EP0528280A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Memory card apparatus
Assignee: Toshiba Corp
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Filing: 1992-08-06
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2012-08-06
Abstract
Abstract This invention is associated with a memory card apparatus using EEPROMs (17, 18, 19) as semiconductor memories. Externally input data are temporarily recorded in a buffer memory (13) and are subsequently written in the EEPROMs (17, 18, 19). Verify processing is automatically performed between the buffer memory (13) and the EEPROMs (17, 18, 19). Similarly, data read out from the EEPROMs (17, 18, 19) are temporarily recorded in the buffer memory (13) and are subsequently output to an external unit. Even with the EEPROMs (17, 18, 19), it seems that this memory card can be used in the same manner as a memory card using an SRAM, when viewed from the outside of the card.
Inventors
- 👤 Kazuo c/o Intellectual Pty Division Konishi
- 👤 Shimpei c/o Intellectual Pty Division Yoshioka
- 👤 Setsuo c/o Intellectual Pty Division Terasaki
- 👤 Hiroaki c/o Intellectual Pty Division Matsubara
- 👤 Koji c/o Intellectual Pty Division Maruyama
- 👤 Toshiaki c/o Intellectual Pty Division Sato
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 12:33
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11C; G11C29/00; G11C29/70; G11C29/76; G11C29/765; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/07; G06F11/14; G06F11/1402; G06F11/1405; G06F11/141; G11C16/00; G11C16/02; G11C16/06; G11C16/10; G11C16/102; H; H04; H04N; H04N5/00; H04N5/76; H04N5/907; G06F2212/00; G06F2212/20; G06F2212/202; G06F2212/2022
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
218 words
A memory card apparatus for inputting and recording data including a first data group featured in that each data has a small total data amount and is often required to be written/read in units of bytes, and a second data group featured in that each data has a large total amount and is sequentially arranged as a whole, characterized by comprising a memory (13), capable of high-speed write and read operations of the data, for performing an input/output operation of the data with respect to an external unit, a first EEPROM (17), having a storage capacity large enough to record all the first data group and capable of performing a data write/read operation in units of bytes, for performing an input/output operation with respect to said memory (13), a second EEPROM (18), having a storage capacity large enough to record the second data group and capable of performing a data write/read operation in units of reference areas, each constituted by a plurality of consecutive bytes, for performing an input/output operation with respect to said memory (13), and control means (16) for discriminating whether data stored in said memory (13) belongs to the first data group or the second data group, and selectively distributing the data to said first and second EEPROMs (17, 18) to store the data therein.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
102 words
The memory card apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said control means (16) comprises control means for, when data are transferred from said memory (13) to said first and second EEPROMs (17, 18) and are written therein, reading out the data written in said first and second EEPROMs (17, 18), comparing the readout data with the data in said memory (13), and transferring the data from said memory (13) again to said first and second EEPROMs (17, 18) to write the data therein, if the readout data and the data in said memory (13) do not coincide with each other.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
125 words
The memory card apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said control means (16) comprises clock switching means (15) for performing switching operations to selectively execute an operation of writing externally supplied data in said memory (13) and an operation of outputting data, recorded in said memory (13), to an external unit on the basis of a first clock externally supplied together with data, and to selectively execute an operation of transferring data, recorded in said memory (13), to said first and second EEPROMs (17, 18) to write the data therein, and an operation of transferring data, recorded in said first and second EEPROMs (17, 18), to said memory (13) to write the data therein on the basis of an internally generated second clock.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
110 words
The memory card apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that each of said first and second EEPROMs (17, 18) includes a data area for recording data in units of the reference areas, and a management area for recording management information of the data recorded in the data area, and every time data update processing is performed with respect to a reference area in the data area of each of said first and second EEPROMs (17, 18), said control means (16) records a data update count in a part of the management area which corresponds to a part of the data area in which the data update processing is performed.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
110 words
The memory card apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that each of said first and second EEPROMs (17, 18) includes a data area for recording data in units of the reference areas, and a management area for recording management information of the data recorded in the data area, and every time data erase processing is performed with respect to a reference area in the data area of each of said first and second EEPROMs (17, 18), said control means (16) records a data erase count in a part of the management area which corresponds to a part of the data area in which the data erase processing is performed.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
162 words
The memory card apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by further comprising error detection means for detecting the presence/absence of an error in units of the reference areas, error flag write means for recording an error flag representing the presence/absence of an error, generated in each reference area, in a specific reference area, of the plurality of reference areas, as an error flag area, data write substitute means for writing data, which is to be written in the error reference area, in a free area as a substitute area, address write means for writing a substitute address, at which the data is written by said data write substitute means, in the error reference area, and data read means for discriminating the error reference area by referring to the error flag area, discriminating the substitute address by reading out byte data from the error reference area, and reading out the data from the substitute reference area on the basis of the discriminated address.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
54 words
