US Patent No: 7,092,256

Number of patents in Portfolio can not be more than 2000

Retractable card adapter

Stats

ATTORNEY / AGENT: (SPONSORED)
 

Importance

Loading Importance Indicators... loading....

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for interfacing a memory device with a host device are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus which enables a non-volatile memory device to communicate with a host device includes a body and an element. The body has a boundary, and the element is arranged to move at least partially within the body. The element includes an interface which may be coupled to the host device when the element is in a first position with respect to the body. The element is also arranged to receive the non-volatile memory device and to move the non-volatile memory device and the interface with respect to the body. In one embodiment, when the element is in the first position with respect to the body, the interface at least partially extends past the boundary associated with the body.

Loading the Abstract Image... loading....

First Claim

Related Publications

Loading Related Publications... loading....

Patent Owner(s)

Patent OwnerAddressTotal Patents
SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.PLANO, TX1506

International Classification(s)

  • [Classification Symbol]
  • [Patents Count]

Inventor(s)

Inventor Name Address # of filed Patents Total Citations
Harris, Jonathan R Cypress, TX 71 280
Hebold, Daren W Raymond, ME 8 132
Howard, Robert A Mountain View, CA 47 499
Salazar, Jeffrey A Palo Alto, CA 15 283

Cited Art

Patent Info (Count) # Cites Year
 
KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA (5)
6,137,710 Connecting apparatus, and information processing apparatus 93 1999
D444473 IC memory card 55 2000
D445111 IC memory card 85 2000
D446525 IC memory card 150 2000
6,381,143 Card-typed electronic apparatus having a flat card case housing a plurality of electronic parts 97 2000
 
SANDISK CORPORATION (5)
5,887,145 Removable mother/daughter peripheral card 234 1997
6,279,114 Voltage negotiation in a single host multiple cards system 127 1998
6,901,457 Multiple mode communications system 46 1998
6,266,724 Removable mother/daughter peripheral card 104 1999
6,820,148 Multiple removable non-volatile memory cards serially communicating with a host 61 2000
 
CARRY COMPUTER ENG. CO., LTD. (3)
6,524,137 Integral multiplex adapter card 68 2002
6,567,273 Small silicon disk card with a USB plug 141 2002
6,676,420 Double interface compact flash memory card 70 2002
 
IMATION CORP. (3)
6,738,259 Apparatus supporting multiple memory card formats 56 2001
2005/0037,647 Memory card compatible with multiple connector standards 32 2003
6,890,188 Memory card compatible with device connector and host connector standards 45 2004
 
ITT MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES, INC. (3)
5,752,857 Smart card computer adaptor 111 1996
6,330,151 Electronic device with retractable tray 21 2000
6,518,927 PC card for electronic devices 44 2001
 
GEMPLUS (2)
5,486,687 Memory card having a recessed portion with contacts connected to an access card 62 1994
5,969,333 Data collection system for card readers 18 1998
 
PRETEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION (2)
2003/0233,507 Electronic card with multiple interfaces 21 2002
6,646,885 Enhanced electronic card structure 36 2003
 
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD. (2)
6,483,038 Memory card 43 2001
6,617,673 Memory card 29 2001
 
SONY CORPORATION (2)
6,295,206 Memory card, and receptacle for same 29 2000
6,341,728 Memory card, and receptacle for same 28 2000
 
ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD. (1)
6,181,564 IC card 25 1999
 
ATECH TOTALSOLUTION CO., LTD. (1)
6,385,677 Dual interface memory card and adapter module for the same 110 1999
 
CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA (1)
6,151,652 I/O card, electronic equipment using I/O card, and procedure of starting up such electronic equipment 55 1998
 
ELPIDA MEMORY, INC. (1)
6,121,681 Semiconductor device 30 1997
 
FCI AMERICAS TECHNOLOGY LLC (1)
5,984,708 Card edge connector 18 1998
 
FRAMATOME CONNECTORS INTERNATIONAL (1)
6,422,469 Chip card reader 24 2000
 
FUJI PHOTO FILM CO., LTD. (1)
5,155,663 Memory cartridge system with adapter 148 1991
 
