JP2004342075A - Semiconductor storage device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a relatively low-priced semiconductor memory device which is suitable for use as a recording medium of a host device which requires a higher data transfer rate and a larger storage capacity, and which is detachable from the host device and portable. In addition, it can be directly inserted and used in a notebook personal computer.
SOLUTION: A PC card type 5 mm thick housing 10 having a card bus connector 13 for connection to a host device, four SD memory cards (R) 20 housed in the housing, and a card A control circuit 32 for controlling transmission and reception of signals between the bus connector 13 and each SD memory card (R) is provided.
[Selection diagram] FIG.

Description

  The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device that can be attached to and detached from a host device such as a video camera recorder and a notebook personal computer.

  2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, various types of memory cards that can be attached to and detached from a host device and that are easy to carry have become widespread as the capacity of nonvolatile semiconductor memories such as flash memories has increased.

As one type of such a memory card, there is a PC card size that is standardized as a PC card standard (PC Card Standard) by PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association).
This PC card standard defines the physical shape and size of the card, such as the card shape, the nominal dimensions of the card such as its width, length, and maximum thickness and its tolerances, as well as the host device. Also, a signal interface with the interface is specified. For example, as the physical size of the card, the nominal size of the width is 54.0 mm, the nominal size of the length is 85.6 mm, and the nominal size of the maximum thickness portion is 5.0 mm (Type 2: Type II) and those having the same width and length as type 2 and a nominal size of the maximum thickness of 10.5 mm (type 3: type III) are specified.

In addition, recently, as a memory card which has been widely spread particularly in the consumer field, there is a so-called small memory card which is smaller than the PC card and is used as a recording medium of a consumer device such as a digital camera or a portable audio player. .
As such a small memory card, a so-called compact flash (R) card, smart media (R), memory stick (R), SD memory card (R) and the like are known. Non-Patent Document 1 discloses examples of these cards. Note that the SD memory card (R) has a standard such as shape and size determined by an SD Association.

Interface, December 1999, p. 52-p. 55, CQ publisher

  By the way, for example, when a memory card is used as a recording medium in a video camera recorder or the like that records high-quality moving images for a long time, the data transfer rate required for recording or reproduction becomes extremely high, and The data capacity to be used is enormous. For this reason, in a small memory card such as the above-mentioned SD memory card (R), the data transfer speed and the storage capacity are not always sufficient, and a higher-speed and larger-capacity storage device has been demanded.

  Also, for example, in a typical notebook personal computer, although a slot for a PC card may be provided, a slot into which such a small memory card can be directly inserted is not generally provided. Therefore, when confirming the contents recorded on the small memory card with a personal computer or editing the recorded data with a personal computer, an adapter that can be inserted into a PC card slot or an adapter that can be connected via USB is used. It has to be prepared separately, which is very inconvenient.

  In addition, there is a memory card of a PC card size, but in recent years, such a type of memory card is mainly used for limited industrial use only, and is widely used in a small memory card widely used in consumer use. On the other hand, the progress of high speed and large capacity is relatively slow, and the price is currently high.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a host device that requires a higher data transfer rate and a larger storage capacity, such as a video camera recorder that records high-quality moving images for a long time. On the other hand, an object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor memory device suitable for use as a recording medium, detachable from a host device, portable, and relatively inexpensive.

  Another object of the present invention is to achieve a high data transfer rate, a large storage capacity, and a relatively low price, and furthermore, for example, an insertion for a small semiconductor memory card such as a general notebook personal computer. An object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor memory device which can be directly inserted into a host device having no slot and used.

  Therefore, the semiconductor storage device of the present invention includes a housing having a connection portion for connecting to a host device, a plurality of small semiconductor memory cards housed in the housing, the connection portion and the plurality of small semiconductor memories. And control means for controlling transmission and reception of signals to and from the card.

  According to this configuration, by using a plurality of relatively inexpensive small semiconductor memory cards, a high data transfer rate and a large storage capacity are realized at a low price, and a housing having a connection portion for connecting to a host device is controlled. By being housed together with the means, it can be detached from the device and can be carried.

  Further, the semiconductor memory device of the present invention can be configured such that the housing has a size conforming to the PC card standard type 2 and includes four small semiconductor memory cards conforming to the SD memory card (R) standard. .

  In this case, the data transfer rate is high, the storage capacity is large, it can be realized at a relatively low price, for example, a host device that does not have a slot for a small semiconductor memory card, such as a general notebook personal computer, It becomes possible to insert and use it directly.

