WO2009066870A1

WO2009066870A1 - Usb memory device

Info

Publication number: WO2009066870A1
Application number: PCT/KR2008/005955
Authority: WO
Inventors: Youngwoog Kang
Original assignee: Sisorus Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2007-11-23
Filing date: 2008-10-11
Publication date: 2009-05-28
Also published as: KR100865568B1; TW200923667A

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) memory device. The USB memory device capable of connecting to a car audio player, a typical audio/video player, or a computer and playing back music or images includes a USB port for enabling USB communications with a playback device such as a car audio player, a typical audio/video player or a computer, a plurality of divided memory areas, and one or more switches for selecting one memory area from among the plurality of memory areas and activating the selected memory area. One memory area is selected by the switch and only the selected memory area is recognized as memory by the playback device. As a result, memory areas can be selected in a memory device itself and only one memory area selected from among a plurality of memory areas is recognized as memory by a playback device such as a car audio player, a typical audio or video player or a computer, so that the advantage of preventing unnecessary memory or memory areas from being displayed while providing secrecy for unselected memory areas is achieved.

Description

Description USB MEMORY DEVICE

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates generally to a Universal Serial Bus (USB) memory device, and more particularly to a USB memory device that enables one memory area to be selected from among the divided memory areas of external memory, including a Secure Digital (SD) memory card, the divided memory areas of internal memory or memory areas, that is, memories themselves, and enables the selected memory area to be recognized by a playback device. Background Art

[2] Generally, a memory device is storage means for storing in an electronic manner instructions and data that are required for an electronic device (for example, a computer, a communication device, a broadcasting device, an educational device or an entertainment device, including at least one electronic part), configured to include at least one electronic part and to perform a specific electronic function, to perform its intrinsic function, or that are required for a processor, provided in a certain electronic part capable of performing an independent function, to perform its intrinsic function.

[3] There are many types of memory devices. However, among these memory devices,

USB memory devices that can easily store necessary data, are easy to move and are convenient to carry are widely used currently.

[4] With the development of technology, a USB memory device can be manufactured to have high storage capacity, the area of the internal or external memory thereof may be divided to suit a user's convenience, various functions including music playback, image playback, voice recording, the storage of images such as photos, and data storage are enabled, and data acquired for respective functions may be stored in respective areas or the same memory area.

[5] Such a conventional USB memory device includes a USB port configured to be connected to the port of a playback device such as a car audio player, a typical audio player or a computer, and internal memory configured to be recognized through the USB port by a car audio player, a typical audio player, a computer or the like.

[6] In such memory (for example, flash memory, SD memory, Compact Flash (CF) memory, or some other type of memory), there exist one or more divided memory areas.

[7] Here, "memory" refers to a unit displayed in the form of "F: removable disc" or the like, for example, on a typical computer, and "one or more memory areas" refer to one or more variable or fixed-type divided storage spaces for storing data. In such memory areas, various types of data such as audio files and video files are stored. The distinction between the term "memory" and the term "memory area" is used in the following description in the same manner.

[8] When the USB port of a USB memory device is connected to the port of a playback device, all the divided memory areas of memory are recognized, a memory area is selected through an interface provided in the playback device, and many processes for the playback of a specific file, such as the selection of data, are performed.

[9] However, when a USB memory device is connected to a playback device as described above, the USB memory device is uniformly recognized as a piece of memory. At this time, all memory areas are displayed through the playback device regardless of the number of memory areas, so that there is the difficulty of keeping them secret, and there exists inconvenience in that even unnecessary as well as necessary memory areas are displayed depending on the occasion.

[10] Furthermore, in a process reaching the playback of a file through an interface contained in a playback device, a process of selecting a necessary memory area is performed due to the fact that a memory device is recognized as a piece of memory and then all the memory areas of the memory device are displayed, so that it has been proposed that such a display of all the memory areas is unnecessary.

[11] Furthermore, in the case where a sufficiently convenient interface is provided in a playback device, it is possible to select a memory area. However, in particular, in the case where there is provided an interface limited to the playback of specific files as in a car audio player, a typical audio player, a video player or the like, data other than data targeted for playback is all displayed, which causes the problem of revealing unnecessa ry data.

Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[12] Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a USB memory device which enables one memory area to be selected from among a plurality of divided memory areas by one or more switches provided in the USB memory device, only the selected memory area is recognized as memory by a playback device, and unselected memory areas are not displayed on the playback device, thereby easily keeping the unselected memory areas secret.

[13] Another object of the present invention is to provide a USB memory device which, in the case where a playback device is provided with a limited function, that is, a function limited only to the playback of music or images (video) and a memory area in which music or image-related data has been stored is selected by one or more switches, allows the selected memory area to be recognized by an audio or video playback device, so that a process of searching all the memory areas for the music-related or image-related data in the audio or video playback device can be eliminated, thereby reducing the presently required searching time. Technical Solution

[14] In order to overcome the above-described problems, the present invention provides a

USB memory device including a USB port, a plurality of divided memory areas, and one or more switches exposed from an outer side thereof and configured to output a signal for selecting one memory area from among the plurality of divided memory areas. The USB memory device may further include a switching unit for selecting the memory area in response to the signal from the switches.

[15] In order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a USB memory device which is connected to a playback device for playing back music, images, or the like, such as a car audio player, a typical audio player, a DVD player, a navigation system or a computer, including a USB port for enabling USB communications with the playback device; a plurality of divided memory areas; and one or more switches for enabling the selection of one memory area from among the plurality of divided memory areas and enabling the operation of the selected memory area, wherein the one memory area is selected by the switches and only the selected memory area is recognized as memory by the playback device.

[16] In order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a USB memory device including a USB port for enabling USB communications; a plurality of divided memory areas formed by dividing the storage space of high-capacity memory or formed of a plurality of small-sized memories; one or more switches for enabling the selection of one memory area from among the plurality of divided memory areas and enabling the operation of the selected memory area; and a switching unit including a controller configured to receive a signal from the switches, a connection terminal connected to the USB port configured to be activated by the controller, and connection terminals connected to the memory areas, wherein the switching unit selects one memory area through the activation of the switches and only the selected memory area is recognized as memory by a playback device connected via USB communications.

[17] The memory areas are formed by dividing a single high-capacity memory, or are formed of a plurality of individual small-sized memories.

[18] Furthermore, in the USB memory device, the switches enable one memory area to be selected by the activation thereof. In detail, this operation is implemented by including a switching unit.

[19] An embodiment of the switching unit includes a controller configured to receive a signal from the switches, a connection terminal connected to a USB port configured to be activated by the controller, and connection terminals connected to respective memory areas, wherein the connection and release between the connecting terminals in order to select one memory area is performed by the activation of the connection terminal through the controller.

[20] Furthermore, another embodiment of the switching unit includes a controller such as a microcomputer for receiving a signal from the switches, wherein one memory area is selected by the microcomputer from among a plurality of divided memory areas located in a memory.

[21] Meanwhile, the memory areas are spaces for storing files. In the case where a single high-capacity memory is contained in the USB memory device, each of the divided storage spaces of the memory may be a memory area. In the case where a plurality of small-sized memories are contained in the USB memory device, the entire small-sized memory may be a memory area.

[22] Accordingly, in the case of high-capacity memory, the selection of one memory area using the switches refers to the selection of one storage space from among a plurality of divided storage spaces. In the case of a plurality of small-sized memories, the selection of one memory area refers to the selection of one memory from among the plurality of small-sized memories.

[23] Therefore, hereinafter, the "selection of a memory area" refers to the selection of either a single storage space or a single piece of memory.

[24] Furthermore, as described above, "memory" refers to a unit displayed in the form of

"F: removable disc" or the like on a typical computer, and "memory area" refers to one storage space or each of a plurality of divided areas in a fixed or a varied form in memory. In the following description, the distinction between the terms "memory" and "memory area" is used in the same manner.

[25] Identical or similar files are classified as music files, lecture files, moving picture files, voice recording files, data files or the like and are then stored in each of the memory areas, and a playback device can access and play back only one memory area selected from among the memory areas by the switches.

[26] In an embodiment of the switches disposed in the USB memory device and configured to select one from among the memory areas, a plurality of switches corresponding to respective memory areas are disposed, and one memory area corresponding to one switch is selected from among the switches in sequence by the selective activation of the one selected switch.

