Removable memory card with efficient latching mechanism and pad layout

Abstract

A memory card is provided with various pad layouts to prevent data signal pads from contacting power contacts in a host during insertion and removal of the memory card. The memory card can have a form factor and features that accommodate relatively large memory and relatively high performance and attendant thermal conditions. A high efficiency card locking mechanism is also provided.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application No. 63 / 027,730, filed May 20, 2020, which is incorporated herein by reference. Background Technology

[0003] The host computer can use a memory card to read and write data. The host computer can be, for example, a mobile computing device such as a telephone, tablet computer, or laptop computer. The memory card can be, for example, a microSD card. TM Card. Other types of host and memory cards can be used. Attached Figure Description

[0004] Figure 1 This is a rear top perspective view of a memory card in an implementation scheme.

[0005] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The front top perspective view of the memory card shown.

[0006] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 The memory card shown is shown in top view.

[0007] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 The left side view of the memory card shown.

[0008] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 The right-side view of the memory card shown.

[0009] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 The front view of the memory card shown.

[0010] Figure 7 yes Figure 1 The image shows the rear view of the memory card.

[0011] Figure 8 yes Figure 1 The image shows a front bottom perspective view of the memory card.

[0012] Figure 9 The first pad layout is shown. Figure 8 The image shows a front bottom perspective view of the memory card.

[0013] Figure 10 A layout with a second pad is shown. Figure 8 The image shows a front bottom perspective view of the memory card.

[0014] Figure 11 yes Figure 1 The bottom view of the memory card is shown.

[0015] Figure 12 The first pad layout is shown. Figure 11 The bottom view of the memory card is shown.

[0016] Figure 13 A layout with a second pad is shown. Figure 11 The bottom view of the memory card is shown.

[0017] Figure 14 A more detailed view showing the first pad layout is shown. Figure 12 The bottom view of the memory card is shown.

[0018] Figure 15 A more detailed view with a second pad layout is shown. Figure 13 The bottom view of the memory card is shown.

[0019] Figure 16 This is a rear top perspective view of a memory card according to another embodiment, wherein the memory card has a metal plate.

[0020] Figure 17 yes Figure 16 The top view of the memory card shown.

[0021] Figure 18 This is a rear top perspective view of another embodiment with a memory card of a different card locking support of proportional size and placement.

[0022] Figure 19 yes Figure 18 The front top perspective view of the memory card shown.

[0023] Figure 20 yes Figure 18 The memory card shown is shown in top view.

[0024] Figure 21 yes Figure 18 The left side view of the memory card shown.

[0025] Figure 22 yes Figure 18 The right-side view of the memory card shown.

[0026] Figure 23 yes Figure 18 The front view of the memory card shown.

[0027] Figure 24 yes Figure 18 The image shows the rear view of the memory card.

[0028] Figure 25 yes Figure 18 The image shows a front bottom perspective view of the memory card.

[0029] Figure 26 The first pad layout is shown. Figure 25 The image shows a front bottom perspective view of the memory card.

[0030] Figure 27 A layout with a second pad is shown. Figure 25 The image shows a front bottom perspective view of the memory card.

[0031] Figure 28 yes Figure 18 The bottom view of the memory card is shown.

[0032] Figure 29 A layout with a second pad is shown. Figure 27 The bottom view of the memory card is shown.

[0033] Figure 30 The first pad layout is shown. Figure 26 The bottom view of the memory card is shown.

[0034] Figure 31 A more detailed view showing the first pad layout is shown. Figure 30 The bottom view of the memory card is shown.

[0035] Figure 32 A more detailed view with a second pad layout is shown. Figure 29 The bottom view of the memory card is shown.

[0036] Figure 33 This is a rear top perspective view of a memory card according to another embodiment, wherein the memory card has a metal plate.

[0037] Figure 34 yes Figure 33 The memory card shown is shown in top view.

[0038] Figure 35 It shows samples with different sizes. Figure 30 The bottom view of the memory card is shown.