According to the present invention, for example, a video camera recorder that records a high-quality moving image for a long time, such as a host device that requires a higher data transfer rate and a larger storage capacity, suitable for use as a recording medium, A thin, card-shaped semiconductor storage device that can be attached to and detached from the host device, can be carried around, and can be obtained at a relatively low price.
Also, for example, a direct insertion into a host device such as a general notebook personal computer which does not have an insertion slot for a small semiconductor memory card such as an SD memory card (R) without using a dedicated adapter or the like. The data recorded on the small semiconductor memory card can be confirmed with a host device such as a personal computer, and the data can be easily handled such as editing the recorded data. The effect is also obtained.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
1A and 1B are explanatory views showing the external shape and size of a thin, card-shaped semiconductor memory device according to the present embodiment. FIG. 1A is a plan view, and FIG. FIG. 1C is a side view from the direction of arrow Y1c-Y1c in FIG. 1A. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing the structure of the semiconductor memory device.

  As shown in these drawings, the semiconductor storage device 1 according to the present embodiment includes, as basic components, a housing 10 (case) formed by combining a lower member 11 and an upper member 12, A plurality of small semiconductor memory cards 20 housed in the housing 10 are provided. The small semiconductor memory card 20 is a resin-packaged semiconductor memory device, and is formed in a flat card shape having a predetermined shape and size. As described later, in the present embodiment, a memory card compliant with the SD memory card (R) standard of the SD Association is used as the small semiconductor memory card 20.

  At one end of the lower member 11 in the longitudinal direction, a card bus connector 13 as a connecting portion for connecting to a host device (not shown) is held. The card bus connector 13 is similar to a conventionally known card bus connector, and is a connector used for connection to a host device (not shown) such as a video camera recorder or a personal computer using the semiconductor storage device 1. A write-protect switch 8 is provided on an end surface of the housing 10 opposite to the card bus connector 13.

The housing 10 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape in plan view, and both end portions 10b having a predetermined width in the short side direction are set to be thinner than the intermediate portion 10a in the same direction. Four small semiconductor memory cards 20 are accommodated in the housing 10 in a planar shape. That is, two small semiconductor memory cards 20 are arranged side by side in the short side direction of the housing 10, and two small semiconductor memory cards 20 are also arranged side by side in the long side direction.
The intermediate portion 10a includes first and second projecting portions 10a1 and 10a2 that project from the end portions 10b to one side and the other (upward and downward in FIG. 1B) in the thickness direction of the housing 10, respectively. The four small semiconductor memory cards 20 are housed in the first overhang 10a1. On the other hand, control means (described later) for the semiconductor memory device 1 is provided on the second overhanging portion 10a2 side.

Next, the internal structure of the semiconductor memory device 1 will be described.
3A and 3B are explanatory views showing the internal structure of the semiconductor memory device 1. FIG. 3A is a plan view, FIG. 3B is a side view from the direction of arrows Y3b-Y3b in FIG. FIG. 3C is a side view from the direction of the arrow Y3c-Y3c in FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of FIG. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the semiconductor memory device 1. FIG. 5 (a) shows the completed state of the small semiconductor memory card 20, and FIG. 5 (b) shows a part of the small semiconductor memory. 3 shows a state where the card 20 is being slid. 3 (a), 3 (b) and 3 (c) and FIG. 4, the casing 10 is indicated by a virtual line (two-dot chain line).

  As shown in these figures, a circuit board 30 also serving as a holding plate for holding the small semiconductor memory card 20 is provided in the housing 10. That is, one surface of the circuit board 30 (the upper surface in FIG. 3B) constitutes a holding portion of the memory card 20, and the four small semiconductor memory cards 20 have a flat surface on one surface of the circuit board 30. Are held side by side.

On the other hand, on the other side of the circuit board 30 (the lower surface in FIG. 3B), a control means for controlling transmission and reception of signals between the card bus connector 13 and the plurality of (four) small semiconductor memory cards 20. A control circuit 32 is provided.
Both edges of the circuit board 30 in the short side direction are held in both end portions 10b of the housing 10 in the short side direction.

