Modular and symmetric data storage unit

Abstract

A data storage device can be symmetrically designed for multi-orientation connection with a storage appliance. The electromagnetic locking mechanism is capable of securing the data storage device in a connected state while data is being transferred to / from the data storage device. The electromagnetic lock mechanism is capable of responding to a change in status of data transfer to / from the data storage device. To facilitate increased bandwidth and capacity, a data storage device is optimally designed for increased heat transfer from a memory of the device to a finned housing comprising a high thermal mass material.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] Data storage devices for recording visual media are required to store large amounts of data while maximizing data quality and continuity. Although a camera may be able to capture image data at extremely high resolutions, such data needs to be stored reliably for later access. If the data storage device fails to meet the demand for quickly storing large amounts of data and is prone to damage, the recorded data will be lost. The internal properties of a data storage device (e.g., the memory configuration of the device, etc.) affect the capacity, speed, and resilience to damage or data loss of the device. Additionally, the external properties of a data storage device (e.g., the features of the device that enable connection to another device, the cooling characteristics of the device, etc.) may be important regarding the capacity, speed, and resilience to damage or data loss of the device.

[0002] Data storage devices and the data contained therein are often damaged during the process of disconnecting or connecting to another device. For example, a user may attempt to connect a data storage device in an incorrect orientation and damage the connector. This can result in the loss of the device and potentially the data stored on the device. This typically requires the user to pay careful attention to the orientation of the data storage device before connecting it to another device and can potentially delay the storage and access of data. Additionally, the data storage device may disconnect prematurely while data is being transferred to / from the data storage device. This can result in the corruption or loss of data.

[0003] In addition, a data storage device may be damaged due to heat generated by the transfer of data to / from the device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] The drawings incorporated herein and forming a part of the specification illustrate the present disclosure and, together with the description, further serve to explain the principles thereof and enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the same. Aspects of the present disclosure are best understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Note that the features are not drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of the features may be arbitrarily increased or decreased for the sake of clarity of discussion. In the drawings:

[0005] Figure 1 is an orthographic view of a memory device according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure;

[0006] Figure 1A is according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure Figure 1 a cross-sectional view of the memory device shown in taken along line 1A-1A;

[0007] Figure 1B is according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure Figure 1 a cross-sectional view of the memory device shown in taken along line 1B-1B;

[0008] Figure 2 is a side view of a memory device according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure;

[0009] Figures 3A - 3B is an orthographic view of a memory magazine according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure;

[0010] Figure 3C is according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure Figures 3A - 3B a cross-sectional view of the memory magazine shown in along line 3C-3C;

[0011] Figure 3D is according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure Figures 3A - 3B a cross-sectional view of the memory magazine shown in along line 3D-3D;

[0012] Figures 4A - 4C is an orthographic view of a housing according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure;

[0013] Figure 5 is for use with according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure Figures 4A - 4C an orthographic view of a cap for use with the housing shown in;

[0014] Figure 6 is according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure Figures 3A - 3B the memory magazine shown in, Figures 4A - 4C the housing shown in, and Figure 5 an orthographic view of the assembly of the cap shown in; and

[0015] Figure 7 is a control system according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure. Detailed Description

[0016] The following disclosure provides many different embodiments or examples for implementing different features of the provided subject matter. To simplify the present disclosure, specific examples of components and arrangements are described below. Of course, these are merely examples and are not intended to be limiting. For example, in the following description, the formation of a first feature over a second feature may include embodiments in which the first and second features are formed in direct contact, and may also include embodiments in which additional features may be formed between the first and second features such that the first and second features may not be in direct contact. Additionally, the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and / or letters in the examples. This repetition itself does not dictate the relationship between the discussed embodiments and / or configurations.

[0017] As used herein, when used in a list of two or more items, the term "and / or" means that any one of the listed items can be taken alone, or any combination of two or more of the listed items can be taken. For example, if a composition is described as comprising components A, B, and / or C, then the composition can comprise A alone, B alone, C alone, a combination of A and B, a combination of A and C, a combination of B and C, or a combination of A, B, and C.

[0018] As used herein, the term "about" means that a quantity, size, formulation, parameter, and other quantities and characteristics are not and need not be exact, but can be approximated and / or greater or less as desired, reflecting tolerances, conversion factors, rounding, measurement errors, etc., and other factors known to those skilled in the art. When the term "about" is used to describe an endpoint of a value or range, the present disclosure should be understood to include the specific value or endpoint referred to. Whether or not the numerical value or endpoint of a range in the specification is recited with "about", the endpoint of the numerical value or range is intended to include two embodiments: one modified by "about" and one not modified by "about". It will also be understood that each endpoint of a range is important both in relation to and independent of the other endpoint. In some embodiments, "about" can mean a value within about 10% of a specified value, such as within about 5% of a specified value, or within about 2% of a specified value.

[0019] As used herein, the terms "substantially", "essentially" and their variants are intended to mean that the described feature is equal to or approximately equal to a certain value or description. For example, a "substantially planar" surface is intended to mean a planar or approximately planar surface. Moreover, "essentially" is intended to mean that two values are equal or approximately equal. In some embodiments, "essentially" can mean values within about 10% of each other, such as within about 5% of each other, or within about 2% of each other.

[0020] Data storage devices often require a single orientation for connection. One or more connectors of a data storage device are often configured such that a user follows the orientation of one or more connectors relative to one or more complementary connectors on a device to which the data storage device is being connected. Attempting to insert one or more connectors of a data storage device into one or more complementary connectors in an incorrect orientation can damage the connectors. In addition, it takes time to discern the correct orientation of a data storage device.

[0021] The data storage device of the present disclosure can implement one or more connectors having multiple connection orientations for connecting the data storage device to another device. For example, the data storage device of the present disclosure can be connected in a first connection orientation and can be rotated about the z-axis of the device (as Figure 3A(as defined and discussed below) rotated 180 degrees to a second connection orientation. To facilitate multiple connection orientations, the housing of the data storage device can be symmetric about the z-axis. The symmetric configuration of one or more connectors and the housing of the data storage device can prevent damage caused by attempting to connect in an incorrect orientation and can save time when inserting the data storage device.

[0022] The present disclosure can also include a mechanical locking mechanism directly controlled by a user. However, in addition, the present disclosure can also include an electromagnetic locking mechanism that responds to the state of data transfer to / from the connected data storage device. When data is being transferred to / from the connected data storage device, the electromagnetic locking mechanism can engage. When data is not being transferred to / from the connected storage device, the electromagnetic locking mechanism can disengage. This function can prevent the user from disconnecting the data storage device while data is being transferred to / from the data storage device. Thus, the electromagnetic locking mechanism described in the present disclosure can prevent data loss and damage caused by prematurely disconnecting the data storage device.

[0023] The data storage device of the present disclosure can also implement a finned housing including a material having a high thermal mass. This finned housing can form a heat sink to help remove excess heat from the data storage device. In addition, the data storage device of the present disclosure can implement a thermally conductive material positioned near the memory. Such material can help dissipate heat from around the memory into the finned housing. In addition, the data storage device of the present disclosure can include drilled holes (especially around the memory) that increase the surface area of the data storage device, thereby helping with heat dissipation. To supplement these features, the data storage device of the present disclosure can be actively cooled by a fan.

[0024] Figure 1 A memory appliance 100 is shown, which is an example device for connecting and managing data storage devices. The memory appliance 100 can include a housing 102. In an embodiment, the housing 102 can include a cable port 104 to connect to a cable 106. In an embodiment, the cable 106 can be an optical fiber cable. The cable 106 can connect the memory appliance 100 to a camera or other device to facilitate data transfer to / from the memory appliance 100.

[0025] The housing 102 can include slots to receive removable data storage devices (e.g., removable memory cartridges). For example, the housing 102 can include a first slot 108a to receive a first memory cartridge 110a. The housing 102 can also include a second slot 108b to receive a second memory cartridge 110b. Although Figure 1Two slots are shown, but the housing 102 can include additional slots to receive additional memory cartridges, such as three slots, four slots, five slots, or six slots. When the memory cartridge 110 is inserted into the slot 108 and connected to the memory device 100, the memory device 100 can be used to transfer data to / from the memory cartridge 110.

[0026] The housing 102 can also include status indicators to indicate the status of the memory cartridge 110. For example, the housing 102 can include a first status indicator 109a adjacent to the slot 108a and a second status indicator 109b adjacent to the slot 108b. In an embodiment, the status indicator 109a can surround the edge of the slot 108a and the status indicator 109b can surround the edge of the slot 108b. In another embodiment, the status indicator 109a can be adjacent only to the slot 108a and the status indicator 109b can be adjacent only to the slot 108b. The status indicator 109 can visually depict the status of the memory cartridge 110 in the slot 108. For example, the status indicator 109 can depict that the memory cartridge 110 is connected and ready for data transfer, data is being recorded to the memory cartridge 110, data is being read from the memory cartridge 110, data is being formatted on the memory cartridge 110, or an error has occurred.

[0027] In an embodiment, the status indicator 109 can include one or more LEDs. The status indicator 109 can also include opaque plastic behind which the LEDs are placed. The LEDs can be multi-color, such as RGB LEDs. Different colors can be used to indicate the status of the connected memory cartridge 110 (e.g., green - ready, red - recording, white - reading, blue - formatting, yellow - error, no light - disconnected).