The memory card apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that said address write means writes the substitute address in a plurality of bytes in the error reference area, and said data read means reads out data from a plurality of bytes in the error reference area to determine a substitute address by majority.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
230 words
A memory card apparatus for inputting and recording data including a first data group featured in that each data has a small total data amount and is often required to be written/read in units of bytes, and a second data group featured in that each data has a large total amount and is sequentially arranged as a whole, characterized by comprising a memory (13), having a storage capacity large enough to record all the first data group and capable of high-speed write and read operations of the data, for performing an input/output operation of the data with respect to an external unit, an EEPROM (19), having first and second storage areas in which the first and second data groups are respectively recorded, and capable of data write/read processing in units of reference areas, each constituted by a plurality of consecutive bytes, for performing input/output processing of the data with respect to said memory (13), and control means (16) for, when a request is generated to update the first data group, recorded in said EEPROM (19), in units of bytes, transferring all data in the first storage area of said EEPROM (19) to said memory (13), updating the data in said memory (13) in units of bytes, and writing all the data, recorded in said memory (13), in the first storage area of said EEPROM (19) in units of reference areas.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
90 words
The memory card apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that said control means (16) comprises control means for, when data are transferred from said memory (13) to said EEPROM (19) and are written therein, reading out the data written in said EEPROM (19), comparing the readout data with the data in said memory (13), and transferring the data from said memory (13) again to said EEPROM (19) to write the data therein, if the readout data and the data in said memory (13) do not coincide with each other.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
117 words
The memory card apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that said control means (16) comprises clock switching means (15) for performing switching operations to selectively execute an operation of writing externally supplied data in said memory (13) and an operation of outputting data, recorded in said memory (13), to an external unit on the basis of a first clock externally supplied together with data, and to selectively execute an operation of transferring data, recorded in said memory (13), to said EEPROM (19) to write the data therein, and an operation of transferring data, recorded in said EEPROM (19), to said memory (13) to write the data therein on the basis of an internally generated second clock.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
98 words
The memory card apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that said EEPROM (19) includes a data area for recording data in units of the reference areas, and a management area for recording management information of the data recorded in the data area, and every time data update processing is performed with respect to a reference area in the data area of said EEPROM (19), said control means (16) records a data update count in a part of the management area which corresponds to a part of the data area in which the data update processing is performed.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
98 words
The memory card apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that said EEPROM (19) includes a data area for recording data in units of the reference areas, and a management area for recording management information of the data recorded in the data area, and every time data erase processing is performed with respect to a reference area in the data area of said EEPROM (19), said control means (16) records a data erase count in a part of the management area which corresponds to a part of the data area in which the data erase processing is performed.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
60 words
A memory card apparatus characterized by comprising an EEPROM (19) capable of data write/erase processing in units of reference areas, each constituted by a plurality of consecutive bytes, and control means (16) for generating and outputting a signal for inhibiting input of externally supplied data while the data are written in said EEPROM (19) in units of the reference areas.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
60 words
The memory card apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that said control means (16) comprises a memory (13) for temporarily recording the externally supplied data and outputting the data to an EEPROM (19), and outputs a signal for inhibiting input of the externally supplied data when the data are stored in said memory (13) in units of reference areas.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
82 words
The memory card apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that the externally supplied data include a data pattern in an end portion of a reference area which is never generated in a normal operation, and said control means (16) comprises detection means for detecting a data end in the reference area upon reception of the data pattern, and addition means for adding dummy data to an empty portion of the reference area on the basis an output from said detection means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
130 words
The memory card apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that said control means (16) comprises a memory (13) for recording externally supplied data in units of bytes, discrimination means for, when data of a predetermined number of bytes constituting a first reference area are input to said memory (13), discriminating whether data are input in units of bytes constituting a second reference area following the first reference area, and erase means for, when said discriminating means discriminates that the data are input, transferring the data, recorded in said memory (13) and constituting the first reference area, to said EEPROM (19) to write the data therein, and erasing a storage area of said EEPROM (19) in units of reference areas to write the data constituting the second reference area therein.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
160 words
