KR100422009B1 - Multi memory card interface and connector for connecting each other memory card and the interface - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a multi-memory card interface for allowing various types of memory cards having different standards and regulations to be interfaced through one slot. In the multi-memory card interface, a card coupling part is formed corresponding to the coupling standard of the first memory card. The multi-interface controller has interface logic for a plurality of memory cards, and when a connector is formed so that different types of memory cards having different specifications from the first memory card can be coupled to the card coupling unit, The interface logic corresponding to the second memory card connected through the terminal is activated to enable the interface between the host and the second memory card. Accordingly, it is possible to use a variety of memory cards of different specifications and regulations in one product, which can expand the user's selection of the use of memory cards, and it is very economical because there is no need for adapters according to the use of different memory cards. The memory card can be used.

Description

Multi memory card interface and connector for connecting each other memory card and the interface}

The present invention relates to a memory card interface, and more particularly, to a multi-memory card interface and a connector for coupling each memory card to a host to allow various types of memory cards having different specifications and regulations to be interfaced through one slot. It is about.

Recently, with the development of storage media, various kinds of memory cards have been released that are used as auxiliary storage devices of portable devices such as digital cameras. Available memory cards include Compact Flash (CF), Multimedia Card (MMC), Smart Media Card (SMC), Secure Disk (SD), and Memory Stick (Memory Stick). MS).

However, in order to use any one memory card up to now, the product had to be equipped with a dedicated interface corresponding to the memory card standards and regulations, and one product can directly use various types of memory cards having different specifications and regulations. Was not. If you want to use a memory card of a different type from the dedicated memory card adopted in the product, you can either use an interface corresponding to the memory card of the other type or use an adapter that can convert the signal rules of the memory card. Was doing.

1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating an interface of a product employing a Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) / Compact Flash (CF) and a Memory Stick (Memory Stick), which are one type of memory cards, respectively. In FIG. 1A, the PCMCIA / CF card interface 10 is coupled with the PCMCIA / CF card 20 via a PCMCIA / CF dedicated slot (68 pins / 50 pins) 14, and the PCMCIA / CF interface controller 12 is a host. And interface between the PCMCIA / CF card 20. In addition, in FIG. 1B, the memory stick interface 30 is coupled to the memory stick 40 through a memory stick dedicated slot (10 pins) 34, and the memory stick interface controller 32 is connected between the host and the memory stick 40. Enable the interface.

Products employing the memory card as described above, the PCMCIA / CF dedicated interface 10 corresponding to the PCMCIA / CF card 20 to use the PCMCIA / CF card 20, the memory to use the memory stick 40 A memory stick dedicated interface 30 corresponding to the stick 40 was provided to perform a data interface.

However, in the conventional products employing the memory card as described above, in the case of using the PCMCIA / CF card 20, the dedicated 68 pin / 50 pin slot 14 and the PCMCIA / CF dedicated interface controller 12 is provided. On the contrary, since the memory stick 40 interfaces with the 10-pin slot 34 and the memory stick dedicated interface controller 32, the memory stick 40 must be equipped with slots and controllers corresponding to the two memory cards, respectively, or by using an adapter. Stick can be used.

FIG. 2 is a diagram in which a conversion adapter 60 is used between the interface 50 and the memory stick 70 of a product employing PCMCIA / CF. The conversion adapter 60 connects the memory stick 70 and the PCMCIA / CF card slot 54, respectively, and converts the signal rules transmitted from the memory stick 70 and the host to the host and the memory stick 70, respectively. It is configured to.

However, the use of the conversion adapter 60 for the interface with the memory stick 70 in the product employing the conventional PCMCIA / CF interface 50 as described above not only burdens the volume and cost of the conversion adapter 60 but also the conversion It is very inefficient in terms of data rate and power management by using the adapter 60.

As a result, the conventional memory card employing products described above can be used only in one type of memory card in consideration of cost, and thus reduce the utility of the product by reducing the user's selection for using the memory card. In order to use a memory card, an adapter or the like is required, which causes a problem of being very uneconomical.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a multi-memory card interface and an interface method for allowing various types of memory cards having different specifications and regulations to be interfaced through one slot to solve the above problems.

In addition, to achieve the above object is to provide a connector for coupling the host and each memory card.

1A is a block diagram of a conventional PCMCIA / CF card interface,

1B is a block diagram of a conventional memory stick interface,

2 is a block diagram showing an adapter connection form for using a memory stick in a conventional PCMCIA / CF card interface;

3 is a block diagram of a multi-memory card interface in accordance with the present invention;

4 is a perspective view illustrating a coupling relationship between a multi-memory card interface, a connector, and a memory card according to the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating various memory card coupling relationships of the multi-memory card interface according to an embodiment of the present invention.

* Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings *

10, 50: PCMCIA / CF interface

12, 52: PCMCIA / CF Interface Controller

14, 54, 414-1: PCMCIA / CF Card Slot

20, 430: PCMCIA / CF card 30: Memory stick interface

32: Memory Stick Interface Controller

34: memory stick slots 40, 70, 432: memory stick

60: adapter 62: PCMCIA / CF connector

63: memory stick connector 64: MS <-> PCMCIA / CF conversion controller

310, 410: Multi Memory Card Interface

312, 412: Multi interface controller

314, 414: card coupling portion 316: connector coupling detection portion

318: host bus 320, 420: connector

330: first memory card 340: second memory card

414a: Coupling terminal 414-2: Incorrect insertion tab socket

420a: first coupling part 420b: second coupling part

420a-1: Misinsertion prevention tab 422a: Slot connection

422b: card connection 424a: contact terminal

444: MMC / SD card 446: SMC card

The multi-memory card interface of the present invention for achieving the above object, the card having a slot corresponding to the standard of the first memory card, a plurality of second memory card having a different standard is electrically connected through a connector A coupling part, a connector coupling detecting part which detects whether the connector connected to any one of the plurality of second memory cards is coupled to the card coupling part, and interfaces with the first memory card and the plurality of second memory cards And a multi interface controller for activating interface logic corresponding to the second memory card connected through the connector when the connector of the connector is detected through the detection unit.

Herein, the card combining unit has a standard corresponding to a PCMCIA / CF card, and the second memory card has a multimedia card (MMC), a smart media card (SMC), and a secure disk (SD). ), A Memory Stick (MS), or the like can be used.

In addition, recesses are formed at both ends of the card coupling part to correspond to protrusions formed at both ends of the connector. The recessed portion has a coupling terminal electrically coupled to a contact terminal provided on one surface of the protruding portion of the connector on a corresponding surface. Herein, a plurality of coupling terminals are formed independently of each other. In this case, the multi-interface controller recognizes the coupling of the connector by an electrical signal transmitted when the contact terminal of the connector and the coupling terminal, the second memory card according to the contact state of the coupling terminal of the connector contact terminal Determine the type of.

Meanwhile, in the multi-memory card interface of the present invention, the type of the second memory may be determined according to the electrical connection state of the predetermined number of slot connection terminals promised by the multi-interface controller.

In the multi-memory card interface method according to the present invention for achieving the above object, a plurality of second memory cards having slots corresponding to the standards of the first memory card and having different standards are electrically connected through a connector. Detecting whether the connector connected to any one of the plurality of second memory cards is coupled to a card coupling portion of the multi-memory card interface; and if the coupling of the connector is detected, the second memory card connected to the connector Determining a type and activating interface logic corresponding to the combined second memory card among interface logics of each of the plurality of preset second memory cards to interface with the host; .

The determining of the second memory card may include analyzing an electrical coupling state between the card coupling unit and the connector; And determining the type of the second memory card according to the analyzed result.

The connector of the present invention for achieving the above object is provided with a slot connecting portion formed to be physically and electrically coupled with the card coupling portion of the multi-memory card interface having a slot corresponding to the standard of the first memory card; A second coupling part having a first coupling part and a card connection part formed to be physically and electrically coupled with a plurality of second memory cards having different standards, wherein the second coupling part corresponds to a connection terminal of the second memory card; The connection terminal of the second coupling unit is connected one-to-one through a wire with a predetermined connection terminal of the slot connection unit of the first coupling unit.

In addition, a connector is provided with a prosthesis prevention tab for protruding the wrong insertion to the outside of both ends of the first coupling portion, each contact terminal is provided on one surface of each protrusion of the misinsertion prevention tab. The contact terminals are formed at different positions within a predetermined range according to the type of the second memory card.

Meanwhile, among the slot connection terminals of the first coupling unit, a predetermined number of other promised slot connection terminals that do not correspond one-to-one to the second memory card connection terminal are differently connected according to the type of the second memory card.

According to the multi-memory card interface and the connector of the present invention as described above, various kinds of second memory cards may be coupled to the card coupling part employed in one host device through respective connectors according to the types of the second memory cards. It is possible to perform an interface between the second memory card and the host.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

3 is a block diagram of a multi-memory card interface in accordance with the present invention. The multi memory card interface 310 includes a card combiner 314 and a multi interface controller 312.

The card coupling unit 314 is formed with a slot 314-1 corresponding to the coupling standard of the first memory card 330 so that the first memory card 330 can be directly coupled, and the second memory card 340. The connector coupling detection unit 314-2 for detecting the coupling of the connector 320 formed to allow the coupling to the card coupling unit 314 is provided.

