Patent Application
20070143507
(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to an improved construction of a storage device, and more particularly, to one provided with a built-in mobile source module to allow charging/discharging while in use.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
Newer computer-based products are introduced into the market at an astonishing speed to expand the application aspects of the computer thanks to advanced technology. For example, the capacity of a hard disk has been upgraded from its initial 10 MB to 80 GB or even higher achieving a growth rate over 8,000 folds. Accordingly, more massive and refined digital data can be stored. Meanwhile, other digital products emphasizing portability such as a notebook, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), flash disk, MP3 or digital camera is capable of processing data and storing the same in the form of digital electronic file for longer preservation, repeated read-out, or storage in a hard disk of the computer.
Data storage devices generally available in the market can be roughly classified into two types. The first type relates to electronic solid-status memory device such as an Read Only Memory (ROM) or Random Access Memory (RAM) usually embedded in the PDA, flash disk or MP3 while serving as a mobile storage device. For example, the flash disk uses Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface as a communication interface to connect to a computer for storing data in the memory of the flash disk into the computer.
The second type of storage device relates to one that is surface mounted such as a memory card to be inserted into a digital camera to store digital image data. The memory card is allowed to transmit the data stored in the memory card to a computer via a communication interface (e.g., a card reader).
Either type has been popularly applied in our daily life. How to develop many additional functions for the storage device other than storage and transmission functions has been the topic many IT industries are working hard to explore.
The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a storage device adapted with a mobile source module. The storage device contains process unit, memory unit, and charging unit. Furthermore, a first communication interface is disposed at where appropriately to connect the storage device to a data process device. The storage device has the built in mobile source module so that when the storage device is connected to a data process device, the source module is charged by an external source connected to the data process device for the source module to maintain a certain level of power at any time.
Alternatively, a second communication interface is connected to another electronic device so that when the storage device is in operation, the source module charges the electronic device via the second communication interface, or directly supplies power to the electronic device.
Referring to
The storage device 10 contains further a charging unit 14 and a source module 20 as illustrated in
Now referring to
The second communication interface may be disposed at where appropriately to the storage device. In the preferred embodiment, the second communication interface is provided on one side of the storage device 10 through a USB. Multiple second communication interfaces 15 may be provided as illustrated in
The prevent invention provides an improved construction of a storage device containing a built-in mobile source module to charge/discharge while the storage device is in use, and the application for a utility patent is duly filed accordingly. However, it is to be noted that the preferred embodiments disclosed in the specification and the accompanying drawings are not limiting the present invention; and that any construction, installation, or characteristics that is same or similar to that of the present invention should fall within the scope of the purposes and claims of the present invention.