Next, the size and the like of the semiconductor memory device 1 will be specifically described.
In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 (a), (b), and (c), the size of the housing 10 is 54.0 mm in the nominal width and 85.6 mm in the nominal length. The nominal size of the maximum thickness portion is set to 5.0 mm.
As described above, the housing 10 has both end portions 10b of a predetermined width in the short side direction set to be thinner than the intermediate portion 10a in the same direction, and the intermediate portion 10a has one end in the thickness direction of the housing 10 and There are first and second overhangs 10a1 and 10a2, which overhang each other, and the intermediate portion 10a constitutes the maximum thickness portion. Specifically, the nominal dimension of the thickness of the intermediate portion 10a provided at the center in the width direction over a width of 48.0 mm is 5.0 mm, and the width provided at both left and right ends in the width direction is 3.0 mm. With respect to both end portions 10b of 0 mm (= (54.0-48.0) / 2), the nominal size of the thickness is 3.3 mm.

The outer shape and size of the housing 10 shown in FIG. 1 conform to the size standardized by PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) as type 2 of PC card standard (Type II). .
In addition to the PCMCIA standard card, there is a PC card standard type 1 (Type I) having a nominal thickness of 3.3 mm (constant) in addition to the type 2 type. The thickness of both end portions 10b in the width direction of the housing 10 is set to be thinner than that of the intermediate portion 10a because the thickness (nominal dimension of 3.3 mm) of both end portions 10b is the same as that of the PC card standard type 1. This is because the width of the guide rail of the insertion slot on the host device side is unified by making it common with the type (Type I) and the like, so that the type 1 type and the type 3 type can be inserted into the same slot. .

The external shape and size of the type 2 type in the PC card standard are specified in, for example, “PC Card Standard 8.0, Volume 3 Physical Specification, p. 39, published in 2001, PCMCIA”. The appearance of the card bus connector 13 is also described in p. 64.
It should be noted that the numerical values of the nominal dimensions described above are numerical values indicating the standard dimensions for each size, and a slight tolerance is allowed based on the standard determined by PCMCIA.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a flow of an electric signal of the semiconductor memory device 1 according to the present embodiment. These circuit blocks are housed inside the housing 10.
In FIG. 6, the connection between the semiconductor storage device 1 and a host device (for example, a video camera recorder, a personal computer, or the like: not shown) using the semiconductor storage device 1 is physically made through the aforementioned card bus connector 13. The electrical signals are transmitted through the card bus interface 14 shown in FIG.

  The card bus interface 14 is connected to the control circuit 32, and commands and data such as writing and reading are transmitted to and from the host device. The electrical specification of signals performed through the card bus interface 14 is described in “PC Card Standard 8.0, Volume 2 Electrical Specification, pages 65 to 186, published in 2001, PCMCIA”. The card bus interface 14 can perform write or read data transfer at a high speed of, for example, a maximum of 133 Mbytes / sec (hereinafter, referred to as MB / sec).

  In the present embodiment, a small semiconductor memory card 20 that conforms to the SD memory card (R) standard of the SD Association is used, and the control circuit 32 includes four SD memory cards (R) 20. , The write inhibit switch 8 is also connected. The SD memory card (R) 20 has, for example, a capacity of 512 Mbytes and a data transfer rate of 10 MB / sec.

Next, an operation at the time of writing will be described.
When writing from a host device (not shown) such as a video camera recorder or a personal computer to the semiconductor memory device 1, a write command and write data are transferred through the card bus interface 14. The control circuit 32 issues a write command to each of the four SD memory cards (R) 20, and divides the write data into four systems to be parallelized. Then, each of the write data divided into four systems and parallelized in this way is simultaneously transferred to each SD memory card (R) 20.

  With this operation, the write data transferred through the card bus interface 14 is written in parallel to four SD memory cards (R) 20 each having a data transfer rate of 10 MB / sec in four systems. Therefore, the entire data is divided and recorded on the SD memory card (R) 20 at a speed of 40 MB / sec. Further, since the data is divided and recorded on the four SD memory cards (R) 20, the storage capacity of the entire semiconductor memory device 1 is the sum of the storage capacities of the four SD memory cards (R) 20. In this example, it is four times 512 Mbytes, that is, 2 Gbytes. Since the card bus interface 14 has a maximum data transfer rate of 133 MB / sec as described above, the transfer rate of 40 MB / sec is not limited.

For example, as can be clearly understood from FIG. 1C, a write-protect switch 8 is provided at the end of the semiconductor storage device 1 opposite to the card bus connector 13. The switch 8 is used to perform a prohibition setting for prohibiting writing to the SD memory card (R) 20 or a release setting for prohibiting writing to the SD memory card (R) 20 by opening and closing the switch.
When the control circuit 32 receives a write command from the host device through the card bus interface 14, the control circuit 32 refers to the write inhibit switch 8, and according to the open / close state, if the write is inhibited, the SD memory card ( R) 20 is not written.