[0039] Figure 36 A microSD with sample size is shown. TM Bottom view of the memory card.

[0040] Figure 37 yes Figure 33 The memory card shown is shown in top view.

[0041] Figure 38 yes Figure 37 The image shows a cross-sectional view of the memory card. Detailed Implementation

[0042] In summary, mobile computing devices (e.g., phones, tablets, laptops, game consoles, Internet of Things (IoT)) require removable storage cards that are easy to replace and upgrade or expand, are thin, have relatively large storage capacity, and offer relatively high performance. Existing storage cards such as microSD cards... TM Memory cards often have form factors that are too small to handle high-performance demands and the resulting thermal conditions. The following solutions provide memory cards with different form factors that address these issues.

[0043] In one embodiment, a memory card is provided that has features similar to a microSD card. TM It has the overall shape but a larger size and a different pad layout to support the aforementioned memory, performance and thermal capabilities. Figures 1-8 and Figure 11 Various views of the memory card 10, illustrating the shape factor of such a memory card 10, are shown in the embodiments. Various pad layouts can be used on the bottom of the memory card. Figure 9 , Figure 12 and Figure 14 An exemplary pad layout is shown, and Figure 10 , Figure 13 and Figure 15 Another exemplary pad layout is shown. To aid heat dissipation and potential EMI protection, a metal plate 40 can be used on top of the memory card 10, and... Figure 16 and Figure 17 An example of this aspect is shown.

[0044] The pads can be used to connect to corresponding electrical connectors in the host to position the host for communication with the memory card 10. The memory card 10 may include any suitable memory (including 3D memory) and a controller that can be configured to read data from the memory and store data in the memory. The controller may implement other functions such as error correction and storage algorithms.

[0045] These implementation schemes rely on several basic assumptions regarding their two pad layouts:

[0046] - Supports four peripheral component interconnect high-speed (PCIe) lanes using up to two power supplies (e.g., 3.3V / 1.8V or 2.7V / 1.2V).

[0047] - Separate the PCIe high-speed I / O from the rest, and group them according to PCIe channels.

[0048] - Provide GND isolation when needed

[0049] - Allows the use of PWR / GND balanced differential interface

[0050] -Features separate pad rows for power signals, clock signals, and sideband signals.

[0051] - Avoid any collisions between signal pads and power pads during hot-insertion / removal.

[0052] The three-row layout allows for better heat dissipation from the card to the printed circuit board and easier connector design with dense pads of sufficient strength.

[0053] - Includes PRSNT# (Presence Detection) function pads for card insertion / removal detection (no card detection switch required).

[0054] - Includes two pads for CardType, which allows the hardware host to detect the card type after card insertion. This can provide advance information about the card type if needed.

[0055] - Includes several reserved pads for future use.

[0056] In the two pad layouts 20 and 30 described above, there are three rows of pads. One row includes power signals, clock signals, and sideband signals, and the other rows include the required number of differential high-speed interfaces. These pads are based on the PCIe interface standard to support high-speed differential interfaces. The pads are powered by at least one power supply along with several sideband signals. The pads are arranged in such a way that the signal pads never come into contact with any power pads on the host side during card insertion or removal, thereby avoiding any conflicts during hot-plugging / removal (i.e., inserting or removing the card while the host is providing power to the card). Several pads are allocated for card type indication, allowing the host to detect the type and / or characteristics of the inserted card through its hardware. Presence detection pads are used to detect card insertion / removal, thereby eliminating the need for microSD cards. TM The card detection switch commonly used in cards is required. In this embodiment, the pads are arranged in such a way that the presence detection contacts on the connector side never come into contact with any other signal pads, power pads, or ground pads during card insertion or removal, thereby avoiding any erroneous card detection.