[27] Furthermore, in another embodiment of the switches, one switch is provided, and one memory area is selected from among a plurality of memory areas by the repeated activation of the switch. In this case, when one memory area is selected, the previous selection of a memory area is released.

[28] Moreover, in yet another embodiment of the switches, forward and reverse switches are provided, and each memory area is selected from among the switches in a forward or a reverse sequence by the selection of one switch from among the switches and the activation of the switch. When one memory area is selected, the previous selection of the memory area is released.

[29] Here, the USB memory device may further include a display for enabling a user to identify a selected memory area. The display may include a digital numerical display in order to display a number assigned to each memory area on the outer side of the USB memory device, or may include small light bulbs that are disposed to correspond to the respective memory areas and are turned on only for a selected memory area. It is apparent that the bulbs include Light Emission Diodes (LED)s.

[30] Meanwhile, the first embodiment of the switching unit will be described in detail below. In the case of a memory area formed of a plurality of small-sized memories, the switching unit may include a controller configured to receive a signal from switches, a first connection terminal connected to a USB port through the controller, and a plurality of second connection terminals connected to corresponding memory areas. In this case, when one switch is selected from among a plurality of switches and is then activated or one switch is repeatedly activated, connection and release are performed by the activation of the first connection terminal and the second connection terminals under the control of the controller. In the case where the first connection terminal is connected to one second connection terminal, the connection between some other second connection terminal and the first connection terminal is released.

[31] Furthermore, the second embodiment of the switching unit will be described in detail below. In the case where a memory area is formed of a single high-capacity memory, a controller, such as a microcomputer, configured such that one memory area is selected from among a plurality of divided memory areas by the activation of the switches is included, and the one memory area is selected by the controller when one switch is selected from among a plurality of switches and is then activated or one switch is repeatedly activated.

[32] All types of typical portable memory may be used as the memory available for the

USB memory device according to the present invention. Flash memory, SD memory, CF memory, a hard drive for a computer, or each of other various types of memory may be divided into one memory area or a plurality of memory areas.

Advantageous Effects

[33] According to the present invention constructed as described above, it is possible to select a memory area in a memory device, a process of selecting a memory area is eliminated from a process reaching playback through the interface of a playback device, and a memory area can be easily selected by one or more switches, particularly in a car audio player or some typical audio or video player having a limited interface, so that a process of searching all memory areas for data other than selected data, such as music-related or image-related data, in the audio or video player is eliminated, thereby reducing the presently required search time.

[34] Furthermore, only one memory area selected from among a plurality of memory areas is recognized as memory by a playback device such as a car audio player, a typical audio or video player, or a computer, so that the advantage of preventing unnecessary memory or memory areas from being displayed while providing secrecy for unselected memory areas is achieved. Brief Description of the Drawings

[35] Fig. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a memory device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[36] Fig. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing another embodiment of the memory device of Fig. 1 ;

[37] Fig. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing yet another embodiment of the memory device of Fig. 1 ;

[38] Fig. 4 is a block diagram schematically showing the internal structure of the memory devices shown in Figs. 1 to 3;

[39] Fig. 5 is a block diagram schematically showing another embodiment of the internal structure of Fig. 4;

[40] Fig. 6 is a diagram showing high-capacity memory that is divided into a plurality of memory areas according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

[41] Fig. 7 is a diagram showing a process in which only one memory area selected from among the plurality of memory areas of the high-capacity memory of Fig. 6 is recognized. Mode for the Invention

[42] USB memory devices according to embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings.

[43] Fig. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a USB memory device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing another embodiment of the memory device of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing yet another embodiment of the memory device of Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a block diagram schematically showing the internal structure of the memory devices shown in Figs. 1 to 3, and Fig. 5 is a block diagram schematically showing another embodiment of the internal structure of Fig. 4. [44] First, a USB memory device 100 according to the present invention includes a USB port 110 configured to be connected to a USB-connectable playback device such as a car audio player, a typical audio player, a navigation system, a karaoke system, a mobile phone, or a computer, a plurality of divided memory areas configured to be installed in association with the USB port 110 and store files, and one or more switches 130 configured to select one memory area from among the plurality of divided memory areas. Furthermore, it is preferred that a switching unit 140 for selecting one memory area in response to the activation of the switches 130 be further provided.