Specifically, the control circuit 32 is provided with a monitor circuit 33 (not shown) for monitoring the operation state (open / closed state) of the write-protect switch 8. When it is detected that the setting is set to the write-protected side, control is performed so that writing to the SD memory card (R) 20 is prohibited.
Note that, instead of performing the write inhibition control by the control circuit 32 of the semiconductor storage device 1, the detection signal of the monitor circuit 33 is transmitted to a host device (for example, a personal computer), and the control means of the host device controls the SD memory. It is also possible to control so that writing to the card (R) 20 is prohibited. Further, the monitor circuit 33 can be provided independently outside the control circuit 32.

By operating the write inhibit switch 8 as described above, an erroneous operation of inadvertently erasing data already stored in the semiconductor memory device 1 (that is, in each SD memory card (R) 20) is effectively prevented. Can be prevented.
The write protection switch 8 is disposed at an end of the housing 10 opposite to the card bus connector 13 so as to be operable from outside the housing 10. Therefore, even when the semiconductor storage device 1 including the housing 10 is inserted into the host device, it is possible to check and operate the open / close state of the write protection switch 8.

Next, the operation at the time of reading will be described.
When reading from the semiconductor storage device 1 to a host device such as a video camera recorder or a personal computer, a read command is transferred from the host device through the card bus interface 14. The control circuit 32 simultaneously reads the data divided into four SD memory cards (R) 20 and written in parallel at the time of writing, from each SD memory card (R) 20 at the same time. Steps to integrate the divided data. Then, the data is transferred to the host device through the card bus interface 14.
With this operation, it is possible to simultaneously read and integrate data parallelized into four systems for the four SD memory cards 20 (R) each having a data transfer rate of 10 MB / sec. Therefore, data can be read at a speed of 40 MB / sec as a whole.

  Next, the assembling of the thin and card-shaped semiconductor storage device 1 according to the present embodiment, that is, four SD memory cards (R) 20, the circuit board 30, The following describes how the control circuit 32 and the like are implemented.

Prior to this description, the external shape and size of the SD memory card (R) 20 will be described. 7A and 7B are explanatory diagrams showing the external shape and size of the SD memory card (R) 20 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 7A is a plan view, and FIG. 7B is Y7b-Y7b in FIG. 7 (c) is a bottom view, and FIG. 7 (d) is a side view from the direction of arrows Y7d-Y7d in FIG. 7 (c).
In the following, a plane of the SD memory card (R) where connection terminals are not provided is referred to as an upper surface, and a plane where nine connection terminals 21 are provided is referred to as a lower surface. The side provided with is referred to as the front surface.

  As shown in FIGS. 7A to 7D, the SD memory card (R) 20 has a nominal size of a width of 24.0 mm, a nominal size of a length of 32.0 mm, and a nominal size of a maximum thickness. It is set to 2.1 mm. That is, in the thickness direction, the central portion 20a (the portion having a width of 22.5 mm) in the width direction has a nominal thickness of 2.1 mm, but has a width of 0.75 mm (= (24.0-22.5)). For the left and right end portions 20b) of () / 2), the nominal size of the thickness is set as thin as 1.4 mm. As can be clearly understood from the partial enlarged view of FIG. 7D, only the lower surface side on which the connection terminal 21 is provided has a concave stepped shape at the end portion 20 b.

The standard of the shape of such an SD memory card (R) 20 is determined by the SD Association, and the outline thereof is described, for example, in "Thorough Research on TECHHI PC Card / Memory Card," pages 216 to 230, 2002. October, CQ Publishing Company.
It should be noted that the numerical values of the nominal dimensions described above are numerical values indicating the standard dimensions for each size, and a slight tolerance is allowed based on the standard defined by the SD Association.

  The semiconductor memory device 1 according to the present embodiment includes, in a housing 10 having the external shapes and sizes shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C, each element constituting the circuit block shown in FIG. That is, in addition to the four SD memory cards (R) 20 whose outer shapes and sizes are shown in FIGS. 7A to 7D, a circuit board 30 and a control circuit 32 are mounted. The mounting state is shown in FIGS. 3A to 3C and FIG. In each of these figures, the housing 10 is indicated by a virtual line (two-dot chain line).

