Patent Publication Number: US-2013250140-A1

Title: Composite memory card and dedicated reader

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (a) Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a memory card, specifically to a composite memory card and dedicated reader combining the standard memory card and the audio processing function. 
     (b) Description of the Prior Art 
     The fresh memory card adopting fresh memory to store data is widely used in various types of electronic devices. As the rapid evolution of digital devices, many types of memory card specifications are also launched to match the device. Recently the mainstream memory card (SD/MMC/MS) are launched with new miniaturized size, for example, the SD memory card (Secure digital card) includes standard SD, Mini SD and Micro SD series specifications. 
     In addition to miniature packages, the memory card data transfer mode evolves at the same time, for example: SD series memory card with 1-bit and 4-bit data transfer modes, and MMC series memory card with 1-bit, 4-bit and 8-bit data transfer modes. Multi-bit parallel signal transfer will substantially improve the data transfer rates, and still has the serial signal transfer mode to match the application side device. 
     The signal pins of the memory card are arranged on the basis of standard specification, in which the SD memory card with 1-bit and 4-bit data transfer modes is installed with four data pins for connecting the 4-bit signal channel with the external device. However, when the memory card operates in 1-bit data transfer mode, only one data pin is used for transmitting data signals, and the other data pins are in the idle state, which is an available resource, but is not used by the memory card products until now. 
     Currently, the application scope of the memory card is continuously expanded, however, its function is still limited by basic data storage. The industrial more puts emphasis on only data access optimization and data security improvement for the memory card, while rare functional innovation and breakthrough. In view of this, the inventor provides the standard memory card with new function to escape from its data storage one use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The main object of the present invention is to provide a composite memory card, which has 4-bit and 1-bit data double data transfer modes, and internal integrated audio processing function, when it operates in 1-bit data transfer mode, the audio processing module is started to use the other data pins to transmit voice signals, thus it combines the standard memory card and the audio processing function, and expands the memory card use. 
     The secondary object of the present invention is to provide a dedicated reader, through the dedicated reader, an enabled signal is output to start the composite memory card to implement the audio processing function, which applies to device recognition and certification, to achieve data security function. 
     The still object of the present invention is to provide a dedicated reader, through the audio function module of the dedicated reader, the audio is directly broadcasted, received and recorded, to improve the convenience of user end. 
     The present invention disclose a composite memory card, according to the standard memory card specification, which has a 4-bit data transfer mode and a 1-bit data transfer mode. The composite memory card includes a communication interface, a memory module, a control system and an audio processing module. 
     The communication interface has a control pin and four data pins. The memory module is used for data storage. The control system detects the signal input by the control pin, to determine whether operates in 4-bit data transfer mode or 1-bit data transfer mode. The control system includes a data processing module and an audio processing module, when operating in the 4-bit data transfer mode, the data processing module forms a 4-bit format data signal linking with the external transfer through the four data pins. When operating in the 1-bit data transfer mode, the data processing module forms a 1-bit format data signal linking with the external transfer through one of the four data pins. The audio processing module is started in the 1-bit data transfer mode, in which the memory module reads an audio file streaming transformed into and output a pair of voice output signals, and receives a voice input signal transformed into an audio file streaming to be imported to the memory module for storage, and the pair of the voice output signals and the voice input signal link with the external transfer through the other three data pins of the four data pins. 
     As for a specific embodiment, the control system further includes a channel switch module and a mode control module; in which the channel switch module has a fixed channel and three variable channels, one end of each of the fixed channel and the three variable channels individually couples to the four data pins, another end of the fixed channel couples to the data processing module, and another end of each of the three variable channels optionally and simultaneously couple to the data processing module, or simultaneously couple to the voice processing module; and the mode control module detects the signal input by the control pin, to determine that the control system operates in the 4-bit data transfer mode, to control the data processing module to form the 4-bit format data signal, and to control the three variable channels to be coupled between the communication interface and the data processing module, or to determine that the control system operates in the 1-bit data transfer mode, to further control the data processing module to form the 1-bit format data signal, to start the audio processing module, and to control the three variable channels to be coupled between the communication interface and the audio processing module. 
