التفاصيل البيبلوغرافية
| العنوان: |
Host device, memory card, memory capacity changing method, memory capacity changing program and memory capacity charge giving/receiving method |
| Document Number: |
20050102232 |
| تاريخ النشر: |
May 12, 2005 |
| Appl. No: |
10/782849 |
| Application Filed: |
February 23, 2004 |
| مستخلص: |
A host device exchanging information with a memory card, the host device including: a charge management module configured to receive payment of a charge corresponding to an increased amount of a usable area if a capacity of the usable area of the memory card for saving user data is increased, and pay out a charge corresponding to the reduced amount of the usable area if the capacity of the usable area is reduced; and a transmission module configured to transmit an area changing command to instruct an increase or a reduction of the usable area in accordance with the charge to the memory card. |
| Inventors: |
Okabayashi, Hiroko (Sagamihara-shi, JP); Kaise, Tetsuya (Tokyo, JP); Yazawa, Akio (Saitama-ken, JP) |
| Assignees: |
KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA (Tokyo, JP) |
| Claim: |
1. A host device exchanging information with a memory card, the host device comprising: a charge management module configured to receive payment of a charge corresponding to an increased amount of a usable area if a capacity of the usable area of the memory card for saving user data is increased, and pay out a charge corresponding to the reduced amount of the usable area if the capacity of the usable area is reduced; and a transmission module configured to transmit an area changing command to instruct an increase or a reduction of the usable area in accordance with the charge to the memory card. |
| Claim: |
2. The host device of claim 1, further comprising: a capacity calculation module configured to calculate the capacity of the usable area of the memory card. |
| Claim: |
3. The host device of claim 1, wherein the area changing command changes the capacity of the usable area of the memory card, and a capacity of an unusable area set in the usable area. |
| Claim: |
4. The host device of claim 1, wherein the area changing command changes a capacity of a security area to be accessed only when the host device of the memory card is authenticated. |
| Claim: |
5. The host device of claim 1, further comprising: a connection module configured to notify a change of the capacity of the usable area to a memory capacity management server which manages a current capacity of the usable area of the memory card through a communication network. |
| Claim: |
6. A memory card comprising: a usable area for saving a user data; and a controller for changing a capacity of the usable area in accordance with an area changing command to instruct an increase or a reduction of the usable area based on a charge, the command being transmitted from a host device which receives payment of a charge corresponding to an increased amount of the usable area if the usable area is increased, and pays out a charge corresponding to a reduction of the usable area if the usable area is reduced. |
| Claim: |
7. The memory card of claim 6, further comprising: an unusable area set in the usable area, wherein the controller changes the capacity of the usable area and a capacity of the unusable area in accordance with the area changing command. |
| Claim: |
8. The memory card of claim 6, wherein the controller temporarily saves the user data in a part of the unusable area. |
| Claim: |
9. The memory card of claim 6, further comprising: a security area to be accessed only when two-way authentication with the host device is carried out and the host device is authenticated, wherein the controller changes a capacity of the security area in accordance with the area changing command. |
| Claim: |
10. The memory card of claim 6, wherein the card is 24×32×2.1 mm in size and has a copyright protection function compliant with an SDMI standard. |
| Claim: |
11. A method for changing a storage capacity of a memory card, comprising: if a capacity of a usable area of the memory card for saving a user data is increased, receiving payment of a charge corresponding to an increased amount of the usable area by a host device which can access the memory card; transmitting an area changing command to instruct an increase of the capacity of the usable area in accordance with the charge to the memory card from the host device; and increasing the capacity of the usable area of the memory card in accordance with the area changing command, and if the capacity of the usable area is reduced, transmitting an area changing command to instruct a reduction of the capacity of the usable area to the memory card from the host device; reducing the capacity of the usable area of the memory card in accordance with the area changing command; and refunding a charge corresponding to the reduction of the usable area by the host device. |
| Claim: |
12. The method of claim 11, wherein a charge corresponding to a reduction per unit of memory capacity is lower than a charge corresponding to an increase. |
| Claim: |
13. A method for changing a usable area capacity for saving a user data of a memory card, comprising: transmitting an area changing command to instruct a reduction of the usable area of one or more of a plurality of memory cards from a host device which can access the memory card; reducing the usable area of the one or more of the memory cards in accordance with the area changing command; transmitting an area changing command to increase the usable area by an amount equivalent to the reduction of the other one of the plurality of memory cards from the host device; and increasing the usable area of another memory card in accordance with the area changing command. |
| Claim: |
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the area changing command changes the capacity of the usable area of the memory card and a capacity of an unusable area set in the usable area. |
| Claim: |
15. The method of claim 13, wherein the area changing command changes a capacity of a security area to be accessed only when the host device of the memory card is authenticated. |
| Claim: |
16. A storage capacity changing computer program product to be executed by a host device, the host device exchanging information with a memory card, the computer program product comprising: instructions configured to receive payment of a charge corresponding to an increased amount of a usable area if a capacity of the usable area of the memory card for saving a user data is increased, and pay out a charge corresponding to a reduction of the usable area if the capacity of the usable area is reduced; and instructions configured to transmit an area changing command to instruct an increase or a reduction of the usable area in accordance with the charge to the memory card. |
| Claim: |
17. A storage capacity changing computer program product to be executed by a memory card, the memory card having a usable area for saving a user data and a controller changing the usable area capacity, the computer program product comprising: instructions configured to change the capacity of the usable area following an area changing command instructing an increase or a reduction of the usable area in accordance with a charge, the command transmitted from a host device which receives payment of a charge corresponding to an increased amount of the usable area if the usable area is increased and pays out a charge corresponding to a reduced amount of the usable area if the usable area is reduced. |
| Claim: |
18. A method for paying and receiving a charge for a storage capacity of a memory card, the method using in a storage capacity changing system including a host device changing information with a memory card with a usable area for saving a user data and changing the usable area capacity according to a charge, the method comprising: if a capacity of the usable area is increased, paying of a charge corresponding to an increased amount of the usable area by a user of the memory card to the host device; collecting of the charge by a dealer who sells the memory card; paying of a part of the charge collected by the dealer who sells the memory card to a manufacturer which manufactures the memory card; and if the capacity of the usable area is reduced, paying out a charge corresponding to a reduction of the usable area by the dealer who sells the memory card through the host device to the user. |
| Current U.S. Class: |
705041/000 |
| رقم الانضمام: |
edspap.20050102232 |
| قاعدة البيانات: |
USPTO Patent Applications |