Avionics data storage device and transfer system with electro-opto-mechanical identification

1. A memory system, comprising:

a removable memory unit (RMU) bay, the RMU bay comprising a first doorway and a first hinged door, the first hinged door being biased in a closed position to close the first doorway and configured to open inward toward the interior of the RMU bay;

a data transfer module comprising a first electrical connector, the first electrical connector being housed in the interior of the RMU bay and being exposed when the first hinged door is opened; and

an RMU comprising a housing and a computer readable storage medium coupled to a second electrical connector configured to mate with the first electrical connector, the computer readable storage medium and second electrical connector disposed within the housing, and the housing comprising a second doorway and a second hinged door, the second hinged door being biased in a closed position to close the second doorway and configured to open toward the interior of the RMU to expose the second electrical connector;

wherein the first hinged door is configured to be opened by contact with the RMU housing during insertion of the RMU through the first doorway, and wherein the second hinged door is configured to be opened by contact with the first electrical connector after the RMU is inserted through the first doorway.

2. The memory system of claim 1 , wherein one of the first electrical connector or the second electrical connector comprises a plurality of spring-loaded pins, and the remaining one the first electrical connector or the second electrical connector comprises a plurality of contact pads, such that, when the first electrical connector is mated with the second electrical connector, the plurality of spring-loaded pins are depressed and contact the plurality of contact pads.

3. The memory system of claim 2 , wherein one of the first electrical connector or the second electrical connector comprises a first wall with a first lip, the first wall being surrounded by a first resilient member; and the remaining one the first electrical connector or the second electrical connector comprises a second wall with a second lip, the second wall surrounding and retaining a second resilient member; and

wherein, when first electrical connector is mated with the second electrical connector, the first lip is inserted the second resilient member and is retained by the second resilient member, and the first resilient member contacts the second resilient member.

4. The memory system of claim 3 , wherein the first resilient member contacting the second resilient member forms an environmental seal for the plurality of spring-loaded pins contacting the plurality of contact pads.

5. The memory system of claim 1 , wherein the RMU bay further comprises projection disposed on an outer surface of the first hinged door, and wherein the RMU further comprises a bottom having an indentation configured to receive the projection when the RMU is fully inserted into the RMU bay to lock the RMU in the fully inserted position.

6. The memory system of claim 1 , wherein the doorway is located in a front of the RMU housing, and wherein the front is inclined between 40° and 60° with respect to a bottom of the RMU housing.

7. The memory system of claim 1 , wherein the RMU comprises a projection extending through the RMU housing and coupled to a latching member, wherein the latching member is configured to lock the second hinged door in the closed position until the projection is depressed.

8. The memory system of claim 1 wherein the first doorway is configured to depress the projection when the RMU is inserted into the RMU bay before the second hinged door contacts the first electrical connector.

9. The memory system of claim 1 , wherein the RMU bay is one of a plurality of RMU bays, the first electrical connector is one of a plurality of electrical connectors housed in respective RMU bays of the plurality of RMU bays, the data transfer module comprises the plurality of electrical connectors that are configured to mate with the second electrical connector housed in the RMU housing.

10. The memory system of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of RMU bays are keyed such that the RMU is insertable into fewer than all of the RMU bays.

11. The memory system of claim 9 , wherein RMU is insertable into any of the RMU bays.

12. The memory system of claim 9 , wherein the data transfer module is coupled to a first bus, the plurality of electrical connectors is coupled to the first bus; and the data transfer module is coupled a second bus, a remote machine is coupled to the second bus, and the data transfer module is configured to transfer data between the RMU and the remote machine via the first and second buses.

13. The memory system of claim 12 , wherein a plurality of remote machines are coupled to the second bus, the RMU comprises an identification, and the data transfer module is configured to establish a virtual channel between the RMU and a particular remote machine based on the identification.

14. The memory system of claim 1 , wherein the data transfer module is coupled to a first bus, the first electrical connector is coupled to the first bus; and the data transfer module is coupled a second bus, a remote machine is coupled to the second bus, and the data transfer module is configured to transfer data between the RMU and the remote machine via the first and second buses.

15. The memory system of claim 1 , wherein the RMU comprises a third electrical connector configured to mate with the first electrical connector, and switch logic configured to couple the second electrical connector or the third electrical connector to the computer readable storage medium depending on a data type of data stored on the computer readable storage medium.

16. The memory system of claim 15 , wherein the data transfer module comprises first circuitry configured to transmit data between the RMU and a first remote machine, and second circuitry configured to transmit data between the RMU and a second remote machine, wherein the first circuitry is used if the data stored on the computer readable medium is a first data type and the second circuitry is used if the data stored on the computer readable medium is a second data type.

17. The memory system of claim 1 , wherein the RMU comprises a controller coupled to the computer readable storage medium and the second electrical connector, and wherein the controller is configured to erase the computer readable storage medium in response to an erasure command.