  As described above with reference to these drawings, the circuit board 30 holding the four SD memory cards (R) 20 on one surface (the upper surface in FIG. 3B) is provided in the housing 10. A control circuit 32 is provided on the other surface (lower surface in FIG. 3B) of the circuit board 30. Both edge portions of the circuit board 30 in the short side direction are held in both end portions 10b of the housing 10 in the short side direction. Note that the control circuit 32 is mounted in the form of, for example, a large-scale integrated circuit (LSI).

  A signal line from the card bus connector 13 is connected to the circuit board 30 (the connection portion is not shown). Each SD memory card (R) 20 arranged in a plane on the upper surface of the circuit board 30 is mounted on the circuit board 30 with the surface (lower surface) on which the nine connection terminals 21 are provided facing upward, Each connection terminal 21 is electrically connected to a circuit board 30 via a connection pin 31. Note that the write inhibit switch 8 is actually also connected to the circuit board 30, but is not shown to avoid complicating the drawing.

Here, as shown in FIGS. 7A to 7D, the nominal size of the width of each SD memory card (R) 20 is 24.0 mm, so that two SD memory cards (R) are When arranged in the direction, the width dimension of the two sheets is 48.0 mm.
However, in consideration of expansion due to temperature rise, mechanical torsion, and the like, it is necessary to provide a gap (about 0.5 mm) between the two SD memory cards (R) 20. Further, as described above, a slight tolerance is allowed for the width dimension of each SD memory card (R) 20, and if this tolerance is ± 0.1 mm, the dimensional variation within this range is also considered. It is necessary to keep. That is, the total required width dimension when the two SD memory cards (R) 20 are arranged in the width direction on the circuit board 30 is at least 48.7 mm (24.1 mm + 0.5 mm + 24.1 mm).

  On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C, the width of the intermediate portion 10a (portion having a thickness of 5.0 mm) of the housing 10 is 48.0 mm. For this reason, it is impossible to fit the entirety of the four SD memory cards (R) 20 arranged on the circuit board 30 in the intermediate portion 10a of the housing 10 due to insufficient dimensions in the width direction. It will cover each of the left and right end portions 10b (thickness of 3.3 mm).

  By the way, considering the thickness direction, as shown in FIGS. 7A to 7D, the nominal size of the thickness of each SD memory card (R) 20 except for a part of both ends in the width direction. 2.1 mm. However, assuming that the tolerance for this thickness is ± 0.15 mm, the thickness is at most 2.25 mm in consideration of dimensional variations within this range. Since the thickness of the circuit board 30 is about 0.65 mm, a total thickness of 2.9 mm is required for both.

  In contrast, the thickness of each end portion 10b of the housing 10 is 3.3 mm, and the thickness of the upper and lower members of the housing 10 in this portion is about 0.25 mm. Therefore, the size of the inner space of the end portion 10b in the thickness direction is only 2.8 mm (= 3.3 mm− (0.25 × 2) mm), and the left and right end portions 10b (thickness of 3. (3 mm portion), it is not possible to secure a space having a thickness enough to accommodate the circuit board 30 and the SD memory card (R) 20 disposed thereabove.

  If a circuit board 30 that is thinner by 0.1 mm (having a thickness of 0.55 mm) is used as the circuit board 30, the total thickness of the circuit board and the SD memory card (R) is 2.8 mm, and 10 can be accommodated in the end portion 10b (a portion having a thickness of 3.3 mm). However, even in this case, a space less than 1 mm in the thickness direction can be ensured even in the intermediate portion 10a of the housing 10 below the circuit board 30, and the control circuit is provided in the space below the circuit board 30. 32 cannot be arranged.

In view of the above situation, in the present embodiment, when the SD memory card (R) is mounted on the circuit board 30, the SD memory card (R) 20 is mounted with the surface on which the connection terminals 21 are provided facing upward. Like that. FIG. 4 shows this mounting state in detail.
As shown in FIGS. 7A to 7D, the SD memory card (R) 20 has a center portion 20a having a thickness of 2.1 mm, but the both end portions 20b in the width direction have a thickness. In this portion, the side on which the connection terminal 21 is provided is hollowed (recessed), so that it is thinner than the central portion 20a (see FIG. 7D). The width of the thin end portion 20b is 0.75 mm from both left and right edges.

Therefore, as shown in detail in FIG. 4, a part of the thin portion 20b at each of the left and right ends of the SD memory card (R) 20 protrudes from an intermediate portion 10a (portion having a thickness of 5.0 mm) of the housing 10, and The body 10 is mounted on the circuit board 30 with the surface on which the connection terminals 21 are provided facing upward so as to fit within the left and right end portions 10b (thickness of 3.3 mm) of the body 10.