[0028] In the case where the housing 102 includes two slots 108 to receive two memory cartridges 110 connected to the memory device 100, data can be transferred to / from a single memory cartridge at a time, or transferred to / from two memory cartridges simultaneously. For example, data can be transferred to / from the memory cartridge 110a and not transferred to / from the memory cartridge 110b. Alternatively, data can be transferred to / from the memory cartridges 110a and 110b simultaneously.

[0029] In the case of transferring data with a single memory cartridge, the user can maintain continuous storage and / or access to data by replacing the memory cartridge 110 that is not in use. For example, a memory cartridge 110 that has become full and / or whose data has been fully accessed can be replaced with a new memory cartridge 110. Before replacing the memory cartridge 110, the memory device 100 can stop transferring data to that memory cartridge 110 and can start transferring data to another memory cartridge 110. For example, if data is being stored on memory cartridge 110b and the available memory capacity of memory cartridge 110b has been used up, then the storage of data can be switched to memory cartridge 110a. Then, the user can replace memory cartridge 110b with a new memory cartridge. When memory cartridge 110a becomes full, the storage of data can be switched to the new memory cartridge inserted in place of 110b.

[0030] In the case of transferring data to / from two memory cartridges 110 simultaneously, additional functions can be performed. For example, data can be accessed from memory cartridge 110a and memory cartridge 110b simultaneously. This can allow access to a larger amount of data at one time. This function can also be useful when each memory cartridge 110 holds a small portion of a particular data set necessary to render that data set.

[0031] In addition, a backup function can be performed. For example, data can be replicated by storing it on both memory cartridge 110a and memory cartridge 110b. Using more than one memory cartridge to store duplicate data can increase fault tolerance by mitigating or preventing data loss in the event that a single memory cartridge experiences damage and / or data corruption.

[0032] Additional variations of data read / write can be implemented. For example, since data can be stored in and accessed from the memory cartridges 110 simultaneously, data can be stored on and accessed from each of memory cartridge 110a and memory cartridge 110b simultaneously. Additionally, data can be stored on memory cartridge 110a and accessed from memory cartridge 110b, and vice versa.

[0033] In an embodiment, a user may implement a first low-capacity, high-bandwidth memory cartridge and a second high-capacity, lower-bandwidth memory cartridge for backing up data stored on the first low-capacity, high-bandwidth memory cartridge. For example, memory cartridge 110a may be a low-capacity, high-bandwidth memory cartridge, and memory cartridge 110b may be a high-capacity, lower-bandwidth memory cartridge. Data stored on memory cartridge 110a may be copied to memory cartridge 110b. The copying of data stored on memory cartridge 110a may be real-time or may occur after the data has been stored on memory cartridge 110a. Although this example only discusses two memory cartridges 110a and 110b, it can be understood that a memory cartridge 110b with a larger memory capacity indicates that memory cartridge 110a may be replaced by another memory cartridge while memory cartridge 110b remains connected to the memory appliance 100. The diversity of this memory configuration provides other benefits in addition to fault tolerance, and these additional benefits are discussed below with respect to Figure 3D are discussed. The configurations of the memory within memory cartridge 110 will also be discussed, which may be implemented to produce the low-capacity and high-capacity memory cartridges described above.

[0034] In the case where housing 102 includes more than two slots 108 for receiving more than two memory cartridges 110 connected to memory appliance 100, data may be transferred simultaneously to a subset of memory cartridges 110 (including a single memory cartridge) or simultaneously to all memory cartridges 110 / transferred simultaneously from a subset of memory cartridges 110 (including a single memory cartridge) or simultaneously from all memory cartridges 110.

[0035] In the case where data is transferred simultaneously to / from a subset of all memory cartridges 110 connected to memory appliance 100, the user may maintain continuous storage and / or access to the data by switching out a memory cartridge 110 that has become full and / or whose data has been fully accessed with a new memory cartridge 110. Before a fully utilized memory cartridge 110 is replaced, after a fully utilized memory cartridge 110 becomes fully utilized, storage and / or access to the data may be transferred from the fully utilized memory cartridge 110 to other memory cartridges 110 connected to memory appliance 100. Then, when other memory cartridges 110 connected to memory appliance 100 become fully utilized, storage and / or access to the data may be transferred back to the newly connected memory cartridge 110.

[0036] Simultaneous access to data from multiple memory cartridges can be implemented as discussed above for the case of two memory cartridges, with the same benefit of allowing access to a larger amount of data at once. This functionality can also be useful when each memory cartridge in memory cartridge 110 (or each memory cartridge in a subset of memory cartridges 110) holds a small portion of a particular data set necessary to render that data set.

[0037] In addition, using a subset of memory cartridges 110 for data backup can be implemented as described above in terms of two memory cartridges, with the same benefit of increased fault tolerance associated with storing duplicate data on more than one memory cartridge.

[0038] Additional variations of data read / write can be implemented. For example, since data can be stored on and accessed from memory cartridges 110 simultaneously, data can be stored on and accessed from each memory in a subset of memory cartridges 110 or all memory cartridges 110 simultaneously. Additionally, data can be stored on a subset of memory cartridges 110 and accessed from another subset of memory cartridges 110.

[0039] In addition, using a first subset of low-capacity, high-bandwidth memory cartridges for storing data and a second subset of high-capacity, lower-bandwidth memory cartridges for backing up the data stored on the first subset of low-capacity, high-bandwidth memory cartridges can be implemented as described above for the case of two memory cartridges, with the same benefit of increased fault tolerance associated with storing duplicate data on more than one memory cartridge and the additional benefits discussed below regarding Figure 3D discussion.

[0040] Taking into account the impact of the combination of bandwidth and memory capacity, the combination of memories on memory cartridges 110 can affect which memory cartridge in memory cartridges 110 is selected for data transfer at a given time. For the same reason, the combination of memory cartridges 110 can affect which types of data are transferred to the selected memory cartridge at a given time. The process by which a particular memory cartridge can be selected for data transfer will be discussed in further detail below regarding Figure 3D and Figure 5 further discussion.

[0041] The memory device 100 may also include a user interface 111. The user interface 111 may be integrated into the housing 102. The user interface 111 may receive and display information such as which slot in the slot 108 holds the connected memory cartridge, the available memory capacity of each connected memory cartridge, a small portion of the stored data read from each connected memory cartridge, and / or the status of data transfer to / from each connected memory cartridge. In an embodiment, the user interface 111 may be an electronic ink display visible when the memory device 100 is not powered. In another embodiment, the user interface 111 may be a liquid crystal display (LCD), such as an LED display.

[0042] The user may control which memory cartridge 110 to transfer data to / from via the user interface 111. With the user interface 111, the user may select to choose one of the memory cartridges 110 for data transfer. When the user selects one of the memory cartridges 110 for data transfer, the data may start to be transferred to / from the selected memory cartridge. With the user interface 111, the user may also select to eject one of the memory cartridges 110. When the user selects to eject one of the memory cartridges 110 via the user interface 111, the data transfer to / from the memory cartridge to be ejected may be terminated. This process will be described in more detail with respect to Figure 7 be described in more detail.

[0043] The memory cartridge 110 may include a handle 112 to allow the user to more easily grasp the memory cartridge 110 for inserting the memory cartridge into the memory device 100 or removing it from the memory device 100. For example, the memory cartridge 110a may include a first handle 112 and the memory cartridge 110b may include a second handle 112. In an embodiment, the handle 112 may be a squeeze pull handle or a squeeze flange handle. In other embodiments, the handle 112 may be other forms of protrusions that allow the user to more easily grasp the memory cartridge 110. The handle 112 may be integrally formed in the memory cartridge 110 or attached to the memory cartridge 110.

[0044] The housing 102 may also include a locking mechanism to fix the memory cartridge in a connected state. For example, a first locking mechanism 114a may fix the memory cartridge 110a within the slot 108a. Additionally, a second locking mechanism 114b may fix the memory cartridge 110b within the slot 108b. When the memory cartridge 110 is inserted into the slot 108 and connected to the memory device 100, the locking mechanisms 114a / b may fix the memory cartridge 110 in place. Although Figure 1Shows two locking mechanisms corresponding to two slots in the housing 102 for receiving two memory cartridges. However, as described above, the housing 102 may include additional slots for receiving additional memory cartridges. Additionally, although Figure 1 shows a single locking mechanism corresponding to each slot, the housing 102 may include additional locking mechanisms for each slot, such as two, three, or four locking mechanisms for each slot. Thus, the housing 102 may include any number of locking mechanisms depending on the number of locking mechanisms for each slot and the number of slots within the housing 102.

[0045] In an embodiment, when a memory cartridge is inserted into one of the slots 108, the locking mechanism 114 may automatically engage. In another embodiment, after the memory cartridge is inserted into one of the slots 108, the locking mechanism 114 may be manually engaged. By way of example and not limitation, the locking mechanism 114 may include a sliding latch (including a spring-loaded sliding latch), a striking latch, a cam latch, a compression cam latch, a pull latch, or a pin latch.

