Secure-digital (SD) flash card with slanted asymmetric circuit board
First Claim
1. A flash-memory device comprising:
- an upper case;
a lower case;
a printed-circuit board assembly (PCBA) that comprises;
a circuit board having wiring traces;
a flash-memory chips mounted to a first surface of the circuit board;
a controller chip mounted to the first surface of the circuit board, the controller chip having an input/output interface circuit for interfacing to an external computer, and a processing unit for accessing the flash-memory chip in response to commands from the external computer received by the input/output interface circuit; and
contact pads formed on a second surface of the circuit board, the contact pads for connecting the controller chip to the external computer;
wherein the second surface is opposite the first surface;
wherein the upper case is attached to the lower case during assembly with the PCBA between the upper case and the lower case, with the contact pads exposed through contact-pad openings between the upper case and the lower case, the upper and lower cases encapsulating the circuit board,wherein the flash-memory chip is block-addressable and not randomly-addressable;
wherein the upper case has an upper exterior surface that is a largest external surface on the upper case;
wherein the lower case has a lower exterior surface that is a largest external surface on the lower case;
wherein the upper exterior surface is substantially parallel to the lower external surface;
wherein the first surface and the second surface of the circuit board are parallel to each other, but are not parallel to the upper exterior surface or to the lower exterior surface;
wherein the circuit board is mounted within the upper case and lower case at a slanting angle.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A flash-memory device has a printed-circuit board assembly (PCBA) with a PCB with a flash-memory chip and a controller chip. The controller chip includes an input/output interface circuit to an external computer over a Secure-Digital (SD) interface, and a processing unit to read blocks of data from the flash-memory chip. The PCBA is encased inside an upper case and a lower case, with SD contact pads on the PCB that fit through contact openings in the upper case. Supporting end ribs under each of the SD contact pads and middle ribs support the PCB at a slanted angle to the centerline of the device. The PCB slants upward at the far end to allow more thickness for the chips mounted to the bottom surface of the PCB, and slants downward at the insertion end to position the SD contact pads near the centerline.
20 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A flash-memory device comprising:
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an upper case; a lower case; a printed-circuit board assembly (PCBA) that comprises; a circuit board having wiring traces; a flash-memory chips mounted to a first surface of the circuit board; a controller chip mounted to the first surface of the circuit board, the controller chip having an input/output interface circuit for interfacing to an external computer, and a processing unit for accessing the flash-memory chip in response to commands from the external computer received by the input/output interface circuit; and contact pads formed on a second surface of the circuit board, the contact pads for connecting the controller chip to the external computer; wherein the second surface is opposite the first surface; wherein the upper case is attached to the lower case during assembly with the PCBA between the upper case and the lower case, with the contact pads exposed through contact-pad openings between the upper case and the lower case, the upper and lower cases encapsulating the circuit board, wherein the flash-memory chip is block-addressable and not randomly-addressable; wherein the upper case has an upper exterior surface that is a largest external surface on the upper case; wherein the lower case has a lower exterior surface that is a largest external surface on the lower case; wherein the upper exterior surface is substantially parallel to the lower external surface; wherein the first surface and the second surface of the circuit board are parallel to each other, but are not parallel to the upper exterior surface or to the lower exterior surface; wherein the circuit board is mounted within the upper case and lower case at a slanting angle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A portable flash-memory device comprising:
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upper case means for partially encasing the flash-memory device; lower case means for partially encasing the flash-memory device; a printed-circuit board assembly (PCBA) that comprises; circuit board means for connecting chips with wiring traces; flash-memory chip means for storing blocks of data, the flash-memory chip means being mounted to a first surface of the circuit board means, wherein the flash-memory chip means are block-addressable and not randomly-addressable; controller chip means, mounted to the first surface of the circuit board means, for controlling access to the flash-memory chip means, the controller chip means comprising an input/output interface means for interfacing to an external computer, and processing unit means for accessing the flash-memory chip means in response to commands from the external computer received by the input/output interface means; contact pad means, formed on a second surface of the circuit board means, for connecting the controller chip means to the external computer; wherein the upper case means is attached to the lower case means during assembly with the PCBA between the upper case means and the lower case means, with the contact pad means passing through a plurality of openings in the upper case means; and slant means, formed on the lower case means, for supporting the circuit board means at a slanted angle to a centerline between the lower case means and the upper case means, wherein the circuit board means is slanted and not parallel to the centerline; wherein the flash-memory chip means and the controller chip means are located in a first region having the circuit board means farther above the centerline than in a second region, wherein the contact pads means is formed in the second region of the circuit board means, whereby the circuit board means is slanted. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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Specification