What's inside a USB flash drive?

Has anyone opened up a commodity USB flash drive?

Obviously there is a customized USB-capable microcontroller in there.
What I'm wondering is if there is a seperate flash memory chip with a
standard interface that could be scavenged for use in projects (since
implementing the _host_ side of USB in a micro is sadly unrealistic at
present).

Yes, it's easy to talk to compact flash and similar cards and the
prices aren't that different.  But curiousity is a factor.

On 14 Jun 2005 20:01:57 -0700, the renowned cs_posting@hotmail.com
wrote:

>Has anyone opened up a commodity USB flash drive?
>
>Obviously there is a customized USB-capable microcontroller in there.
>What I'm wondering is if there is a seperate flash memory chip with a
>standard interface that could be scavenged for use in projects (since
>implementing the _host_ side of USB in a micro is sadly unrealistic at
>present).
>
>Yes, it's easy to talk to compact flash and similar cards and the
>prices aren't that different.  But curiousity is a factor.

I have not opened one up (don't even own one at the moment) but here's
a chip I ran across earlier today: 

http://www.sigmatel.com/products/stbd2010pb.htm

I suspect this is typical- an ASIC with just about everything but
memory, plus standard flash memory plus a few other parts. 


Best regards, 
Spehro Pefhany
-- 
"it's the network..."                          "The Journey is the reward"
speff@interlog.com             Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com
Embedded software/hardware/analog  Info for designers:  http://www.speff.com

I think some of them use Atmel DataFlash like at64DBxxxx type chips.

Ken
www.claymore-electronic.co.uk

On 14 Jun 2005 20:01:57 -0700, <cs_posting@hotmail.com> wrote:

> What I'm wondering is if there is a seperate flash memory chip with a
> standard interface that could be scavenged for use in projects (since
> implementing the _host_ side of USB in a micro is sadly unrealistic at
> present).

Yes, NAND flash is used there.

   Vadim

On 14 Jun 2005 20:01:57 -0700, cs_posting@hotmail.com wrote:

>Has anyone opened up a commodity USB flash drive?
>
>Obviously there is a customized USB-capable microcontroller in there.
>What I'm wondering is if there is a seperate flash memory chip with a
>standard interface that could be scavenged for use in projects (since
>implementing the _host_ side of USB in a micro is sadly unrealistic at
>present).
>
>Yes, it's easy to talk to compact flash and similar cards and the
>prices aren't that different.  But curiousity is a factor.

The USB Flash devices I have opened had at least 2 chips. One the
controller which connect directly to the USB connector, and the others
standard TSSOP flash devices. I suspect that the controller chip might
have some sort of configuration which adapts it for the specific flash
devices used.

Regards
  Anton Erasmus

<cs_posting@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1118804517.785454.118940@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Has anyone opened up a commodity USB flash drive?
>
> Obviously there is a customized USB-capable microcontroller in there.
> What I'm wondering is if there is a seperate flash memory chip with a
> standard interface that could be scavenged for use in projects (since
> implementing the _host_ side of USB in a micro is sadly unrealistic at
> present).
>
> Yes, it's easy to talk to compact flash and similar cards and the
> prices aren't that different.  But curiousity is a factor.

Plenty of detail here:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB_Flash_drive