Memory card comprising an optical memory disc and microelectronic memory component, and apparatus for transferring information to and from such card
First Claim
1. Apparatus for transferring data and supplementary information between a data processor and a rectangular memory card, which card comprises:
- a disc-shaped optical memory unit retained in a recess of one surface of said card, said memory unit having a surface substantially coplanar with said card surface and which has thereon a continuous succession of data storage tracks which are substantially complete circles concentric around the center of the memory unit, such tracks being optically readable from said surface of the memory unit; and
at least one microelectronic component included in said card which is connected to connection points on said one surface thereof, such microelectronic component being adapted to store said other information therein;
such apparatus comprising;
rotary retaining means for supporting said card and rotating at least said memory unit therein about an axis of rotation of said rotary retaining means, said rotary retaining means being further adapted to position said card thereon so that the center of said memory unit is substantially colinear with said axis of rotation;
scanning means for producing a scanning beam incident on said optical memory unit and continuously displacing such beam radially with respect to said axis of rotation so as to successively scan the successive tracks of said memory unit during rotation thereof and thereby transfer data between said memory unit and said data processor; and
an information transfer unit coupled to the connection points on said surface of said card and to said data processor for transferring said supplementary information between said microelectronic component and said data processor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for transferring data and other information between a data processing unit and a rectangular memory card which includes an optically readable data memory unit having a succession of substantially concentric data storage tracks thereon, the card also including at least one microelectronic component which stores further information. Such component is connected to connection points on the surface of the card. Data is read from the tracks of the memory unit by optical scanning during rotation of the card about the axis of symmetry of the memory unit, and information is transferred between the microelectronic component and the data processing unit by an information transfer unit which is coupled to the connection points on the card and to the data processing unit.
155 Citations
18 Claims
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1. Apparatus for transferring data and supplementary information between a data processor and a rectangular memory card, which card comprises:
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a disc-shaped optical memory unit retained in a recess of one surface of said card, said memory unit having a surface substantially coplanar with said card surface and which has thereon a continuous succession of data storage tracks which are substantially complete circles concentric around the center of the memory unit, such tracks being optically readable from said surface of the memory unit; and at least one microelectronic component included in said card which is connected to connection points on said one surface thereof, such microelectronic component being adapted to store said other information therein; such apparatus comprising; rotary retaining means for supporting said card and rotating at least said memory unit therein about an axis of rotation of said rotary retaining means, said rotary retaining means being further adapted to position said card thereon so that the center of said memory unit is substantially colinear with said axis of rotation; scanning means for producing a scanning beam incident on said optical memory unit and continuously displacing such beam radially with respect to said axis of rotation so as to successively scan the successive tracks of said memory unit during rotation thereof and thereby transfer data between said memory unit and said data processor; and an information transfer unit coupled to the connection points on said surface of said card and to said data processor for transferring said supplementary information between said microelectronic component and said data processor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An electronic memory card having a rectangular shape and which includes:
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a disc-shaped optical memory unit retained in a recess on one surface of said card, said memory unit having a surface substantially coplanar with said card surface and which has thereon a continuous succession of data storage tracks which are substantially complete circles concentric around the center of the memory unit, such tracks being optically readable by a beam of radiation directed on said surface of the memory unit during rotation of the memory unit around an axis through the center thereof; and at least one microelectronic component included in said card which is connected to connection points on said one surface thereof, such microelectronic component being adapted to store therein information supplementary to the data stored in said memory unit. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification