Disk on Key

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What is a Disk on Key?

Disk on key is another term for a USB flash drive.

More specifically, DiskonKey™ (without spaces) was the name of one of the first USB flash drives, and a claim to the first USB flash drive ever invented, patented by M-Systems and sold by IBM.

In April 1999, the Israeli company M-Systems filed a patent application titled “Architecture for a Universal Serial Bus-based PC flash disk.” This was granted to Amir Ban, Dov Moran, and Oron Ogdan in November 2000. In 2000, IBM began selling M-Systems’ 8-MB storage devices in the United States under the less-than-memorable name DiskOnKey.

Who Really Invented the Thumb Drive? [https://spectrum.ieee.org/thumb-drive] (accessed 2025-01-15)

Mark: DISKONKEY

Application Filing Date: Oct. 22, 1999

For: Computer hardware, namely, a disk providing secure data storage

https://tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNumber=75828094&caseSearchType=US_APPLICATION&caseType=DEFAULT&searchType=statusSearch (accessed 2025-01-15)
A metallic ring attached to a plastic cap, nest to a matching small electronic device with a USB plug sticking out of it. Text on the two parts read: IBM, DiskonKey™, Assembled in the USA.
IBM's DiskonKey™. Photo: Ianturo on Wikimedia. License: CC BY 4.0.
Written by Noel Santos.

About the Author

I'm a self-taught Brazilian programmer graduated in IT from a FATEC. In a world of increasingly complex and essential computers, I decided to use my technical expertise in hardware, desktop applications, and web technologies to create an informative resource to make PC's easier to understand.

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