Flashtoaster for reading several types of flash-memory cards with or without a PC

Abstract

A flash-memory-card reader reads and writes multiple types of flash-memory cards, including CompactFlash, and the smaller SmartMedia, MultiMediaCard, Secure Digital, and Memory Stick. A converter chip converts the different card signals for transfer to a host personal computer (PC). Serial-to-parallel data conversion is performed for the smaller card formats with serial data interfaces, but not for CompactFlash with a parallel-data interface. A single slot has a 50-pin connector for CompactFlash cards or passive adapters. The passive adapters have the CompactFlash form factor and a smaller connector fitting smaller flash cards. Passive adapters have no components but simply wire the smaller connector to the CompactFlash connector. A pin mapping allows card-type detection by sensing the LSB address pins of the CompactFlash interface. A larger CompactFlash reader has multiple slots for each card type. The reader is connected to the PC by a cable, or located within the PC chassis in a drive bay. A stand-alone reader copies images from the flash-memory card to a removable disk media. Pressing a button initiates image transfer.

1 . A memory card reader, comprising: 
 an interface to have the memory card reader coupled to a host computer system;    a first memory card slot configured to receive a removable memory card of a first format, and the first memory card slot to be assigned a first unique drive identifier;    a second memory card slot configured to receive a removable memory card of a second format different from the first format, and the second memory card slot to be assigned a second unique drive identifier;    a first connector coupling the first memory card slot to a converter; and    a second connector coupling the second memory card slot to the converter, wherein the converter is to detect a first memory card of the first format having been inserted into the first memory card slot, detect a second memory card of the second format having been inserted in the second memory card slot, and to read data from the first and second inserted memory cards.    
     
     
         2 . The memory card reader of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second memory card slots are to be assigned the first and second unique drive identifiers by an operating system driver of the host computer system.  
     
     
         3 . The memory card reader of  claim 2 , wherein the converter is to read, in parallel, data from the first and second inserted memory cards.  
     
     
         4 . The memory card reader of  claim 1 , wherein the second format comprises a smaller pin count relative to the first format.  
     
     
         5 . The memory card reader of  claim 4 , wherein data is to be transferred from the first memory card slot to the converter via a serial transfer, and data is to be transferred from the second memory card slot to the converter via a parallel transfer.  
     
     
         6 . The memory card reader of  claim 5 , wherein the memory card reader is external to the computer system.  
     
     
         7 . The memory card reader of  claim 5 , wherein the memory card reader is integrated in a computer system.  
     
     
         8 . The memory card reader of  claim 5 , wherein each memory card slot of the memory card reader corresponds to a separate format from a group comprising of at least a CompactFlash (CF) format; a MultiMediaCard or Secure Digital Card (MMC/SD) format; a SmartMedia format; and a Memory Stick format.  
     
     
         9 . The memory card reader of  claim 8 , further comprising a third memory card slot to receive a memory card of a third format; and 
 a third connector coupling the third memory card slot to the converter.    
     
     
         10 . The memory card reader of  claim 8 , further comprising a fourth memory card slot to receive a memory card of a fourth format; and 
 a fourth connector coupling the fourth memory card slot to the converter.    
     
     
         11 . The memory card reader of  claim 8 , wherein the converter is to transfer data from a memory card inserted in the first memory card slot to a memory card inserted in the second memory card slot.  
     
     
         12 . The memory card reader of  claim 7 , wherein the memory card reader is configured to be inserted in a device bay of a computer system, the device bay is one of a group comprising of at least a floppy disk drive bay, a CD-ROM drive device bay, a DVD device bay, and a tape drive device bay.  
     
     
         13 . The memory card reader of  claim 8 , further comprising a removable storage device to receive a storage media having a storage capacity greater than the first or second format, and the converter to transfer data from a memory card inserted in the first or second memory slot to the storage media inserted in the removable storage device.  
     
     
         14 . A memory card reader, comprising: 
 an interface to have the memory card reader coupled to a host computer system;    a processor and an internal storage;    a first memory card slot configured to receive a removable memory card of a first format;    a second memory card slot configured to receive a removable memory card of a second format different from the first format;    a first connector coupling the first memory card slot to a converter;    a second connector coupling the second memory card slot to the converter, wherein the converter is to detect a first memory card of the first format having been inserted into the first memory card slot, detect a second memory card of the second format having been inserted in the second memory card slot; and    the processor to transfer data between at least one of the first and second memory cards inserted and the internal storage, when the memory card reader is not coupled to the host computer system, and, when coupled to the host computer system, the processor to provide the host computer system access, to at least one of the first and second memory cards inserted, and the internal storage.    
     
