Dual-mode flash storage exchanger that transfers flash-card data to a removable USB flash key-drive with or without a PC host
US6993618B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 15, 2004 |
| Grant date | Jan 31, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 30, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F3/08
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A flash-card exchanger has two modes of operation. When a host personal computer (PC) is connected to a Universal-Serial-Bus (USB) connector, the flash-card exchanger operates in a card reader mode, allowing the host to read data from removable flash-memory cards inserted into connector slots of the flash-card exchanger. When the host PC is not connected, a USB flash-memory thumb or key-chain drive can be inserted into a second USB connector. A USB dual-mode microcontroller acts as a USB host, reading data from the removable flash-memory card and writing the data to the USB-memory key drive using USB packets. Since the USB-memory key drive is small and removable, the user can upgrade to larger storage capacities by plugging in a larger-capacity USB-memory key drive. A flash-exchanger program executing on the USB dual-mode microcontroller copies data from an input-output bus and generates USB packets to the USB-memory key drive.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.