[0057] As described above, the multi-row pad layout 20, 30 of these implementations addresses potential conflicts caused by signal short circuits during hot-plugging / removal. Due to the small card size and the need to support multiple PCIe lanes, a large number of pads may need to be placed in a relatively small area. Therefore, it may be necessary to place three rows of pads sequentially. Hot-plugging / removal is supported because consumers can remove the card without any notification. That is, power can be supplied to the connector's power contacts during card insertion or removal, and it is expected that no damage will be caused to the card or host if any signal pad or ground pad comes into contact with any power contact during the card's insertion / removal path. The same potential problem may occur if the host-detection contacts come into contact with any signal, power, or ground during the card insertion / removal path. Such unintentional contact can cause incorrect card detection by the host, which is something to be avoided. Additionally, the host may wish to use its hardware circuitry and obtain information about the card's type, specific characteristics, or configuration without needing to initialize the card and read its internal information. Such requirements may be necessary for hardware-related support needs anticipated before any card operation occurs (i.e., supplying specific power voltage levels or allowing specific maximum current consumption during initialization). A method can be provided that allows such information to be provided to the host without being incorrectly detected due to hot-plug path conflicts.

[0058] Similar to the first and second pad layouts in these embodiments, in the first pad layout 20, the power rails are located on the back of the card 10, closer to the thicker area of ​​the card 10 (which may include internal power circuitry). This requires open paths between the front pad rows, thus eliminating contact between the front row pads and the power contacts during hot-card insertion or removal. In the second pad layout 30, the power / control lines are located at the front, so the connector contacts of the other rows never contact them. This allows for greater spacing between the pads, providing more flexibility.

[0059] In one implementation, the following pad size is used. Of course, this is just an example, and other sizes may be used.

[0060] - The distance between the pad width of approximately 0.75 mm and the center distance between the pads of approximately 1.05 mm (the distance between pads is approximately 0.3 mm).

[0061] The short pad is approximately 1.35 mm long, and the long pad is approximately 1.65 mm long.

[0062] The distance between differential high-speed signal lines can be approximately 2 mm.

[0063] As mentioned above, the advantage of these simplified pad layouts 20, 30 is that they avoid any potential electrical conflicts or erroneous card detection indications that may be caused by contact between any card pads and the power contacts or presence detection (PRSNT#) contacts on the connector side during hot insertion / removal.

[0064] Existing cards do not adequately address the aforementioned issues. For example, edge card connectors (such as those used on motherboards) have a very large profile and are less desirable in small, thin devices such as mobile devices. Additionally, hinged connectors (such as older "under-battery" SIM cards or XFMexpress cards) do not have the problem of card pads sliding under other connector contacts during card insertion / removal. However, such connectors have a rather large profile due to their mechanical strength and are not well-suited for use with externally removable cards. Other solutions allow such contact to occur (e.g., in SD UHSII and SDExpress cards), where special care is required to prevent damage. These factors limit the continuous evolution of card functionality and may put cards at risk if card / host manufacturers do not meet restricted protection rules.

[0065] Additionally, card type pads allow for hardware indication of various card types / configurations to be provided to the host immediately after card insertion detection. Furthermore, such information is typically provided today via physical cutouts on the board (i.e., in M.2 cards). This type of solution requires a separate printed circuit board for each card type, as well as configurable connectors. It also does not allow for electrical indication of a specific configuration (via software on the card or field programming). Other solutions provide information simultaneously with card insertion. In this case, those card type pads also need to be protected from collisions during card insertion / removal and require dedicated paths. In a given solution, the host is only expected to read the card type pads after card detection has been indicated to the host. This type of solution does not require paths to protect those pads / contacts during card insertion / removal and allows the card to provide logical values ​​corresponding to the card type / configuration after insertion.

[0066] In summary, the memory card 10 of these embodiments solves several problems and provides several advantages. For example, the pad layouts 20, 30 of these embodiments avoid any potential electrical conflicts or erroneous card detection indications that may be caused by contact between any pads and power contacts or card presence detection (PRSNT#) contacts on the connector side during hot insertion / removal. This is achieved by placing all power pads and presence-detection pads in the front row, or, if they are placed in the second or third row, maintaining a clear path for those specific pads. Additionally, card type pads allow for hardware indication to the host of various card types / configurations after card insertion is detected. Several card pads are dedicated to this, and they are only effective after card 10 is inserted and only sensed by the host after card insertion is detected.