A memory card apparatus to which main data and sub-data on an order of a first reference area constituted by a plurality of consecutive bytes, which serve as management information of the main data, are input in units of second reference areas, each constituted by a plurality of the consecutive first reference areas, characterized by comprising an EEPROM (19) capable of performing data write processing in units of the first reference areas and data erase processing in units of the second reference areas, search means for searching a storage area of said EEPROM (19) for free storage areas in which sub-data to which an update request is generated and the main data which is managed by the sub-data can be written, and control means (16) for writing new sub-data in a free storage area searched out by said search means in units of the first reference areas, and sequentially transferring/writing the main data in units of the first reference areas.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
58 words
The memory card apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that said control means (16) writes the main data and the sub-data in the free storage areas searched out by said search means, and subsequently erases the original storage areas, in which the main data and the sub-data have been stored, in units of the second reference areas.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
85 words
A memory card apparatus characterized by comprising an EEPROM (19) having a data area and a remedy area, each constituted by a plurality of reference areas having a predetermined capacity, and control means (16) for, when it is detected that a write error is caused in one of the reference areas of the data area of said EEPROM (19), searching the remedy area for a free reference area and writing data, which is be written in the error reference area, in the free reference area.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
75 words
The memory card apparatus according to claim 19, characterized in that said control means (16) comprises a management table for causing a position of the reference area, of the data area, in which the write error is detected, to correspond to a position of the reference area, of the remedy area, in which the data to be written in the error reference area is written, and indicating a free reference area of the remedy area.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
54 words
The memory card apparatus according to claim 20, characterized in that when it is detected that a write error is caused in one of the reference areas of the remedy area, said control means (16) records a use inhibiting flag at a position in said management table which corresponds to the error reference area.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
69 words
The memory card apparatus according to claim 19, characterized in that when it is detected that the remedy area is full and a write error is caused in one of the reference areas of the remedy area, said control means (16) searches out a free reference area of the data area and records data, which is to be written in the error reference area, in the free reference area.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
62 words
The memory card apparatus according to claim 22, characterized in that said control means (16) comprises a management table for causing a position of a reference area in which a write error is detected to correspond to a position of a reference area in which data to be written in the error reference area is written, and indicating a free reference area.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
81 words
A memory card apparatus characterized by comprising an EEPROM (19) having a memory space divided into a first storage area in which externally supplied information data is written, and a second storage area in which management data of the externally supplied information data is written, and control means (16) for, when a command for updating specific management data written in the second storage area is externally input, automatically erasing information data managed by the management data from the first storage area.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
29 words
The memory card apparatus according to claim 24, characterized in that the command for updating the specific management data is a command for rendering the specific management data unused.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
103 words
A memory card apparatus characterized by comprising an EEPROM (19) having a memory space divided into an area in which information data is stored, and an area in which management data for managing the information data is stored, initialization means for executing initialization by initializing the management data storage area of said EEPROM (19) in response to an externally supplied initialization command, initialization detecting means for detecting that the management data storage area is initialized by said initialization means, and erase control means for collectively erasing the information data storage area on the basis of a detection output from said initialization detecting means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
76 words
The memory card apparatus according to claim 26, characterized in that said EEPROM (19) is divided into a plurality of banks, each constituted by an information data storage area and a management data storage area, said initialization detecting means detects initialization of the management data storage areas in units of banks, and said erase control means collectively erases the information data storage areas of the banks whose initialized states are detected by said initialization detecting means.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
113 words
A memory card apparatus characterized by comprising an EEPROM (19) having a memory space divided into an area in which information data is stored, and an area in which management data for managing the information data is stored, initialization means for executing initialization by initializing an address management portion of the management data storage area of said EEPROM (19) in response to an externally supplied initialization command, initialization detecting means for detecting that the address management portion of the management data storage area is initialized by said initialization means, and erase control means for collectively erasing the information data storage area on the basis of a detection output from said initialization detecting means.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
89 words
The memory card apparatus according to claim 28, characterized in that said EEPROM (19) is divided into a plurality of banks, each constituted by an information data storage area and a management data storage area, said initialization detecting means detects initialization of address management portions of the management data storage areas in units of banks, and said erase control means collectively erases other required portions of the management data storage areas and information data storage areas of said banks whose initialized states are detected by said initialization detecting means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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