     The present invention further discloses a dedicated reader applying to the composite memory card. The dedicated reader includes a slot, a control module, a transmission interface and an audio function module. The structure of the slot coordinates to be plugged by the composite memory card. The control module is used for producing and outputting an enabled signal, wherein the enabled signal is used for starting the composite memory card to operate in the 1-bit data transfer mode. The transmission interface is installed within the slot to connect with the communication interface of the composite memory card, wherein the transmission interface couples to the control module to input the enabled signal to the control pin of the composite memory card, and connects with the composite memory card through the four data pins to transmit the 1-bit format data signal, the pair of the voice output signals and the voice input signal. The audio function module includes a broadcast unit and a radio unit, wherein the audio function module is controlled by the control module, broadcasts the pair of the voice output signals through the broadcast unit, and forms the voice input signal through the radio unit receiving and recording the external voice. 
     The above description and the following detailed explanation and drawings are all for further describing the ways, means and effects adopted for achieving the predetermined object of the present invention. The other objects and advantages of the present invention will be described in the following explanation and drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view showing the system architecture of a specific embodiment of the composite memory card of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view showing the appearance of a specific embodiment of the dedicated reader of the composite memory card of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 3A and 3B  are schematic views showing the operations of the channel switch module of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view showing the appearance of a specific embodiment of the dedicated reader of the composite memory card of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded view of a specific embodiment of the dedicated reader of the composite memory card; and 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view showing the system architecture of a specific embodiment of the dedicated reader of the composite memory card of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF MAIN COMPONENT SYMBOLS 
       10 : Composite memory card 
       100 ,  300 : Shell 
       11 : Communication interface 
       110 : Control pin 
       11   a,    11   b ,  11   c,    11   d : Data pin 
       13 : Control system 
       131 : Mode control module 
       132 : Audio processing module 
       133 : Data processing module 
       134 : Channel switch module 
       134   a,    134   b,    134   c,    134   d : Channel 
       15 : Memory module 
       20 : Reading system 
       30 : Dedicated reader 
       301 : Slot 
       302 : Circuit board assembly 
       303 : Display panel 
       304 : Audio functional component 
       305 : Transmission port 
       31 : Transmission interface 
       32 : Control module 
       33 : Operation module 
       34 : Audio function module 
       341 : Broadcast unit 
       342 : Radio unit 
       35 : Display module 
       36 : Transmission module 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention provides a composite memory card and dedicated reader, and the main features are that the composite memory card combines the standard memory card and the audio processing function; when the composite memory card is plugged in a general reader, it operates in the 4-bit data transfer mode, and when it is plugged in a dedicated reader, it operates in the 1-bit data transfer mode, starts the internal audio processing function, and uses the other data pins to transmit the voice signals. 
     First, referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , which are schematic views showing the system architecture and the appearance of a specific embodiment of the composite memory card of the present invention, respectively. As shown in the drawings, a composite memory card  10  includes a shell  100 , a communication interface  11 , a control system  13  and a memory module  15 . 
     The composite memory card  10 , on the basis of a standard memory card specification, has 1-bit and 4-bit double data transfer modes. In the memory card specification, the SD series memory card and the MMC series memory card both have 1-bit and 4-bit data transfer modes, thus the specification of the composite memory card  10  is selected to use the SD memory card or the MMC memory card. 
     The communication interface  11  is jointly formed by plural signal pins with the gold finger pattern, and exposes to the shell  100  to be electrically coupled to a reading system  20 . The pins of the communication interface  11  are arranged on the basis of the standard specification, include a control pin  110  and four data pins  11   a,    11   b,    11   c  and  11   d.  The control pin  110  is used for receiving a control signal input by the reading system  20 , and the composite memory card  10  recognizes the signal and determines the data transfer mode used. 
     The control system  13  and the memory module  15  are covered within the shell  100 . The memory module  15  is constituted by non-volatile memory (such as fresh memory) and used for data storage. The control system  13  couples between the communication interface  11  and the memory module  15 , and is controlled by the reading system  20  through the communication interface  11  to access the memory module  15 . The control system  13  includes a mode control module  131 , an audio processing module  132 , a data processing module  133  and a channel switch module  134 . 
