Abstract:
A memory drive device for wirelessly accessing data comprises an USB interface connected to a computer, a microcontroller for processing, reading, writing, retrieving and moving data; a flash memory for storing data, connected to the microcontroller, an external memory interface for providing a connection to an external memory device, connected to the microcontroller, a wireless transceiver module for establishing a data communication chain with an external mobile electronic device, connected to the microcontroller, and a power supply to provide the work power needed by the memory drive device.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to a storage device and, in particular, to a memory drive device for wirelessly accessing data. The present application is based on Taiwanese Patent Application No. 92206939, filed Apr. 30, 2003, which is incorporated herein by reference.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    All prior art memory card electronic devices are connected to a computer with a connect interface, such as a USB interface. The computer can execute instructions of operating files—for example, copy or save, to retrieve or move data between the memory card electronic device and an internal storage device, such as a hard drive. The “Pen-type portable memory device” disclosed in the US patent no. 6,522,534 B1 is a practical example of the known art. However, the type of the memory card electronic device disclosed in the above patent can only retrieve and store data between a computer and a memory card electronic device. The memory card electronic device could not be accessed by other electronic devices, such as personal digital assistants (PDAs) nor directly read/write such devices. The above is an obvious defect.  
           [0003]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,522,552B1 has disclosed a “wireless memory card reader” for reading/writing a memory card by way of a wireless arrangement.  
           [0004]    However, in this disclosure, one cannot perceive a way to directly read/write other memory card electronic devices, such as a personal digital assistant.  
           [0005]    The present invention is made to overcome the above-mentioned problems of the relate arts, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a memory drive device which can wirelessly access to data and automatically read/write the internal memory of an external device. An external device thereof could be a mobile electronic device, for example, a personal digital assistant, or an external memory device, for example, a CF card.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    An object of the present invention is to provide a memory drive device for wirelessly accessing data. The memory drive device can store backup data in the internal memory of a remote external device, such as a mobile electronic device (e.g. a personal digital assistant) or an external memory device (e.g. CF card) via wireless communication or by the insertion of a card.  
           [0007]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide a memory drive device for wirelessly accessing data. This memory drive device can send and receive data with regard to a computer, an external electronic device, and an external memory device .  
           [0008]    In order to accomplish the foregoing objects, the memory drive device for wirelessly accessing data of this invention comprises an USB interface connected to a computer; a microcontroller for processing, reading, writing, retrieving and moving data; a flash memory for storing data, connected to the microcontroller; an external memory interface for providing a connection to an external memory device, connected to the microcontroller; a wireless transceiver module for establishing a data communication chain with an external mobile electronic device, connected to the microcontroller; and a power supply to provide the work power needed by the memory drive device. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    The features, functions, and advantages of the present invention will be readily understood upon a thoughtful deliberation of the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings:  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a diagram of the circuit structure of the present invention;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a flow chart of the backup data process executed for the mobile electronic device of the present invention;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is a flow chart of the backup data process executed for the external memory device of the present invention; and  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 is a flow chart of the upgrading support process executed for the mobile electronic device of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 shows the diagram of the circuit structure of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the memory drive device  10  of the present invention is for wirelessly accessing data and comprises an USB interface  103  connected to a computer  40 . The practical embodiment of USB interface  103  thereof could be USB1.0 or USB2.0 compliant. The memory drive device  10  further comprises a flash memory  107  being connected to the microcontroller  101  mainly for data storage. The memory drive device  10  further comprises an external memory device connect interface  105  being connected to the microcontroller  101  and to an external memory device  30 , which is embodied in a CF (Compact Flash) card, a MMC (Multi Media Card) card, an SD (Secured Digital) card, a MS (Memory Stick) card, a MS-PRO (Memory Stick Pro) card, an SIM (Subscriber Identify Module) card, an SMARTCARD, a CD writer or others. The memory drive device  10  further comprises a wireless transceiver module  109  being connected to the microcontroller  101 . The wireless transceiver module  109  thereof, with the external mobile electronic device  20  thereof, establishs a data communication chain. Through this data communication chain, the memory drive device  10  can access, read and write the mobile electronic device  20  thereof. The embodiment of the wireless transceiver module  109  thereof could be an infrared transceiver module or a Bluetooth module. The mobile electronic device  20  of the present invention can be embodied in a mobile phone, a notebook, a personal digital assistant, or a digital camera. The microcontroller  101  functions in processing, reading, writing, and retrieving data in the data communication chain, the external memory device connect interface  105 , the flash memory  107 , and the USB interface  103 . The power supply  111  mainly provides the work power needed by all electronic components in the memory drive device and can be embodied in a battery or a rechargeable battery.  
