Abstract: A USB plug receptacle includes a connector substrate having a tongue portion having a first set of electrical contact pins disposed on a top surface of the tongue portion, a second set of a plurality of electrical pins disposed on a bottom surface of the tongue portion, a third set of electrical contact pins disposed on an opposite end of the tongue portion. The USB plug receptacle further includes a metal case made of a sheet of electrically conductive metal plate by blanking the sheet into a generally tubular shape to receive and enclose the connector substrate. When the connector substrate is inserted into the metal case, the third set of electrical contact pins are exposed outside of the metal case and the third set of electrical contact pins can be mounted on first and second sets of electrical contact pads of a printed circuit board assembly.

Abstract: A USB plug receptacle includes a connector substrate having a tongue portion having a first set of electrical contact pins disposed on a top surface of the tongue portion, a second set of a plurality of electrical pins disposed on a bottom surface of the tongue portion, a third set of electrical contact pins disposed on an opposite end of the tongue portion. The USB plug receptacle further includes a metal case made of a sheet of electrically conductive metal plate by blanking the sheet into a generally tubular shape to receive and enclose the connector substrate. When the connector substrate is inserted into the metal case, the third set of electrical contact pins are exposed outside of the metal case and the third set of electrical contact pins can be mounted on first and second sets of electrical contact pads of a printed circuit board assembly.

Abstract: An extended universal serial bus (USB) storage device is described herein. According to one embodiment, an extended USB storage device includes a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) having a flash memory device and a flash controller mounted thereon, and an extended USB connector plug coupled to the PCBA for providing a USB compatible interface between an external device and the flash memory device and the flash controller, wherein the extended USB connector plug includes a first end used to couple to the external device and a second end coupled to the flash memory device and the flash controller. The extended USB connector plug includes multiple communication interfaces. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.

Abstract: An extended Universal-Serial-Bus (USB) connector plug and socket each have a pin substrate with one surface that supports the four metal contact pins for the standard USB interface. An extension of the pin substrate carries another 8 extension metal contact pins that mate when both the connector plug and socket are extended. The extension can be an increased length of the plug's and socket's pin substrate or a reverse side of the substrate. Standard USB connectors do not make contact with the extension metal contacts that are recessed, retracted by a mechanical switch, or on the extension of the socket's pin substrate that a standard USB connector cannot reach. Standard USB sockets do not make contact with the extension metal contacts because the extended connector's extension contacts are recessed, or on the extension of the connector pin substrate that does not fit inside a standard USB socket.

Abstract: An extended USB plug connector includes a connector substrate including a frontend having a first set of electrical contact pins disposed thereon and a backend having a second set of electrical contact pins disposed thereon. The first set includes a first row of electrical contact pins disposed on a top surface of the connector substrate and a second row of electrical contact pins disposed in parallel with the first row of electrical contact pins and interior to the first row of electrical contact pins, where the second row includes more electrical contact pins than the first row. The second set of electrical contact pins includes a number of electrical contact pins equal to the first row and second row of electrical contact pins in total. The second set of electrical contact pins are used to connect to corresponding electrical contact pads disposed on a printed circuit board assembly having a USB controller and flash memory devices disposed thereon.

Abstract: According to certain embodiments of the invention, a flash memory card is manufactured using COB processes on a PCB panel with multiple micro cards PCB substrates. These micro memory cards are laid out in an array of 3×5 matrixes of micro cards PCB substrates. A method of molding over a PCBA is utilized, contrary to a conventional method of having two or more pieces of package components to tape together. This results in a simpler structure without the notch which enables easier singulation process and the package is moisture resistance. The final product is a single piece versus two or three pieces glued up pieces and would not separate from pieces. The final product has high water and moisture resistance, low cost and fast manufacturing throughput, no seam and aesthetically more appeasing, can stack more layers of flash memory die, and be maximized XY spaces to accommodate larger size flash memory die.