FUJITSU LIMITED (1)
6,256,692 CardBus interface circuit, and a CardBus PC having the same 147 1998
 
IMOTION CORP. (1)
6,908,038 Multi-connector memory card with retractable sheath to protect the connectors 68 2004
 
J.S.T. MFG. CO., LTD. (1)
6,623,304 Connector for flash memory card, connection structure using connector and electronic apparatus using connection structure 30 2002
 
MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD. (1)
6,580,615 Memory card 42 2002
 
MITSUBISHI DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA (1)
6,590,615 Digital video receiving apparatus 21 2001
 
MITSUBISHI KAGAKU MEDIA CO., LTD. (1)
6,325,291 Apparatus and method for transferring information between a smart diskette device and a computer 14 1999
 
MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD. (1)
6,733,340 Connector for memory card 14 2002
 
RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION (1)
6,669,487 IC card 94 2002
 
SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC. (1)
6,040,622 Semiconductor package using terminals formed on a conductive layer of a circuit board 163 1998
 
SCHLUMBERGER MALCO, INC. (1)
6,439,464 Dual mode smart card and associated methods 114 2000
 
SOCKET MOBILE, INC. (1)
6,353,870 Closed case removable expansion card having interconnect and adapter circuitry for both I/O and removable memory 93 1999
 
STOCKO METALLWARENFABRIKEN (1)
6,069,795 PCMCIA card for receiving and contacting a chip card 49 1997
 
STOCKO METALLWARENFABRIKEN HENKELS UND SOHN GMBH & CO. (1)
6,097,605 Contacting unit for card-shaped support elements for electronic components 141 1996
 
STRACT TECHNOLOGY INC. (1)
6,435,409 Card reader structure with an axial-rotate joint 33 2001
 
SULVANUSS CAPITAL L.L.C. (1)
6,612,498 Method and means for using additional cards in a mobile station 67 2000
 
SUMMIT TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS, LP (1)
5,457,601 Credit card-sized modem with modular DAA 108 1993
 
TECHNOLOGY PROPERTIES LIMITED LLC (1)
6,438,638 Flashtoaster for reading several types of flash-memory cards with or without a PC 183 2000
 
TEKCON ELECTRONICS CORP. (1)
6,312,268 Electric connector with a positioning terminal 13 1999
 
TIME WARNER, INC. (1)
6,243,686 Flash memory card adapter for stereo systems 19 1997
 
TRIPMASTER CORPORATION (1)
4,555,619 Driver key car identifying system 26 1983
 
WALTON ADVANCED ENGINEERING INC. (1)
6,763,410 Portable universal serial bus memory device 79 2003
 
WINBOND ELECTRONICS CORP. (1)
5,815,426 Adapter for interfacing an insertable/removable digital memory apparatus to a host data part 108 1997
 
OTHER [CHECK PATENT PROFILE FOR ASSIGNMENT INFORMATION] (5)
6,632,097 Memory card connection arrangement 21 2001
6,561,421 Universal serial bus card reader 64 2001
2003/0212,848 Double interface CF card 20 2002
2004/0033,726 Plug used for connection with a USB receptacle 14 2002
2004/0033,727 Plug used for connection with a USB receptacle 32 2002