[0046] The locking mechanism 114 may be configured to communicate electrically with a controller to control the selection of the memory cartridge for data transfer, as described in more detail with respect to Figure 7 For example, engaging one of the locking mechanisms 114 may cause data to be transferred to / from the memory cartridge connected by the locking mechanism. Conversely, disengaging one of the locking mechanisms 114 may cause data transfer to / from the memory cartridge connected by the locking mechanism to terminate. For example, the memory cartridge 110a may be inserted into the slot 108a, causing the locking mechanism 114a to engage. Engaging the locking mechanism 114a may cause data to be transferred to / from the memory cartridge 110a. Then, the user may disengage the engaged locking mechanism 114a. Disengaging the locking mechanism 114a may cause data transfer to / from the memory cartridge 110a to terminate.

[0047] The housing 102 may also include vents 116 to facilitate air entry into and exit from the memory device 100. In an embodiment, the vents 116 may be grille vents. Although Figure 1 only a single vent on the side of the housing 102 near the port 104 and the user interface 111 is shown, the housing 102 may include additional vents, for example, a second vent near the slot 108. Additionally, the housing 102 may also include additional vents on other surfaces of the housing 102, such as the top surface, the bottom surface, or the opposing side surfaces.

[0048] The memory device 100 may also include fans to blow air towards the memory cartridge 110, as Figure 1A shown. For example, the memory device 100 may include fans 118a, 118b, 118c, 118d, and 118e to blow air towards the memory cartridge 110. Although Figure 1A five fans are shown, the memory device 100 may include fewer or additional fans, such as one, two, three, four, six, seven, or eight fans.

[0049] In an embodiment, the memory device 100 may be a discrete device, as Figure 1 and Figure 1A shown. In another embodiment, the memory device 100 may be integrated into another device (e.g., the camera 103), as Figure 2 shown.

[0050] Figure 3A An example memory cartridge 110 is shown. The memory cartridge 110 may include an example handle 112. The memory cartridge 110 may also include a housing 202. In an embodiment, the housing 202 may include aluminum or an aluminum alloy to protect the memory contained within the memory cartridge 110 from the hazards of radiation (e.g., cosmic rays).

[0051] The housing 202 may include heat sink fins 204, such as 204-1 to 204-N. In an embodiment, the heat sink fins 204 may extend outwardly from the top surface and / or the bottom surface of the housing 202. In an embodiment, the heat sink fins 204 may include twenty-three pairs of heat sink fins 204-1 to 204-23. Although Figure 3A twenty-three pairs of heat sink fins (a total of forty-six heat sink fins) are shown, the housing 202 may include fewer or additional total heat sink fins, such as thirty, forty, fifty, sixty, or eighty heat sink fins or a number in between.

[0052] The heat sink fins 204 may include a material with a high heat mass, e.g., by way of example and not limitation, aluminum, an aluminum alloy, copper, or polycarbonate. The heat sink fins 204 may include a material having a specific heat capacity of approximately 300 to approximately 1300 J / g·K. More specifically, the heat sink fins 204 may include a material having a specific heat capacity of approximately 400 to approximately 1200 J / g·K. Even more specifically, the heat sink fins 204 may include a material having a specific heat capacity of approximately 800 to approximately 1100 J / g·K.

[0053] The housing 202 may also include cooling holes 206, such as 206-1 to 206-N. In an embodiment, the cooling holes 206 may extend through the center of the memory cartridge 110 from either side of the memory cartridge 110. The cooling holes 206 may facilitate cooling of the middle portion of the memory cartridge 110 by allowing air flow therethrough. Thus, the cooling holes 206 may provide better cooling to the back side of the memory array 302 positioned near the center of the memory cartridge 110, as described in more detail below with respect to Figure 3C In an embodiment, the cooling holes 206 may include sixteen cooling holes 206-1 to 206-16. Although Figure 3A sixteen cooling holes are shown, the housing 202 may include fewer or additional cooling holes, such as twelve, fifteen, eighteen, twenty-one, or twenty-four cooling holes or a number in between.

[0054] In an embodiment, the above-described cooling features (the heat sink fins 204 and the cooling holes 206) may be configured to keep the housing 202 below a temperature of 60° C. when the memory cartridge 110 consumes approximately 48 watts or more of power. Additionally, in an embodiment, the above-described cooling features may be configured to keep the housing 202 below a temperature of 60° C. when the memory modules 306 within the memory array 302 ( Figure 3D shown therein) generate a heat flux of up to approximately 100 W (e.g., a heat flux between approximately 40 watts and approximately 100 watts). The cooling features may, for example, protect the memory array 302 within the memory cartridge 110 from overheating hazards and maintain the performance of the memory cartridge 110 when a large amount of data is transferred to / from the memory cartridge 110. As described above with respect to Figure 1A The memory appliance 100 may also include a fan 118 to blow air towards the housing 202 of the memory cartridge 110 (specifically towards the heat sink fins 204 and the cooling holes 206) to actively cool the memory cartridge 110. This may also dissipate heat from the memory cartridge 110 to protect the memory within the memory cartridge 110 from overheating hazards. In addition to maintaining bandwidth, protection against overheating may also prevent data loss or corruption due to thermal damage.

[0055] The memory cartridge 110 may include connectors to attach to complementary connector slots in the memory appliance 100, as described in more detail below with respect to Figure 1B For example, the memory cartridge 110 may include a first connector 208a to attach to a complementary connector slot in the memory appliance 100. The memory cartridge 110 may also include a second connector 208b to attach to a complementary connector slot in the memory appliance 100. The connectors 208 may be panel-mounted to the memory cartridge 110. The connectors 208 may be configured to receive power from the memory appliance 100 and transmit data to / receive data from the memory appliance 100.

[0056] The connector 208 can be symmetrically arranged such that the attachment of the connector 208 to the complementary connector slot within the memory device 100 can be achieved in a first or second connection orientation. For example, the memory cartridge 110 can be inserted into one of the slots 108 and connected to the memory device 100 in a first connection orientation or a second connection orientation (where the memory cartridge 110 has been rotated 180 degrees about the z-axis of the memory cartridge, as defined in Figure 3A ). Although Figure 3A two connectors are shown, the memory cartridge 110 can include only a single connector or additional connectors, such as four, six, eight, or ten connectors arranged symmetrically about the z-axis. To facilitate insertion of the memory cartridge 110 into one of the slots 108 in multiple orientations, the housing 202 can also be symmetric about the z-axis.

[0057] For a variety of reasons, it is advantageous to arrange the connector 208 symmetrically about the z-axis and design the housing 202 of the memory cartridge 110 to be symmetric about the z-axis. First, these design features prevent the user from inserting the memory cartridge 110 into one of the slots 108 in an incorrect orientation, potentially damaging the connector 208 or the complementary connector slot on the memory device 100. Additionally, due to the symmetric design of the memory cartridge 110, the user is not required to determine the correct orientation before inserting the memory cartridge 110 into one of the slots 108. This allows for faster insertion when storing and / or accessing data on the memory device 100 and when using and replacing the memory cartridge.

[0058] Although Figure 3A the connector 208 is shown as a female connector, the connector 208 can be a male connector or a female connector. To maintain the symmetry of the connector 208 about the z-axis of the memory cartridge 110, the connectors 208 must all be male connectors or all be female connectors. In the case of more than two connectors, the opposite connectors in a pair of connectors arranged symmetrically about the z-axis must all be male connectors or all be female connectors.

[0059] In an embodiment, the connector 208 can be a high-speed backplane connector. For example, the connector 208 can be capable of transmitting data at 56 Gbps or 112 Gbps using pulse amplitude modulation level 4 (PAM4) signal modulation. In an embodiment, the connector 208 can be a Samtec connector that implements alignment pins or sockets. In another embodiment, the connector 208 can be a Samtec SEARAY TM SEAM connector.

[0060] The memory cartridge 110 can also include a ferromagnetic plate 210 for attachment to an electromagnet within the memory device 100, as described with respect to Figure 1Bdescribed in more detail. The ferromagnetic plate 210 may include a ferromagnetic material such as iron, nickel, cobalt, or an alloy or compound including any of these materials. In an embodiment, the ferromagnetic plate 210 may be positioned between the connectors 208. Although Figure 3A a single ferromagnetic plate is shown, the memory cartridge 110 may include additional ferromagnetic plates (such as two, three, or four ferromagnetic plates) to attach to additional electromagnets in the memory device 100.

[0061] Figure 3B An example memory indicator 212 that may be included on the handle 112 of the memory cartridge 110 is illustrated. The memory indicator 212 may indicate the available memory capacity of the memory cartridge 110. By way of example and not limitation, the memory indicator 212 may include an electronic ink display or a light or combination of lights (including LED fingers or combinations of LEDs). The memory indicator 212 may describe the available memory capacity of the memory cartridge 110 in a continuous range (e.g., via a graph and / or percentage), in a segmented range (e.g., empty - one - quarter full - half full - three - quarters full - full), or in a binary range (e.g., not full - full). If the memory indicator 212 includes an electronic ink display, it may include a black - and - white electronic ink display or a color electronic ink display. If the memory indicator 212 includes a color electronic ink display, different colors may be used to indicate different levels of available memory capacity (e.g., green - almost empty, yellow - less than half full, red - almost full). If the memory indicator 212 includes a light or combination of lights (such as an LED or combination of LEDs), different colors may also be used to indicate different levels of available memory (e.g., green - almost empty, yellow - less than half full, red - almost full). In this case, the memory indicator 212 may include a color - changing light (such as a color - changing LED), or it may include multiple monochromatic lights (such as multiple monochromatic LEDs) with different colors for each monochromatic LED. The memory indicator 212 may also include multiple lights (such as LEDs) of the same or different colors that are arranged and activated in sequence to display a gauge following changes in the available memory capacity. The memory indicator 212 may also include a single light (such as an LED) that can indicate the available memory capacity in a binary manner (e.g., off - not full, on - full). The memory indicator 212 may be positioned on the memory cartridge 110 such that the indicator is visible when the memory cartridge 110 is inserted into one of the slots 108 or the housing.