Abstract: An extended Universal-Serial-Bus (USB) connector plug and socket each have a pin substrate with one surface that supports the four metal contact pins for the standard USB interface. An extension of the pin substrate carries another 8 extension metal contact pins that mate when both the connector plug and socket are extended. The extension can be an increased length of the plug's and socket's pin substrate or a reverse side of the substrate. Standard USB connectors do not make contact with the extension metal contacts that are recessed, retracted by a mechanical switch, or on the extension of the socket's pin substrate that a standard USB connector cannot reach. Standard USB sockets do not make contact with the extension metal contacts because the extended connector's extension contacts are recessed, or on the extension of the connector pin substrate that does not fit inside a standard USB socket.

Abstract: An extended universal serial bus (USB) storage device is described herein. According to one embodiment, an extended USB storage device includes a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) having a flash memory device and a flash controller mounted thereon, and an extended USB connector plug coupled to the PCBA for providing a USB compatible interface between an external device and the flash memory device and the flash controller, wherein the extended USB connector plug includes a first end used to couple to the external device and a second end coupled to the flash memory device and the flash controller. The extended USB connector plug includes multiple communication interfaces. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.

Abstract: An extended Universal-Serial-Bus (USB) connector plug and socket each have a pin substrate with one surface that supports the four metal contact pins for the standard USB interface. An extension of the pin substrate carries another 8 extension metal contact pins that mate when both the connector plug and socket are extended. The extension can be an increased length of the plug's and socket's pin substrate or a reverse side of the substrate. Standard USB connectors do not make contact with the extension metal contacts that are recessed, retracted by a mechanical switch, or on the extension of the socket's pin substrate that a standard USB connector cannot reach. Standard USB sockets do not make contact with the extension metal contacts because the extended connector's extension contacts are recessed, or on the extension of the connector pin substrate that does not fit inside a standard USB socket.

Abstract: An extended universal serial bus (USB) storage device is described herein. According to one embodiment, an extended USB storage device includes a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) having a flash memory device and a flash controller mounted thereon, and an extended USB connector plug coupled to the PCBA for providing a USB compatible interface between an external device and the flash memory device and the flash controller, wherein the extended USB connector plug includes a first end used to couple to the external device and a second end coupled to the flash memory device and the flash controller. The extended USB connector plug includes multiple communication interfaces. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.

Abstract: An extended universal serial bus (USB) storage device is described herein. According to one embodiment, an extended USB storage device includes a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) having a flash memory device and a flash controller mounted thereon, and an extended USB connector plug coupled to the PCBA for providing a USB compatible interface between an external device and the flash memory device and the flash controller, wherein the extended USB connector plug includes a first end used to couple to the external device and a second end coupled to the flash memory device and the flash controller. The extended USB connector plug includes multiple communication interfaces. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.

Abstract: In an electronic data storage device accessed by a host computer motherboard, a fingerprint sensor scans a fingerprint of a user of the electronic data storage device and generates fingerprint scan data. A processing unit activates an input/output interface circuit to store a data file and fingerprint reference data obtained by scanning a fingerprint of a person authorized to access the data file in a memory device having non-volatile memory, where the processing unit transmits the data file to the host computer motherboard upon verifying that the user of the electronic data storage device is authorized to access the data file stored in the memory device as a result of comparison between the fingerprint scan data from the fingerprint sensor and the fingerprint reference data. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.

Abstract: Phase-change memory (PCM) cells store data using alloy resistors in high-resistance amorphous and low-resistance crystalline states. The time of the memory cell's set-current pulse can be 100 ns, much longer than read or reset times. The write time thus depends on the write data and is relatively long. A page-mode caching PCM device has a lookup table (LUT) that caches write data that is later written to an array of PCM banks. Host data is latched into a line FIFO and written into the LUT, reducing write delays to the relatively slow PCM. Host read data can be supplied by the LUT or fetched from the PCM banks. A multi-line page buffer between the PCM banks and LUT allows for larger block transfers using the LUT. Error-correction code (ECC) checking and generation is performed for data in the LUT, hiding ECC delays for data writes into the PCM banks.

Abstract: Peripheral devices store data in non-volatile phase-change memory (PCM). PCM cells have alloy resistors with high-resistance amorphous states and low-resistance crystalline states. The peripheral device can be a Serial AT-Attachment (SATA) or integrated device electronics (IDE) PCM solid-state disk or a Multi-Media Card/Secure Digital (MMC/SD) card. A peripheral PCM controller accesses PCM mass storage devices containing PCM memory chips that form a mass-storage device that is block-addressable rather than randomly-addressable. SATA, IDE, or MMC/SD transactions from a host bus are read by a bus transceiver on the peripheral PCM controller. Various routines that execute on a CPU in the peripheral PCM controller are activated in response to commands in the host-bus transactions. A PCM controller in the peripheral controller transfers data from the bus transceiver to the PCM mass storage devices for storage.