Patent Citation Ranking

Forward Cites

Patent Info (Count) # Cites Year
 
SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC. (17)
7,487,265 Memory card with two standard sets of contacts and a hinged contact covering mechanism 4 2004
7,310,692 Memory card with integral covered second device connector for use with computing devices without a memory card slot 17 2005
7,340,540 Memory card with contacts, device connector, and a connector covering mechanism 14 2006
7,492,601 Retractable card adapter 6 2006
7,355,860 Memory card with two standard sets of contacts and a contact covering mechanism 20 2006
7,710,736 Memory card with latching mechanism for hinged cover 1 2006
7,798,840 Expandable and collapsible peripheral device 0 2007
8,051,229 Dual bus ExpressCard peripheral device 0 2007
7,780,477 Adapter system for use with an expresscard slot 1 2007
7,779,184 Method of using the dual bus interface in an expresscard slot 3 2007
7,699,660 Adapter for an expresscard slot 1 2007
7,686,654 Memory card for an ExpressCard slot 2 2007
7,554,813 Memory card with two standard sets of contacts and a contact covering mechanism 6 2007
7,762,849 Expandable and collapsible peripheral device 0 2008
7,822,883 Memory card with two standard sets of contacts and a hinged contact covering mechanism 1 2009
7,787,243 Retractable card adapter 10 2009
8,092,257 Memory card for an expresscard slot 0 2010
 
SUPER TALENT ELECTRONICS, INC. (4)
7,407,393 Super slim compact flash (CF) light universal serial bus (USB) device 28 2007
7,771,215 MLC COB USB flash memory device with sliding plug connector 8 2008
7,944,702 Press-push flash drive apparatus with metal tubular casing and snap-coupled plastic sleeve 0 2010
8,116,083 Lipstick-type USB device with tubular housing 0 2010
 
MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC. (3)
7,881,051 Memory module and cover therefor 4 2007
7,699,630 Memory module having a cover pivotally coupled thereto 5 2007
7,815,464 Storage device having a memory module, cover, and light-transmission elements 0 2010
 
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION (2)
7,334,731 Positive evidence-of-use feature for portable storage devices 4 2006
7,380,713 Positive evidence-of-use feature for portable storage devices 4 2007
 
MIMOCO, INC. (2)
D673963 USB drive 0 2011
D673962 USB drive and card reader with body 0 2011
 
PNY TECHNOLOGIES, INC. (2)
D652046 USB drive with a label 3 2010
8,388,361 Portable storage device with retractable connector 0 2010
 
CHI MEI COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS, INC. (1)
8,411,428 Portable storage device 0 2010
 
HAHNTEK TECHNOLOGY CORP. (1)
7,558,069 Extension structure for plastic molding portable memory product 19 2008
 
HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD. (1)
7,985,082 External USB card reader 2 2009
 
IMATION CORP. (1)
7,535,718 Memory card compatible with multiple connector standards 6 2003
 
JW ELECTRONICS CO., LTD. (1)
8,059,394 Nonvolatile storage device 2 2009
 
MILAN, HENRY (1)
7,780,463 Selective flash memory drive with quick connector 1 2007
 
NEUROMETRIX, INC. (1)
D571372 Communications hub 8 2006
 
PHISON ELECTRONICS CORP. (1)
7,778,037 Dual-interface data storage apparatus 5 2007
 
SHENZHEN MINDRAY BIO-MEDICAL ELECTRONICS CO., LTD. (1)
7,684,203 Module with fixed structures 0 2006
 
WANDER PLASTIC IND. COMPANY (1)
7,632,151 Card reader 3 2007
 
OTHER [CHECK PATENT PROFILE FOR ASSIGNMENT INFORMATION] (2)
7,287,705 Structure for USB flash drive 11 2005
D634326 USB sound card 0 2010

Maintenance Fees

Fee Large entity fee small entity fee micro entity fee due date
7.5 Year Payment $3600.00 $1800.00 $900.00 Feb 15, 2014
11.5 Year Payment $7400.00 $3700.00 $1850.00 Feb 15, 2018
Fee Large entity fee small entity fee micro entity fee
Surcharge - 7.5 year - Late payment within 6 months $160.00 $80.00 $40.00
Surcharge - 11.5 year - Late payment within 6 months $160.00 $80.00 $40.00
Surcharge after expiration - Late payment is unavoidable $700.00 $350.00 $175.00
Surcharge after expiration - Late payment is unintentional $1,640.00 $820.00 $410.00