[45] As shown in Fig. 1, the USB port 110 is formed to be connected to a port (not shown) provided in a playback device, and the USB memory device 100 is recognized by the playback device through the connection of the USB port 110 to the port of the playback device.

[46] Meanwhile, an embodiment of the switches 130 is configured such that, as shown in

Fig. 1, a plurality of switches 130 that is exposed from an outer surface of the USB memory device 100 and that corresponds to respective memory areas is disposed, and a memory area corresponding to one switch selected from among the plurality of switches is selected when the switch is activated.

[47] Furthermore, another embodiment of the switches 130 is configured such that, as shown in Fig. 2, forward and reverse sequence switches 130 that are exposed from an outer surface of the USB memory device 100 are disposed, and one memory area is selected from among a plurality of memory areas in a forward or reverse sequence when one switch is selected from among the switches and is then activated.

[48] Moreover, yet another embodiment of the switches 130 is configured such that, as shown in Fig. 3, a switch 130 that is exposed from an outer surface of the USB memory device 100 is disposed, and one memory area is selected from among a plurality of memory areas in sequence when the switch 130 is activated.

[49] Meanwhile, each of the memory areas is a standard unit recognized as one memory, the connection of which can be controlled by a playback device such as a car audio player, a typical audio player, or a computer. In the case where a plurality of small- sized memories 120 is contained inside the USB memory device 100 as shown in the embodiment of Fig. 4, the memory area refers to each of the small-sized memories 120, the connection of which can be selected by the switching unit 140. In contrast, in the case where a single high-capacity memory 124 is contained inside the USB memory device 100 as shown in the embodiment of Fig. 5, the memory area refers to each of the divided storage spaces 120a of the high-capacity memory 124, the connection of which can be selected by the switching unit 140.

[50] In Fig. 4, the connection of the divided storage spaces in each of the small-sized memories 120 is not selected by the switching unit 140, so that the storage spaces in the small-sized memory 120 cannot be considered to be the memory areas.

[51] Furthermore, identical or similar types of files are classified as, for example, music files, lecture files, moving image files, recording files, or data files, and are then stored in the each of the memory areas 120 or 120a. Only one memory area 120 or 120a selected from among the memory areas 120 or 120a by the switching unit 140 can be accessed and played.

[52] Accordingly, in the case where the USB memory device 100 is connected to a car audio player or a typical audio player, only one or more memory areas 120 or 120a in which music files are stored can be selectively accessed.

[53] Furthermore, the memory areas 120 or 120a may be classified into variable-type memory areas that can be arbitrarily divided and integrated by a user, and fixed- type memory areas that are determined in advance so it is impossible to make any arbitrary change. The memory having such memory areas 120 or 120a may be interchangeably or non-interchangeably contained in the USB memory device 100. Alternatively, it is possible to connect to external memory through a separately installed port and perform its own function through the switching unit 140.

[54] Meanwhile, the switching unit 140 is included in the USB memory device 100 so as to select one memory area 120 or 120a in response to the activation of the switch 130.

[55] An embodiment of the switching unit 140 is configured to include, in the case where the memory areas 120 are formed of a plurality of small- sized memories 120 as shown in Fig. 4, a controller 142 configured to receive a signal from the switches 130, a first connection terminal 144 connected to the USB port 110 through the controller 142, and a plurality of second connection terminals 146 connected to the respective memory areas 120. When one switch is selected from among the plurality of switches 130 and is then activated, or when the single switch 130 is repeatedly activated, the first connection terminal 144 and the second connection terminals 146 are activated under the control of the controller 142, thereby achieving connection or disconnection. In this case, when the first connection terminal 144 is connected to one second connection terminal 146, the connection between some other second connection terminal 146 and the first connection terminal 144 is released.

