Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
  • G11C—STATIC STORES
  • G11C16/00—Erasable programmable read-only memories
  • G11C16/02—Erasable programmable read-only memories electrically programmable
  • G11C16/06—Auxiliary circuits, e.g. for writing into memory
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • H05K—PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
  • H05K5/00—Casings, cabinets or drawers for electric apparatus
  • H05K5/02—Details
  • H05K5/0256—Details of interchangeable modules or receptacles therefor, e.g. cartridge mechanisms
  • H05K5/026—Details of interchangeable modules or receptacles therefor, e.g. cartridge mechanisms having standardized interfaces
  • H05K5/0278—Details of interchangeable modules or receptacles therefor, e.g. cartridge mechanisms having standardized interfaces of USB type

Definitions

• the present invention relates to consumer electronic devices and how they can be of higher value to consumers through the use of industrial designs. All patents, patent applications, articles, other documents and things referenced herein are hereby incorporated herein in their entirety for all purposes.
• USB flash drive is a small flash memory based storage device having a connector according to the Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard that may be plugged into the USB port of a personal computer (PC) and serve as a removable storage means.
• USB Universal Serial Bus
• PC personal computer
• This product was introduced in about 2000, and has since caught on in the world, being sold by many vendors (some references count over 100 vendors or manufacturers), and in 2004 projected at over 40 million units worldwide.
• An example is a line of flash drives sold by SanDisk Corporation, assignee hereof, under its trademark Cruzer.
• Flash USB drive is a personal article, and is small enough to fit into a pocket or a purse, it makes sense to try to make it more appealing by offering people a large variety of shapes, sizes, colors, designs, and logos to choose from, very similar to eyeglasses or shoes.
• a flash memory card is flash memory commonly encapsulated in a thin, rectangle-like card-shaped plastic shell, which gives the notion of a card, and gives it its name.
• flash memory cards are those sold by SanDisk Corporation and others under trademarks and names Secure Digital (SD), mini SD, Trans Flash (T- Flash), extreme Digital (xD), Compact Flash (CF), Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, Memory Stick Duo, Smart Media, Multi Media Card (MMC).
• SD Secure Digital
• T- Flash Trans Flash
• CF Compact Flash
• Memory Stick Memory Stick Pro
• MMC Smart Media, Multi Media Card
• a flash memory card may be composed of a controller in addition to the flash memory.
• a flash memory card has an external interface to communicate with a host computing device, such as a computer, a digital camera, PDA or the like, for transfer of data to be stored on or retrieved from the flash memory.
• the electrical interface and logical protocol interface of the card to the host computing device is a property of the card.
• Flash Cards such as Secure Digital (SD) or Trans-Flash (T-Flash) cannot directly connect to a USB connector as their interface has different electrical and/or protocol properties, and their controller interfaces according to an SD or T-Flash protocol.
• additional electronic components for example at least a USB controller, that translates the SD protocol into the USB protocol.
• An example is the flash card reader available from a number of manufacturers. The additional electronic components are located in the flash card reader and contribute to its manufacturing cost in such a way that the margins are low as with other consumer electronic devices. Thus the possible use of a flash card reader as a fashion element is also not economic.
• a USB flash drive commonly comprises the following components: Flash memory, a controller, USB connector, and an industrial design shelling.
• the first two components account for most of the manufacturing costs (sometimes more than 90%) of the flash drive.
• the shell and USB connector account for a very small percentage of the total manufacturing cost. If the manufacturing process is modified to provide the first two components (flash memory and controller) as one product, preferably in as a single enclosed unit, and the second two components (connector and design shell) as a second, add-on product, then there is more room for a fashion line of USB drives. Many versions of the second product are manufactured with a variety of aesthetic designs.
• FIG.l is an example of existing art - a USB flash drive.
• FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of the components of a common exemplary embodiment of a USB flash drive.
• FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of functional component of an exemplary embodiment of a Fashion USB flash drive.
• FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of fashion component of an exemplary embodiment of a Fashion USB flash drive.
• FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a fashion USB flash drive including a functional component and a fashion component. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
• FIG. 1 is an example of existing art - a USB flash drive.
• the functional components including flash memory and a memory controller formed on one or more integrated circuits, are embedded within the industrial design, also referred to herein as the "fashion component," and the manufacturing process churns out unified units, which cannot be readily disassembled by the user, and are not intended for disassembly in normal use.
• the USB flash drive of FIG. 1 includes a body 101 containing the integrated circuit(s) enclosed in a metal case that also extends beyond the body to form a USB plug 103.
• a plastic cover 105 is fit over the body portion with a trademark of the product and information of its characteristics.
• FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a common embodiment of a USB flash drive.
• the components comprise at least a flash memory 201, a controller 202, USB connector 203, and shell 204.