  With the above arrangement, when two SD memory cards (R) 20 each having a width of 24.0 mm are arranged in the width direction and a gap of about 0.5 mm is secured between them, Even if the width of the card (R) 20 has a tolerance (for example, ± 0.1 mm), it can be accommodated in the housing 10 without any problem.

  Also, in the thickness direction, since there is a sufficient space below the circuit board 30, it is possible to mount the control circuit 32 having a thickness of 1.2 mm. Thus, all the circuit blocks shown in FIG. 6 can be accommodated in the housing 10 having the outer shape and dimensions conforming to the PC card type 2 standard. That is, in addition to the four SD memory cards (R) 20, the circuit board 30 and the control circuit 32 can be accommodated. The control circuit 32 is formed of an electronic component such as an LSI, and is mounted on the circuit board 30 using solder.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, as can be clearly understood from FIGS. 5A and 5B, for example, the four SD memory cards (R) 20 mounted in the housing 10 The connection terminals 21 are mounted in such a direction that they are close to each other.
By adopting such a configuration for the arrangement of the four SD memory cards (R) 20, the connection terminals 21 of the four SD memory cards (R) approach the vicinity of the center in the longitudinal direction of the housing 10. In this case, nine connection pins 31 required for each SD memory card (R) 20 can be concentratedly arranged near the center in the length direction of the circuit board 30. The arrangement can be performed efficiently.

  Also, for example, as can be clearly understood from FIGS. 5A and 5B, a mounting base 35 for mounting a large number of connection pins 31 is provided at a substantially central portion in the length direction of the circuit board 30, and four SD memories are provided. By mounting all of the connection pins 31 necessary for the card (R) 20 integrally with the mounting base 35, the connection pins 31 can be arranged more efficiently, which can contribute to a reduction in manufacturing cost. Further, the work of mounting each SD memory card (R) 20 is also facilitated. Furthermore, since the distance from the control circuit 32 arranged near the center of the lower surface of the circuit board 30 is short, the wiring becomes short, and signal deterioration during this time can be prevented.

  In this case, as shown in FIG. 5B, each SD memory card (R) 20 is slid along the upper surface of the circuit board 30 until the SD memory card (R) 20 comes into contact with the mounting base 35, so that the connection terminals 21 are formed. The connection pins 31 overlap with each other and make reliable contact, so that electrical connection is reliably achieved. At this time, more preferably, the SD memory card (R) 20 is restrained between the SD memory card (R) 20 and the upper surface of the circuit board 30 by the vertical urging force of the connection pin 31. Alternatively, each of the SD memory cards (R) 20 may be bonded and fixed to the upper surface of the circuit board 30 instead.

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, as described above, the housing 10 accommodates the internal components described above in the space formed by the lower member 11 and the upper By applying, for example, a thermosetting adhesive to the peripheral portion of the upper member 12 and / or the vicinity thereof, the two are firmly adhered and fixed.

  Therefore, once assembled, the semiconductor memory device 1 cannot be easily opened and disassembled. That is, the user cannot easily take out the SD memory card (R) 20 mounted therein to the outside of the housing 10. That is, in this case, the adhesive plays a role of a “regulating mechanism” for restricting the removal of the SD memory card (R) 20 to the outside of the housing 10.

  As described above, the recording data from the host device is divided into four systems and recorded on the four SD memory cards (R) 20. To reproduce the recorded data, these four SD memory cards are used. (R) 20 must be present and their arrangement must be constant. In the present embodiment, since the SD memory card (R) 20 mounted inside the housing 10 cannot be easily taken out of the housing, the four SD memory cards (R) 20 are stored separately. However, the arrangement is always kept constant, so that the recorded data can be reliably reproduced.

  As the “regulation mechanism” for regulating the removal of the SD memory card (R) 20 to the outside of the housing 10, various known techniques other than the above-described adhesive can be applied. For example, the lower member 11 and the upper member 12 of the housing 10 can be fixed to each other by heat welding, spot welding, riveting, or the like. Further, the SD memory card (R) itself may be bonded and fixed on the circuit board. Alternatively, the lower member 11 and the upper member 12 may be fixed with specially shaped screws that cannot be removed by a normal driver.

  In addition, although it is also a conventionally known structure, one of the members is provided with a protruding piece for locking, and the other member is provided with a slit-shaped opening through which the protruding piece is inserted, and the two members are combined. Thereby, the lower member 11 and the upper member 12 can also be mechanically coupled by inserting the protruding piece through the slit-shaped opening, and then folding back the tip side of the protruding piece using a dedicated tool. it can. Also in this case, since a special tool is required to release the connection between the two members and disassemble the housing, the user cannot easily take out the SD memory card (R) to the outside.

