Interface apparatus
AssigneeSony Corporation
InventorHideaki Bando
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A memory card (1) is provided with data terminals (DATA0/SDIO, DATA1, DATA2, DATA3) for making two-way communication of 4-bit parallel data with a host apparatus on four data communication lines, a clock terminal (SCLK) for receiving a clock from the host apparatus, and a terminal (BS) for receiving, from the host apparatus, a bus-state signal indicating the states of the 4-bit parallel data communication lines and transfer start timing. The first data terminal (DATA0/SDIO) is used as a data terminal for a memory card intended for 1-bit data communication to maintain the compatibility with this memory card.
Claims14
An interface device for an external device removably installable to a host apparatus, the device comprising:
- a data communication means for making two-way communication of 4-bit parallel data with the host apparatus over four data communication lines;
- a clock reception means for receiving a clock for the 4-bit parallel data from the host apparatus;
- a bus-state signal reception means for receiving, from the host apparatus, a bus-state signal indicating the states of the 4-bit parallel data communication lines and transfer start timing;
- and
- a control means for controlling the direction of transmitting the 4-bit parallel data according to the content of a command received from the host apparatus and states, indicated by the bus-state signal, of the data communication lines.
An interface device for a host apparatus to which an external apparatus is removably installable, the device comprising:
- a data communication means for making two-way communication of 4-bit parallel data with the host apparatus over four data communication lines;
- a clock sending means for sending a clock for the 4-bit parallel data to the external device;
- a bus-state signal sending means for sending, to the external device, a bus-state signal indicating the states of the 4-bit parallel data communication lines and transfer start timing;
- and
- a control means for controlling the direction of transmitting the 4-bit parallel data according to the content of a command sent to the external device and states, indicated by the bus-state signal, of the data communication lines.
An interface device for an external device removably installable to a host apparatus, the device comprising:
- a serial data communication means for making two-way communication of 1-bit serial data with the host apparatus over one data communication line;
- a data communication means for making two-way communication of 4-bit parallel data with the host apparatus over four data communication lines;
- a clock reception means for receiving a clock for the 1-bit serial data or 4-bit parallel data from the host apparatus;
- a bus-state signal reception means for receiving, from the host apparatus, a bus-state signal indicating the states of the 1-bit serial data or 4-bit parallel data communication lines and transfer start timing;
- a control means for controlling the direction of transmitting the 1-bit serial data or 4-bit parallel data according to the content of a command received from the host apparatus and states, indicated by the bus-state signal, of the data communication lines;
- and
- a switching means for making a selection between the 1-bi serial and 4-bit parallel data communications;
- the serial data communication means making communications with the host apparatus by sharing one of the four data communication lines over which the 4-bit parallel data is transferred.
An interface device for a host apparatus to which an external apparatus is removably installable, the device comprising:
- a serial data communication means for making two-way communication of 1-bit serial data with the external apparatus over one data communication line;
- a data communication means for making two-way communication of 4-bit parallel data with the host apparatus over four data communication lines;
- a clock sending means for sending a clock for the 1-bit serial data or 4-bit parallel data from the external apparatus;
- a bus-state signal sending means for sending, to the external apparatus, a bus-state signal indicating the states of the 1-bit serial data or 4-bit parallel data communication lines and transfer start timing;
- a control means for controlling the direction of transmitting the 1-bit serial data or 4-bit parallel data according to the content of a command send to the external apparatus and states, indicated by the bus-state signal, of the data communication lines;
- and
- a switching means for making a selection between the 1-bit serial and 4-bit parallel data communications;
- the serial data communication means making the 1-bit serial data communications by sharing one of the four data communication lines over which the 4-bit parallel data is transferred.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.