18. The memory system of claim 17 , wherein the RMU further comprises a second housing containing the computer readable storage medium and the controller, a light source configured to emit a light beam contained in the second housing, a plurality of micromirrors contained in the second housing and affixed to the walls of the second housing, and a photodetector coupled to the controller, wherein micromirrors, light source, and photodetector are positioned such that the light beam reflects off the plurality of micromirrors and is directed onto the photodiode unless the second housing is breached; and

wherein the controller is configured to erase the computer readable storage medium if the light beans is not directed onto the photodiode.

19. The memory system of claim 17 , wherein the controller is configured trigger physical destruction of the computer storage medium to erase the computer storage medium.

20. The memory system of claim 17 , wherein the controller is configured to zeroize the computer storage medium to erase the computer storage medium.

21. The memory system of claim 17 , wherein the RMU further comprises an accelerometer coupled to the controller and configured to deliver the erasure command if the accelerometer is subject to more than a predetermined threshold acceleration.

22. The memory system of claim 17 , wherein the RMU further comprises a radio subsystem configured to receive the erasure command over a wireless interface.

23. The memory system of claim 17 , wherein the RMU further comprises a radio subsystem configured to deliver the erasure command if the RMU is removed from a predetermined region.

24. The memory system of claim 17 , wherein the controller is configured to receive the erasure command via the second electrical connector.

25. The memory system of claim 1 , wherein the RMU comprises a first portion of an optical authentication system, the first portion of the optical authentication system comprising a first volume of a first optical media having a first index of refraction, and first volume of a second optical media having a second index of refraction, and a first periodic interface between the first volume of the first optical media and the first volume of the second optical media, and a collimated light source;

wherein the RMU bay comprises a second portion of the optical authentication system, the second portion of the optical authentication system comprising a second volume of the first optical media, a second volume of the second optical media, a second periodic interface between the second volume of the first optical media and the second volume of the second optical media, and a photodetector; and

wherein the first portion of the optical authentication system and the second portion of the optical authentication system are configured to couple such that the first volume of the second optical media contacts the second volume of the second optical media;

wherein collimated light source is configured to direct collimated light through the periodic interface from the first volume of the first optical media to the first volume of the second optical media and through the second periodic interface from the second volume of the second optical media to the second volume of the first optical media to cause light to exit the second volume of the first optical media; and

wherein the second volume of the second optical media have a combined thickness such that the light that exits the second volume of the first optical media is collimated if the first interface and the second interface are copies.

26. The memory system of claim 25 , wherein the first periodic interlace comprises a plurality of copies of a diffusion structure.

27. The memory system of claim 25 , wherein the first periodic interface comprises a plurality of copies of a predetermined sequence of shapes.

28. A removable memory unit (RMU), comprising:

a housing comprising a first doorway and a first hinged door biased in a closed position to close the first doorway and containing a first electrical connector and a computer readable storage medium, wherein the first hinged door is configured to open toward the interior of the RMU to expose the first electrical connector by contact with a second electrical connector disposed within the housing of an RMU bay;

the first electrical connector coupled to the computer readable storage medium and configured to mate with a second electrical connector coupled to the RMU bay; and

the computer readable storage medium.

29. The RMU of claim 28 , wherein one of the first electrical connector or the second electrical connector comprises a plurality of spring-loaded pins, and the remaining one the first electrical connector or the second electrical connector comprises a plurality of contact pads, such that, when the first electrical connector is mated with the second electrical connector, the plurality of spring-loaded pins are depressed and contact the plurality of contact pads.

30. The RMU of claim 29 , wherein one of the first electrical connector or the second electrical connector comprises a first wall with a first lip, the first wall being surrounded by a first resilient member; and the remaining one the first electrical connector or the second electrical connector comprises a second wall with a second lip, the second wall surrounding and retaining a second resilient member; and

wherein, when first electrical connector is mated with the second electrical connector, the first lip is inserted the second resilient member and is retained by the second resilient member, and the first resilient member contacts the second resilient member.

31. The RMU of claim 28 , wherein the housing further comprises a bottom having an indentation configured to receive a projection disposed on a second door of an RMU bay when the RMU is fully inserted into the RMU bay to lock the RMU in the fully inserted position.

32. The RMU of claim 28 , wherein the doorway is located in a front of the RMU housing, and wherein the front is inclined between 40° and 60° with respect to a bottom of the RMU housing.

33. The RMU of claim 28 , further comprising a projection extending through the RMU housing and coupled to a latching member, wherein the latching member is configured to lock the first hinged door in the closed position until the projection is depressed.

34. The RMU of claim 28 , further comprising a third electrical connector configured to mate with the second electrical connector, and switch logic configured to couple the first electrical connector or the third electrical connector to the computer readable storage medium depending on a data type of data stored on the computer readable storage medium.