[56] Moreover, another embodiment of the switching unit 140 is configured to include, in the case where the memory areas 120a are formed of the single high-capacity memory 124 as shown in Fig. 5, a controller 142 configured to select one memory area 120a from among the plurality of divided memory areas 120a in response to the activation of the switch 130. When one switch is selected from among the plurality of switches 130 and is then activated, or when one switch 130 is repeatedly activated, one memory area 120a is selected by the controller 142. A microcomputer may be used as the controller 142. [57]

[58] Meanwhile, the USB memory device 100 further includes a display 150 disposed on the outer surface thereof so that a user can identify a selected memory area 120 or 120a. As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the display 150 is configured such that it may include a digital numerical display 152 for displaying a number assigned to each memory area 120 or 120a, the switches 130 may be assigned colors or numbers corresponding to the respective memory areas 120 or 120a, or it may include small light bulbs 154 disposed to correspond to the respective memory areas and configured to be turned on for a selected memory area. It is apparent that the small light bulbs 154 include Light Emission Diodes (LEDs).

[59]

[60] The construction and operation of the USB memory device according to the present invention will be described in brief below with reference to the attached drawings.

[61] First, an embodiment of the USB memory device is described with reference to the combination of Figs. 1 and 4. The USB memory device 100 includes the plurality of switches 130 disposed on the outer surface thereof to correspond to the respective memory areas 120, the controller 142 disposed to receive a signal from the switches 130, the first connection terminal 144 connected to the USB port 110 and configured to be activated by the controller 142, the second connection terminals 146 disposed to be connected to the first connection terminal 144 through the activation of the first connection terminal 144 and connected to the respective memory areas 120, and the memory areas 120 formed of a plurality of small-sized memories 120. Existing small- sized memory such as SD memory or flash memory may be used as each of the small- sized memories.

[62] The switches 130 are assigned colors or numbers corresponding to the respective memory areas 120.

[63] One of the switches 130 is pressed down by a user, so that a signal is generated.

Thereafter, the first connection terminal 144 is activated by the controller 142 having received the signal, so that the first connection terminal 144 is connected to one of the second connection terminals 146 connected to a corresponding memory area 120.

[64] Through the above-described process, one memory area 120 is selected from among the plurality of memory areas 120, and only the selected memory area 120 is recognized as memory by a playback device.

[65] Here, the memory recognized by the playback device refers to a unit that is displayed in the form of "F: removable disc" or the like.

[66]

[67] In the meantime, the other embodiments of the USB memory device are described with reference to the combination of Figs. 2, 3 and 5. The USB memory device 100 includes the one or two switches 130 disposed on the outer surface thereof, the controller 142 disposed to receive a signal from the switches 130, the digital numerical display 152 or the small light bulbs 154 configured to display a number corresponding to a corresponding memory area 120a so that a user can identify the memory area 120a selected by the controller 142, and the plurality of divided memory areas 120a formed of the single high-capacity memory 124. Existing memory may be used as the high- capacity memory 124.

[68] Here, in the case where the switches 130 are one in number, it is used to select a memory area 120a in either a forward or reverse direction. In the case where the switches 130 are two in number, they are used to select a memory area 120a in both directions, that is, in forward and reverse directions. Meanwhile, in the case where the switches 130 are three or more in number, they are used to select a memory area 120a corresponding to one of them.

[69] When the single switch 130 is repeatedly pressed down or one of the two or more switches 130 is pressed down, a signal is generated. One memory area 120 is selected by the controller 142 having received the signal. Thereafter, a number is displayed or a corresponding bulb is turned on so as to enable the one selected memory area 120a to be identified.

[70]

[71] Methods of enabling only a memory area 120 or 120a selected by a playback device to be recognized according to the present invention are classified into two methods. First, as shown in Fig. 4, a method for using a plurality of memories as respective memory areas and switching between the memory areas is performed in such a way that a controller releases the connection between a playback device and an USB memory device so that an USB connection seems to be released when an input is made from a switch, and the controller connects the playback device and the USB to each other again so that the playback device can newly recognize the USB memory device after the controller has connected to selected memory.

[72] As shown in Fig. 5, a method for dividing a single high-capacity memory into a plurality of memory areas and enabling only one memory area to be recognized is performed by, in an initial memory recognition process, enabling the size of the memory area 120a as the size of USB memory, converting a physical address so as to access a selected area in response to a command to access the memory (read/write command) and performing division into memory areas.

[73] The method of dividing the high-capacity memory into a plurality of storage spaces and enabling only one memory area to be recognized as memory by a playback device, as shown in Fig. 5, will be described in detail with reference to Figs. 6 and 7. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing a single high-capacity memory that is divided into a plurality of memory areas according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 7 is a diagram showing a process in which only one memory area selected from among the plurality of memory areas of the high-capacity memory of Fig. 6 is recognized.