     The mode control module  134  detects the signal input by the control pin  110 , and then determines whether to operate in the 4-bit data transfer mode or to operate in the 1-bit data transfer mode. When the external reading system  20  is a general reader, a general controlled signal is input, the mode control module  134  recognizes the controlled signal, and makes the control system  13  to switch to operate in the 4-bit data transfer mode. When the external reading system  20  is a dedicated reader, a specific enabled signal is input, the mode control module  134  recognizes the controlled signal, and makes the control system  13  to switch to operate in the 1-bit data transfer mode. 
     The data processing module  133  is used for forming data signals, when operating in the 4-bit data transfer mode, it is controlled by the mode control module  131  to form the 4-bit format data signal linking with the reading system  20  transfer through the data pins  11   a ,  11   b,    11   c  and  11   d,  and when operating in the 1-bit data transfer mode, it is controlled by the mode control module  131  to form the 1-bit format data signal (linking with the external transfer through a data pin. 
     The mode control module  131  starts the audio processing module  132  in the 1-bit data transfer mode. The audio processing module  132  has the audio encoding/decoding function, in which the memory module  15  reads an audio file streaming to be decoded, and to be transformed into and output a pair of dual-channel voice output signal, and receives a voice input signal to be encoded, and to be transformed into an audio file streaming to import to the memory module  15  for storage, in which the pair of the voice output signals and the voice input signal link with the external reading system  20  transfer through the other three data pins of the four data pins. 
     The channel switch module  134  couples among the communication interface  11 , the data processing module  133  and the audio processing module  132 , and is controlled by the mode control module  131  to switch the signal channel. When operating in the 4-bit data transfer mode, the data processing module  133  couples to the four data pins  11   a,    11   b ,  11   c  and  11   d,  to provide a 4-bit signal channel; and when operating in the 1-bit data transfer mode, the data processing module  133  couples to a data pin, to provide a 1-bit signal channel, and couples to the other three data pins, to transmit the pair of the voice output signals and the voice input signal. 
     Next, the channel switch module  134  is further explained, referring to  FIGS. 3A and 3B , which are schematic views showing the operations of the channel switch module  134  of the present invention. In the drawings, the channel switch module  134  has four transmission channels  134   a,    134   b,    134   c  and  134   d,  in which the channel  134   a  is a fixed channel coupling between the data pin  11   a  of the communication interface  11  and the data processing module  133 . The channels  134   b,    134   c  and  134   d  are variable channels, one ends of them fixedly couple to the data pins  11   b,    11   c  and  11   d  of the communication interface  11 , and the other ends optionally and simultaneously couple to the data processing module  133 , or simultaneously couple to the audio processing module  132 . 
       FIG. 3A  shows the standard memory card mode, in which the data processing module  133  operates in the 4-bit data transfer mode, and the channels  134   a,    134   b,    134   c  and  134   d  couple between the communication interface  11  and the data processing module  133 , and provide a 4-bit signal channel for the 4-bit format data signal passing through. 
       FIG. 3B  shows the audio processing mode, in which the channel  134   a  provides a 1-bit signal channel for the 1-bit format data signal passing through, and the other channels  134   b,    134   c  and  134   d  are for the pair of the voice output signals and the voice input signal passing through. 
     The control system  13 , by way of the control of the microcontroller and the logic resources, is implemented through the designed specific firmware, in which the channel switch module  134  implements the function thereof through a crossbar switch. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 to 6 , which are schematic appearance view, exploded view and system architecture view showing a specific embodiment of the dedicated reader of the composite memory card of the present invention, respectively, the dedicated reader of the composite memory card is still explained. The dedicated reader  30  has a shell  300  and a slot  301 , in which the slot  301  integrates with the shell  300 , and the structure thereof coordinates to be plugged by the composite memory card  10  accordingly controlled to operate in the 1-bit data transfer mode to start the audio processing function. The dedicated reader  30  coordinates to broadcast the voice output signal, and receive and record the external voice to form the voice output signal. The dedicated reader  30 , coordinating to implement the audio broadcast and the receiving and recording function, has a transmission interface  31 , a control module  32 , an audio function module  34  and an operation module  33 . 
