Universal non-volatile memory card used with various different standard cards containing a memory controller

• US 20040089717A1
• Filed: 11/13/2002
• Published: 05/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SanDisk Corporation (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Harari, Eliyahou, Wallace, Robert F., Ericsson, Bo Eric
• Granted Patent: US 7,367,503 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/441
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/387 for adaptation of different data processing systems to different peripheral devices, e.g. protocol converters for incompatible systems, open system
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/067 Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards also with resonating or responding marks without active components
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/077 Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07741 comprising a first part operating as a regular record carrier and a second attachable part that changes the functional appearance of said record carrier, e.g. a contact-based smart card with an adapter part which, when attached to the contact card makes the contact card function as a non-contact card
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2225/06562 at least one device in the stack being rotated or offset
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00012 Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01057 Lanthanum [La]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01078 Platinum [Pt]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 Encapsulation

Abstract

A mother/daughter card non-volatile memory system includes a daughter card containing the memory and a mother card containing the memory controller and host interface circuits. The daughter memory card contains as little more than the memory cell array as is practical, in order to minimize its cost, and has an interface for connecting with a variety of mother controller cards having physical attributes and host interfaces according to a number of different published or proprietary memory card standards. Different types of memory cards may be used when the operating parameters of the memory are stored within it in a protected location, the mother card controller then reading these parameters and adapting its operation accordingly. A radio frequency antenna may be included on a surface of the card along with its electrical contacts, in order to provide a radio frequency identification function.

Claims

1. A system for connecting non-volatile memory to two or more host systems having distinct electronic and physical connections for removably receiving incompatible electronic cards, comprising:

at least one non-volatile memory sub-card, and

two or more electronic cards having incompatible electronic and physical interfaces adapted to connect with said two or more host systems but individually including a receptacle that removably receives said at least one non-volatile memory sub-card and further individually including a controller connected to the receptacle for operating the non-volatile memory of such a memory card inserted into the receptacle to transfer data between the memory therein and a host to which the electronic card is connected.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the two or more incompatible electronic cards include different ones of a PC Card, MultiMediaCard, Secure Digital card, CompactFlash card and Memory Stick card.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the memory sub-card is shaped according to a Plug-in SIM card.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the memory sub-card includes contacts and functions therethrough of the Plug-in SIM card plus an additional plurality of contacts connected with said memory therein.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein at least some of said contacts of the Plug-in SIM card are connected with said memory therein.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein operating parameters of a memory sub-card are stored in a protected area of its memory and the controller of said two or more electronic cards is provided access to the protected memory area of said sub-card connected thereto in order to ascertain the operating parameters, thereby enabling the controller to operate said sub-card.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the operating parameters for said sub-cards have been stored permanently in said cards during their manufacture.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one memory sub-card includes a protected memory area that is accessible by the controller of an electronic card to which the sub-card is connected only upon authentication of the controller to the sub-card.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said controller is integrated directly into said host systems.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said sub-cards contain a non-volatile memory selected from the group of EEPROM, Flash EEPROM, mask ROM, one time programmable EEPROM, EPROM, Ferroelectric RAM, Ovonic RAM, Magneto Ram, polymeric memory, dielectric memory, fuse ROM and antifuse ROM.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said sub-card additionally includes a radio frequency antenna formed on a surface thereof and a radio frequency circuit within said sub-card connected with the antenna and responsive to radio frequency energy received thereby to provide power for transmitting a stored code in a radio frequency signal through the antenna.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said stored code includes a unique identification number for each of said sub-card.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said stored code further includes information describing the content stored on said sub-card.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one memory sub-card includes data stored of a unique identification number for each of said at least one memory sub-card.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said at least one memory sub-card also includes data stored describing a data content of said at least one memory sub-card.

16. A method of removably connecting a memory sub-card to two or more host systems that accept different ones of two or more incompatible electronic cards, comprising using a common memory sub-card that is removably connectable with said two or more electronic cards according to a common physical and electrical interface.

