Abstract:
A flash memory device including a housing, having a form factor of a business card bearing printed information, a non-volatile memory within the housing, for storing digital information, and a connecting mechanism within the housing for a direct operational connection of the non-volatile memory to a host, such that the digital information stored in the non-volatile memory is accessible to the host via the connecting mechanism. At least one slit located within the housing provides a somewhat elastically bendable portion within the housing that includes the connecting mechanism. The scope of the invention also provides configuring the non-volatile memory to allow only an authorized party to access personal information stored in the non-volatile memory.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/686,013, filed Jun. 1, 2005. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a portable flash memory device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a flash memory device used within a card, such as a business card. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Business cards have been used as a printed introduction document for decades, wherein a 5 cm by 9 cm size business card is accepted as a standard size. Albums, holders, scanners, and other devices have been designed to accommodate cards of this size. The use of printed business cards is deeply entrenched in the business culture world-wide, and seemingly they have not disappeared with the mass introduction of digital alternatives. It is not conceivable that a business person will waive his printed business cards in favor of any digital alternative. 
   Digital business cards known in the art containing both printed and digital information have been introduced, as the owner of the business cards often wishes to provide, along with his business card, additional information, e.g. relating to his business or to other areas of interest. The digital information is stored on a compact disk (CD) that is cut to the size of a standard business card. Such a product is available from Amstore CD production Ltd, London, UK. 
   Prior art cards bearing printed and digital information are taught by U.S. Pat. No. 6,783,060 to Marappan and International Publication No. WO2005124932 to Atsmon et al. 
   The Marappan patent discloses a business card that contains printed textual information on the first side and magnetic media for storing electronic information on a second side. The second side contains all of the printed information displayed on the first side of the document. The business card also allows users to include additional information, such as attached files and hyperlinks, on the second side. To write and read to and from the business card, a reader/writer is disclosed to interface with a desktop computer. 
   However, the Marappan patent has a major disadvantage which limits its use. As clearly stated by the Marappan patent, a special card reader must be available in order to read this electronic information. In other words, the electronic information stored on the magnetic media of this business card can not be read by any standard computer or other mobile devices, such as a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) mobile hand-held device or a cellular phone. 
   The Atsmon patent introduces a double-sided male USB connector and various card-shaped devices having one or more male USB connectors. The device can be manufactured from flexible material using a lamination process and may be configured to communicate with a broad variety of other electronic devices. 
   However, almost none of the embodiments taught by Atsmon comply with the dimensions of a standard rectangular business card form factor. 
   Furthermore, according to the Atsmon patent the flexible material of the card is employed only as a means for doubling the thickness of the card, so that the whole card bends and the effective thickness will provide the tolerance required for inserting the connector into the receptacle. These embodiments of the Atsmon patent clearly do not guarantee a well-defined electrical contact between the pins of the connector part and the leads of the receptacle. In reality, the part opposite the connector that bends upon the connector part will tend to elevate from the connector part, thus neutralizing the effective thickness required and disconnecting the leads of the receptacle from contacting the connector part. 
   The only embodiment in the Atsmon patent that is a rectangular card-shaped device with dimensions similar to those of a credit card is the embodiment of  FIG. 17 . However, the description of this embodiment in the Atsmon patent is not enabling, because there is no indication of the way in which the male USB connector of this embodiment is inserted into a USB female receptacle of a host. 
   Thus, it would be highly advantageous to provide an innovative business card bearing both printed information and digital information, of a standard size and thickness, configured to properly connect to a computing device for reading and updating the digital information, while overcoming disadvantages of prior art techniques. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages of prior art devices by introducing an innovative business card bearing both printed information and digital information, of a standard size and thickness that does not protrude from the dimensions of a standard business card form factor. The business card is configured to properly connect to a computing device for reading and updating the digital information without requiring a reader. A non-volatile memory is provided for storing digital information. 
   The present invention includes at least one slit creating an elastically bendable portion, such that only this bendable portion is elevated above the rest of the business card and is connected to a standard USB socket; such that the pressure applied by supporting upper body part and the lower body part of the business card maintains a proper connection. 
   In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a flash memory device including: (a) a housing having a form factor (i.e. physical size and shape) of a business card bearing printed information; (b) a non-volatile memory, within the housing, for storing digital information; and (c) a connecting mechanism, within the housing, for a direct operational connection of the non-volatile memory to the host, such that the digital information stored in the non-volatile memory is accessible to the host via this connecting mechanism (i.e. without requiring a reader). 
