Removable mother/daughter peripheral card

Claim 1

A method of employing a type of memory system having a solid state memory and a controller therefor, comprising: utilizing a mother card having a controller function, and a daughter card having a solid state memory function without said controller function that is electrically and mechanically removably connectable with the mother card through a first type of interface, the solid state memory function of said daughter card operating with the controller function of the mother card when so connected, electrically and mechanically connecting said daughter card directly through the first type of interface with a first host system without use of a mother card, wherein the controller function is embedded within the first host system, and operating the first host system with the solid state memory function of said daughter card through the embedded controller function of the first host system, causing the first host system to store data into the memory of the daughter card while connected therewith, removing the daughter card from connection with the first host system, electrically and mechanically connecting the mother card directly through a second type of interface with a second host system that does not include the controller function embedded therein, electrically and mechanically connecting said daughter card directly with the mother card through the first type of interface, and operating the second host system by using a combination of the controller and solid state memory functions of the connected mother and daughter cards, and causing the second host system to read the stored data from said daughter card when connected therewith.

Claim 2

A method of employing a type of memory system having a solid state memory and a controller therefor, comprising: utilizing a mother card having a controller function, and a daughter card having a solid state memory function without said controller function that is electrically and mechanically removably connectable with the mother card through a first type of interface, the solid state memory function of said daughter card operating with the controller function of the mother card when so connected, electrically and mechanically connecting said daughter card directly through the first type of interface with a first host system without use of a mother card, wherein the controller function is embedded within the first host system, and operating the first host system with the solid state memory function of said daughter card through the embedded controller function of the first host system, causing the first host system to store data into the memory of the daughter card while connected therewith, removing the daughter card from connection with the first host system, electrically and mechanically connecting the mother card directly through a second type of interface with a second host system that does not include the controller function embedded therein, electrically and mechanically connecting said daughter card directly with the mother card through the first type of interface, and operating the second host system by using a combination of the controller and solid state memory functions of the connected mother and daughter cards, and causing the second host system to read the stored data from said daughter card when connected therewith.

Claim 5

The method of 3 wherein connecting the mother card with the second host system includes connecting the mother card with a personal computer.

Claim 6

The method of 3 wherein connecting the mother card with the second host system includes connecting the mother card with a personal computer.

Claim 7

The method of any one of claims 1 or 2-4, wherein the memory function of said at least one daughter card is implemented by flash EEPROM.

Claim 8

The method of any one of claims 1 or 2-4, wherein the solid state memory function of said daughter card is implemented by an array of non-volatile flash EEPROM cells that are individually programmable into more than two states in order to store more than one bit of data per cell.

Claim 10

The method of any one of claims 1 or 2-4, wherein the first and second types of interfaces utilized are mechanically and electrically different from each other.

Claim 11

The method of any one of claims 1 or 2-4, wherein utilizing a mother card includes utilizing a mother card with said second type of interface being a PCMCIA interface.

Claim 12

The method of any one of claims 1 or 2-4, wherein utilizing a mother card includes utilizing a mother card with a slot in which the daughter card is retained within outside boundaries of the mother card when the mother and daughter cards are mechanically and electrically connected through said first type of interface.

Claim 13

A method of employing a solid state memory system including flash EEPROM, comprising: utilizing a card including flash EEPROM without a controller function therefor being included within the card and a mother unit including a first controller providing said controller function, wherein the card is electrically and mechanically removably connectable with said mother unit through a first type of interface, the flash EEPROM operating with the first controller of the mother unit when so connected, electrically and mechanically connecting the card through the first type of interface directly to a first host system without use of said mother unit, wherein the controller function is provided by a second controller embedded within the first host system, operating the first host system to transfer data between the first host system and the flash EEPROM of the card through the second controller, removing the card from connection with the first host system, electrically and mechanically connecting the mother unit directly with a second type of interface of a second host system that does not include the controller function embedded therein, said first and second types of interfaces being different from each other, electrically and mechanically connecting said card directly with the mother unit through the first type of interface, and operating the second host system to transfer said data between the second host system and the flash EEPROM of the card through the first controller, thereby to exchange said data between the first and second host systems through the use of the card.

Claim 14

A method of employing a solid state memory system including flash EEPROM, comprising: utilizing a card including flash EEPROM without a controller function therefor being included within the card and a mother unit including a first controller providing said controller function, wherein the card is electrically and mechanically removably connectable with said mother unit through a first type of interface, the flash EEPROM operating with the first controller of the mother unit when so connected, electrically and mechanically connecting the card through the first type of interface directly to a first host system without use of said mother unit, wherein the controller function is provided by a second controller embedded within the first host system, operating the first host system to transfer data between the first host system and the flash EEPROM of the card through the second controller, removing the card from connection with the first host system, electrically and mechanically connecting the mother unit directly with a second type of interface of a second host system that does not include the controller function embedded therein, said first and second types of interfaces being different from each other, electrically and mechanically connecting said card directly with the mother unit through the first type of interface, and operating the second host system to transfer said data between the second host system and the flash EEPROM of the card through the first controller, thereby to exchange said data between the first and second host systems through the use of the card.

Claim 19

The method of any one of claims 11-14, wherein utilizing a mother unit includes utilizing a mother card with said second type of interface being a PCMCIA interface.

Claim 21

The method of any one of claims 11-14, wherein utilizing the card includes operating the flash EEPROM by programming individual cells of the flash EEPROM into one of more than two states in order to store more than one bit of data per cell.

Claim 22

A method of employing a solid state memory system including flash EEPROM, comprising: utilizing a card including the flash EEPROM without a controller function therefor being included within the card and a mother unit including a first controller providing said controller function, wherein the card is electrically and mechanically removably connectable with said mother unit through a first type of interface, the flash EEPROM operating with the first controller of the mother unit when so connected, electrically and mechanically connecting the card through the first type of interface directly to a camera without use of said mother unit, wherein the controller function is provided by a second controller embedded within the camera, recording a visual field by the camera as data in the flash EEPROM of the card through the second controller, removing the card from connection with the camera, thereafter electrically and mechanically connecting the mother unit directly with a second type of interface of a host system that does not include the controller function embedded therein, said first and second types of interfaces being different from each other, electrically and mechanically connecting said card directly with the mother unit through the first type of interface, and operating the host system to transfer said data between the second host system and the flash EEPROM of the card through the first controller, whereby the visual field recorded by the camera may be viewed.

Claim 23

A method of employing a solid state memory system including flash EEPROM, comprising: utilizing a card including the flash EEPROM without a controller function therefor being included within the card and a mother unit including a first controller providing said controller function, wherein the card is electrically and mechanically removably connectable with said mother unit through a first type of interface, the flash EEPROM operating with the first controller of the mother unit when so connected, electrically and mechanically connecting the card through the first type of interface directly to a camera without use of said mother unit, wherein the controller function is provided by a second controller embedded within the camera, recording a visual field by the camera as data in the flash EEPROM of the card through the second controller, removing the card from connection with the camera, thereafter electrically and mechanically connecting the mother unit directly with a second type of interface of a host system that does not include the controller function embedded therein, said first and second types of interfaces being different from each other, electrically and mechanically connecting said card directly with the mother unit through the first type of interface, and operating the host system to transfer said data between the second host system and the flash EEPROM of the card through the first controller, whereby the visual field recorded by the camera may be viewed.

Claim 26

The method of any one of claims 19-21, wherein utilizing the card includes operating the flash EEPROM by programming individual cells of the flash EEPROM into one of more than two states in order to store more than one bit of data per cell.