Source: http://www.freepatentsonline.com/y2005/0006484.html
Timestamp: 2018-06-21 10:50:12
Document Index: 673563943

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 2000', 'arts 30', 'art 30', 'art 31', 'art 31', 'art 30', 'art 31', 'art 30', 'art 30', 'art 30']

IC card with radio interface function, antenna module and data processing apparatus using the IC card - Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
United States Patent Application 20050006484
10/911523
B42D25/305; G06F3/00; G06K7/10; G06K17/00; G06K19/07; G06K19/077; H01Q1/08; H01Q1/22; H01Q1/24; H01Q9/42; H01R13/633; H04B1/38; (IPC1-7): G06K19/06
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13. An IC card for insertion into a card slot of a host device, comprising: a radio frequency circuit; a flash memory chip; a controller chip, being separate from the flash memory chip, configured to control access to the flash memory chip and to control the radio frequency circuit; and a connector connected to the radio frequency circuit and attachable to and detachable from an antenna located outside the IC card, wherein the radio frequency circuit is detached from the antenna if the IC card is removed from the card slot.
14. The IC card according to claim 13, wherein the controller chip is capable of providing a security data access control.
15. The IC card according to claim 14, wherein the security data access control involves a personal identification.
16. The IC card according to claim 15, wherein the personal identification uses an identification data stored in the IC card.
17. The IC card according to claim 16, wherein the controller chip includes an SD card interface.
This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-000486, filed. Jan. 5, 2000, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an SD memory card 10c and an antenna module 12 employed in a second embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an SD memory card 10d and an antenna module 12a employed in a third embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating an SD memory card 10e and a Bluetooth function expansion module 50 employed in a sixth embodiment of the invention.
The controller LSI 21 executes base band control (radio interface control) on Bluetooth and interface control on the SD memory card, and is connected to the RE circuit 20, the flash memory 22 and signal pins. The controller LSI 21 contains, as shown in FIG. 2, an MPU (RISC) 21a, a ROM 21b storing control programs, a link controller 21c for controlling the lowest protocol of Bluetooth, an SRAM 21d used as a work buffer memory, a memory interface 21e for the flash memory 22, an SD card interface 21f for a plurality of signal pins, and other devices 21g.
The ROM 21b stores a Bluetooth protocol control program, an SD card interface control program, etc. The MPU 21a executes the programs stored in the ROM 21b to thereby execute Bluetooth upper protocol control (Link Manager control, HCI control), interface control on the SD memory card (security data access control, memory access control on the flash memory 22). The security data access control is performed for operating a copyright protection technique called “Personal Identification” and provided in the SD memory card and also in an apparatus (host apparatus) that can use the SD memory card. In the security data access control, when reading data (contents) stored in an SD memory card or writing data into the SD memory card, ID (Identification Data) prestored in the SD memory card in its manufacturing stage is transmitted between the SD memory card and the host apparatus through encryption using key data items provided in both the SD memory card and the host apparatus, thereby managing the copying history of the contents and preventing their unlimited copying.
In the structure shown in FIG. 2, the MPU 21a executes protocol control on Bluetooth and interface control on the flash memory 22. When installing a radio interface function based on Bluetooth in the SD memory card 10, it is necessary to employ a controller LSI for executing Bluetooth protocol control and a controller LSI for executing SD memory card interface control, which means that two MPUs are required. On the other hand, in the first embodiment, the single MPU 21a is used for Bluetooth protocol control and SD memory card interface control (security data access control, memory access control). In other words, it is sufficient if only one controller LSI 21 is used, which is advantageous in mounting component parts in the SD memory card 10.
FIG. 3 shows a modification of the SD memory card 10 of FIG. 2. An SD memory card 10b shown in FIG. 3 does not have the flash memory 22 shown in FIG. 2.
The SD memory card 10 of FIG. 2 can also function as a usual SD memory card, while the SD memory card 10b of FIG. 3 is used as an I/O (Input/Output) card dedicated to the radio interface function.
