Memory cards including a standard security function

• US 8,019,942 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2007
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sandisk Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Pinto, Yosi, Harari, Eliyahou, Elhamias, Reuven, Cedar, Yoram, Holtzman, Michael, Brewer, Wesley G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis; Kevin L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Namazi; Mehdi
• Application Number:
  US11/946,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20080067255A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,385 Days
• Field of Search: 711/115, 711/163, 711/164, 711/103, 710/2, 710/8, 710/13, 710/62, 710/73, 710/74, 710/301, 710/302
• US Class Current: 711/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07 with integrated circuit chips
• 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 19/07743 External electrical contacts

Abstract

A memory card of one published standard, such as the Multi-Media Card (MMC) or Secure Digital Card (SD), is modified to include the function of a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) according to another published standard. The controller of the memory card communicates between electrical contacts on the outside of the card and both the memory and the SIM. In one specific form, the memory card has the physical configuration of the current Plug-in SIM card with a few external contacts added to accommodate the memory controller and data memory. In another specific form, the memory card has the physical configuration of the current SD card, including external contacts.

Claims

1. A memory system, comprising:

a re-writable non-volatile memory;

an external set of electrical contacts; and

a controller connected to the re-writable non-volatile memory and the external contacts, the controller including;

host interface circuitry connected to the external contacts;

a first plurality of lines connected to the host interface circuitry for use when the memory system is operating according to a first protocol; and

a second plurality of lines connected to the host interface circuitry for use when the memory system is operating according to a second protocol,

wherein the host interface circuitry has a switching circuit connected with at least some of the first and second plurality of lines to make anyone of a plurality of connections in response to a command received through the external set of electrical contacts, the plurality of connections including connecting said at least some of the first plurality of lines to specified ones of the external contacts while maintaining the second plurality of lines disconnected therefrom and connecting said at least some of the second plurality of lines to said specified ones of the external contacts while maintaining the first plurality of lines disconnected therefrom.

2. The memory system of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of lines includes one or more lines other than said at least some of the first lines that are connected to a corresponding one or more of the external contacts for any of the plurality of connections.

3. The memory system of claim 1, further comprising an added function connected to the second plurality of lines.

4. The memory system of claim 3, wherein the added function is a SIM function.

5. The memory system of claim 1, the plurality of connections further including connecting said at least some of the first and second plurality of lines together without either being connected to said specified ones of the external contacts.

6. The memory system of claim 1, wherein the first protocol is selected from a group of protocols consisting of SD, MMC or Memory Stick protocols.

7. The memory system of claim 6, wherein said specified ones of the external contacts include those designated by an SD protocol.

8. The memory system of claim 1, wherein the controller includes a microprocessor.

9. A method of operating a memory system that is operable according to a first protocol and a second protocol, the memory system having an external set of electrical contacts, a re-writable non-volatile memory, and a controller including host interface circuitry, the method comprising:

receiving a command through the external set of electrical contacts at the host interface circuitry; and

in response to the command received through the external set of electrical contacts, making anyone of a plurality of connections, including;

connecting said at least some of a first plurality of lines to specified ones of the external contacts while maintaining a second plurality of lines disconnected therefrom; and

connecting said at least some of the second plurality of lines to said specified ones of the external contacts while maintaining the first plurality of lines disconnected therefrom,

wherein the first plurality of lines are connected to the host interface circuitry for use when the memory system is operating according to the first protocol and the second plurality of lines connected to the host interface circuitry for use when the memory system is operating according to the second protocol.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first plurality of lines includes one or more lines other than said at least some of the first lines that are connected to a corresponding one or more of the external contacts for any of the plurality of connections.

11. The method of claim 9, where the memory system further includes an added function connected to the second plurality of lines.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the added function is a SIM function.

13. The method of claim 9, the plurality of connections further including connecting said at least some of the first and second plurality of lines together without either being connected to said specified ones of the external contacts.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the first protocol is selected from a group of protocols consisting of SD, MMC or Memory Stick protocols.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein said specified ones of the external contacts include those designated by an SD protocol.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the controller includes a microprocessor.

17. A memory system, comprising:

a re-writable non-volatile memory;

an external set of electrical contacts; and

a controller connected to the re-writable non-volatile memory and the external contacts, the controller including;

a switching circuit;

a first plurality of lines for use when the memory system is operating according to a first protocol; and

a second plurality of lines for use when the memory system is operating according to a second protocol,

wherein the switching circuit is connected with at least some of the first and second plurality of lines to make anyone of a plurality of connections in response to a command received through the external set of electrical contacts, the plurality of connections including connecting said at least some of the first plurality of lines to specified ones of the external contacts while maintaining the second plurality of lines disconnected therefrom and connecting said at least some of the second plurality of lines to said specified ones of the external contacts while maintaining the first plurality of lines disconnected therefrom.

18. The memory system of claim 17, wherein the first plurality of lines includes one or more lines other than said at least some of the first lines that are connected to a corresponding one or more of the external contacts for any of the plurality of connections.

19. The memory system of claim 17, further comprising an added function connected to the second plurality of lines.

20. The memory system of claim 19, wherein the added function is a SIM function.

21. The memory system of claim 17, the plurality of connections further including connecting said at least some of the first and second plurality of lines together without either being connected to said specified ones of the external contacts.

22. The memory system of claim 17, wherein the first protocol is selected from a group of protocols consisting of SD, MMC or Memory Stick protocols.

23. The memory system of claim 22, wherein said specified ones of the external contacts include those designated by an SD protocol.

24. The memory system of claim 17, wherein the controller includes a microprocessor.

25. A method of operating a memory system that is operable according to a first protocol and a second protocol, the memory system having an external set of electrical contacts, a re-writable non-volatile memory, and a controller including a switching circuit, the method comprising:

receiving a command through the external set of electrical contacts; and

in response to the command received through the external set of electrical contacts, making anyone of a plurality of connections, including;

connecting said at least some of a first plurality of lines to specified ones of the external contacts while maintaining a second plurality of lines disconnected therefrom; and

connecting said at least some of the second plurality of lines to said specified ones of the external contacts while maintaining the first plurality of lines disconnected therefrom,

wherein the first plurality of lines are for use when the memory system is operating according to the first protocol and the second plurality of lines are for use when the memory system is operating according to the second protocol.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the first plurality of lines includes one or more lines other than said at least some of the first lines that are connected to a corresponding one or more of the external contacts for any of the plurality of connections.

27. The method of claim 25, where the memory system further includes an added function connected to the second plurality of lines.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the added function is a SIM function.

29. The method of claim 25, the plurality of connections further including connecting said at least some of the first and second plurality of lines together without either being connected to said specified ones of the external contacts.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein the first protocol is selected from a group of protocols consisting of SD, MMC or Memory Stick protocols.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein said specified ones of the external contacts include those designated by an SD protocol.

32. The method of claim 25, wherein the controller includes a microprocessor.