17. The method according to claim 16, additionally comprising using said two or more incompatible electronic cards with memory controllers therein that interface with the memory sub-card when connected therewith.

18. The method according to claim 16 wherein the two or more incompatible electronic cards include different ones of a PC Card, MultiMedia Card, Secure Digital card, CompactFlash card or Memory Stick card.

19. The method according to claim 16 wherein using the common memory sub-card includes using a card that is shaped the same as a Plug-in SIM card.

20. The method according to claim 19 wherein using the memory sub-card includes using a card having contacts and functions therethrough according to the Plug-in SIM card plus an additional plurality of contacts connected with said memory therein.

21. The method according to claim 20 wherein at least some of said contacts of the Plug-in SIM card are connected with said memory therein.

22. The method according to claim 16 wherein two or more of said common memory sub-cards may require different operating parameters, such parameters being communicated to said two or more electronic cards to enable said cards to adapt to the specific operating parameters provided by each sub-card.

23. The method according to claim of 22 wherein the operating parameters for said sub-cards are stored permanently in said cards during their manufacture.

24. The method according to claim 16, additionally comprising attaching one or more memory sub-cards to a substrate holder larger than said one or more memory sub-cards for storage when the one or more memory sub-cards are unconnected with any of the two or more electronic cards, and permitting the writing on the substrate holder adjacent the one or more memory sub-cards information describing the data content of the one or more memory sub-cards.

25. A method of obtaining and using a nonvolatile memory card, comprising:

obtaining at least one of the memory cards in a form attached to a larger storage card,

removing said memory card from the storage card and placing it in a device that generates data desired to be stored on the memory card,

storing such data on the memory card,

thereafter removing said at least one memory card from the device and re-attaching said memory card to the storage card, and

providing an appropriate surface on said storage card for noting the contents of the data stored on the memory card on a surface of the storage card.

26. The method according to claim 25 wherein said storage card has substantially the same length and width as credit cards or smart cards.

27. A hand-held substrate card, comprising:

a first area on a surface of the substrate card to which one or more electronic cards smaller than the substrate surface and each containing a non-volatile memory is attached,

a second area on the surface of the substrate that is treated to allow writing by pen or pencil, thereby enabling a user to note the data contents of said one or more memory cards attached thereto.

28. The substrate card of claim 27, additionally containing a microprocessor or microcontroller circuitry which can interface with said one or more memory cards to read or change the data contained within said one or more memory cards, said microprocessor or microcontroller circuitry also capable of communication with an external system to transfer data between said external system and said one or more memory cards.

29. The substrate card of claim 28 wherein said microprocessor or microcontroller circuitry contains security functionality to authenticate or block said communication between itself, an external system, and said one or more memory cards.

30. The substrate card of either one of claim 28 or 29 wherein said communication with an external system includes a published communication standard including various USB standards, IEEE 1394, ISO/IEC 7816, TCP/IP, or a form of RF communication including Bluetooth and IEEE 802.11 wireless protocols.

31. A memory system adapted to be removably connected with a host system, comprising:

an electronic card containing host interface circuits connected with a first connector adapted to be received by a receptacle of the host and a memory controller connected with a second connector, and

a sub-card having a third connector that mates with the second connector for removable connection to said electronic card, said sub-card containing memory partitioned into at least a first portion for storing user data from the host and a second portion not accessible to the host for storing data of operating parameters for the non-volatile memory to which the memory controller has access for controlling operation of said sub-card.

32. The memory system of claim 31 wherein the sub-card memory is partitioned to include a third portion that is accessible to the controller or host only upon authentication of the controller or host to the sub-card.

33. The memory system of claim 31 wherein the third connector includes a plurality of contacts positioned across a surface of the sub-card and connected with the memory therein.