[74] The single high-capacity memory of Fig. 6 is divided into a required number of storage spaces. Each of the storage spaces has a Master Boot Record (MBR), a Boot Record (BR) and a File Allocation Table (FAT), like a partition of a typical hard drive. As shown in the diagram of Fig. 7, the high-capacity memory divided as described above is recognized as a single storage space by an external playback device, that is, only a memory area is recognized as the entire memory by the external playback device. In Fig. 7 (a), when the USB memory device according to the present invention is connected to a playback device through the USB port and electric power is applied thereto, the USB memory device determines the memory area of a set storage space and starts USB communications. Thereafter, the MBR of the set area is transferred to the playback device, and the playback device as a host recognizes only the set area. Accordingly, the playback device recognizes only the set area of the USB memory device of the present invention as physical memory.

[75] Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 7(b), when switching to a memory area is performed through the switches of the USB memory device, the memory is switched to a corresponding storage space. In this case, the USB communications are shut off by the activation of the switch and a reset memory area, that is, a reset storage space, is determined again. Thereafter, the above-described process of starting USB communications, transferring the MBR of the set area to the playback device, and the playback device as a host recognizing only the set area is repeated. Accordingly, the playback device recognizes only the reset area of the USB memory device of the present invention as physical memory.

[76]

[77] Meanwhile, although not shown in the drawings, in the case where the small-sized memory of Fig. 4 has high-capacity, the number of memory areas can be increased by dividing respective small-sized memories for respective memory areas and subdividing the memory space of each of the small-sized memories, using the method for the memory area division of high-capacity memory, which is shown in Fig. 5. In this case, a number of memory areas equal to a number obtained by multiplying the number of small-sized memories by the number of subdivided memory areas of each of the small- sized memories is obtained. In this case, it is preferable to distinguish and control the memory areas by using a microcomputer as the controller. Various methods of dividing typical memory into a plurality of memory areas and utilizing the memory areas may be used by those skilled in the art.

[78] Although the present invention has been described in conjunction with the illustrative embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the technical spirit of the invention and the scope of the accompanying claims. Industrial Applicability

[79] The USB memory device according to the present invention allows one memory area to be selected by an external device, so that a process of searching all memory areas, in which data including audio or video has been stored, for data other than selected data, such as music-related or image-related data, in a playback device having a limited interface for music or images can be eliminated, thereby reducing the presently required search time.

[80] Furthermore, the USB memory device according to the present invention allows only the designated memory area thereof to be used in an external playback device, so that data search time is not only reduced but the USB memory device can be also utilized in various playback devices such as a car audio player, a typical audio player, a typical moving image player and a computer.

Claims

[1] A Universal Serial Bus (USB) memory device, comprising: a USB port for enabling USB communications; a plurality of divided memory areas; and one or more switches for enabling selection of one memory area from among the plurality of memory areas and activating the selected memory area; wherein one memory area is selected by the switches and only the selected memory area is recognized as memory by a playback device connected via USB communication.

[2] The USB memory device according to claim 1, wherein the memory areas are formed by dividing a storage space of a single high-capacity memory, are respectively formed of small-sized memories, or are formed by dividing a plurality of respective small-sized memories and subdividing a storage space of each of the small- sized memories.

[3] The USB memory device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a switching unit for selecting the one memory area in response to activation of the switches.

[4] The USB memory device according to claim 3, wherein the switching unit comprises a controller configured to receive a signal from the switches, a connection terminal connected to the USB port and configured to be activated by the controller, and connection terminals connected to the respective memory areas, wherein the one memory area is selected by the controller from among the plurality of memory areas into which memory is divided.

[5] The USB memory device according to claim 3, wherein, in the case where a plurality of memories is used, the switching unit comprises a controller configured to receive a signal from the switches, a connection terminal connected to the USB port and configured to be activated by the controller, and connection terminals connected to the respective memories, and wherein the selection of the one memory area from among the plurality of memory areas is performed by connection and disconnection between the connection terminals, which is performed by activation of the connection terminals under control of the controller.