An SD memory card 10c according to a second embodiment will be described.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating the SD memory card 10c and an antenna module 12 employed in the second embodiment. The SD memory card 10c of the second embodiment differs in the antenna mounting structure from the SD memory card 10 of the first embodiment (shown in FIG. 2 or 3). As shown in FIG. 4, an antenna A27 is provided in the SD memory card 10c along the side of the card on which no signal pins are provided, and is connected to an RF circuit 20. The antenna module 12 can be attached to the SD memory card 10c as in the first embodiment (a connector for attachment is not shown in FIG. 4). When the antenna module 12 is attached to the SD memory card 10c, an antenna B28 for Bluetooth provided in the antenna module 12 is connected to the RF circuit 20 via an antenna connector. The other structural elements are similar to those employed in the first embodiment (FIG. 2), and hence not described.
Provision of the antenna A27 in the SD memory card 10c as shown in FIG. 4 enables the card 10c to have a radio interface function without the antenna module 12.
When, for example, highly efficient transmission/reception of radio waves is not required, i.e. when short-distance radio communication is executed between a mouse as the host apparatus of the SD memory card 10c and a personal computer using the mouse, the SD memory card 10c can be used with the antenna module 12 detached therefrom. Since in this state, there is nothing projecting (i.e. the antenna module 12) from the casing of the host apparatus, the host apparatus can be handled more easily.
On the other hand, when executing radio communication with a device located at a distance from the SD memory card 10c, the card 10c is used with the antenna module 12 attached thereto. As a result, the transmission/reception efficiency of radio waves is enhanced, and a necessary communication distance can be secured.
Thus, the SD memory card 10c can be used as a radio communication interface card both when the antenna module 12 is attached thereto and when it is detached therefrom. Accordingly, the single SD memory card 10c can be used for various purposes. In other words, the card 10c is very versatile.
An SD memory card 10d according to a third embodiment will be described.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating the SD memory card 10d and an antenna module 12a employed in the third embodiment. The antenna module 12a of the third embodiment has, in addition to the antenna B28 employed in the second embodiment (FIG. 4), an external RF amplifier 29 that serves as part of a high frequency circuit (high frequency amplifier).
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the antenna module 12a contains the internal antenna B28 for Bluetooth, and the external RF amplifier 29. When the antenna module 12a is attached to the SD memory card 10d, the antenna B28 is connected to the RF circuit 20 of the card 10d via the external RF amplifier 29 and an antenna connector. The other structural elements are similar to those employed in the first embodiment (FIG. 2), and hence not described.
Accordingly, the attachment of the antenna module 12a to the SD memory card 10d increases the ability to perform radio communication as compared with the second embodiment.
In the first to third embodiments, the external antenna module 12 (12a) is attached to the SD memory card 10 (10c, 10d). In this structure, the antenna module 12 projects from the SD memory card 10, and hence makes it slightly difficult to handle the card 10. In the fourth embodiment, no antenna is directly attached to the SD memory card 10, but an antenna installed in an eject lever incorporated in a data processing apparatus (host apparatus) is used.
FIGS. 6A-6D are schematic views of the fourth embodiment of the invention, showing a card slot formed in a data processing apparatus (host apparatus), in which the SD memory card 10 can be inserted. As shown in FIG. 6A, the card slot has an eject mechanism formed of eject lever component parts 30 and 31 for ejecting the inserted SD memory card 10. The eject lever component part 30 extends in the card slot in a direction of insertion of the SD memory card 10, and has a distal end portion thereof protruding from the casing surface of the host apparatus, and a proximal end portion thereof coupled to the eject lever component part 31. The eject lever component part 31 extends in the card slot along the inner end (the signal pin side) of the SD memory card 10 when the card 10 is inserted in the slot. When the distal end portion of the eject lever component part 30 is pushed toward the interior of the host apparatus casing 38 (eject operation),.the eject lever component part 31 swings about the fulcrum in a direction indicated by the arrow (in a direction of ejection), thereby ejecting, from the casing 38, the SD memory card 10 connected to an SD memory card connector 35. The eject lever component part 30 has an antenna 34 for Bluetooth contained in the portion protruding from the host apparatus casing 38, and an antenna terminal 37 provided on a side portion thereof that touches the SD memory card 10 when the card 10 is inserted in the slot. The antenna terminal 37 is connected to the antenna 34. The entire antenna 34 does not have to extend along the portion of the eject lever component part 30, which protrudes from the host apparatus casing 38, but part of the antenna may extend along the protruding portion.
