Patent ID: 7613857

Claim:
A memory device comprising: a built-in memory array; a first connector configured to connect to (i) a removable memory device comprising a memory array and a memory controller and (ii) a removable memory device comprising a memory array without a memory controller; a second connector configured to connect to a host device; and circuitry operative to determine if a removable memory device connected to the first connector comprises a memory controller; wherein the circuitry is further operative to control read/write operations to the removable memory device's memory array if the circuitry determines that the removable memory device does not comprise a memory controller; wherein when a connected removable memory device does not comprise a memory controller, the memory device functions as a hybrid memory device to transfer data between the built-in memory array in the memory device and the memory array in the removable memory device, and wherein when a connected removable memory device comprises a memory controller, the memory device functions as an adapter for the removable memory device with the memory device acting as a passive pass-through between the host device and the removable memory device.