size to be held in the palm of a user'"'"'s hand and including a plurality of flash memory input ports including a first flash memory input port compatible with a first type of flash memory digital camera storage device for storing at least one digital data structure, and a second flash memory input port compatible with a second type of flash memory digital camera storage device for storing at least one digital data structure;

a mass storage device operatively coupled to receive and store picture image data from a digital camera memory module inserted into said memory input port and for storing said image data, said mass storage device having at least one gigabyte of storage and being accessible for downloading said image data to a user'"'"'s computer;

an LCD display for displaying digital camera image data;

a user operable control button to enable a user to select a copy operation for copying image data stored in said memory module to said mass storage device;

a RISC-based processor being operable to access information from diverse kinds of digital camera memory modules and for controlling the transfer of data stored in a digital camera module inserted into said memory input port to said mass storage device, said RISC-based processor being responsive to a user'"'"'s selection of a copy operation to initiate a copy operation and to verify that the copy operation has been correctly performed;

said RISC-based processor being operable in an image preview mode for controlling the display of digital camera image data to thereby enable a user to preview the digital camera image data, said RISC-based processor being operable in response to a user input to change a name associated with at least one digital data structure associated with a flash memory digital camera storage device;

at least one LED display, said processor being operable to energize said at least one LED to provide at least one status indication; and

a USB interface operatively coupled to said mass storage device for transferring picture image data to a user'"'"'s computer.

29. A portable, hand-held, digital camera picture image data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 28, wherein said first memory input port is Compact Flash compatible.

30. A portable, hand-held, digital camera picture image data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 29, wherein said processing circuitry is operable to delete files on said removable memory module.

31. A portable, hand-held, digital camera picture image data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 30, wherein said mass storage device is removable.

32. A portable, hand-held, digital camera picture image data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 30, wherein said RISC-based processor is operable to power down upon detecting more than a predetermined idle time.

33. A method of operating a portable, hand-held, digital camera picture image data transfer and repository device embodied in a housing connectable to both a removable memory module and a user'"'"'s notebook or desktop computer and which is of a size which can be held in a user'"'"'s palm, said repository device including a housing of a size to be held in the palm of a user'"'"'s hand and including at least one flash memory input port sized to receive a digital camera memory module storing at least one digital data structure;

a mass storage device having at least one gigabyte of storage and operatively coupled to receive and store picture image data from a digital camera memory module inserted into said memory input port, a RISC-based processor, at least one user-operated button, and an LCD display for displaying digital camera image data, said method comprising;

displaying on said LCD display, under the control of said RISC-based-processor, digital camera image data to enable a user to preview the digital camera image data;

initiating under the control of said RISC-based processor in response to a user'"'"'s selection of a copy operation the transfer of data stored in a digital camera module inserted into said memory input port to said mass storage device;

verifying that the copy operation has been correctly performed;

changing a name of a digital data structure in response to a user operation; and

displaying at least one status indication identifying an operation being performed by said repository device.

34. A method according to claim 33, further including the step of deleting a file associated with a digital camera memory module.

35. A method according to claim 33, further including the step of initiating a powering down operation upon said RISC-based processor detecting more than a predetermined idle time.

36. A method according to claim 33, further including the step of transferring picture image data to a user'"'"'s computer.

37. A method according to claim 33, wherein said memory input port is Compact Flash compatible, and further including the step of receiving data from an additional memory input port sized to receive a further flash media distinct from a Compact Flash media.