34. A memory card, comprising:

at least one non-volatile memory integrated circuit chip encased in a card,

a radio frequency tag circuit also encased in the card, and

a plurality of electrically conductive contacts and a radio frequency metallic antenna formed across at least one outside surface of the card, at least some of the plurality of contacts being connected to said memory integrated circuit chip and said antenna being connected to said radio frequency tag circuit.

35. The memory card of claim 34 wherein the memory card has a physical shape and dimensions according to a Plug-in SIM card.

36. An electronic memory card system, comprising:

a plurality of electronic cards individually including a memory controller and having a physical shape, an arrangement of electrical contacts and an electrical signal interface through the contacts according to a different one of a plurality of published or proprietary card standards in order to be removably connected with a host system having a receptacle and a signal interface that are complimentary thereto,

a sub-card of a given physical shape including a memory array connected with external contacts thereon in a given pattern,

said plurality of electronic cards individually including a receptacle for removably receiving the sub-card and connecting the memory thereof with the memory controller of said electronic cards, whereby the sub-card is connectable with any of the plurality of electronic cards.

37. An electronic memory card system, comprising:

a first electronic card individually including a first memory controller substantially without mass data storage memory and having a physical shape, an arrangement of electrical contacts and an electrical signal interface for removable interconnection with a first host system,

a second electronic card individually including a second memory controller substantially without mass data storage memory and having a physical shape, an arrangement of electrical contacts and an electrical signal interface for removable interconnection with a second host system, wherein the second electronic card does not interface with the first host system and the first electronic card does not interface with the second host system,

a sub-card containing mass data storage memory, and

a receptacle provided on each of the first and second electronic cards for removably receiving and operating said sub-card with a common electrical interface with the respective first and second controllers, whereby the sub-card may be interchanged between the first and second electronic cards.

38. The electronic memory card system of claim 37, additionally comprising a third host system that includes said memory controller and a receptacle for removably receiving and operating said sub-card in connection with the memory controller in the third host system.

39. An electronic card system, comprising:

a plurality of electronic cards individually including a host interface circuit and having a physical shape, an arrangement of electrical contacts and an electrical signal interface through the contacts according to different ones of a plurality of published or proprietary card standards,

a sub-card having a physical shape, arrangement of a first set of electrical contacts and electrical signal interface through the first set of electrical contacts from a first electronic circuit within the sub-card according to one published or proprietary card standard other than said plurality of published or proprietary card standards,

said sub-card including a second electronic circuit connected to at least some of the electrical contacts and to an additional second set of electrical contacts provided on the card, and

said plurality of electronic cards individually including a receptacle into which said sub-card is removably insertable, the receptacle having contacts that mate with the sub-card first and second sets of electrical contacts to connect with the electronic circuit within any of a plurality of the electronic cards, thereby to provide a functionality of the sub-card in a physical form and with an electrical interface according to individual ones of a plurality of published or proprietary card standards.

40. A method of removably connecting mass non-volatile memory storage to two or more host systems which accept different ones of two or more removable cards that are physically or electrically incompatible with each other, comprising:

connecting said two or more removable cards to the hosts, wherein the removable cards individually include a memory controller but not the mass non-volatile memory storage, and

using a common sub-card which contains the mass non-volatile memory storage and that is removably connectable with said two or more cards according to a common physical and electrical interface in order to connect with the memory controllers therein.

41. A method of using at least first and second electronic cards which have electrical interfaces that are physically or electrically incompatible with each other and which are adapted to be removably connected with respective ones of at least first and second mating receptacles, comprising:

connecting, with said first and second mating receptacles, forms of the respective first and second electronic cards that individually contain a memory controller substantially without non-volatile mass data storage, wherein the memory controller is electrically connected with a socket into which a common card is removably connectable, wherein the common card contains non-volatile mass data storage accessible by the memory controller through the socket, and

interchanging the common card between the sockets of the first and second electronic cards.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein the common card is smaller than either of the first and second electronic cards.

