Abstract: A card reader and a controller thereof, and a method are provided. The card reader includes a storage device and the controller, wherein the controller is coupled to the storage device. The storage device is configured to store specific identification data of a specific memory device. The controller is configured to receive identification data of the external memory device plugged into the card reader, and determine whether the external memory device is the specific memory device according to the identification data and the specific identification data, to generate a determination result. More particularly, the controller may control whether to open permission of at least one function according to the determination result.

Abstract: An electronic device with a card reading function includes a chip, a memory card slot, a card reading device, and a capacitor. The memory card slot receives a memory card. The card reader device is coupled to the chip through a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) interface and receives at least one of a first PCIe signal, an Ultra High Speed type II (UHS-II) Secure Digital (SD) card signal, and a legacy SD card signal, the UHS-II SD card signal including a DC component and an AC component. The capacitor establishes the PCIe interface. The card reading device includes a bridge card reader circuit for converting the legacy SD card signal or the UHS-II SD card signal into a second PCIe signal transmitted through the PCIe interface.

Abstract: A method of identifying the type of a memory card is provided for identifying the type of a secure digital (SD) card. The pin number of the SD card complies with an SD card specification formulated by the Secure Digital Association. The method includes the following steps: performing a legacy SD card initialization procedure on the SD card; and sequentially determining whether the SD card is an SD Express card, an Ultra High Speed type II (UHS-II) SD card, or a legacy SD card.

Abstract: An electronic device capable of accessing a memory card is provided. The electronic device includes a circuit board, a processing unit, a memory card slot, and a memory card access module. The processing unit is disposed on the circuit board. The memory card slot is disposed on the circuit board, allows the insertion of the memory card, and is coupled to the processing unit through a first signal line. The memory card access module is disposed on the circuit board for accessing the memory card. The memory card access module is coupled to the processing unit through a second signal line and coupled to the memory card slot through a third signal line and a fourth signal line. The first signal line, the second signal line, and the third signal line conform to the standard of a signal transmission interface.

Abstract: A memory card access module and a memory card access method are provided. The memory card access method is applied to an electronic device. A processing unit of the electronic device accesses a memory card through a memory card slot. The method includes steps of: detecting whether the memory card supports a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) interface; when the memory card does not support the PCIe interface, controlling the processing unit to access the memory card through a data transmission path and performing data format conversion between a transmission interface and the PCIe interface using a memory card access unit disposed on the data transmission path; and when the memory card supports the PCIe interface, controlling the processing unit to access the memory card through a PCIe data transmission path that allows the processing unit and the memory card to transmit data through the PCIe interface.

Abstract: A method and a control chip for performing access control of a memory device are provided, wherein the control chip is coupled to a host device. The method includes: utilizing a first transmission interface of the control chip to determine whether the memory device supports a second transmission interface different from the first transmission interface to generate a determination result; and according to user permissions of a user regarding the host device, determining whether to allow the control chip to decide whether to utilize the second transmission interface to access the memory device based on the determination result. In addition, if the user permissions satisfy a predetermined condition, a user interface of the host device may display a pop-up window in order to allow the user to decide which one of the first transmission interface and the second transmission interface to utilize for accessing the memory device.

Abstract: A method for performing detection control of a write protection function of a memory device, an associated control chip, and an associated electronic device are provided. The method includes: detecting whether the memory device supports a first protocol to generate an interface detection result; detecting whether a write protection switch of the memory device is turned on to generate a write protection detection result; and according to the interface detection result and the write protection detection result, selectively initializing a transmission interface of a control chip as a first transmission interface conforming to the first protocol or a second transmission interface, to allow a host device to access the memory device through the control chip, wherein the first transmission interface corresponds to a first configuration of the control chip, and the second transmission interface corresponds to a second configuration of the control chip.

Abstract: A method and a control chip for performing access control of a memory device are provided, wherein the control chip is coupled to a host device. The method includes: utilizing a first transmission interface of the control chip to determine whether the memory device supports a second transmission interface different from the first transmission interface to generate a determination result; and according to user permissions of a user regarding the host device, determining whether to allow the control chip to decide whether to utilize the second transmission interface to access the memory device based on the determination result. In addition, if the user permissions satisfy a predetermined condition, a user interface of the host device may display a pop-up window in order to allow the user to decide which one of the first transmission interface and the second transmission interface to utilize for accessing the memory device.

Abstract: A method for performing detection control of a write protection function of a memory device, an associated control chip, and an associated electronic device are provided. The method includes: detecting whether the memory device supports a first protocol to generate an interface detection result; detecting whether a write protection switch of the memory device is turned on to generate a write protection detection result; and according to the interface detection result and the write protection detection result, selectively initializing a transmission interface of a control chip as a first transmission interface conforming to the first protocol or a second transmission interface, to allow a host device to access the memory device through the control chip, wherein the first transmission interface corresponds to a first configuration of the control chip, and the second transmission interface corresponds to a second configuration of the control chip.