     The transmission interface  31  is installed within the slot  301  for connecting with the communication interface  11  of the composite memory card  10 , to be electrically coupled to the control pin  110  and the data pins  11   a,    11   b,    11   c  and  11   d.  The control module  32  is used for producing and outputting an enabled signal applying to starting the composite memory card  10  to operate in the 1-bit data transfer mode. 
     By the way, the identification of the enabled signal of the dedicated reader  30  can be applied to the digital content security. The composite memory card  10 , only under the condition of detecting the enabled signal, authorizes to read the internal file streaming, and general readers cannot read the digital audio content within the composite memory card  10 . 
     The transmission interface  31  couples to the control module  32 , inputs the enabled signal to the control pin  110  of the composite memory card  10 , and links with the composite memory card  10  through the four data pins  11   a,    11   b,    11   c  and  11   d,  to transmit the 1-bit format data signal, the pair of the voice output signals and the voice input signal. The audio function module  34  includes a broadcast unit  341  and a radio unit  342 , in which the broadcast unit  341  and the radio unit  342  are speaker and microphone, respectively, and the audio function module  34  is controlled by the control module  32 , through the broadcast unit  341  broadcasting the pair of the voice output signals and the radio unit  342  receiving and recording the external voice, to form the voice input signal. The operation module  33  integrates with the shell  300 , and couples with the control module  32 , to accept the external operations for further producing an operation signal transmitted to the control module  32 . The operation module  33  is an operation component, such as switch, button, key, touchpad, etc, and the control module  32  controls the audio playback volume and audio types, according to the operation signal. 
     In the embodiment, the dedicated reader  30  further includes a display module  35 , which is integrated with the shell  300 , couples to the control module  32 , and displays under the control of the control module  32  to assist users to operate the device. The display module  35  is a light-emitting component or monitor, such as light-emitting diode. The dedicated reader  30  further includes a transmission module  36 , which is integrated with the shell  300 , and couples to the control module  32 , for indirectly or directly coupling to an external system (such as computer), to further read out and write in the composite memory card  10  through the external system. The transmission module  36  includes an Universal Serial Bus (USB) transmission port and/or a Firewire (IEEE 1394) transmission port. 
     In another embodiment, dedicated reader  30  includes an image processing module and an image capture device installed at the shell  300 , to capture the external image, which is processed by the image processing module to a data signal, and controlled by the control module  32  to import to the memory module  15  of the composite memory card  10  for storage. 
     In still another embodiment, the dedicated reader  30  includes an image processing module and a display panel, wherein the control module  32  reads an AV file stored in the memory module  15  of the composite memory card  10 , which is processed by the image processing module, and then displayed by the monitor. 
     The control module  32  adopts a proper microcontroller designing internal firmware to implement the specific function thereof. The individual modules of the dedicated reader  30  are integrated to a circuit board assembly  302  and the equipped slot  301 , display panel  303 , audio functional component  304  and transmission port  305 , to be installed at the specific locations of the shell  300 , in which the audio functional component  304  integrates with the broadcast unit  341  and the radio unit  342 . Furthermore, the dedicated reader  30  further includes a power module to be installed with rechargeable batteries or ordinary batteries to provide the internal operation power, and to power the composite memory card  10  through the communication interface  11 . We can flexibly arrange the various additional functions for the dedicated reader  30 , according to the client operating fitness and performance requirements, with the control firmware design to achieve device anticipate function. 
     From the above, the composite memory card of the present invention combines the standard memory card and the audio processing function, which will expand the application level of the memory card, and improve the convenience of the client through the dedicated reader broadcasting, receiving and recording the audio, in addition, the dedicated reader outputs the enabled signal to start the audio processing function of the composite memory card, which can be applied to device recognition and certification to achieve the data security function. 
     The above-mentioned are detailed explanations and drawings of specific embodiments of the present invention, which are not used for limiting the present invention, the scope of the present invention falls within the following claims, and the changes and modifications easily understood by every skilled in the art are covered within the scope of the present invention.