Media card command pass through methods

A method of communicating with a memory card, comprising:

• in a host operatively coupled to a memory card for exchanging commands and data with the memory card according to a base card protocol and receiving a message formatted in an extended card protocol, the exchanging and receiving by the host including:
• dividing the message to be received into a plurality of message parts;
• and
• reading each of the plurality of message parts from the memory card, the reading comprising:
• encapsulating an extended card protocol read command in a data field of a command formatted in the base card protocol, the command comprising a parameter corresponding to message parts already received;
• transmitting the command to the memory card;
• and
• receiving one of the plurality of message parts from the memory card.

A method of transmitting a command, comprising:

• in a host operatively coupled to a memory card for exchanging commands and data with the memory card according to a transfer protocol, transmitting to the memory card an embedded command in an embedded protocol within a message in a storage command protocol, the transmitting by the host including:
• embedding the embedded command and an embedded marker into a command block in accordance with the storage command protocol;
• forming a message configured in accordance with the storage command protocol, the message comprising the command block and a storage marker;
• and
• transmitting the message in a data field of a transfer command, the embedded marker and the storage marker identifying the presence of the embedded command within the data field of the transfer command.

A system for transmitting a message to a memory card, the system comprising:

• a host device;
• and
• a memory card receptacle in communication with the host device and positioned to receive a memory card, wherein the memory card receptacle is configured by the host device to transmit commands to the memory card in a base card protocol that encapsulates a message formatted in an extended card protocol, according to the following steps:
• dividing the message into a plurality of message parts;
• and
• transmitting the plurality of message parts to the memory card, the transmitting of each message part including:
• encapsulating the message part in a data field of a command formatted in the base card protocol, the command comprising a parameter corresponding to the message parts already transmitted;
• and
• transmitting the command to the memory card.