[0062] Figure 3C A cross - sectional view of the memory cartridge 110 is shown. The memory cartridge 110 may include a memory array 302 for storing data. For example, the memory cartridge 110 may include a first memory array 302a and a second memory array 302b. AlthoughFigure 3C Two memory arrays are shown, but the memory cartridge 110 can include a single memory array or additional memory arrays, such as three, four, five, or six memory arrays. The memory array 302 can include a plurality of memory modules. The combination of memory arrays 302 will be discussed in more detail with respect to Figure 3D more detail.

[0063] The memory cartridge 110 can also include a thermal pad 304 for quickly transferring heat from the memory array 302 to the housing 202 and the heat sink fins 204. For example, the memory cartridge 110 can include a first thermal pad 304a, a second thermal pad 304b, a third thermal pad 304c, and a fourth thermal pad 304d. In an embodiment, the thermal pads 304a / b can be positioned on each side of the memory array 302a. In an embodiment, the thermal pads 304c / d can be positioned on each side of the memory array 302b. Although Figure 3C two thermal pads are shown for each memory array, as described above, the memory cartridge 110 can include fewer or additional thermal pads for each memory array and can include fewer or additional memory arrays. Thus, the memory cartridge 110 can include fewer or additional thermal pads depending on the number of memory arrays and the number of thermal pads for each memory array, such as one, two, three, five, six, eight, ten, twelve, or any number of thermal pads.

[0064] The thermal pad 304 can include a low modulus thermal material. By way of example and not limitation, the thermal pad 304 can include a polymer, an elastomer, an elastomer composite, or a material having similar properties. The thermal pad 304 can include a material having a Young's modulus of about 25 kPa to about 800 kPa. Specifically, the thermal pad 304 can include a material having a Young's modulus of about 50 kPa to about 400 kPa. Even more specifically, the thermal pad 304 can include a material having a Young's modulus of about 75 kPa to about 300 kPa. The thermal pad 304 can include a material having a thermal conductivity of about 0.8 W / m·K to about 25 W / m·K. Specifically, the thermal pad 304 can include a material having a thermal conductivity of about 1.5 to about 15 W / m·K. Even more specifically, the thermal pad 304 can include a material having a thermal conductivity of about 2.5 to about 10 W / m·K.

[0065] As Figure 3C shown, the cooling holes 206 can provide cooling for the sides of the memory array 302 that do not face the heat sink fins 204. The presence of the cooling holes 206 can increase the airflow in the middle of the memory cartridge 110, thereby allowing heat from the memory array 302 to dissipate more quickly from the center of the memory cartridge 110.

[0066] As described above with respect to Figure 3A the cooling features of the memory cartridge 110 (heat sink fins 204, cooling holes 206, and thermal pads 304) can enhance the performance of the memory cartridge 110 when a large amount of data is being transferred to / from the memory cartridge 110, thus ensuring that the read / write speed can be maintained. In addition, protection against overheating prevents loss and / or corruption of data due to thermal damage.

[0067] Figure 1B FIG. shows example components for receiving the example memory cartridge 110 into the memory appliance 100 and connecting the memory cartridge 110 to the memory appliance 100, and this figure is a cross-sectional view of the memory appliance 100. The memory appliance 100 can include a support plate 402, which can be positioned to abut components for receiving the memory cartridge 110 described below.

[0068] The memory appliance 100 can also include a connector slot 404 to attach to one of the connectors 208 of the memory cartridge 110. For example, the memory appliance 100 can include a first connector slot 404a and a second connector slot 404b to form a first pair of connector slots 404a / b to attach to the connector 208 of the memory cartridge 110. The memory appliance 100 can also include a third connector slot 404c and a fourth connector slot 404d to form a second pair of connector slots 404c / d to attach to the connector 208. In an embodiment, the connector slots 404a / b can be positioned within the slot 108a to attach to the memory cartridge 110a. In an embodiment, the connector slots 404c / d can be positioned within the slot 108b to attach to the memory cartridge 110b. The connector slots 404 can be panel-mounted to the memory appliance 100. Although Figure 1B two connector slots for connecting to a single memory cartridge are shown, it can be understood that the number of connector slots matches the number of connectors on the memory cartridge 110, such as in the case of a single connector or additional connectors discussed above with respect to Figure 3A In addition, although Figure 1B four connector slots corresponding to two slots in the housing 102 for receiving two memory cartridges are shown, the housing 102 can include additional slots to receive additional memory cartridges, as described above with respect to Figure 1 Therefore, the memory appliance 100 can include additional connector slots according to the number of connectors for each memory cartridge and the number of slots within the housing 102, such as six connector slots, eight connector slots, ten connector slots, twelve connector slots, sixteen connector slots, or any number of connector slots.

[0069] The connector slots 404 (or single / additional connector slots) may be arranged symmetrically about the z-axis of each slot in the slot 108 (as shown in Figure 1B , the z-axis extends vertically upward from the support plate 402 through the center of each slot 108) to correspond to the symmetrical connectors 208 of the memory cartridge 110. For example, the memory cartridge 110 may be inserted into one of the slots 108 and connected to the connector slot 404 regardless of the orientation of the memory cartridge 110.

[0070] In an embodiment, each connector slot in the connector slots 404 may be a male connector or a female connector. However, in order to maintain the symmetry of the connector slots 404 about each z-axis of the slot 108, the connector slots 404a / b must both be male connectors or both be female connectors, and the connector slots 404c / d must both be male connectors or both be female connectors. In the case where there are more than two connector slots for each slot in the housing 102, the opposing connector slots in the paired connector slots arranged symmetrically about each z-axis of the slot 108 must both be male connectors or both be female connectors.

[0071] In an embodiment, the connector slot 404 may be a high-speed backplane connector. For example, the connector slot 404 may be capable of transmitting data at 56 Gbps or 112 Gbps using pulse amplitude modulation 4-level (PAM4) signal modulation. In an embodiment, the connector slot 404 may be a Samtec connector that implements alignment pins or sockets. In another embodiment, the connector slot 404 may be a Samtec SEARAY TM SEAM connector.

[0072] The memory device 100 may further include electromagnets to attach to the ferromagnetic plate 210 of the memory cartridge 110. For example, the memory device 100 may include a first electromagnet 408a to attach to the ferromagnetic plate 210 of the memory cartridge 110. The memory device 100 may further include a second electromagnet 408b to attach to the ferromagnetic plate 210 of the memory cartridge 110. In an embodiment, the electromagnet 408a may be positioned in the slot 108a to connect to the memory cartridge 110a. In an embodiment, the electromagnet 408b may be positioned in the slot 108b to connect to the memory cartridge 110b. Although Figure 1B two electromagnets corresponding to two slots in the housing 102 for receiving two memory cartridges are shown, the housing 102 may include additional slots to receive additional memory cartridges, as described above with respect to Figure 1As described. Thus, the memory appliance 100 can include additional electromagnets, such as three electromagnets, four electromagnets, five electromagnets, six electromagnets, eight electromagnets, nine electromagnets, ten electromagnets, twelve electromagnets, or any number of electromagnets, depending on the number of ferromagnetic plates for each memory cartridge and the number of slots within the housing 102.

[0073] The electromagnet 408a or 408b can be energized when the memory cartridge 110 is connected to the memory appliance 100 (engaged with one of the slots 108) and data is being transferred to / from the memory cartridge 110. Additionally, the corresponding electromagnet 408a or 408b can be deactivated when data transfer to / from the corresponding memory cartridge 110 terminates. The electromagnet 408 can be configured to respond to a signal generated if data transfer to / from the memory cartridge 110 has started or terminated, turning on the electromagnet 408 if data transfer to / from the memory cartridge 110 has started, and turning off the electromagnet 408 if data transfer to / from the memory cartridge 110 has terminated.

[0074] Data transfer to / from the memory cartridge 110 can be initiated by a number of conditions. By way of example and not limitation, these conditions can include: 1) the user inserts the memory cartridge 110 into one of the slots 108, engaging the locking mechanism 114; 2) the user initiates a command to transfer data to / from the memory cartridge 110 via the user interface 111; 3) the storage capacity or unread data of another memory cartridge connected to the memory appliance 100 is exhausted; 4) the intelligent control system selects the memory cartridge 110 for data transfer; or 5) the user initiates a command to transfer data to / from the memory appliance 100 via the user interface on a connected device.

[0075] Data transfer to / from the memory cartridge 110 can be stopped by a number of conditions. By way of example and not limitation, these conditions can include: 1) the user disengages the locking mechanism 114; 2) the user initiates an eject command via the user interface 111; 3) the storage capacity or unread data of the memory cartridge 110 is exhausted; 4) the intelligent control system deselects the memory cartridge 110 for data transfer; or 5) the user initiates a command to terminate data transfer to / from the memory appliance 100 via the user interface on a connected device. If the memory appliance 100 loses power, then the electromagnet 408 will also turn off, ensuring that the memory cartridge 110 is not stuck in the memory appliance 100.

