Portable data storage device

Abstract

A portable data storage device ( 10 ) includes a universal serial bus (USB) coupling device ( 1 ) and an interface device ( 2 ) is coupled to the USB coupling device ( 1 ). The portable data storage device (10) also includes a memory control device ( 3 ) and a non-volatile solid-state memory device ( 4 ). The memory control device ( 3 ) is coupled between the interface device ( 2 ) and the memory device ( 4 ) to control the flow of data from the memory device ( 4 ) to the USB coupling device ( 1 ).

1 . A portable data storage device comprising a coupling device for coupling to a computer serial bus, an interface device coupled to the coupling device, a memory control device and a non-volatile solid-state memory device; the memory control device being coupled between the interface device and the memory device to control the flow of data from the memory device to the coupling device.  
     
     
         2 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the non-volatile solid-state memory device is a read/write memory device.  
     
     
         3 . A device according to  claim 2 , wherein the read/write memory device is a flash memory device.  
     
     
         4 . A device according to  claim 2  or  claim 3 , wherein the memory control device controls the flow of data to and from the memory device.  
     
     
         5 . A device according to any of  claims 2  to  4 , further comprising a manually operated switch movable between a first position in which writing of data to the memory device is enabled, and a second position in which writing of data to the memory device is prevented.  
     
     
         6 . A device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the memory control device comprises a micro-controller.  
     
     
         7 . A device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the coupling device comprises a universal serial bus coupling device and the interface device comprises a USB driver.  
     
     
         8 . A device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the coupling device comprises an IEEE 1394 (Firewire) protocol coupling device and the interface device is a Firewire protocol driver.