Patent ID: 6614984
Filing Date: 2003-09-02
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
Universal storage device, comprising:a memory, at least one format converter, a controller and interface means, wherein the controller controls the communication between the memory, the at least one format converter and the interface means, and the at least one format converter converts data to be stored in the memory from a predetermined first format to a fixed second format, and converts data read out from the memory and to be output by said interface means from said second format to a predetermined third format, wherein the first format is any of a plurality of compatible formats compatible with the at least one format converter, and the second format is the same for each compatible format used as the first format, such that data stored in the memory in the second format is stored in the same format in memory for each of the plurality of compatible formats compatible with the at least one format converter, and wherein data stored in the memory in the second format is stored using the same amount of memory space for data converted from any of the plurality of compatible formats compatible with the at least one format converter.