35. The RMU of claim 28 , further comprising a controller coupled to the computer readable storage medium and the first electrical connector, and wherein the controller is configured to erase the computer readable storage medium in response to an erasure command.

36. The RMU of claim 35 , further comprising a second housing containing the computer readable storage medium and the controller, a light source configured to emit a light beam contained in the second housing, a plurality of micromirrors contained in the second housing and affixed to the walls of the second housing, and a photodetector coupled to the controller, wherein micromirrors, light source, and photodetector are positioned such that the light beam reflects off the plurality of micromirrors and is directed onto the photodiode unless the second housing is breached; and

wherein the controller is configured to erase the computer readable storage medium if the light beam is not directed onto the photodiode.

37. The RMU of claim 35 , wherein the controller is configured trigger physical destruction of the computer storage medium to erase the computer storage medium.

38. The RMU of claim 35 , wherein the controller is configured to zeroize the computer storage medium to erase the computer storage medium.

39. The RMU of claim 35 , further comprising an accelerometer coupled to the controller and configured to deliver the erasure command if the accelerometer is subject to more than a predetermined threshold acceleration.

40. The RMU of claim 35 , further comprising a radio subsystem configured to receive the erasure command over a wireless interface.

41. The RMU of claim 35 , further comprising a radio subsystem configured to deliver the erasure command if the RMU is removed from a predetermined region.

42. The RMU of claim 35 , wherein the controller is configured to receive the erasure command via the first electrical connector.

43. The RMU of claim 28 , further comprising a first portion of an optical authentication system, the first portion of the optical authentication system comprising a first volume of a first optical media having a first index of refraction, and first volume of a second optical media having a second index of refraction, and a first periodic interface between the first volume of the first optical media and the first volume of the second optical media, and a collimated light source;

wherein the RMU bay comprises a second portion of the optical authentication system, the second portion of the optical authentication system comprising a second volume of the first optical media, a second volume of the second optical media, a second periodic interface between the second volume of the first optical media and the second volume of the second optical media, and a photodetector; and

wherein the first portion of the optical authentication system and the second portion of the optical authentication system are configured to couple such that the first volume of the second optical media contacts the second volume of the second optical media;

wherein collimated light source is configured to direct collimated light through the periodic interface from the first volume of the first optical media to the first volume of the second optical media and through the second periodic interface from the second volume of the second optical media to the second volume of the first optical media to cause light to exit the second volume of the first optical media; and

wherein the second volume of the second optical media have a combined thickness such that the light that exits the second volume of the first optical media is collimated if the first interface and the second interface are copies.

44. The RMU of claim 43 , wherein the first periodic interface comprises a plurality of copies of a diffusion structure.

45. The RMU of claim 43 , wherein the first periodic interface comprises a plurality of copies of a predetermined fined sequence of shapes.

46. A method of manufacturing a memory system, comprising:

providing a removable memory unit (RMU) bay, the RMU bay comprising a first doorway and a first hinged door, the first hinged door being biased in a closed position to close the first doorway and configured to open inward toward the interior of the RMU

providing a data transfer module comprising a first electrical connector, the first electrical connector being housed in the interior of the RMU bay and being exposed when the first hinged door is opened; and

providing an RMU comprising a housing and a computer readable storage medium coupled to a second electrical connector configured to mate with the first electrical connector, the computer readable storage medium and second electrical connector disposed within the housing, and the housing comprising a second doorway and a second hinged door, the second hinged door being biased in a closed position to close the second doorway and configured to open toward the interior of the RMU to expose the second electrical connector;

wherein the first hinged door is configured to be opened by contact with the RMU housing during insertion of the RMU through the first doorway, and wherein the second hinged door is configured to be opened by contact with the first electrical connector after the RMU is inserted through the first doorway.

47. A method of using a memory system, comprising:

inserting a removable memory unit (RMU) into an RMU bay to mate a first electrical connector coupled to a data transfer module with a second electrical connector coupled to a computer storage medium, wherein:

the RMU bay comprises a first doorway and a first hinged door, the first hinged door being biased in a closed position to close the first doorway and configured to open inward toward the interior of the RMU bay;

the data transfer module comprises the first electrical connector, the first electrical connector being housed in the interior of the RMU bay and being exposed when the first hinged door is opened; and

the RMU comprising a housing and the computer readable storage medium coupled to the second electrical connector, the computer readable storage medium and second electrical connector disposed within the housing, and the housing comprising a second doorway and a second hinged door, the second hinged door being biased in a closed position to close the second doorway and configured to open toward the interior of the RMU to expose the second electrical connector;

wherein the first hinged door is configured to be opened by contact with the RMU housing during insertion of the RMU through the first doorway, and wherein the second hinged door is configured to be opened by contact with the first electrical connector after the RMU is inserted through the first doorway.