[0067] In another implementation, memory cards with different shape factors are used. Figures 18-25 and Figure 28 Various views of the memory card are shown to illustrate the shape factor of such a memory card 50 according to the implementation scheme. Figure 35 A sample size of a specific implementation of the memory card 50 is shown, and Figure 36 A standard microSD is shown. TM The dimensions of the card (55) are shown for comparison. Various pad layouts can be used on the bottom of the memory card. Figure 26 , Figure 30 and Figure 31 An exemplary pad layout 30 is shown, and Figure 27 , Figure 29 and Figure 32 Another exemplary pad layout 20 is shown.

[0068] Although the pad layouts 20 and 30 provided above have three rows, pad layouts with different numbers of rows can also be used (e.g., to support different numbers of differential interfaces).

[0069] Although the pad layouts 20 and 30 provided above place all sideband and power pads in separate rows from differential signals, some of these pads can also be placed in other rows.

[0070] To aid heat dissipation, a metal plate 80 can be used on top of the memory card 50, and Figure 33 and Figure 34 An example of this aspect is shown. Figure 37 and Figure 38The metal plate 80 and a cross-sectional view are shown. This optional metal plate 80 not only provides better thermal conductivity, but also offers better protection against electromagnetic interference (EMI) in the event of insufficient connectors. As shown in the cross-sectional view, the memory card 50 has a molded plastic 90, a substrate 92 (on which the metal plate 80 may be placed), and internal components 94.

[0071] As can be seen by comparing the shape factors of the memory cards 10 and 50 in the two embodiments, the card locking mechanism 52 of the memory card 50 in the second embodiment has a microSD card design. TM The shape and size of the card, but the actual card size is larger than a microSD card. TM Card.

[0072] Generally speaking, these implementations address the issues of increased size and form factor and the need for new card locking mechanisms. The removable memory cards 10 and 50 in these implementations are larger in size than typical microSD cards. TM This allows for higher speeds to achieve higher capacity and better thermal characteristics. A card locking mechanism is expected to provide better card locking in moving and / or other shaking devices. Regardless of the need for a card shape that allows for efficient card locking, the card area is maximized to allow for the largest possible memory die and a large number of pads to manufacturably support the connector.

[0073] In addition, the asymmetrical front edge of the memory card prevents reverse insertion, the far edge of the memory card allows the card to be easily pulled with a fingernail, the thinner part can be used to serve thin applications, and the thicker part can accommodate thicker internal components.

[0074] Offer a new card locking mechanism or simply enlarge the entire microSD card by the same proportion. TM The size (including its locking mechanism) is possible. If the card is simply enlarged in size but otherwise uses a standard microSD card... TM Designed with the same proportions of the card (as described in the first embodiment above), the narrow front portion of the card consumes most of the card's space, and the front half contains a limiting area for the number of memory dies and row pads, or prevents pads with sufficient space from allowing for very large unused areas in the connector design. A solution to this would be to further increase the overall size of the card. Another approach would be to have a wider area at the front, but with a new, small, efficient locking mechanism 55, as shown in the second embodiment. However, using existing microSD cards of the same size and shape... TMThe locking mechanism, while increasing the overall card size, allows the use of existing mechanical locking mechanisms used in conventional connectors for over 15 years, increasing confidence and reducing costs. However, by increasing the overall card size while maintaining the original locking mechanism size, the front end of the card is significantly larger, meaning a larger card area, more memory, better thermal performance, and larger pad area. It should be noted that in this implementation, the size ratio between the locking shape and the overall card size differs from that of a microSD card. TM Only the locking mechanisms have the same shape and size.