   Preferably, at least one slit is located within the housing to provide an elastically bendable portion within the housing, such that the elastically bendable portion includes the connecting mechanism. More preferably, the elastically bendable portion cooperates with a remainder of the housing to secure contact between the connecting mechanism and the host. Also more preferably, the connecting mechanism is a USB connector. 
   Preferably, the non-volatile memory is a NAND flash memory. 
   In accordance with the present invention, there is further provided a method for disseminating personal information, the method includes the steps of: (a) configuring a business card to include a non-volatile memory and a mechanism for directly operationally connecting the non-volatile memory to a host; (b) providing a first portion of the personal information on a surface of the business card; and (c) storing a second portion of the personal information in the non volatile memory to be accessible to the host upon directly operationally connecting the non-volatile memory to the host. 
   Preferably, the configuring step includes slitting the business card to form a somewhat elastically bendable portion of the business card that includes at least a portion of the mechanism. 
   In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a flash memory device including: (a) a housing having a form factor (i.e. physical size and shape) of a business card bearing printed information; (b) a non-volatile memory, within the housing, for storing digital information; and (c) at least one slit is located within the housing to provide a somewhat elastically bendable portion within the housing, such that the elastically bendable portion includes a connecting mechanism for directly operationally connecting the non-volatile memory to a host. 
   Preferably, the elastically bendable portion cooperates with a remainder of the housing to secure contact between the connecting mechanism and the host. 
   Preferably, the connecting mechanism is a USB connector. 
   Preferably, the non-volatile memory is a NAND flash memory. 
   In accordance with the present invention, there is further provided a method for disseminating personal information, the method includes the steps of: (a) printing a first portion of the personal information on a surface of a business card that includes a non-volatile memory; (b) storing a second portion of the personal information in the non volatile memory; and (c) slitting the business card to form a somewhat elastically bendable portion of the business card for directly operationally connecting the non-volatile memory to a host, such that the personal information in the non-volatile memory is accessible to the host by operationally connecting the elastic bendable portion directly to the host (i.e. without requiring a reader). 
   In accordance with the present invention, there is further provided a method for distributing personal information, the method includes the steps of: (a) storing the personal information in a non-volatile memory, of a memory device that has a form factor of a business card, to be accessible to a host upon a direct operational connection of the non-volatile memory to the host; and (b) configuring the non-volatile memory to allow only an authorized party to access the personal information. 
   Preferably, the method further includes the step of granting the authorized party a key to access, at least in part, the personal information. 
   Additional features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following drawings and description. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a better understanding of the invention with regard to the embodiments thereof, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals designate corresponding sections or elements throughout, and in which: 
       FIG. 1  shows a block diagram of the components comprising the flash memory device of the present invention, used as a business card; 
       FIG. 2A  is a top view of the flash memory device of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2B  is a side view of the flash memory device of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 2C  is a front view of the flash memory device of the present invention, as seen from the direction of a host computing device of  FIG. 2B . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The present invention discloses an innovative flash memory device, such as a USB Flash Drive (UFD), used within a card having a form factor, i.e. physical size and shape, of a business card. The personal information stored in the card is to be accessible to a host and to a host user for reading and updating by a direct connection of the card to such host. In other words, connecting the card to a host computer is done without requiring a special card reader such as the magnetic card reader of Marappan. 
   The flash memory device of the present invention is used within a card that, when not in use, has the rectangular form factor of a standard business card, such that the flash memory device deviates from a standard business card form factor only when the card is directly connected to the host. 
   The flash memory device includes a non-volatile memory for storing digital information, such that the digital information can easily be written to, read from, and updated on a host. A UFD is known in the art of non-volatile memory devices, such as DiskOnKey®, available from M-Systems, Israel. The UFD can typically be connected to a host device (computer, PDA, Cellular phone etc.) by a USB connector, designed according to the USB specifications. 
   A controlling unit is provided for controlling the write and read operations of the digital data stored within the non-volatile memory. The controlling unit is connected via a connector to a standard USB socket for operationally connecting the non-volatile memory to a host and interfacing with the operating system of the host. 
   The typical dimensions of a business card widely used in the art are 5 cm by 9 cm in size and substantially 0.7 mm in width. 