Abstract: Peripheral devices store data in non-volatile phase-change memory (PCM). PCM cells have alloy resistors with high-resistance amorphous states and low-resistance crystalline states. The peripheral device can be a Multi-Media Card/Secure Digital (MMC/SD) card. A PCM controller accesses PCM memory devices. Various routines that execute on a CPU in the PCM controller are activated in response to commands in the host-bus transactions. The PCM system increases the throughput of one or more phase-change memory devices by performing one or more of a read-ahead memory operation, a write-ahead memory write operation, a larger page memory write operation, a wider data bus memory write operation, a multi-channel concurrent multi-bank interleaving memory read or write operation, a write-cache memory write operation, and any combination thereof.

Abstract: According to certain embodiments of the invention, a single chip COB USB manufacturing is using chip-on-board (COB) processes on a PCB panel with multiple individual USB PCB substrates. This single chip COB USB is laid out in an array of N×M matrixes. The advantages of this method are: 1) use molding over PCBA, versus conventional of using SMT process to mount all necessary component on substrate to form PCBA; 2) simpler rectangular structure to fit any external decorative shell package for added value; and 3) package is moisture resistance if not water proof.

Abstract: An extended USB plug connector includes a connector substrate including a frontend having a first set of electrical contact pins disposed thereon and a backend having a second set of electrical contact pins disposed thereon. The first set includes a first row of electrical contact pins disposed on a top surface of the connector substrate and a second row of electrical contact pins disposed in parallel with the first row of electrical contact pins and interior to the first row of electrical contact pins, where the second row includes more electrical contact pins than the first row. The second set of electrical contact pins includes a number of electrical contact pins equal to the first row and second row of electrical contact pins in total. The second set of electrical contact pins are used to connect to corresponding electrical contact pads disposed on a printed circuit board assembly having a USB controller and flash memory devices disposed thereon.

Abstract: An extended universal serial bus (USB) card reader device is described herein. In one embodiment, a card reader includes a first extended USB (EUSB) connector to be coupled to an external host system, multiple flash memory card sockets capable of receiving multiple flash memory cards inserted therein, multiple flash controllers coupled to the plurality of flash memory card sockets respectively. The card reader further includes a memory for storing executable code, a processor coupled to each of the flash controllers for executing the executable code to control each of the plurality of flash controllers in order to access the corresponding flash memory card inserted therein. The card reader further includes a second EUSB connector to be coupled to an external EUSB device using the extended USB protocols, which is one of an EUSB slave device and an EUSB hub device. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.

Abstract: An extended universal serial bus (USB) storage device is described herein. According to one embodiment, an extended USB storage device includes a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) having a flash memory device and a flash controller mounted thereon, and an extended USB connector plug coupled to the PCBA for providing a USB compatible interface between an external device and the flash memory device and the flash controller, wherein the extended USB connector plug includes a first end used to couple to the external device and a second end coupled to the flash memory device and the flash controller. In one embodiment, a front piece (1701) includes a metal case (1706) for shielding and a tongue (1709) with contact pins (1781, 1782) and a rear piece (1702) includes a tip portion (1713) with contacts (1783). When the rear tip portion (1713) is inserted into the front piece the contact pins (1783) engage the contact pins (1781, 1782).

Abstract: A portable USB device with an improved configuration is described herein. According to one embodiment, a portable USB device includes a core unit having a USB plug connector coupled to one or more flash memory devices and a flash controller disposed therein, where the flash controller is capable of exchanging data with a host via the USB plug connector using a bulk-only-transfer protocol. The portable USB device further includes a housing for enclosing the core unit, including a front end opening to allow the USB plug connector to be deployed. The portable USB device further includes a core unit carrier for carrying the core unit for deploying and retracting the core unit, including a slide button to allow a finger of a user to slide the USB plug connector of the core unit in and out of the housing via the front end opening of the housing.