  As described above, the thin and card-shaped semiconductor storage device 1 according to the present embodiment is provided with four SD memory cards (R) in the housing 10 having an outer shape and a size conforming to the PC card standard. ) 20 and a control circuit 32 for controlling these SD memory cards (R) 20. The signals from the host device are stored in parallel in the four SD memory cards (R) 20 and read out, so that the signals are quadrupled as compared with the case of one SD memory card (R) 20. High data transfer rate and four times as large storage capacity. Accordingly, in a host device requiring a higher data transfer rate and a larger storage capacity, such as a video camera recorder for recording a high-quality moving image for a long time, a thin semiconductor storage device 1 suitable for use as a recording medium. Can be provided.

  Further, since the semiconductor memory device 1 is in a form conforming to the PC card standard, the semiconductor memory device 1 can be attached to and detached from a host device such as a general notebook personal computer having a slot for mounting the PC card. And can be carried as a recording medium. In particular, it can be inserted directly into a host device such as a general notebook personal computer without using a dedicated adapter, etc., so that the recorded contents can be confirmed by the host device or the recorded data can be transferred to the host device. Data handling becomes easy, such as editing. Further, the interface with the host device employs a high-speed card bus interface with a maximum data transfer speed of 133 MB / sec, so that the interface unit does not limit the transfer speed.

  Furthermore, since the semiconductor memory device 1 has a configuration in which the SD memory card (R) 20 used in large quantities in the consumer field is used as a built-in small semiconductor memory, it can be realized at a relatively low price. In addition, the provision of the write inhibit switch 8 can effectively prevent an erroneous operation of inadvertently erasing data already stored in the SD memory card (R) 20.

It is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various changes and improvements can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.
For example, in this embodiment, four SD memory cards (R) 20 are arranged on the upper surface of the circuit board 30 with the connection terminals 21 facing upward, and the control circuit 32 is arranged on the lower surface of the circuit board 30. Although the configuration has been described, the overall vertical relationship may be reversed. That is, it goes without saying that a configuration in which four SD memory cards (R) are arranged on the lower surface of the circuit board with the terminal portions facing downward and the control circuit is arranged on the upper surface of the circuit board can be realized.

  Further, in this embodiment, four SD memory cards (R) are used as the plurality of small semiconductor memory cards. However, other types of small semiconductor memory cards such as multimedia cards may be used. Further, the number of small semiconductor memory cards to be used is not limited to four.

  Furthermore, in the semiconductor storage device 1 according to the present embodiment, the outer shape and size of the housing 10 are based on the type 2 of the PC card standard, but the present invention is not limited to this. . Even if the width and length are different, portability can be ensured by forming the card into a card shape having a thickness of about 5.0 mm or less. For example, the card may have a nominal width of 34.0 mm, a nominal length of 75.0 mm, a maximum nominal thickness of 5.0 mm, or a nominal width of 54.0 mm. The card may have a nominal shape of 0 mm, a nominal length of 75.0 mm, and a maximum nominal thickness of 5.0 mm.

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the interface with the host device is a card bus interface, but is not limited to this, and another interface can be used. For example, by adopting an interface conforming to the PCI Express standard for transmitting a signal in a serial form, higher-speed data transfer can be achieved.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, a recording medium for a host device that requires a higher data transfer rate and a larger storage capacity, such as a video camera recorder that records high-quality moving images for a long time, is used. Thus, a thin, card-shaped semiconductor memory device that can be attached to and detached from a host device, is portable, and can be obtained at a relatively low price.
Further, for example, even in a host device such as a general notebook type personal computer, it can be directly inserted and used without using a dedicated adapter or the like, and the recorded contents can be confirmed with a host device such as a personal computer. Also, the data can be easily handled, such as editing the recorded data, and the like.

  As described above, according to the semiconductor memory device of the present invention, a high data transfer rate and a large storage capacity can be realized, and the semiconductor memory device can be detachably connected to a host device, can be carried around, and can be obtained at a relatively low price. For example, it is suitable as a recording medium such as a video camera recorder for recording a high-quality moving image for a long time. Further, since it can be directly inserted into the PC card slot without using a dedicated adapter or the like, it can be suitably used as a recording medium for a general notebook personal computer or the like.