[0076] RegardingFigure 7 Describe in more detail the electrical coupling of the electromagnet 408 to the various components that implement the above functions.

[0077] Using an electromagnet to fix the memory cartridge 110 in the memory device 100 can prevent the user from accidentally removing the memory cartridge 110 while data is being transferred to / from the memory cartridge 110. This can prevent damage and / or loss of data due to premature disconnection of the memory cartridge 110 from the memory device 100.

[0078] The memory device 100 may also include springs 412. For example, the memory device 100 may include a first spring 412a and a second spring 412b to form a first pair of springs 412a / b to contact the memory cartridge 110. The memory device 100 may also include a third spring 412c and a fourth spring 412d to form a second pair of springs 412c / d to contact the memory cartridge 110. In an embodiment, the springs 412a / b may be positioned in the slot 108a to apply an upward force along the z-axis of the memory cartridge 110a when the memory cartridge 110a is inserted into the slot 108a. In an embodiment, the springs 412c / d may be positioned in the slot 108b to apply an upward force along the z-axis of the memory cartridge 110b when the memory cartridge 110b is inserted into the slot 108b. Although Figure 1B Four springs corresponding to two slots in the housing 102 for receiving two memory cartridges are shown, but the memory device 100 may include additional slots to receive additional memory cartridges, as described above with respect to Figure 1 stated. Additionally, although Figure 1B Two springs corresponding to each slot are shown, but the memory device 100 may include a single spring or additional springs for each slot, such as three, four, five, or six springs for each slot. Thus, the memory device 100 may include any number of springs depending on the number of springs for each slot and the number of slots within the housing 102.

[0079] When data transfer to / from the memory cartridge 110 has been terminated and the corresponding locking mechanism in the locking mechanism 114 has been disengaged, the springs 412 can assist in ejecting the memory cartridge 110. Additionally, the springs 412 can slow down the memory cartridge 110 when it is inserted into one of the slots 108, thereby preventing damage to the connector 208, the ferromagnetic plate 210, the connector slot 404, and the electromagnet 408a or 408b caused by the user jamming the memory cartridge 110 into the bottom of one of the slots 108.

[0080] Figure 3DA cross-sectional view of the memory cartridge 110 depicting the memory array 302 is shown in greater detail below. As discussed above with respect to Figure 3C The memory cartridge 110 may include a first memory array 302a and a second memory array 302b. The memory array 302 may include memory modules 306, such as 306-1 to 306-N. In an embodiment, each of the memory arrays 302 may include six memory modules 306-1 to 306-6. Although Figure 3D Six memory modules are depicted for each memory array 302, each of the memory arrays in the memory array 302 may include fewer memory modules or additional memory modules, such as two, four, eight, ten, twelve, fourteen, or sixteen memory modules, or any number in between. In an embodiment, each of the memory modules 306 may store at least one terabyte of data. For example, each of the memory modules 306 may store at least two terabytes of data, at least four terabytes of data, at least six terabytes of data, or at least eight terabytes of data.

[0081] In an embodiment, the memory module 306 may include non-volatile solid-state drive (SSD) storage. In an embodiment, the memory module 306 may include NAND flash memory, which is single-level cell (SLC) flash memory, multi-level cell (MLC) flash memory, three-level cell (TLC) flash memory, four-level cell (QLC) flash memory, or flash memory including higher-level memory cells for storing and / or accessing data. To increase bandwidth, data may be striped across multiple memory modules 306 while being stored.

[0082] In an embodiment, the memory module 306 may include a non-volatile memory express (NVMe) SSD. In an embodiment, the memory module 306 may include a next-generation form factor (M.2) card. The memory module 306 may include an M.2 card having a size of 2280, a size of 22110, or another size suitable for high-capacity storage devices.

[0083] In an embodiment, the memory module 306 may include a peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe)-based SSD. The memory module 306 may include a PCIe 3.0 (or higher)-based SSD. For example, the memory module 306 may include a PCIe 4.0-based SSD, a PCIe 5.0-based SSD, or an SSD designed for a subsequent generation of the PCIe interface.

[0084] In an implementation, the data stored on the memory module 306 can be visual data captured by a camera. Such data can be in an unprocessed ("mosaic") format. Unlike processed ("demosaicked") data, unprocessed data maintains all the data in the raw data captured by the camera's image sensor and color filter array (CFA). When the CFA (such as a Bayer filter) captures color data, the CFA often can only capture data for the intensity of light within one of three wavelength ranges (e.g., red, green, or blue) for each pixel. Then, this data can be stored without being processed or with very little processing. In contrast, demosaicked data has been mathematically processed to generate an interpreted RGB value for each pixel based on the monochromatic data of neighboring pixels captured by the CFA. The demosaicking process, which is typically performed on a camera board, can be used to create a full-color image ready for display. However, during the demosaicking process, data obtained from the image sensor and CFA is lost (i.e., the camera or processing device typically discards some of the data in the unprocessed data when generating demosaicked data). Unprocessed data cannot be displayed without further processing, but maintaining unprocessed data can provide at least two main benefits: 1) Unprocessed data can provide enhanced creative control over the resulting image because all the originally recorded data is available for manipulation; and 2) Unprocessed data can produce higher-quality images because more of the original data is maintained. Therefore, it is often desirable to maintain unprocessed data to enhance creative control (resulting in more precisely adjusted images) and to achieve higher-resolution images. This is particularly important in an environment where the displayed media covers most of the observer's field of view.

[0085] Compared to other data formats, one drawback of maintaining unprocessed data is the size of the data. For the same image or video, unprocessed data can be more than an order of magnitude larger than other standard formats used for image or video data. To alleviate concerns regarding file size, unprocessed data can be compressed either in a lossy format or in a lossless format. Lossless compression can be achieved when high image quality is a priority. Lossy compression can be achieved when high image quality is less of a priority (e.g., when maintaining backup data).

[0086] To best manage the real-time storage of large amounts of data (especially unprocessed data) and the replication of such data, the memory components of the memory cartridge 110 can be variably designed and implemented across the memory appliances 100.

[0087] In an embodiment, the memory module 306 may include MLC, TLC, QLC, or flash memory including higher-level memory cells for storing and / or accessing data. In a first scenario, the memory module 306 may include TLC flash memory and may be configured to store data only at a first cell level. For example, a controller within each memory module 306 may run custom firmware that ensures that only the first level of the memory is used. Storing data only at the first cell level facilitates maintaining fast read / write speeds because storing data bits at the first cell level of TLC flash memory and accessing data bits from the first cell level of TLC flash memory is faster than storing data bits at higher levels and accessing data bits from higher levels. This first scenario can be implemented when fast read / write speeds are desired (e.g., when live media is recorded in real time and raw data of the recording is stored). Enhanced bandwidth can ensure that the highest quality data possible (e.g., uncompressed raw data) can be stored and accessed.

[0088] In a second scenario, the memory module 306 may include TLC flash memory and may be configured to store data at cell levels above the first cell level. Storing data at higher cell levels and accessing data from higher cell levels facilitates high-capacity storage because more data can be stored within each memory cell. However, compared to the first scenario, the read / write speed is reduced because storing data bits at higher cell levels and accessing data bits from higher cell levels takes longer than storing data bits at the first level and accessing data bits from the first level. This second scenario can be implemented when high-capacity storage is desired and read / write speed is not a primary consideration. Bandwidth lower than in the first scenario may be sufficient for real-time storage and access of either unique or duplicate low-quality data (e.g., demosaicked data) and for copying previously recorded data (compressed or uncompressed raw data or demosaicked data).

[0089] In an embodiment, the memory cartridge 110a may include low-capacity, high-bandwidth TLC flash memory and may be configured to store data only at the first cell level. Configuring the memory cartridge 110a in this way reduces the capacity of the memory cartridge, but can maximize transfer speed. Since the memory cartridge 110a can maintain read / write speeds comparable to the high data rates necessary for storing the recorded data for later high-resolution display, the memory cartridge 110a can contribute to a higher level of data fidelity. For the reasons described above, this can be particularly useful when the data being stored is raw data. The higher data rates (e.g., 30 GB / second or higher) resulting from transferring raw data (especially uncompressed raw data) to the memory cartridge 110a require faster read / write speeds, making the above-described embodiment advantageous for high-data-rate storage.

[0090] In an embodiment, the memory cartridge 110b can include high-capacity, lower-bandwidth TLC flash memory and can be configured to store data at a higher cell level. Although configuring the memory cartridge 110b in this manner reduces read / write speeds when recording data at cell levels other than the first cell level, this manner can maximize the amount of data that can be stored on the memory cartridge 110b. Thus, the memory cartridge 110b can be used to store large amounts of low-quality data, such as compressed raw data or demosaicked data stored in real time, as well as to replicate previously recorded data (at a lower or the same quality compared to the original recorded data).

[0091] The selection of the memory cartridges 110a and 110b for data storage (i.e., the selection of the storage location) and the selection of the format of the stored data can be managed by an intelligent control system, as discussed below with respect to Figure 7 what is discussed.

