Hybrid card contact actuator system and method

A method for alternating between data transfer occurring between a card having a semiconductor memory unit and an optical memory unit and electrical and optical data heads, wherein said electrical data head includes a support and said card is supported by a shuttle powered by a single motor and moveable between said heads, comprising:

• moving said shuttle into a contact position with said support, closing a gap between said shuttle and support;
• effecting electrical signal communication between said semiconductor memory unit and said electrical data head;
• moving said shuttle away from said support, forming a gap between said support and said shuttle;
• and
• effecting optical signal communication between said optical memory unit and said optical head while reciprocating said card.

A hybrid memory card reader/writer apparatus, comprising:

• a movable card shuttle adapted to receive and securely support a hybrid memory card having an optical memory element and IC chip memory element on the same side, the card being securely supported in fixed relation to the movable card shuttle;
• an optical head adapted for reading and writing access to data in said optical memory element of said card;
• a chip contactor adapted for reading and writing access to data in said IC chip memory element of said card, the chip contactor having one or more contacts mounted on a support, the support having a projecting finger engageable by the movable card shuttle whereby the support can retractably pivot to engage the contacts with the IC chip memory element of the card;
• and
• a linear motor adapted to drive the movable card shuttle in response to programmed commands in a first mode providing data access of the optical head to the optical memory element of the card and in a second mode providing data access of the chip contactor to the IC chip memory element of the card, the motor in said first mode reciprocably driving the card shuttle with said card relative to said optical head, the motor in said second mode moving the card shuttle beyond a limit of reciprocable motion of the first mode to a stop position engaging said card shuttle with said projecting finger of said support such that the contacts of the chip contactor mounted on the support engage data access positions of the IC chip memory element of the card.

A system for transferring data between optical and electrical data heads and a hybrid data storage card having optically and electrically written stored data comprising:

• a hybrid data card having a semiconductor memory unit and an optical memory unit, both memory units on a single side of said data card;
• an electrical data head connected to a support and moveable into electrical signal communication with said semiconductor memory unit and an optical data head moveable into optical signal communication with the optical memory unit of said hybrid card;
• and
• a shuttle having a single motor for positioning said data card for sequential data transfer between said semiconductor memory unit and said electrical data head and between said optical memory unit and said optical data head, wherein said shuttle and said support are in contact during electrical signal communication.

A method for alternating between data transfer occurring between a card having a semiconductor memory unit and an optical memory unit and electrical and optical data heads, wherein said electrical data head includes a support and said card is supported by a shuttle powered by a single motor and moveable between said heads, comprising:

• moving said shuttle into a contact position with said support, closing a gap between said shuttle and support;
• effecting electrical signal communication between said semiconductor memory unit and said electrical data head;
• moving said shuttle away from said support, forming a gap between said support and said shuttle, and lifting said electrical data head from said semiconductor memory unit before moving said shuttle away from said support;
• and
• effecting optical signal communication between said optical memory unit and said optical head.

A method for alternating between data transfer occurring between a card having a semiconductor memory unit and an optical memory unit and electrical and optical data heads, wherein said electrical data head includes a support and said card is supported by a shuttle powered by a single motor and moveable between said heads, comprising:

• moving said shuttle into a contact position with said support, closing a gap between said shuttle and support;
• effecting electrical signal communication between said semiconductor memory unit and said electrical data head wherein said electrical signal communication occurs only when said shuttle is in a contact position with said support;
• moving said shuttle away from said support, forming a gap between said support and said shuttle;
• and
• effecting optical signal communication between said optical memory unit and said optical head.