     
         15 . The memory card reader of  claim 14 , further comprising a user interface to identify one or more of, status of a data transfer between at least one of the first and second memory cards inserted and the internal storage.  
     
     
         16 . The memory card reader of  claim 15 , wherein the user interface comprises a light emitting diode.  
     
     
         17 . The memory card reader of  claim 14 , wherein the interface is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface.  
     
     
         18 . The memory card reader of  claim 14 , wherein internal storage comprises a removable disk.  
     
     
         19 . The memory card reader of  claim 14 , wherein when the reader is coupled to the host computer system, the processor is to provide the host computer system access, to at least one of the first and second memory cards inserted, in parallel, and the internal storage.  
     
     
         20 . The memory card reader of  claim 14 , wherein the converter is to read data from the inserted card using a pin interface corresponding to the respective format of the inserted card.  
     
     
         21 . The memory card reader of  claim 20 , wherein the second format comprises a smaller pin count relative to the first format.  
     
     
         22 . The memory card reader of  claim 21 , wherein data is to be transferred from the first memory card slot to the converter via a serial transfer, and data is to be transferred from the second memory card slot to the converter via a parallel transfer.  
     
     
         23 . The memory card reader of  claim 22 , wherein the memory card reader is external to the computer system.  
     
     
         24 . The memory card reader of  claim 22 , wherein the memory card reader is integrated in a computer system.  
     
     
         25 . The memory card reader of  claim 22 , wherein each memory card slot of the memory card reader corresponds to a separate format from a group comprising of at least a CompactFlash (CF) format; a MultiMediaCard or Secure Digital Card (MMC/SD) format; a SmartMedia format; and a Memory Stick format.  
     
     
         26 . The memory card reader of  claim 25 , further comprising a third memory card slot to receive a memory card of a third format; and 
 a third connector coupling the third memory card slot to the converter.    
     
     
         27 . The memory card reader of  claim 26 , further comprising a fourth memory card slot to receive a memory card of a fourth format; and 
 a fourth connector coupling the fourth memory card slot to the converter.    
     
     
         28 . The memory card reader of  claim 22 , wherein each separate memory card slot is identified as a separate media drive by an operating system of a computer system coupled to the memory card reader.  
     
     
         29 . The memory card reader of  claim 24 , wherein the memory card reader is configured to be inserted in a device bay of a computer system, the device bay is one of a group comprising of at least a floppy disk drive bay, a CD-ROM drive device bay, a DVD device bay, and a tape drive device bay.  
     
     
         30 . The memory card reader of  claim 14 , wherein the internal storage is a removable storage device to receive a storage media having a storage capacity greater than the first or second format, and the converter to transfer data from a memory card inserted in the first or second memory slot to the storage media inserted in the removable storage device.  
     
     
         31 . A system comprising: 
 a processor;    a memory; and    a memory card reader, further comprising: 
 an interface to have the memory card reader coupled to a host computer system;  
 a processor and an internal storage;  
 a first memory card slot configured to receive a removable memory card of a first format;  
 a second memory card slot configured to receive a removable memory card of a second format different from the first format;  
 a first connector coupling the first memory card slot to a converter;  
 a second connector coupling the second memory card slot to the converter, wherein the converter is to detect a first memory card of the first format having been inserted into the first memory card slot, detect a second memory card of the second format having been inserted in the second memory card slot; and  
 the processor to transfer data between at least one of the first and second memory cards inserted and the internal storage, when the memory card reader is not coupled to the host computer system, and, when coupled to the host computer system, the processor to provide the host computer system access, to at least one of the first and second memory cards inserted, and the internal storage.  
   
     
     
         32 . A system comprising: 
 a processor;    a memory; and    a memory card reader, further comprising: 
 an interface to have the memory card reader coupled to a host computer system;  
 a first memory card slot configured to receive a removable memory card of a first format, and the first memory card slot to be assigned a first unique drive identifier;  
 a second memory card slot configured to receive a removable memory card of a second format different from the first format, and the second memory card slot to be assigned a second unique drive identifier;  
 a first connector coupling the first memory card slot to a converter; and  
 a second connector coupling the second memory card slot to the converter, wherein the converter is to detect a first memory card of the first format having been inserted into the first memory card slot, detect a second memory card of the second format having been inserted in the second memory card slot, and to read data from the first and second inserted memory cards.