[0092] A common concern when storing data is the fault tolerance of the storage. If the data storage system is not fault tolerant, then damage to the data storage device and / or corruption of the data can result in the complete loss of the data. Copying data according to the well-known redundant array of independent disks (RAID) method can alleviate concerns about losing data. However, the practical limitations involved in the manufacture and use of the data storage device must be weighed against the need to maintain backup data in the event of a storage failure.

[0093] When recording massive amounts of data, copying data en masse for backup is an inefficient use of data storage resources. Some data may be "more important" than other data. For example, data that will be displayed in the central region of an observer's field of view can be considered "more important" than data displayed in the periphery of the observer's field of view. Other considerations can also be used to determine which data is "more important". Conventional RAID methods copy data that is not critical for the ultimate display or use of a high-quality data set. Thus, when using conventional RAID methods, valuable memory capacity and bandwidth that could have been reserved for "more important" data are lost.

[0094] With respect to Figure 7 the intelligent control system discussed, the intelligent control system can analyze the data being stored and determine which data is "more important". Then, the intelligent control system can decide whether to copy all the data in demosaicked format, copy only the "more important" data in raw format, or copy only the "more important" data in demosaicked format. The intelligent control system can make these decisions based on the available bandwidth and memory capacity across the data storage devices and select where to store the replicated data.

[0095] For example, in an implementation, the intelligent control system may identify a subset of the data being stored in memory cartridge 110a as "more important". The intelligent control system may then identify memory cartridge 110b as a data storage device having available bandwidth and memory capacity. The intelligent control system may pick to store the "more important" data either in raw format or in demosaiced format on memory cartridge 110b. Conversely, the intelligent control system may pick to store all of the data being recorded on memory cartridge 110a (and not just the "more important" data) in demosaiced format on memory cartridge 110b.

[0096] The decisions made by the intelligent control system affect the operation of electromagnet 408. For example, in an implementation, the intelligent control system's selection of memory cartridge 110b for data storage may cause data to be transferred to memory cartridge 110b. After initiating the transfer of data to memory cartridge 110b, electromagnet 408b may engage according to the process described below with respect to Figure 7 When electromagnet 408b is engaged, the user cannot disconnect memory cartridge 110b from the memory appliance 100 and remove memory cartridge 110b from slot 108b. Conversely, the intelligent control system's deselection of memory cartridge 110b for further data storage may cause the transfer of data to memory cartridge 110b to terminate. After terminating the transfer of data to memory cartridge 110b, electromagnet 408b may disengage. The user can now disconnect memory cartridge 110b from the memory appliance 100 and remove memory cartridge 110b from slot 108b.

[0097] Figures 4A - 4C An example housing 600 for storing memory cartridge 110 is shown in Figure 4A As shown in Figure 4A the housing 600 may also include protrusions 604 for removably coupling the housing 600 to another housing. For example, the housing 600 may include four protrusions 604 to insert into complementary grooves on another housing. Although Figure 4A shows four protrusions 604, the housing 600 may include fewer or additional protrusions depending on the number of complementary grooves on another housing. Additionally, although Figure 4A shows spherical cap protrusions, the protrusions 604 may include other shapes depending on the shape of the complementary grooves on another housing, such as cylinders, raised ellipses, raised rectangles, or any other shape.

[0098] As shown in Figure 4B the housing 600 may also include grooves 606 for removably coupling the housing 600 to another housing. Although Figure 4BFour grooves 606 are shown, but the housing 600 may include fewer or additional grooves depending on the number of complementary protrusions on other housings. Additionally, while Figure 4B a concave spherical cap groove is shown, the groove 606 may include other shapes depending on the shape of the complementary protrusions on other housings, such as a concave circle, ellipse, rectangle, or any other shape.

[0099] The protrusions 604 and grooves 606 can ensure that memory cartridges stored in multiple housings 600 can be stacked stably.

[0100] As Figure 4C shown, the housing 600 may include a magnet 608 to attach to the ferromagnetic plate 210 of the memory cartridge 110. The magnet 608 can be positioned inside the cavity 602. When the memory cartridge 110 is stored in the housing 600, the magnet 608 can fix the memory cartridge 110 in place. While Figure 4C only one magnet is shown, the housing 600 may include additional magnets depending on the number of ferromagnetic plates on the memory cartridge 110.

[0101] Figure 5 shown is a cap 500 configured to be removably attached to the housing 600. The cap 500 may include a cavity 502, the shape of which may conform to the bottom of the housing 600. The cap 500 may also include a magnet 504 to removably couple to the magnet 608 of the housing 600 when the cavity 502 faces the bottom of the housing 600. The cap 500 may be color-coded to identify the status of the memory cartridge 110 stored inside the housing 600 (e.g., green - unused, red - full).

[0102] Figure 6 shown is the complete assembly of the memory cartridge 110, housing 600, and cap 500. The memory cartridge 110 can be inserted into the cavity 602 of the housing 600, and the cap 500 can be attached to indicate the status of the memory cartridge 110.

[0103] Figure 7An example system 700 for controlling various components within a memory appliance / memory cartridge system is shown. System 700 may include a status indicator 109, a memory cartridge 110, a user interface 111, a locking mechanism 114, a memory indicator 212, and an electromagnet 408. Additionally, system 700 may include an intelligent control system 702 (such as those discussed above) and a memory controller 704. The memory controller 704 may manage the transfer of data to / from the memory cartridge 110. Additionally, the memory controller 704 may ascertain whether a reliable connection has been established between the memory cartridge 110 and the memory controller 704, the available bandwidth of each memory cartridge in the memory cartridge 110, the available memory capacity of each memory cartridge in the memory cartridge 110, a small portion of the stored data read from each memory cartridge in the memory cartridge 110, and the status of transferring data to / from each memory cartridge in the memory cartridge 110. The memory controller 704 may send this information to other components within system 700.

[0104] System 700 may further include a sensor 706. The sensor 706 may be communicatively coupled to the locking mechanism 114 to detect the status of the locking mechanism 114 (i.e., engaged or disengaged). For example, the locking mechanism 114a may be communicatively coupled to the sensor 706a. The sensor 706a may be entirely housed within the locking mechanism 114a, partially housed within the locking mechanism 114 and partially housed within the housing 102 of the memory appliance 100, or housed within the housing 102 of the memory appliance 100. Additional locking mechanisms 114 may be communicatively coupled to additional sensors 706b, 706c, 706d, etc.

[0105] The sensor 706 may include a switch (including a spring-loaded switch). By way of example and not limitation, the sensor 706 may include a toggle switch, a selector switch, a pushbutton switch, a limit switch, or a proximity switch (including an optical switch). The sensor 706 may be configured to send an electrical signal whenever one of the locking mechanisms in the locking mechanism 114 changes from a disengaged position to an engaged position. The sensor 706 may also be configured to send an electrical signal whenever one of the locking mechanisms in the locking mechanism 114 changes from an engaged position to a disengaged position.

[0106] System 700 may further include a controller 708 that is electrically coupled to the status indicator 109, the user interface 111, the memory indicator 212, the electromagnet 408, the intelligent control system 702, the memory controller 704, and the sensor 706. Although Figure 7The intelligent control system 702, the memory controller 704, and the controller 708 are shown as distinct entities, but it is also shown that the intelligent control system 702, the memory controller 704, and the controller 708 can be combined with each other, and / or their tasks can be merged to perform a specific function, such that an integrated control system 710 can be formed. The integrated control system 710 can be composed of any combination of the intelligent control system 702, the memory controller 704, and the controller 708. Additionally, the intelligent control system 702, the memory controller 704, and / or the controller 708 can be housed in the memory device 100, the connected device 712, or a combination of the memory device 100 and the connected device 712.

[0107] The system 700 can also include a connected device 712. In an implementation, the connected device 712 can be a camera. In another implementation, the connected device 712 can be a computer or other device for processing data. In another implementation, the connected device 712 can be a device for displaying visual and / or audio data. The connected device 712 can include a user interface 714. Using the user interface 714, a user can initiate or end the transfer of data to / from the memory device 100.

[0108] As described above with respect to Figure 3B the memory cartridge can include a memory indicator 212. For example, the memory cartridge 110a can include a memory indicator 212a. Additional memory cartridges 110 can include additional memory indicators 212b, 212c, 212d, etc.

[0109] As Figure 7 shown, the arrangement of the components within the system 700 is not intended to limit the composition of the system 700 or the relationships that can exist between the components in the system 700. Fewer or additional components can be implemented, as well as alternative pathways for communication between the components, to perform the following functions or any other purpose consistent with the present disclosure.

[0110] For each of the example functions of the system 700 described below, it can be understood that reference is made to the status indicator 109a, the memory cartridge 110a, the locking mechanism 114a, the memory indicator 212a, the electromagnet 408a, and the sensor 706a to provide an example of each of the functions performed. However, the functions can be performed with any set of status indicators, memory cartridges, locking mechanisms, memory indicators, electromagnets, and sensors associated with the memory cartridge 110 connected to the memory device 100. Additionally, the functions can be performed individually on any such set, or in combination with other sets of status indicators, memory cartridges, locking mechanisms, memory indicators, electromagnets, and sensors associated with the memory cartridge 110 connected to the memory device 100.

[0111] The functions described below are intended to be exemplary functions and do not exclude the system 700 from performing additional functions that are not listed or described.