[0075] The foregoing detailed description is intended to be understood as an illustration of the selected forms in which the invention may take place, and not as a definition of the invention. The scope of the claimed invention is intended to be defined only by the following claims (including all equivalents). Finally, it should be noted that any aspect of any embodiment described herein may be used alone or in combination with each other.

Claims

1. A memory card, the memory card comprising: Top surface; and The bottom surface is opposite to the top surface, wherein: The bottom surface includes a plurality of pads arranged in a first row, a second row, and a third row; The pads in the first row are located at the front of the memory card and include: At least one power supply pad is configured to supply power received from a plurality of power contacts of a host to internal circuitry in the memory card, wherein the at least one power supply pad includes all of the power supply pads of the memory card; At least one card type detection pad is configured to receive a card type detection signal from at least one card type detection contact of the host. Card insertion / removal detection pads are configured to receive card insertion / removal detection signals from the card insertion / removal detection contacts of the host computer; and Multiple sideband signal pads are configured to receive sideband signals from multiple sideband signal contacts of the host computer; and The pads in the second row and the pads in the third row are located after the pads in the first row and include a plurality of differential signal pads, wherein the plurality of sideband signal pads and the plurality of differential signal pads are aligned on the bottom surface to avoid contact with at least one card type detection contact, the card insertion / removal detection contact, the plurality of power contacts and one or more ground pads of the host during the insertion and removal of the memory card.

2. The memory card according to claim 1, wherein the top surface comprises a metal plate.

3. The memory card according to claim 1, further comprising: microSD TM Card locking mechanism.

4. A memory card, the memory card comprising: Top surface; The bottom surface is opposite to the top surface, wherein: The bottom surface includes a plurality of pads arranged in a first row, a second row, and a third row; The pads in the first row are located at the front of the memory card and include: At least one power supply pad is configured to supply power received from a plurality of power contacts of a host to internal circuitry in the memory card, wherein the at least one power supply pad includes all of the power supply pads of the memory card; At least one card type detection pad is configured to receive a card type detection signal from at least one card type detection contact of the host. Card insertion / removal detection pads are configured to receive card insertion / removal detection signals from the card insertion / removal detection contacts of the host computer; and Multiple sideband signal pads are configured to receive sideband signals from multiple sideband signal contacts of the host computer; and The pads in the second row and the pads in the third row are located after the pads in the first row and include multiple differential signal pads, wherein the multiple sideband signal pads and the multiple differential signal pads are aligned on the bottom surface to avoid contact with at least one card type detection contact, the card insertion / removal detection contact, the multiple power contacts, and one or more ground pads of the host during the insertion and removal of the memory card; and Card locking mechanism.

5. A memory card, the memory card comprising: Top surface; and The bottom surface is opposite to the top surface, wherein: The bottom surface includes a plurality of pads arranged in a first row, a second row, and a third row; The pads in the first row are located at the front of the memory card and include: At least one power supply pad is configured to supply power received from a plurality of power contacts of a host to internal circuitry in the memory card, wherein the at least one power supply pad includes all of the power supply pads of the memory card; At least one card type detection pad is configured to receive a card type detection signal from at least one card type detection contact of the host. Card insertion / removal detection pads are configured to receive card insertion / removal detection signals from the card insertion / removal detection contacts of the host computer; and Multiple sideband signal pads are configured to receive sideband signals from multiple sideband signal contacts of the host computer; and The pads in the second row and the pads in the third row are located after the pads in the first row and include a plurality of differential signal pads, wherein the plurality of sideband signal pads and the plurality of differential signal pads are aligned on the bottom surface to avoid contact with at least one card type detection contact, the card insertion / removal detection contact, the plurality of power contacts and one or more ground pads of the host during the insertion and removal of the memory card; The length to width ratio of the memory card is approximately 15:

11.

6. The memory card according to claim 5, wherein the top surface comprises a metal plate.

7. The memory card according to claim 5, further comprising: Card locking mechanism.

Images