Double-interface adaptor for memory cards

• US 20040059860A1
• Filed: 09/19/2002
• Published: 03/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Chia-Li Chen, Mi-Chang Chen, Wen-Tsung Liu
• Original Assignee: Chia-Li Chen, Mi-Chang Chen, Wen-Tsung Liu
• Inventors: Chen, Chia-Li, Liu, Wen-Tsung, Chen, Mi-Chang
• Application Number:
  US10/246,632
• Publication Number:
  US 20040059860A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/313
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4081 Live connection to bus, e.g. hot-plugging current or voltage limitation during live insertion H02H9/004

Abstract

This invention provides a double-interface adaptor for memory cards, comprising of a double-interface adapter that can access the information stored in a memory card and a USB interface assembly that can be connected to the double-interface adapter. The double-interface adapter has a PCMCIA/CF interface and a USB interface, and it utilizes an interface detection & selection circuit and a controller to switch to the correct system interface selected.

Claims

1. A double-interface adapter structure comprising of a double-interface adapter that can access the information stored in a memory card and a USB interface assembly that can be connected to the double-interface adapter;

the double-interface adapter has a PCMCIA/CF interface and a USB interface, and it utilizes an interface detection &

selection circuit and a controller to switch to the correct system interface selected.

2. The double-interface adapter structure as in claim 1, wherein the controller has a data transfer cache embedded to cache data in the process of data transfer between the memory card and the USB interface.

3. The double-interface adapter structure as in claim 1, wherein the double-interface adapter has a power transformation &

protection circuit embedded to convert the voltage applied on the USB Bus interface or PCMCIA/CF Bus interface into the internal voltage on the double-interface adapter with over current and surge protection functions.

4. The double-interface adapter structure as in claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein the controller has a microprocessor embedded, and the microprocessor has a ROM, a cache, and a access control interface to perform detection, switching, and control actions.

5. The double-interface adapter structure as in claim 1, wherein the USB interface assembly comprises of:

a USB interface;

a PCMCIA/CF connector to connect to the double-interface adapter to switch to the said standard PCMCIA/CF interface;

and a convert circuit to connect the circuit for the USB interface to the predefined position on the PCMCIA/CF connector.

6. The double-interface adapter structure as in claim 1, wherein the size and specification of the double-interface adapter can be shared by a standard PCMCIA interface adapter or a CF interface adapter.