Wireless flash memory card expansion system

• US 8,176,230 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2006
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kingston Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kingston Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Chen, Ben Wei, Le, Ngoc, Sun, David
• Primary Examiner(s): KROFCHECK, MICHAEL C
• Application Number:
  US11/399,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20070239929A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,223 Days
• Field of Search: 711103-104, 711/115, 709/217
• US Class Current: 711/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/3814 Wireless link with a computer system port
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0632 by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0661 Format or protocol conversion arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0679 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP]

Abstract

A Flash memory card system is disclosed. The Flash memory card system comprises a Flash memory wireless host adapter and a Flash memory bus wireless device. The Flash memory wireless host adapter comprises a Flash memory card connector and a Flash memory controller coupled to the Flash memory card connector. The Flash-52 memory card signals are converted to standard Flash memory internal bus signals by the Flash memory controller. The host adapter further comprises a Flash memory wireless module coupled to the Flash memory controller for receiving and transmitting the standard Flash memory bus signals wirelessly. The Flash-51 memory bus wireless device comprises a Flash memory bus wireless device adapter coupled to a Flash memory. The device adapter is paired to the wireless module for receiving and transmitting the standard Flash memory bus signals wirelessly. A host device storage capacity utilizing the Flash memory card system is expanded.

Claims

1. A flash memory card system comprising:

a flash memory wireless host adapter, wherein the flash memory wireless host adapter comprises a flash memory card connector, a flash memory controller coupled to the flash memory card connector, and a flash memory bus wireless module coupled to the flash memory controller, wherein flash memory command, data and status signals are converted to the standard flash memory internal bus signals via the flash memory controller, wherein the flash memory bus wireless module wirelessly communicates with a flash memory bus wireless device to expand a host device storage capacity; and

the flash memory bus wireless device, wherein the flash memory bus wireless device comprises a flash memory, and a flash memory bus wireless device adapter coupled to the flash memory, wherein when the flash memory controller initiates a flash status read operation request using a read ahead mechanism with no delay, previous or deferred flash status data read operation requests are used to acquire a ready flash read status directly connecting the flash memory controller to the flash memory at the time of the request, and wherein when the flash memory controller initiates a flash status read operation request using a delay read mechanism, the flash memory controller receives a busy flash read status until it receives a ready flash read status to complete the flash status read operation request.

2. The flash memory card system of claim 1 wherein the flash memory card connector comprises any of Secure Digital (SD) format, Compact flash (CF) format, Multimedia Card (MMC) format, Memory Stick (MS) format and Universal Serial Bus (USB) format.

3. The flash memory card system of claim 1 wherein the flash memory bus wireless module comprises:

a first flash memory media access controller;

a first wireless bus physical layer in communication with the first flash memory media access controller; and

a first antenna for providing a wireless signal.

4. The flash memory card system of claim 1 wherein the flash memory bus wireless device adapter comprises:

a second flash memory media access controller;

a second wireless bus physical layer in communication with the second flash memory media access controller; and

a second antenna for providing a wireless signal.

5. The flash memory card system of claim 1 wherein the flash memory bus wireless device includes a pairing element for causing the flash memory bus wireless module to be paired with the flash memory wireless host adapter.

6. The flash memory card system of claim 5 wherein the pairing is performed by software.

7. The flash memory card system of claim 5 wherein during initialization the pairing element is activated to establish pairing between the flash memory wireless module and the flash memory bus wireless device adapter.

8. The flash memory card system of claim 5 wherein the pairing is performed automatically.

9. The flash memory card system of claim 1 wherein the flash memory bus wireless module initiates a soft reset request to the flash memory controller after a wireless flash memory link is established, and wherein the flash memory controller via the soft reset in turn forces a host device to re-enumerate the Flash memory wireless host adapter.

10. A system comprising:

a host device; and

a flash memory card system comprising a flash memory wireless host adapter, wherein the flash memory wireless host adapter comprises a flash memory card connector, a flash memory controller coupled to the flash memory card connector, and a flash memory bus wireless module coupled to the flash memory controller, wherein flash memory command, data and status signals are converted to the standard flash memory internal bus signals via the flash memory controller, wherein the flash memory bus wireless module wirelessly communicates with a flash memory bus wireless device to expand a host device storage capacity; and

the flash memory bus wireless device, wherein the flash memory bus wireless device comprises a flash memory, and a flash memory bus wireless device adapter coupled to the flash memory, wherein when the flash memory controller initiates a flash status read operation request using a read ahead mechanism with no delay, previous of deferred flash status data read operation requests are used to acquire a ready flash read status directly connecting the flash memory controller to the flash memory, and wherein when the flash memory controller initiates a flash status read operation request using a delay read mechanism, the flash memory controller receives a busy flash read status until it receives a ready flash read status to complete the flash status read operation request.

11. The system in accordance with claim 10 wherein the flash memory card connector comprises any of Secure Digital (SD) format, Compact flash (CF) format, Multimedia Card (MMC) format, Memory Stick (MS) format and Universal Serial Bus (USB) format.