Abstract: A memory card access module and a memory card access method are provided. The memory card access method is applied to an electronic device. A processing unit of the electronic device accesses a memory card through a memory card slot. The method includes steps of: detecting whether the memory card supports a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) interface; when the memory card does not support the PCIe interface, controlling the processing unit to access the memory card through a data transmission path and performing data format conversion between a transmission interface and the PCIe interface using a memory card access unit disposed on the data transmission path; and when the memory card supports the PCIe interface, controlling the processing unit to access the memory card through a PCIe data transmission path that allows the processing unit and the memory card to transmit data through the PCIe interface.

Abstract: This invention discloses a memory card access module and a memory card access method. The memory card access method is applied to an electronic device. A processing unit of the electronic device accesses a memory card through a memory card slot. The method includes steps of: detecting whether the memory card supports a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) interface; when the memory card does not support the PCIe interface, controlling the processing unit to access the memory card through a first data transmission path and performing data format conversion between a transmission interface and the PCIe interface using a memory card access unit disposed on the first data transmission path; and when the memory card supports the PCIe interface, controlling the processing unit to access the memory card through a second data transmission path that allows the processing unit and the memory card to transmit data through the PCIe interface.

Abstract: A memory card reading method applied to an electronic device, includes: detecting a specification information of a memory card, wherein the specification information includes a transfer speed of the memory; and controlling according to the specification information a reader to host interface to operate in a first operating mode or a second operating mode for reading the memory card, wherein the first operating mode and the second operating mode correspond to different data transfer speeds.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an intermediate circuit including: a detection circuit generating a detection result indicating a memory card signal conforming to one of a first and a second voltage specifications which specify a higher first operation voltage and a lower second operation voltage respectively; a control circuit generating a conversion control signal and a selection control signal according to the detection result; a conversion circuit converting the memory card signal into a card-to-system conversion signal conforming to the second voltage specification according to the conversion control signal when the memory card signal conforms to the first voltage specification; and a selection circuit outputting the card-to-system conversion signal according to the selection control signal when the memory card signal conforms to the first voltage specification, and outputting the memory card signal according to the selection control signal when the memory card signal conforms to the second voltage speci

Abstract: This invention discloses a memory card access module and a memory card access method. The memory card access method is applied to an electronic device. A processing unit of the electronic device accesses a memory card through a memory card slot. The method includes steps of: detecting whether the memory card supports a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) interface; when the memory card does not support the PCIe interface, controlling the processing unit to access the memory card through a first data transmission path and performing data format conversion between a transmission interface and the PCIe interface using a memory card access unit disposed on the first data transmission path; and when the memory card supports the PCIe interface, controlling the processing unit to access the memory card through a second data transmission path that allows the processing unit and the memory card to transmit data through the PCIe interface.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an intermediate circuit including: a detection circuit generating a detection result indicating a memory card signal conforming to one of a first and a second voltage specifications which specify a higher first operation voltage and a lower second operation voltage respectively; a control circuit generating a conversion control signal and a selection control signal according to the detection result; a conversion circuit converting the memory card signal into a card-to-system conversion signal conforming to the second voltage specification according to the conversion control signal when the memory card signal conforms to the first voltage specification; and a selection circuit outputting the card-to-system conversion signal according to the selection control signal when the memory card signal conforms to the first voltage specification, and outputting the memory card signal according to the selection control signal when the memory card signal conforms to the second voltage speci

Abstract: The present invention discloses an intermediate circuit including: a detection circuit detecting a memory card signal to generate a detection result indicating the memory card signal conforming to one of a first and a second signal types which are dedicated to different physical transmission interfaces respectively; a control circuit generating a conversion control signal and a selection control signal according to the detection result; a conversion circuit converting the memory card signal into a card-to-system conversion signal of the second signal type according to the conversion control signal when the memory card signal conforms to the first signal type; and a selection circuit outputting the card-to-system conversion signal according to the selection control signal when the memory card signal conforms to the first signal type, and outputting the memory card signal according to the selection control signal when the memory card signal conforms to the second signal type.

Abstract: A memory card reading method applied to an electronic device, includes: detecting a specification information of a memory card, wherein the specification information includes a transfer speed of the memory; and controlling according to the specification information a reader to host interface to operate in a first operating mode or a second operating mode for reading the memory card, wherein the first operating mode and the second operating mode correspond to different data transfer speeds.