Patent ID: 7325236

Claim:
An electronic device adapted to be detachably mounted to main equipment for providing optional data to the main equipment and permitting optional functions to be executed, the electronic device comprising: a data memory unit including a plurality of address spaces; software data stored in the data memory unit, the software data including a plurality of portions stored at respective storage addresses of the address spaces, each portion containing driver data corresponding to a specific computer environment selected from a plurality of different specific computer operating environments, for permitting execution of a respective one of a plurality of separately selectable functions in accordance with the specific computer operating environment of a main equipment selected from a plurality of main equipments, the storage addresses corresponding to keywords identifying the plurality of functions being stored at leaders of the address spaces, each main equipment being operable in accordance with a respective one of the plurality of different specific computer operating environments; an interface unit in form of a memory card interface for transfer of data from the electronic device to the selected main equipment and from the selected main equipment to the electronic device; and an output unit operable, upon mounting the electronic device to the selected main equipment and selecting a first function from among said plurality of separately selectable functions, to output a first portion of said portions of the software data containing said driver data for said selected first function and corresponding to said selected specific computer operating environment from the data memory unit to the selected main equipment through said interface unit for installation of said driver data in the selected main equipment to permit said selected first function to be executed using the electronic device while the electronic device is mounted to the selected main equipment, and upon mounting the electronic device to the selected main equipment and selecting a second function from among said plurality of separately selectable functions, to output a second portion of said portions of the software data containing said driver data for said selected second function and corresponding to said selected specific computer operating environment from the data memory unit to the selected main equipment through said interface unit for installation of said driver data in the selected main equipment to permit said selected second function to be executed using the electronic device while the electronic device is mounted to the selected main equipment.