Data storage module comprising multiple storage medium components
View Patent ↗Disclosed herein is a data storage module for use with and insertion into a bay of a computer. The module may comprise a casing that has a first end and a second end. The module also includes two or more storage medium components contained within said casing, wherein said two or more storage medium components are physically isolated from each other. This enables the provision of two separate storage medium components with different operating systems or user information and/or data to be provided on a single hardware module.
1. A data storage module that is insertable into and removable out of an externally accessible bay of a computer, said module comprising
a casing comprising a first end and a second end;
two or more storage medium components contained at least partially within said casing, wherein said two or more storage medium components are physically separated from each other;
a selector device disposed on said first end for selecting one of said two or more storage medium components for usage; and
at least one jack on at least one of either said first or second ends for communicatingly connecting said data storage module to said computer; wherein said casing and said at least one jack are sized and configured for positioning within said bay such that at least twenty percent of said data storage module, including said at least one jack, is contained within said bay when communicatingly connected to said computer.
2. The data storage module of claim 1 , wherein said data storage module comprises a first jack disposed on said first end and a second jack disposed on said second end.
3. The data storage module of claim 1 , wherein said selector device is a slidable switch, dial, push button, tilt sensor or toggle, or some other user contact responsive actuator, temperature sensor, biometric sensor, motion sensor, or light sensor.
4. The data storage module of claim 1 , wherein said two or more storage medium components comprise a first storage medium component comprising a first operating system loaded thereon and a second storage medium component comprising a second operating system loaded thereon.
5. The data storage module of claim 4 , wherein said first operating system and said second operating system are of a same or different type of operating system.
6. The data storage module of claim 1 comprising at least three storage medium components, said three storage medium components comprising a first storage medium component comprising a first operating system loaded thereon, a second storage medium component comprising a second operating system loaded thereon and a third storage medium component without an operating system loaded thereon, wherein said first storage medium component and said second storage medium component can communicate with said third storage medium component.
7. The data storage module of claim 1 , further comprising a sound responsive actuator for selecting operation of, or gaining access to, one of said two or more storage medium components and/or gaining access to the data storage module.
8. The data storage module of claim 1 , wherein said at least one jack comprises a host bus adapter (HBA).
9. The data storage module of claim 8 wherein the HBA is IDE, SCSI, SAS, SATA, PCMCIA, iSCSI, CompactFlash, expresscard, eSATA, or fiber channel.
10. The data storage module of claim 8 , wherein the HBA is an USB adapter or IEEE-1394 adapter.
11. The data storage module of claim 1 , further comprising a destruction means configured for destroying the storage medium components or otherwise rendering them unreadable, or otherwise erasing information on the storage medium components.
12. The data storage module of claim 11 , wherein said destruction means is coupled to an actuator, said actuator being a contact responsive actuator, temperature sensor, biometric sensor, motion sensor, light sensor or sound responsive actuator.
13. The data storage module of claim 1 , further comprising a user-input device disposed on said first end, said user-input device allowing for selection of, or gaining access to, one of said two or more storage medium components, and/or gaining access to said data storage module, said user-input device being a slidable switch, dial, push button, tilt sensor or toggle, or some other user contact responsive actuator, temperature sensor, biometric sensor, motion sensor, or light sensor.
14. A data storage module that is insertable into and removable out of an externally accessible bay of a computer, said module comprising
a casing comprising a first end and a second end;
two or more storage medium components contained at least partially within said casing, wherein said two or more storage medium components are physically separated from each other;
a user-input device disposed on said first end, said user-input device allowing for selection of, or gaining access to, one of said two or more storage medium components, and/or gaining access to said data storage module; and
at least one lack on at least one of either said first or second ends for communicatingly connecting said data storage module to said computer; wherein said casing and said at least one jack are sized and configured for positioning within said bay such that at least twenty percent of said data storage module, including said at least one jack, is contained within said bay when communicatingly connected to said computer.
15. The data storage module of claim 14 , wherein said user-input device is a key-pad.
16. The data storage module of claim 15 , wherein a storage medium component comprises a program code module that enables access to the data storage module only upon entering a predetermined code into said key-pad.
17. The data storage module of claim 15 , wherein a storage medium component comprises a program code module that enables a storage medium component to be zeroized.
18. The data storage module of claim 15 , further comprising firmware that comprises a program code module that enables access to the data storage module only upon entering a predetermined code into said key-pad.
19. The data storage module of claim 18 , wherein said firmware comprises a program code module that enables a storage medium component to be zeroized.
20. A computer system comprising a display, a keyboard, a bay for holding a removable data storage module and a removable data storage module positioned within said bay, said removable data storage module comprising a casing comprising a first end and a second end; two or more storage medium components contained at least partially within said casing, wherein said two or more storage medium components are physically isolated from each other; and at least one jack on at least one of either said first or second ends for communicatingly connecting said data storage module to said computer; wherein said casing and said at least one jack are sized and configured for positioning within said bay such that at least twenty percent of said data storage module, including said at least one jack, is contained within said bay when communicatingly connected to said computer; wherein said data storage module comprises a first jack disposed on said first end and a second jack disposed on said second end.
21. The computer system of claim 20 , wherein said at least one jack comprises a host bus adapter (HBA).
22. The computer system of claim 20 , further comprising a selector device disposed on said first end for selecting one of said two or more storage medium components for usage.
23. The computer system of claim 22 , wherein said selector device is a slidable switch, dial, push button, tilt sensor or toggle, or some other user contact responsive actuator, temperature sensor, biometric sensor, motion sensor, or light sensor.
24. The computer system of claim 20 , wherein said two or more storage medium components comprise a first storage medium component comprising a first operating system loaded thereon and a second storage medium component comprising a second operating system loaded thereon.
25. The computer system of claim 24 , wherein said first operating system and said second operating system are of a same or different type of operating system.
26. The computer system of claim 20 comprising at least three storage medium components, said three storage medium components a first storage medium component comprising a first operating system loaded thereon, a second storage medium component comprising a second operating system loaded thereon and a third storage medium component without an operating system loaded thereon, wherein said first storage medium component and said second storage medium component can communicate with said third storage medium component.
27. A computer system comprising a display, a keyboard, a bay for holding a removable data storage module and a removable data storage module positioned within said bay, said removable data storage module comprising a casing comprising a first end and a second end; two or more storage medium components contained at least partially within said casing, wherein said two or more storage medium components are physically isolated from each other; a user-input device disposed on said first end, said user-input device allowing for selection of, or gaining access to, one of said two or more storage medium components, and/or gaining access to said data storage module; and at least one jack on at least one of either said first or second ends for communicatingly connecting said data storage module to said computer; wherein said casing and said at least one jack are sized and configured for positioning within said bay such that at least twenty percent of said data storage module, including said at least one jack, is contained within said bay when communicatingly connected to said computer.
28. The computer system of claim 27 , wherein said user-input device is a key-pad.
29. The computer system of claim 28 , wherein a storage medium component comprises a program code module that enables access to the data storage module only upon entering a predetermined code into said key-pad.
30. The computer system of claim 28 , wherein a storage medium component comprises a program code module that enables a storage medium component to be zeroized.