12. The system in accordance with claim 10 wherein the flash memory bus wireless module comprises:

a first flash memory media access controller;

a first wireless bus physical layer in communication with the first flash memory media access controller; and

a first antenna for providing a wireless signal.

13. The system in accordance with claim 10 wherein the flash memory bus wireless device adapter comprises:

a second flash memory media access controller;

a second wireless bus physical layer in communication with the second flash memory media access controller; and

a second antenna for providing a wireless signal.

14. The system in accordance with claim 10 wherein the flash memory bus wireless device includes a pairing element for causing the flash memory bus wireless module to be paired to the flash memory wireless host adapter.

15. The system in accordance with claim 14 wherein the pairing is performed by software.

16. The system in accordance with claim 14 wherein during initialization the pairing element is activated to establish pairing between the flash memory wireless module and the flash memory bus wireless device adapter.

17. The system in accordance with claim 14 wherein the pairing is performed automatically.

18. The system in accordance with claim 10 wherein the host device comprises any of or any combination of digital still cameras, personal digital assistants, MP3 players, personal media players, cell phones, and portable consumer electronic devices.

19. The system of claim 10 wherein the flash memory bus wireless module initiates a soft reset request to the flash memory controller after a wireless flash memory link is established, and wherein the flash memory controller via the soft reset in turn forces a host device to re-enumerate the Flash memory wireless host adapter.

20. A flash memory card system comprising:

a flash memory to hard drive wireless host adapter, wherein the flash memory to hard drive wireless host adapter comprises a flash memory card connector, a flash memory to hard drive converter controller coupled to the flash memory card connector, and a hard drive I/O bus wireless host module coupled to the flash memory to hard drive converter controller, wherein flash memory command, data and status signals are converted to the standard flash memory internal bus signals via the flash memory to hard drive converter controller, wherein the hard drive I/O bus wireless host module wirelessly communicates with a hard drive I/O bus wireless device module to expand a host device storage capacity; and

the hard drive I/O bus wireless device module, wherein the hard drive I/O bus wireless device module comprises a hard drive, and a hard drive I/O bus wireless device module coupled to the hard drive, wherein when the flash memory to hard drive converter controller initiates a flash status read operation request using a read ahead mechanism with no delay, previous or deferred flash status data read operation requests are used to acquire a ready flash read status directly connecting the flash memory to hard drive converter controller to the hard drive, and wherein when the flash memory to hard drive converter controller initiates a flash status read operation request using a delay read mechanism, the flash memory to hard drive converter controller receives a busy flash read status until it receives a ready flash read status to complete the flash status read operation request.

21. The flash memory card system of claim 20 wherein the flash memory card connector comprises any of Secure Digital (SD) format, Compact flash (CF) format, Multimedia Card (MMC) format, Memory Stick (MS) format and Universal Serial Bus (USB) format.

22. The flash memory card system of claim 20 wherein the hard drive I/O bus wireless host module comprises:

a first hard drive I/O media access controller;

a first wireless bus physical layer in communication with the first hard drive I/O media access controller; and

a first antenna for providing a wireless signal.

23. The flash memory card system of claim 20 wherein the hard drive wireless device module comprises:

a second hard drive I/O media access controller;

a second wireless bus physical layer in communication with the second hard drive I/O media access controller; and

a second antenna for providing a wireless signal.

24. The flash memory card system of claim 20 wherein the direct attached storage wireless device includes a pairing element for causing the direct attached storage wireless device to be paired with the flash memory to hard drive wireless host adapter.

25. The flash memory card system of claim 24 wherein the pairing is performed by software.

26. The flash memory card system of claim 24 wherein during initialization the pairing element is activated to establish pairing between the hard drive I/O bus wireless device module and the hard drive I/O bus wireless host module.

27. The flash memory card system of claim 24 wherein the pairing is performed automatically.

28. The flash memory card system of claim 20 wherein the flash memory bus wireless module initiates a soft reset request to the flash memory controller after a wireless flash memory link is established, and wherein the flash memory controller via the soft reset in turn forces a host device to re-enumerate the Flash memory wireless host adapter.

29. A flash memory card system comprising:

a flash memory wireless host adapter, wherein the flash memory wireless host adapter comprises a flash memory card connector, a flash memory controller coupled to the flash memory card connector, and a flash memory bus wireless module coupled to the flash memory controller, wherein flash memory command, data and status signals are converted to the standard flash memory internal bus signals via the flash memory controller, wherein the flash memory bus wireless module wirelessly communicates with a flash memory bus wireless device to expand a host device storage capacity; and

the flash memory bus wireless device, wherein the flash memory bus wireless device comprises a flash memory, and a flash memory bus wireless device adapter coupled to the flash memory, wherein when the flash memory controller initiates a flash data write operation request using a write through mechanism with no delay, previous or deferred flash data write operation requests are used to acquire a ready flash write status directly connecting the flash memory controller to the flash memory, and wherein when the flash memory controller initiates a flash data write operation request using a delay write mechanism, the flash memory controller receives a busy flash write status until it receives a ready flash write status to complete the flash data write operation request.