Here, the card combining unit 314 forms a slot to correspond to a PCMCIA / CF card that can easily accommodate other types of memory cards because of its large physical volume and slot specifications among the various memory cards on the market. The second memory card 340 may be any one of a medium media card (MMC), a smart media car (SMC), a secure disk (SD), and a memory stick (MS).

In the multi interface controller 312, the first memory card interface logic 312-1 is set to interface with the first memory card 330 by default, and the second memory card 340 is set to the second memory card 340. And at least one or more second memory card interface logic 312-2, which is the respective interface logic for the various memory cards defined. The multi-interface controller 312 determines the type of the second memory card 340 when the coupling of the connector 320 to which the second memory card 340 is coupled is detected through the connector coupling detection unit 314-2. In addition, the second memory card interface logic 312-2 corresponding thereto is activated to perform an interface between the host H and the second memory card 340 through the host bus 316.

4 illustrates a connector 420 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the card coupling part 414 and the memory stick 440 are shown in a combined form. In the drawing, the connector 420 has a first coupling portion 420a having a slot connection portion 422a formed to be coupled to a slot 414-1 of a host to which the first memory card is coupled in correspondence with physical and electrical standards. And a second coupling part 420b having a card connection part 422b formed on the other side of the first coupling part 420a so as to be coupled to the memory stick 440 according to physical and electrical standards. The connection terminal 422b-1 corresponding to the memory stick 440 of the second coupling unit 420b is connected to the promised slot connection terminal 422a-1 of the first coupling unit 420a through a wire 420c. It is becoming.

In addition, the connector 420 has a misinsertion prevention tab 420a-1 for preventing misinsertion toward both ends of the slot connecting portion 422a of the first coupling portion 420a, and each misinsertion prevention tab ( Contact terminals 424a are respectively provided on the front surface of 420a-1. In this case, the contact terminals 424a may be formed at different positions on the formation surface according to the type of the memory card. That is, in the drawing, since the connector 420 connects the memory stick 440, the contact terminal 424a is formed on the front outer side of each misinsertion prevention tab 420a-1, but in the case of a memory card having a different standard. In each of the misinsertion prevention tabs 420a-1, the contact terminals 424a may be alternately formed. That is, since memory cards having different specifications are different from each other in connection structure, they are connected to the host through the respective connectors accordingly, and the host can identify the type of the memory card through the connector.

Meanwhile, a predetermined number of slot connection terminals 422a of the first coupling part 420a that do not correspond to the memory stick connection terminals 422b one-to-one without using the misinsertion prevention tab 420a-1 as described above. It may be recognized that the memory stick through the promised slot access terminals 422a-2. That is, depending on the type of memory card, a predetermined number of promised slot connection terminals that are not one-to-one correspondence with the memory card connection terminals may be connected differently so that the host can identify the type of memory card.

5 is a block diagram of a multi-memory card interface 410 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The multi-memory card interface 410 may include a card coupler 414 having a PCMCIA / CF slot 414-1 formed so that the PCMCIA / CF card 432 may be directly coupled thereto and a misinsertion prevention socket 414-2. ), And a multi interface controller 412 having respective interface logics L1, L2, L3, and L4 corresponding to each of the various memory cards 432, 442, 444, and 446, and Ld.

Here, the misinsertion prevention tab sockets 414-corresponding to the misinsertion prevention tabs 420a-1 of the connector 420 as shown in FIG. 4, respectively, at both ends of the PCMCIA / CF card coupling unit 414. 2) is formed. The misinsertion prevention tab socket 414-2 is provided with a mating terminal 414a electrically coupled to the contact terminal 424a provided on the front surface of the misinsertion prevention tab 420a-1 of the connector 420. A plurality of coupling terminals 414a are formed independently of each other, and each coupling terminal 414a is connected to the multi interface controller 412. The multi-interface controller 412 determines the type of memory card by the signal transmitted from the coupling terminal 414a of the misinsertion preventing tab socket 414-2 in contact with the contact terminal 422a of the connector 420. That is, in the multi-interface controller 412, the electrical connection state between the coupling terminal 414a of the misinsertion prevention tab socket 414-2 and the contact terminal 424a of the connector 420 through the card plate Ld is established. If it is '001', the memory stick 442 is determined. If the connection state is '011', the multimedia card (MMC) 444 is used to determine the type of card. As a result, the misinsertion prevention tab socket 414-2 serves as a connector coupling detection unit 314-2 for detecting the engagement of the connector 420, and transmits a card type discrimination signal to the multi interface controller 412. In charge.

