Patent ID: 8341307

Claim:
A semiconductor storage device capable of operating in a plurality of operation modes including different maximum current consumptions, the device comprising: a data communication section configured to be capable of performing data communication with an external electronic device in a plurality of communication modes and in a plurality of operation modes; an attribute information storage section configured to store attribute information that indicates the plurality of operation modes supported by the semiconductor storage device; and a mode setting section configured to set the semiconductor storage device to one of the plurality of operation modes, circuitry for setting an initial operation mode; wherein said data communication section transmits, to an external electronic device to which the semiconductor storage device is attached, attribute information read from said attribute information storage section while operating in the initial operation mode, and receives from the external electronic device a mode setting command for directing that the semiconductor storage device operate in a selected operation mode selected from among the plurality of operation modes indicated as supported by the attribute information, and wherein, in accordance with the mode setting command received by said data communication section, said mode setting section sets the semiconductor storage device; and wherein a number of active memory portions is changed depending upon the operation mode to which the semiconductor storage device is set and the semiconductor storage device is capable of operating in an arbitrary operating mode, and further wherein the external electronic device selectively supplies an electronic current corresponding to a data rate and/or a data transfer format based on information transferred from the semiconductor storage device, the information that is transferred from the semiconductor storage device including information for a plurality of communication modes and a plurality of operation modes and the supplied current being determined by a combination of a selected communication mode and a selected operation mode.