Memory card adapter
AssigneeSanDisk IL Ltd.
InventorMAHMUD ASFUR
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A card adapter includes a plurality of memory card interfaces for interfacing with a plurality of memory cards, each of the memory cards having its own file system, and a host interface for interfacing a host of the memory cards. A controller of the card adapter interfaces with the plurality of memory card interfaces and with the host interface and controls operation of the memory cards. The card adapter may have several modes of operation, one of which involves emulating, on the host, by the controller, a virtual file system that represents a unified image of the file systems of two or more memory cards. In another mode of operation of the card adapter the controller establishes presents to the host only one file system of a memory card.
Claims19
A card adapter comprising:
- a first memory card interface configured to be connected to a first memory card, the first memory card being associated with a first file system;
- a second memory card interface configured to be connected to a second memory card, the second memory card being associated with a second file system;
- a host interface configured to be connected to a host;
- and
- a controller interfacing with the first memory card interface, the second card interface and the host interface to control the first memory card and the second memory card,
- wherein in an operation mode of the card adapter the controller is operative to emulate a virtual file system that presents to the host the first file system and the second file system as a unified image.
A method of connecting memory cards to a host using a card adapter having a first memory card interface and a second memory card interface, the method comprising:
- connecting a first memory card to a first memory card interface of a card adapter, the first memory card associated with a first file system;
- connecting a second memory card to a second memory card interface of the card adapter, the second memory card associated with a second file system;
- and
- controlling operation of the first memory card and the second memory card, wherein in a selected operation mode, the controlling includes emulating, by a controller of the card adapter, a virtual file system that presents to the host the first file system and the second file system as a unified image.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.