The SD memory card 10 used in the fourth embodiment has an antenna terminal (antenna connecting terminal) 10a provided on a side portion thereof that touches the antenna terminal 37 of the eject lever component part 30 when the SD memory card 10 is inserted in the card slot. The internal structure of the SD memory card 10 is similar to that of the first to third embodiments, and the antenna terminal 10a is connected to the RF circuit 20 in the card.
Further, in the fifth embodiment, an antenna terminal (antenna connecting terminal) 10a is provided on the side surface portion of the SD memory card 10, which touches the antenna terminal 42 of the card slot when the SD memory card 10 is inserted in the card slot. The internal structure of the SD memory card 10 is similar to that of the first to third embodiments, and the antenna terminal 10a is connected to the RF circuit 20 in the card.
In the fourth and fifth embodiments, the antenna terminal 10a to be connected to the antenna is provided on the SD memory card 10. However, if one of the signal pins provided in the SD memory card 10 can be used for antenna connection, the embodiments can be modified such that the host-apparatus-side antenna 34 or 40 is connected to the SD memory card 10 via the SD card memory connector 35.
In the sixth embodiment, an SD memory card 10e has only a usual SD memory card function, and a Bluetooth function expansion module 50 (an IC card having a radio interface function) is further employed which has a main structure for realizing the Bluetooth function. FIG. 8 illustrates the SD memory card 10e and the Bluetooth function expansion module 50 employed in the sixth embodiment.
The SD memory card 10e shown in FIG. 8 serves as a usual SD memory card when only the card 10e itself is used, and contains a controller LSI 51 and a flash memory 52. The controller LSI 51 includes an MPU 51a, a ROM 51b, an SD-BT interface 51c, an SRAM 51d, a memory interface 51e, and an SD card interface 51f. The controller LSI 51 includes elements similar to those of the controller LSI 21 of FIG. 2, except that it does not include the SD-BT interface 51c and a communication interface function. Accordingly, no detailed description will be given of the controller LSI 21. The SD-BT interface 51c is provided for connecting the SD memory card 10e to the Bluetooth function expansion module 50, using a connector 54.
The Bluetooth function expansion module 50 is an IC card having a radio interface function, and contains an RF circuit 20, a Bluetooth base band LSI 56, and an antenna 58. The Bluetooth base band LSI 56 is provided for executing Bluetooth base band control, and includes an MPU (RISC) 56a, a ROM 56b storing a base band control program, a link controller 56c for controlling the lowest protocol of Bluetooth, an SRAM 56d used as a work buffer memory, other devices 56e, an SD-BT interface 56f for the memory card 10e, etc. The Bluetooth base band LSI 56 is similar to the controller LSI 21 shown in FIG. 2, except that it includes the SD-BT interface 56f and does not have a memory interface function. Therefore, no detailed description will be given of the LSI 56. The SD-BT interface 56f is provided for connecting the module 50 to the SD memory card 10e via the connector 54.
The Bluetooth base band LSI 56 is connected to the RF circuit 20 via the link controller 56c. The RF circuit 20 is connected to the antenna 58 contained in the Bluetooth function expansion module 50.
Thus, the SD memory card 10e can usually be used as a general SD memory card device, and can additionally have a communication interface function when it is connected to the Bluetooth function expansion module 50 that contains the antenna 58, the RF circuit 20 and the Bluetooth base band LSI 56.
The above structure enables easy mounting of component parts in the SD memory card 10e, and enables the use of the card 10e as an SD memory card having a radio interface function by connecting thereto the Bluetooth function expansion module 50.
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