43. A method of providing a given electronic function according to any one of a plurality of published or proprietary card standards, comprising:

including the electronic function in a sub-card having a particular physical shape, an arrangement of contacts on the outside thereof and a given electrical interface with the internal electronic function through the contacts,

providing at least first and second electronic cards having physical card shapes, arrangements of contacts and electrical signal interfaces according to respective first and second published or proprietary card standards that are incompatible with each other, said first and second electronic cards including a receptacle and set of electrical contacts that mate with said sub-card when removably placed in the receptacle and an electronic circuit that electrically interfaces with both the sub-card and the electrical signal interface of a published or proprietary card standard.

44. A memory card, comprising:

at least one non-volatile memory integrated circuit chip encased in said card and having a plurality of electrical circuit contact regions on one surface along opposite first and second sides of the chip,

a set of externally accessible electrical contacts allowing communication between said integrated circuit chip and an external device,

said externally accessible electrical contacts formed from ends of conductors of a patterned leadframe adjacent the first side of the chip, a first plurality of said conductors extending under the chip between said first and second sides thereof and providing physical support for the chip, the contact regions along the second side of the chip being electrically connected with said first plurality of said leadframe conductors at ends thereof adjacent the second side of the chip, and the contact regions along the first side of the chip being electrically connected with a second plurality of said leadframe conductors adjacent the first side of the chip, the second plurality of said leadframe conductors being shorter than the first plurality of said leadframe conductors by not extending under the chip between its said first and second sides.

45. The memory card of claim 44, in which said externally accessible electrical contacts are exclusively on one surface and adjacent to one edge of the memory card.

46. The memory card of claim 44, wherein said at least one non-volatile memory integrated circuit chip and said patterned leadframe are totally encapsulated within plastic, except for said externally accessible electrical contacts portion of said patterned leadframe.

47. The memory card of claim 44, wherein the ends of the patterned leadframe conductors shaped to orient the plurality of contacts and the first plurality of conductors in different planes.

48. The memory card of either one of claim 44 or 46, whereby a shape facilitating mechanical retention with said external device is formed integral with said plastic encapsulation.

49. The memory card of either one of claim 44 or 46, whereby a shape facilitating removal from said external device is formed integral with said plastic encapsulation.

50. The memory card of either one of claim 44 or 46, additionally containing security functionality to authenticate or block communication through said external contacts with an external device.

51. The memory card of claim 50, whereby said security functionality is contained within said at least one non-volatile memory integrated circuit chip.

52. The memory card of claim 50, whereby said security functionality is contained within a second integrated circuit chip encased within said card.

53. A memory card, comprising:

first and second non-volatile memory integrated circuit chips encased in said card and each having a plurality of electrical circuit contact regions on one surface thereof along opposite first and second sides of the chip,

a set of externally accessible electrical contacts allowing communication between the first and second integrated circuit chips and an external device,

said externally accessible electrical contacts formed from ends of conductors of a patterned leadframe, said leadframe including a first plurality of conductors positioned in between said first and second chips and providing physical support for the chips, the contact regions along the second side of each of the chips being electrically connected with the first plurality of leadframe conductors of both the first and second chips at ends thereof adjacent the second side of the chips and the contact regions along the first side of the chips being electrically connected with a second plurality of said leadframe conductors adjacent the first side of the chips, the second plurality of said leadframe conductors being shorter than the first plurality of said leadframe conductors by not extending in between the first and second chips between their said first and second sides.

54. The memory card of claim 53, in which said externally accessible electrical contacts are exclusively on one surface and adjacent to one edge of the memory card.

55. The memory card of claim 53, wherein said at least one non-volatile memory integrated circuit chip and said patterned leadframe are totally encapsulated within plastic, except for said externally accessible electrical contacts portion of said patterned leadframe.

56. The memory card of claim 53, wherein the ends of the patterned leadframe conductors shaped to orient the plurality of contacts and the first plurality of conductors in different planes.

57. The memory card of claim 53, whereby a security function is provided in only one of the first and second chips.