When the memory stick 442 is coupled to the PCMCIA / CF card slot 414-1 through the first PCMCIA / CF connector 422, the multi-interface controller 412 may be misinserted. An electrical connection state with the first PCMCIA / CF connector 422 is received from the prevention tab socket 414-2, and the type of the memory card is determined through card Ld. In this case, since '001' is transmitted as the combined card is the memory stick 442, the card logic Ld determines that the currently combined card is the memory stick 442 so that the MS logic L2 is activated. Output the signal. Thereafter, the multi interface controller 412 operates to perform an interface between the host H and the memory stick 442. The above operation is similarly performed for the other second memory cards 444 and 446. That is, when the MMC / SD 444 and the SMC 446 are connected to the slot 414 through the second 424 and the third connector 426, respectively, the set connection pin of the connector 420 is detected to detect the memory card. Type is determined, and logic L3 / L4 corresponding to the determined memory card is activated to enable an interface between the host and the second memory card 444/446.

As described above, the multi-memory card interface according to the present invention can use a variety of memory cards having different specifications and regulations in a single product, thereby increasing the user's selection value for using the memory card, thereby increasing product utility value. For example, it is possible to reduce other costs in using a memory card because an adapter is not required according to a memory card having a different specification.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the general knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains without departing from the gist of the present invention claimed in the claims. Anyone with a variety of variations will be possible.

Claims (13)

A card coupling part having a slot corresponding to a standard of the first memory card and having a plurality of second memory cards having different standards electrically connected to each other through a connector; A connector coupling detecting unit detecting whether the connector connected to any one of the plurality of second memory cards is coupled to the card coupling unit; And The second memory card having interface logic with respect to each of the first memory card and the plurality of second memory cards to perform an interface, and when the coupling of the connector is detected through the detection unit, the second memory card connected through the connector; And a multi interface controller activating interface logic corresponding to the multi memory card interface. The method of claim 1, And the first memory card is a PCMCIA / CF card. The method of claim 1, In order to prevent misinsertion when the card coupling portion and the connector are coupled, the recess insertion prevention socket of the depression type corresponding to the protruding misinsertion prevention tab formed on both ends of the connector is formed on both ends of the card coupling portion. Multi memory card interface. The method of claim 3, The misinsertion prevention socket has a coupling terminal electrically connected to a contact terminal provided on one surface of the misinsertion prevention tab of the connector on a corresponding surface, And the multi interface controller recognizes the coupling of the connector by an electrical signal transmitted by the coupling between the contact terminal of the connector and the coupling terminal. The method of claim 4, wherein The coupling terminal is a plurality of terminals are each formed independently, And the multi-interface controller determines the type of the second memory card according to a contact type of the connector contact terminal and the coupling terminal. According to claim 1, And the multi-interface controller determines the type of the second memory according to an electrical connection state of a predetermined slot connection terminal of the slot and a predetermined connection terminal of the slot connection unit of the connector. Any one of the plurality of second memory cards may include a slot corresponding to a standard of the first memory card and a plurality of second memory cards having different specifications and are electrically connected to each other through a connector. Detecting whether the connector connected with one is engaged; Determining a type of a second memory card connected through the connector when the connector is detected; And Activating interface logic corresponding to the combined second memory card among interface logics for each of the plurality of preset second memory cards to interface with a host; Memory card interface method. The method of claim 7, wherein The determining of the type of the second memory card may include: Analyzing the electrical coupling state of the card coupling unit and the connector detected in the detection step; And And determining a type of the second memory card according to a result of analyzing the coupling state. A first coupling part having a slot connection part formed to be physically and electrically coupled with a card coupling part of a multi-memory card interface having a slot corresponding to a standard of the first memory card; And A second coupling part having a card connection part formed to be physically and electrically coupled with a plurality of second memory cards having different specifications; And a connection terminal of the second coupling part corresponding to the connection terminal of the second memory card is connected one-to-one through a wire with a predetermined connection terminal of the slot connection part of the first coupling part. The method of claim 9, In order to prevent misinsertion when the card coupling part and the first coupling part of the multi-memory card interface are combined, protruding outwardly at both ends of the first coupling part so as to correspond to a recessed misinsertion prevention socket formed in the card coupling part. Misinsertion preventing tab is formed. The method of claim 10, The misinsertion prevention tab is a connector, characterized in that each contact terminal is provided on one surface of both projections. The method of claim 11, And the contact terminals are formed at different positions within a predetermined range according to the type of the second memory card coupled to the second coupling portion. The method of claim 9, And predetermined connection terminals that do not correspond to the second memory card connection terminal among the connection terminals of the slot connection portion of the first coupling portion have different wiring forms corresponding to the type of the second memory card.