         [0015]    For practical application, the flash memory  107  of the memory drive device  10  of this present invention can be the backup storage device for the external memory device  30 . At the same time, data in the mobile electronic device  20  can be saved in the flash memory  107  via the wireless transceiver module  109 . Therefore, the flash memory  107  of the memory drive device  10  of this present invention can function as the backup storage device for the mobile electronic device  20 . Furthermore, the memory drive device  10  of the present invention is connected to the computer  40 . The data in the flash memory  107  can be retrieved and saved in the computer  40  and vice versa. The memory drive device  10  of the present invention possesses its own power supply  111  and is able to function independent of other power supplies.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 shows the flow chart of the backup data process executed for the mobile electronic device of the present invention. At first, the microcontroller  101  initializes the wireless transceiver module  109 . Followed, the microcontroller  101  recognizes and initializes any mobile electronic device  20  available. The protocol defined by the above mobile electronic device  20  will be adopted to transfer data from the mobile electronic device  20  to the flash memory  107  via the data communication chain of the wireless transceiver module  109  and the data transfer process executed by the microcontroller  101 . The above completes the backup data process for the mobile electronic device  20  executed by the memory drive device  10 .  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 shows a flow chart of the backup data process executed for the external memory device of the present invention. At first, the microcontroller  101  initializes the card reader routine. Followed, the microcontroller  101  recognizes and initializes any external memory device  30  available. The protocol defined by the above external memory device  30  will be adopted to transfer data from the external memory device  30  to the flash memory  107  via the external memory connect interface  105 , which connects the flash memory  107  to the external memory device  30 , and the data transfer process executed by the microcontroller  101 . The above completes the backup data process for the external memory device  30  executed by the memory drive device  10 .  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 4 shows a flow chart of the upgrading support process executed for the external memory device of the present invention. At first, the memory drive device  10  is connected to a computer  40  with a USB interface  103 . Then, the computer  40  executes the application program for upgrading support and provides a list of external mobile electronic devices  20  to be selected. Followed the selection, the computer  40  will download the upgrading codes in accordance to the selected mobile electronic device  20  to the memory drive device  10 . The memory drive device  10  executes the upgrading codes to process the upgrading support process for the mobile electronic device  20 .  
         [0019]    Moreover, the memory drive device  10  of the present invention can further comprise a laser indicator  115  for producing a laser beam. Thus, the laser indicator  115  will function as a laser pointer.  
         [0020]    Moreover, the memory drive device  10  of the present invention can further comprise a general-purpose I/O (GPIO)  117  being connected to the microcontroller  115 . A set of buttons for the memory drive device  10  is connected to the GPIO  117  and prompts the microcontroller  101  to execute any operation corresponding to the signals of the buttons.  
         [0021]    Moreover, the memory drive device  10  of the present invention can further comprise a display device  113  for displaying the status of the memory drive device  10 . The embodiment of such display device  113  includes a small LCD panel.  
         [0022]    Many different embodiments of the present invention may be constructed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described in this specification. To the contrary, the present invention is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the invention as hereafter claimed. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications, equivalent structures and functions.