Thumb Drive with Retractable USB Connector
A thumb drive comprises on-board memory for storing digital information, a male USB connector coupled to the on-board memory for connecting to a USB port of a computer appliance, internal control elements for managing MP3 player functions for the thumb drive, a display for displaying downloaded song titles, user-operable controls for selecting and playing songs recorded as audio files in the on-board memory as audio output at an output connector, a Bluetooth™ compatible transmitter for transmitting selected data and audio output to external Bluetooth™ compatible devices, and an extension/retraction mechanism coupled to the connector for extending the connector from an enclosure of the drive and for retracting the connector when not in use.
1 - 19 . (canceled)
20 . A thumb drive comprising:
a housing enclosure having a width, a height and a length, and a substantially rectangular opening in one end, the opening closed by a flap-gate;
on-board memory within the housing enclosure for storing digital information; and
a male USB connector coupled to the on-board memory and constrained to translate from a position within the housing enclosure to a position outside the housing enclosure through the substantially rectangular opening, the USB connector for connecting to a female USB port of a computer appliance;
wherein extending the male connector opens the flap-gate, and retracting the male connector allows the flap-gate to close.
21 . The thumb drive of claim 20 further comprising a slide button coupled through an opening in the housing to the USB connector, wherein moving the slide button in one direction extends the connector from the housing to couple to a female connector, and moving the slide button in the opposite direction retracts the connector within the housing enclosure.
22 . The thumb drive of claim 21 further comprising detents which provide, in concert with the slide button, detention of the coupled memory and USB connector in a fully extended or a fully withdrawn position.
23 . The thumb drive of claim 20 wherein the on-board memory is digital flash memory.
24 . The thumb drive of claim 23 wherein memory capacity is equal to or exceeds 256 Mbytes.
25 . The thumb drive of claim 20 further comprising a light integrated into the body and directed in the same direction as extending the USB connector, and an on-board power supply for energizing the light.
26 . The thumb drive of claim 25 wherein operating the slide button also turns on the light.
27 . The thumb drive of claim 20 further comprising internal control elements for managing MP3 player functions for the thumb drive, a display for displaying downloaded song titles, and user-operable controls for selecting and playing songs recorded as audio files in the on-board memory as audio output at an output connector.
28 . The thumb drive of claim 27 further comprising a set of ear buds or earphones compatible with the output connector.
29 . The thumb drive of claim 28 wherein the earbuds are associated with a wireless receiver, and the thumb drive comprises a wireless transmitter for transmitting audio to the earbuds.
30 . The thumb drive of claim 29 wherein the earbuds are separate devices each receiving a separate portion of transmitted audio.