1A is a plan view, and FIG. 1B is a side view from the direction of arrows Y1b-Y1b in FIG. 1A. FIG. 1 (c) is a side view of FIG. 1 (a) as viewed from the direction of arrows Y1c-Y1c. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the semiconductor storage device. FIG. 3A is a plan view, FIG. 3B is a side view from the direction of arrows Y3b-Y3b in FIG. 3A, and FIG. It is a side view from the Y3c-Y3c arrow direction of FIG.3 (a). It is explanatory drawing which expands and shows FIG.3 (c). FIG. 5A is an explanatory view showing the internal structure of the semiconductor memory device, FIG. 5A is a perspective view showing a completed state of the small semiconductor memory card 20 being assembled, and FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the state in the middle. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an outline of control of the semiconductor memory device. FIGS. 7A and 7B are explanatory views showing the external shape and size of a small semiconductor memory card of the semiconductor storage device, wherein FIG. 7A is a plan view and FIG. 7B is a side view taken along the direction of arrows Y7b-Y7b in FIG. 7 (c) is a bottom view, and FIG. 7 (d) is a side view from the direction of arrows Y7d-Y7d in FIG. 7 (c).

Explanation of reference numerals

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Semiconductor memory device 8 Write-protect switch 10 Case 10a Middle part (of a case) 10a1 First protrusion (of a middle part) 10a2 Second protrusion (of a middle part) 10b End part (of a case) 13 Card bus connector 20 SD memory card (R)
21 Connection Terminal of SD Memory Card (R) 30 Circuit Board 32 Control Circuit 33 Monitor Circuit 33

Claims (14)

A housing having a connection unit for connecting to the host device;
A plurality of small semiconductor memory cards housed in the housing;
Control means for controlling transmission and reception of signals between the connection unit and the plurality of small semiconductor memory cards,
A semiconductor memory device comprising: The housing is formed in a substantially rectangular shape in plan view, and both end portions of a predetermined width in a short side direction are set to be thinner than an intermediate portion in the same direction,
A plurality of the small semiconductor memory cards are stored in a plane in the housing,
At least two small semiconductor memory cards are arranged side by side in the short side direction,
2. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, wherein: Four small semiconductor memory cards are accommodated in the housing,
Two small semiconductor memory cards are also arranged side by side in the long side direction of the housing.
3. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 2, wherein: The intermediate portion includes first and second overhangs that project from the both end portions to one and the other in the thickness direction of the housing, respectively.
The small semiconductor memory card is housed on the first overhanging portion side so that a part of the small semiconductor memory card hangs over both end portions set to be thinner than the intermediate portion,
The control means is disposed on the second overhang portion side,
4. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 2, wherein: Further comprising a circuit board provided with a holding portion of the small semiconductor memory card on one side,
The control means is provided on the other surface side of the circuit board,
The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, wherein:   6. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 5, wherein both edge portions in one direction of the circuit board are supported by the both end portions in a short side direction of the housing.   7. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, wherein the housing has a card shape with a nominal size of a maximum thickness portion of 5.0 mm or less.   The housing according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the housing has a nominal width of 54.0 mm and a nominal length of 85.6 mm in accordance with a PC card standard. Semiconductor storage device.   The housing has a nominal size of 54.0 mm in width, a nominal size of 85.6 mm in length, and a nominal size of a maximum thickness portion of 5.0 mm. The size conforms to PCMCIA PC card standard type 2. 9. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 8, wherein   The small semiconductor memory card has a nominal width of 24.0 mm, a nominal length of 32.0 mm, and a maximum nominal thickness of 2.1 mm. The SD memory card (R) standard of the SD Association. 10. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor memory device conforms to the following.   A circuit board, a plurality of small semiconductor memory cards conforming to the SD memory card (R) standard, which are arranged in a plane on the upper surface of the circuit board with the terminal portions facing upward, 11. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 10, further comprising control means disposed on a lower surface of the substrate.   A circuit board, a plurality of small semiconductor memory cards conforming to the SD memory card (R) standard, which are arranged in a plane on the lower surface of the circuit board with the terminals facing downward, 11. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 10, further comprising control means arranged on an upper surface of the substrate.   The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, wherein the housing is provided with a regulating mechanism that regulates removal of the small semiconductor memory card out of the housing. The housing includes switch means that can set an operation state from outside the housing,
Monitor means for monitoring the operation state of the switch means is provided,
When the monitor means detects that the switch means is set to the write-protection side, control is performed to prohibit writing to the small-sized semiconductor memory card.
The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, wherein:

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