   The present invention is designed to be a bit thicker than a standard business card to accommodate the non-volatile memory and the controlling unit. The flash memory device, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, is designed from a plastic material with a thickness of typically 0.7-0.8 mm (as found in existing smart cards and credit cards). This thickness is smaller than that of a CD, and is therefore easier to carry in large quantities than prior art miniature CD disks containing digital data within a business card. 
   In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the flash memory device provides a large and fast memory containing large quantities of information of any sort. 
   In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the flash memory device is designed in an identical form factor of a standard 5 cm by 9 cm business card. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a block diagram of the components of the flash memory device of the present invention, in a form factor of a business card  10 . The flash memory device  10  includes a controlling unit  14  for controlling the write and read operations of the digital data stored within a non-volatile memory  12 . 
   The controlling unit  14  is connected via an electrical connection  16  to a connector  18 . Connector  18  is provided for operationally connecting the non-volatile memory to a host directly and interfacing with the operating system of the host. Thus, when the flash memory device  10  is connected to the host, the digital data may be displayed. Enabling technology for such a UFD is well-known in the art. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,404,485 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,148,354 both to Ban, et al., both of which are incorporated by reference for all purposes as if fully set forth herein. 
   Referring to  FIG. 2A , there is shown a top view of the flash memory device of the present invention, in the form of a business card. The flash memory device  20  contains printed personal and business information  22  of the card owner (such as a name, address, title, logo, etc.), as printed on any typical business card. 
   The non-volatile memory  12 , storing digital information relating to the card owner, is embedded within the business card  20 . The non-volatile memory  12  is connected to the connector  18  that contains four USB connector leads in their standard size and spacing. An Instructions area  34  is a label containing promotional text or instructions of how to use the business card. 
   Two cuts, an upper cut  30  and a lower cut  28 , are provided to enable a bending of the business card  20 . The upper cut  30  and lower cut  28  enable bending an upper body part  38  and a lower body part  36 , such that a tongue  32  being somewhat flexible is created between these two cuts  30 ,  28 . As a result, the connector  18  is elevated above the rest of the business card for connecting to a standard USB socket. 
   Referring to  FIG. 2B , there is shown a side view of the flash memory device  20  of the present invention. A user holds a rear part  42  of the business card, such that a connector  18  (see  FIG. 1 ) of the business card is pushed into a USB socket  46  of a host  54 . Tongue  32  (see  FIG. 2A ) of the business card is bent upward so that the connector  18  contacts the pins of the USB socket  46 . 
   As the business card is resiliently flexible, the upper body part  38  and the lower body part  36 , may rise up in the air to be realigned with the tongue  32  and weaken the electric contact. To prevent this, the upper body part  38  and the lower body part  36 , of the business card are supported by a supporting part  44  of the host  54 , thus maintaining the fixed position of the tongue  32  to push the connector  18  and contact the pins of the USB socket  46 . 
   In case the pins of the USB socket  46  are inverted, facing up—the business card is inserted upside down, such that this time the upper body part  38  and the lower body part  36 , are supported by the top part of the host  54  for the same purpose. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 2C , there is shown a front view of the flash memory device  20  of the present invention, as seen from the direction of the host  54  of  FIG. 2B . The upper body part  38  and the lower body part  36  of the flash memory device  20  lean flat on either sides of the tongue  32 . The tongue  32  is bent upwards, such that pins of the connector  18  (e.g. USB plug) of the flash memory device  20  are pressed upwards to contact pins of a socket of the host  54  (see  FIG. 2B ). 
   Another method of the present invention is a method of distributing personal information by storing the personal information in the non-volatile memory of the business card. Granting recipients limited access to such personal information by using standard encryption techniques known in the art is provided by the present invention as optional. The owner of the business card may grant an authorized recipient a decryption key to access all or part of the personal information stored on his business card. The delivery of the decryption key to a recipient does not have to be during the handout of the business card, and can be done later, upon request of the recipient and/or the consent of the owner. 
   It should be understood that the proposed storage device disclosed herein may employ any type of flash memory device, e.g. NAND-type flash memory device, etc. Furthermore, other implementations are possible within the scope of the invention, thus relating to any flash memory device used within a card having a form factor of a business card and providing similar functionalities. 
   Having described the invention with regard to certain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the description is not meant as a limitation, since further modifications will now suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and it is intended to cover such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.