• the controller 202 can interface with at least the USB connector 203 and the flash memory 201.
• FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of the functional component of an exemplary embodiment of a fashion USB flash drive 300.
• the elements of the functional component comprise a flash memory 301, a controller 302 and electrical connectors 303.
• the electrical connectors 303 are used for interfacing to at least a USB connector and are able to drive at least the USB protocol.
• the elements of the functional component are placed on a PCB (PC Board).
• the elements of the functional component are packaged in some shell.
• the elements are packaged in a rectangle-like card- shaped shell.
• the elements are packaged in a shell that may be used for flash cards such as those sold under one of the trademarks or names Secure Digital (SD), mini SD, T-Flash, extreme Digital (xD), Compact Hash (CF), Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, Memory Stick Duo, Smart Media, Multi Media Card (MMC), SIM card and the like; this invention is not so limited.
• SD Secure Digital
• mini SD mini SD
• T-Flash extreme Digital
• CF Compact Hash
• Memory Stick Memory Stick Pro
• Memory Stick Duo Smart Media
• MMC Multi Media Card
• the elements are interconnected in some other manner; this invention is not so limited.
• FIG 4. is a schematic block diagram of the fashion component 400 of an exemplary embodiment of a fashion USB flash drive, including a shell 401, a functional component housing 402, a USB connector 403, and electrical connectors 404.
• Housing 402 serves as housing for the functional component of a fashion USB flash drive 300.
• Electrical connectors 404 serve to send and receive electrical signals from electrical connectors 303 to the USB connector 403.
• housing 402 is a cavity within shell 401, this invention is not so limited.
• FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a fashion USB flash drive.
• the fashion USB flash drive 500 is comprised of a functional component 300, and a fashion component 400.
• the functional component 300 may be combined into a flash card with a particular interface protocol such as T-Flash interface.
• the electrical connectors 303 in this case may serve a dual purpose. When functioning as a stand ⁇ alone T-Flash flash card, the electrical connectors 303 adhere to the T-Flash protocol; when functioning inside fashion component 400 as a fashion USB flash drive 500, at least part of the electrical connectors adhere to the USB protocol.
• the controller 302 inside the flash card can identify the electrical voltages and signals it receives upon first interaction with a host device, or identify some mechanical aspect of the card and accordingly choose by which protocol to behave. There is no need for an additional electrical element, such as a controller, in fashion component 400, only electrical connectors 404 to send and receive signals from functional component 300 to the USB connector 403.
• the functional component 300 may be a combined with a flash card such as one sold under one of the trademarks or names Secure Digital (SD), mini SD, extreme Digital (xD), Trans Flash (T-flash), Compact Flash (CF), Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, Memory Stick Duo, Smart Media, Multi Media Card (MMC), or combined with a SIM card with the SIM card interface, and the likes; this invention is not so limited.
• SD Secure Digital
• mini SD extreme Digital
• xD Trans Flash
• CF Compact Flash
• Memory Stick Memory Stick Pro
• Memory Stick Duo Smart Media
• MMC Multi Media Card
• the fashion USB flash drive is sold to consumers with the functional component housed within the fashion component.
• An advantage to the manufacturer is that if purchasers do not like a particular fashion component, namely a specific industrial design or outer appearance, and return the product for that reason, the functional components can be retrieved and reused by placing them within other fashion components that look different. Since most of the manufacturing cost of the returned items is in their functional components, their reuse saves the manufacturer a substantial amount of money. The manufacturer may need to discard the fashion components of returned products but their low manufacturing cost relative to that of the functional component makes this feasible.
• the functional component and the fashion component are sold separately; this invention is not so limited.
• end users purchase products at a retail store or over the Internet, for example, they may therefore select among a number of fashion components having different appearances that appeal to them.
• One of the available fashion components is then combined with one of the standard functional components that are all alike.
• a new fashion component having a different appearance may be purchased at a relatively low cost. In some embodiments, therefore, a consumer may purchase additional fashion components for an existing functional component.
• a consumer may customize his or her fashion component through an online or phone ordering mechanism that relays the customization information to the manufacturing plant.
• the fashion consumer electronic device is an MP3 player. In some embodiments, the fashion consumer electronic device is a multimedia player. In some embodiments, the fashion consumer electronic device is a PDA. In some embodiments, the fashion consumer electronic device is a smartphone. In some embodiments, the fashion consumer electronic device is an ebook reading device. This invention is not so limited.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
• Credit Cards Or The Like (AREA)
• Coupling Device And Connection With Printed Circuit (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=36072230

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Families Citing this family (3)

Family Cites Families (4)

• 2005
  • 2005-11-18 EP EP05851979A patent/EP1815478A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2005-11-18 WO PCT/US2005/042270 patent/WO2006057991A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2005-11-22 TW TW094141023A patent/TW200636735A/zh unknown

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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