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

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.

1 - 24 . (canceled) 
   
   
       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 - 57 . (canceled) 
   
   
       58 . The substrate card of  claim 28  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. 
   
   
       59 . The substrate card of  claim 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.