[0112] 1) Control of the electromagnet 408 via the locking mechanism 114

[0113] The locking mechanism 114a can be engaged by the user. In an embodiment, the locking mechanism 114a can be automatically engaged by the user inserting the memory cartridge 110a into the slot 108a. In another embodiment, the locking mechanism 114a can be manually engaged by the user after the memory cartridge 110a is inserted into the slot 108a.

[0114] Engaging the locking mechanism 114a can cause the sensor 706a to register the engagement of the locking mechanism 114a. The sensor 706a can send a signal indicating that the locking mechanism 114a has been engaged to the controller 708. The controller 708 can send a signal instructing the memory controller 704 to start transferring data to / from the memory cartridge 110a to the memory controller 704. After the transfer of data to / from the memory cartridge 110a has been initiated, the memory controller 704 can send a signal indicating that data is being transferred to / from the memory cartridge 110a to the controller 708. Then, the controller 708 can send a signal instructing the electromagnet 408a to turn on to the electromagnet 408a.

[0115] The locking mechanism 114a can be manually disengaged by the user. Disengaging the locking mechanism 114a can cause the sensor 706a to register the disengagement of the locking mechanism 114a. The sensor 706a can send a signal indicating that the locking mechanism 114a has been disengaged to the controller 708. The controller 708 can send a signal instructing the memory controller 704 to end the transfer of data to / from the memory cartridge 110a to the memory controller 704. After the transfer of data to / from the memory cartridge 110a has been terminated, the memory controller 704 can send a signal indicating that data is no longer being transferred to / from the memory cartridge 110a to the controller 708. Then, the controller 708 can send a signal instructing the electromagnet 408a to turn off to the electromagnet 408a.

[0116] 2) Control of the electromagnet 408 via the user interface 111

[0117] The user interface 111 may receive information from the sensor 706a and the memory controller 704 regarding which memory cartridges in the slots 108 are holding connected memory cartridges, the available memory capacity of each connected memory cartridge, a small portion of the stored data read from each connected memory cartridge, and / or the status of data transfer to / from each connected memory cartridge. This information may be sent by the controller 708. The user interface 111 may display an indication of this information. For example, the user interface 111 may display that the slot 108a is occupied by a connected memory cartridge (e.g., the memory cartridge 110a), and that the memory cartridge 110a has a certain level of available memory capacity and / or a small portion of the stored data that has not been read. The user interface 111 may also display whether data is being transferred to / from the memory cartridge 110a.

[0118] The user may select the memory cartridge 110a for data read / write via the user interface 111. The user interface 111 may send a signal to the controller 708 instructing the controller 708 to initiate the transfer of data to / from the memory cartridge 110a. The controller 708 may send a signal to the memory controller 704 instructing the memory controller 704 to start transferring data to / from the memory cartridge 110a. After the transfer of data to / from the memory cartridge 110a has been initiated, the memory controller 704 may send a signal to the controller 708 indicating that data is being transferred to / from the memory cartridge 110a. Then, the controller 708 may send a signal to the electromagnet 408a instructing the electromagnet 408a to turn on.

[0119] The user may eject the memory cartridge 110a via the user interface 111, thereby terminating the transfer of data to / from the memory cartridge 110a. The user interface 111 may send a signal to the controller 708 instructing the controller 708 to end the transfer of data to / from the memory cartridge 110a. The controller 708 may send a signal to the memory controller 704 indicating that the memory controller 704 is to end the transfer of data to / from the memory cartridge 110a. After the transfer of data to / from the memory cartridge 110a has been terminated, the memory controller 704 may send a signal to the controller 708 indicating that data is no longer being transferred to / from the memory cartridge 110a. Then, the controller 708 may send a signal to the electromagnet 408a instructing the electromagnet 408a to turn off.

[0120] 3) Control of the electromagnet 408 via the memory cartridge 110

[0121] When data is being written to the memory cartridge 110a, the memory cartridge 110a may reach a state where the available memory capacity has been exhausted. If the available memory capacity of the memory cartridge 110a has been exhausted, then the memory controller 704 may end writing data to the memory cartridge 110a. After the transfer to / from the memory cartridge 110a has been terminated, the memory controller 704 may send a signal to the controller 708 indicating that data is no longer being transferred to / from the memory cartridge 110a. Then, the controller 708 may send a signal to the electromagnet 408a instructing the electromagnet 408a to turn off.

[0122] When data is being read from the memory cartridge 110a, the memory cartridge 110a may reach a state where all stored data has been read. If all the data stored in the memory cartridge 110a has been read, then the memory controller 704 may end reading data from the memory cartridge 110a. After the transfer to / from the memory cartridge 110a has been terminated, the memory controller 704 may send a signal to the controller 708 indicating that data is no longer being transferred to / from the memory cartridge 110a. Then, the controller 708 may send a signal to the electromagnet 408a instructing the electromagnet 408a to turn off.

[0123] It is also possible to initiate the transfer of data to / from the memory cartridge 110a based on the above conditions being met for another memory cartridge (e.g., memory cartridge 110b) connected to the memory device 100. After the available storage capacity or unread data of the memory cartridge 110b has been exhausted and the transfer to / from the memory cartridge 110b has been terminated, the memory controller 704 may send a signal to the controller 708 indicating that data is no longer being transferred to / from the memory cartridge 110b. The controller 708 may send a signal to the memory controller 704 instructing the memory controller 704 to initiate the transfer of data to / from the memory cartridge 110a. After the transfer of data to / from the memory cartridge 110a has been initiated, the memory controller 704 may send a signal to the controller 708 indicating that data is being transferred to / from the memory cartridge 110a. Then, the controller 708 may send a signal to the electromagnet 408a instructing the electromagnet 408a to turn on.

[0124] 4) Control of the electromagnet 408 via the intelligent control system 702

[0125] The intelligent control system 702 can receive information from the sensors 706a and the memory controller 704 regarding which memory cartridges in the slots 108 are holding connected memory cartridges, the available bandwidth of each of the connected memory cartridges, and the available memory capacity of each of the connected memory cartridges. This information can be sent via the controller 708. For example, the intelligent control system 702 can receive information that slot 108a is occupied by a memory cartridge (e.g., memory cartridge 110a), and that the memory cartridge 110a has a certain level of available bandwidth and memory capacity.

[0126] The intelligent control system 702 also communicates with data transmitted to / from the connected devices 712, as Figure 7 illustrated. This allows the intelligent control system 702 to analyze which data is "more important", as discussed above with respect to Figure 3D .

[0127] Based on factors such as the amount of "more important" data, the available bandwidth and memory capacity of the memory cartridge 110a, and / or the available bandwidth and memory capacity across the memory cartridges connected to the memory appliance 100, the intelligent control system 702 can select the memory cartridge 110a for data storage. The intelligent control system 702 can send a signal to the controller 708 instructing the controller 708 to initiate the transfer of data to / from the memory cartridge 110a. The controller 708 can send a signal to the memory controller 704 instructing the memory controller 704 to start transferring data to / from the memory cartridge 110a. After the transfer of data to / from the memory cartridge 110a has been initiated, the memory controller 704 can send a signal to the controller 708 indicating that data is being transferred to / from the memory cartridge 110a. Then, the controller 708 can send a signal to the electromagnet 408a instructing the electromagnet 408a to turn on.

[0128] Based on factors such as those directly mentioned above, the intelligent control system 702 may also deselect the memory cartridge 110a for data storage. The intelligent control system 702 may send a signal to the controller 708 instructing the controller 708 to end the transfer of data to / from the memory cartridge 110a. The controller 708 may send a signal to the memory controller 704 instructing the memory controller 704 to end the transfer of data to / from the memory cartridge 110a. After the transfer of data to / from the memory cartridge 110a has been terminated, the memory controller 704 may send a signal to the controller 708 indicating that data is no longer being transferred to / from the memory cartridge 110a. Then, the controller 708 may send a signal to the electromagnet 408a instructing the electromagnet 408a to turn off.

[0129] 5) Control of the electromagnet 408 via the user interface 714

[0130] The memory cartridge 110a may be prepared for data read / write based on the conditions discussed above (engagement of the locking mechanism 114a, selection of the memory cartridge 110a for data transfer by the user via the user interface 111, another connected memory cartridge (such as the memory cartridge 110b) becoming fully utilized, and / or selection of the memory cartridge 110a for data storage by the intelligent control system 702). However, in some cases, data may not actually be transferred to / from the memory cartridge 110a until the user initiates a command to transfer data to / from the memory device 100 via the user interface 714 of the connected device 712. In some implementations, the command may be a record or play command. Similarly, if data is being transferred to / from the memory cartridge 110a, the user may cause the transfer of data to / from the memory device 100 to terminate by initiating a command to end the transfer of data to / from the memory device 100 via the user interface 714 of the connected device 712. In some implementations, the command may be a stop record or stop command.

[0131] A user may initiate the transfer of data to / from the memory device 100 via a command on the user interface 714 of the connected device 712. The connected device 712 may send an instruction to the memory controller 704 to signal the memory controller 704 to initiate the transfer of data to / from the connected device 712. The memory controller 704 may initiate the transfer of data between the connected device 712 and the memory cartridge 110a (which is ready for data read / write). After the transfer of data to / from the memory cartridge 110a has been initiated, the memory controller 704 may send a signal to the controller 708 indicating that the data is being transferred to / from the memory cartridge 110a. Then, the controller 708 may send a signal to the electromagnet 408a to instruct the electromagnet 408a to turn on.

[0132] A user may terminate the transfer of data to / from the memory device 100 via a command on the user interface 714 of the connected device 712. The connected device 712 may send an instruction to the memory controller 704 to signal the memory controller 704 to end the transfer of data to / from the connected device 712. The memory controller 704 may end the transfer of data between the connected device 712 and the memory cartridge 110a (which has been utilized for data read / write). After the transfer of data to / from the memory cartridge 110a has been terminated, the memory controller 704 may send a signal to the controller 708 indicating that the transfer of data to / from the memory cartridge 110a has been terminated. Then, the controller 708 may send a signal to the electromagnet 408a to instruct the electromagnet 408a to turn off.

[0133] 6) Control of the status indicator 109 via the storage controller 704 and the controller 708

[0134] Memory controller 704 and controller 708 can obtain information that determines the condition of memory cartridge 110a. For example, controller 708 can receive information on whether locking mechanism 114a has been engaged and can accordingly activate electromagnet 408a. Then, controller 708 can use the condition of locking mechanism 114a and electromagnet 408a, as well as a signal received from memory controller 704 indicating whether a reliable connection has been established between memory cartridge 110a and memory controller 704, to determine whether memory cartridge 110a has been connected and is ready for data transfer. Additionally, memory controller 704 can directly ascertain the condition of memory cartridge 110a. For example, memory controller 704 can ascertain whether data is being recorded to, read from, or formatted on memory cartridge 110a because memory controller 704 is the main component that manages these tasks. For the same reason, memory controller 704 can ascertain whether an error has occurred during the recording, reading, or formatting of data. Then, memory controller 704 can send information about the condition of memory cartridge 110a to controller 708.

[0135] Controller 708 can send a signal to status indicator 109a instructing status indicator 109a to display the condition of memory cartridge 110a. Status indicator 109a can display the condition of memory cartridge 110a according to the embodiments of status indicator 109a discussed above with respect to Figure 1 the discussion of status indicator 109a.

[0136] 7) Control of the memory indicator 212 via the memory controller 704

[0137] Memory controller 704 can send a signal to controller 708 indicating the available memory capacity of memory cartridge 110a. Controller 708 can send a signal to memory indicator 212a instructing memory indicator 212a to display the available memory capacity of memory cartridge 110a. Memory indicator 212a can display the available memory capacity of memory cartridge 110a according to the embodiments of memory indicator 212 discussed above with respect to Figure 3B the discussion of memory indicator 212.

[0138] Conclusion

[0139] DETAILED DESCRIPTION Reference is made to the accompanying drawings to illustrate exemplary embodiments consistent with the present disclosure. References in this disclosure to exemplary embodiments indicate that the described exemplary embodiments may include particular features, structures, or characteristics, but not every exemplary embodiment necessarily includes that particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such references do not necessarily refer to the same exemplary embodiment. Additionally, any feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an exemplary embodiment may be included independently or in any combination with features, structures, or characteristics of other exemplary embodiments (whether or not explicitly described).

[0140] The detailed description is not meant to be limiting. Rather, the scope of the present disclosure is defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents. The breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents. It should be recognized that the detailed description section, rather than the abstract section, is intended to be used to interpret the claims. The abstract section may set forth one or more, but not all, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, and thus, the abstract section is not intended to limit the present disclosure and the following claims and their equivalents in any way.

[0141] The exemplary embodiments described in this disclosure are provided for illustrative purposes and are not intended to be limiting. Other exemplary embodiments are possible and modifications may be made to the exemplary embodiments while remaining within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. The present disclosure has been described in terms of functional building blocks that implement specified functions and their relationships. For convenience of description, the boundaries of these functional building blocks have been arbitrarily defined herein. Alternative boundaries may be defined as long as the specified functions and their relationships are appropriately performed.

[0142] Embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented in hardware, firmware, software applications, or any combination thereof. Embodiments of the present disclosure may also be implemented as instructions stored on a machine-readable medium, which may be read and executed by one or more processors. A machine-readable medium may include any mechanism for storing or transmitting information in a form readable by a machine (e.g., computing circuitry). For example, a machine-readable medium may include non-transitory machine-readable media such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disk storage media, optical storage media, flash memory devices, etc. As another example, a machine-readable medium may include transitory machine-readable media such as electrical, optical, acoustic, or other forms of propagated signals (e.g., carrier waves, infrared signals, digital signals, etc.). Additionally, firmware, software applications, routines, and instructions may be described herein as performing certain actions. However, it should be recognized that such descriptions are merely for convenience, and such actions are actually generated by computing devices, processors, controllers, or other devices that execute the firmware, software applications, routines, instructions, etc.

[0143] The detailed description of the exemplary embodiments sufficiently discloses the generality of the present disclosure, i.e., others may readily modify and / or adapt such exemplary embodiments for various applications without undue experimentation by applying the knowledge of those skilled in the relevant art(s) without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, such adaptations and modifications are intended to be within the meaning and range of equivalents of the exemplary embodiments based on the teachings and guidance presented herein. It should be understood that the language or terminology herein is for descriptive purposes only and not for limitation, such that those skilled in the relevant art(s) will interpret the terms or language in this specification according to the teachings herein.

Claims

1. An apparatus for electronic data storage, the apparatus comprising: A data storage cartridge, the data storage cartridge comprising: Symmetrical data storage cartridge connectors, A ferromagnetic region, and A memory; A memory receptacle for receiving the data storage cartridge, the memory receptacle comprising: A housing; A cavity in the housing for receiving the data storage cartridge; Symmetrical memory receptacle connectors for detachably coupling to the symmetrical data storage cartridge connectors; and An electromagnet for detachably coupling to the ferromagnetic region of the data storage cartridge.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data storage cartridge further comprises one or any combination of the following elements: a housing including a material having a high heat mass, a low modulus thermal conductive material, a plurality of holes, or protrusions for a user to grip the data storage cartridge.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the memory receptacle further comprises a fan for blowing air towards the finned housing of the data storage cartridge.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory receptacle further comprises a support plate positioned on the memory receptacle to abut at least one of the memory receptacle connectors, the electromagnet, or a spring.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory receptacle further comprises a mechanical locking mechanism for fixing the data storage cartridge to the memory receptacle in a connected configuration.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory receptacle is a distinct structure that communicates with a camera or other device.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory receptacle is integrated into a camera housing.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an outer housing for receiving the data storage cartridge, the outer housing including a magnet for detachably coupling to the ferromagnetic region of the data storage cartridge.

9. A data storage cartridge, comprising: Data storage cartridge connectors for engaging with complementary external connectors, A lock portion for engaging with a complementary external lock portion, A memory, and A finned housing, the finned housing including a material having a high heat mass.

10. The data storage cartridge of claim 9, further comprising one or any combination of the following elements: a low modulus thermal conductive material, a plurality of holes, or protrusions for a user to grip the data storage cartridge.

11. The data storage cartridge of claim 10, wherein the low modulus thermal conductive material is positioned adjacent to the memory.

12. The data storage cartridge of claim 9, wherein the memory comprises: A first layer associated with fast data read and write speeds; A second layer associated with data read and write speeds slower than the data read and write speeds of the first layer; And A third layer associated with data read and write speeds slower than the data read and write speeds of the second layer.

13. The data storage cartridge of claim 12, wherein the data storage cartridge is a high-speed data storage cartridge that stores data only on the first layer.

14. The data storage cartridge of claim 12, wherein the data storage cartridge is a high-capacity data storage cartridge that stores data on the first layer, the second layer, and the third layer.

15. The data storage cartridge according to claim 9 further includes an indicator of the available capacity of the memory.

16. A method for electronically storing and accessing data, the method comprising: connecting a data storage cartridge including a memory to a memory appliance via a symmetric data storage cartridge connector detachably coupled to a symmetric memory appliance connector; using an electromagnetic locking mechanism engaged when data is being transferred to / from the data storage cartridge to fix the data storage cartridge to the memory appliance in a connected configuration; activating the electromagnetic locking mechanism in response to a signal generated when data starts to be transferred to / from the data storage cartridge; and deactivating the electromagnetic locking mechanism in response to a signal generated when data stops being transferred to / from the data storage cartridge.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the data storage cartridge is removed from the connected configuration with the assistance of a spring.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the data storage cartridge is actively cooled by a fan.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein: a plurality of data storage cartridges including memories are connected to the memory appliance, and data can be transferred to / from a single data storage cartridge among the plurality of data storage cartridges individually, or transferred to / from a combination of data storage cartridges among the plurality of data storage cartridges simultaneously.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the memory of a first data storage cartridge among the plurality of data storage cartridges includes: a first layer associated with a fast data read and write speed, a second layer associated with a data read and write speed slower than that of the first layer, and a third layer associated with a data read and write speed slower than that of the second layer; the first data storage cartridge is a high-speed data storage cartridge that stores data only on the first layer.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the memory of a second data storage cartridge among the plurality of data storage cartridges includes: a first layer associated with a fast data read and write speed, a second layer associated with a data read and write speed slower than that of the first layer, and a third layer associated with a data read and write speed slower than that of the second layer; the second data storage cartridge is a high-capacity data storage cartridge that stores data on the first layer, the second layer, and the third layer.

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