Module interface for PC card

• US 6,561,851 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2001
• Issued: 05/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NETGEAR, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sierra Wireless Incorporated
• Inventors: Florescu, Danut
• Primary Examiner(s): Ta, Tho D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GUSHI, ROSS N
• Application Number:
  US09/844,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20020160661A1
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 439/630, 439/945, 439/159, 439/160, 439/155, 439/76.1, 361/737, 235/441, 235/475
• US Class Current: 439/630
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 13/08 Feeding or discharging cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/077 Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0021 for reading/sensing record carriers having surface contacts

Abstract

A PC card which releasably engages with a SIM card is provided. The PC card includes a SIM carriage having an ejection assembly and a locking mechanism. The ejection mechanism allows for insertion of the SIM card within the SIM carriage. The locking mechanism locks the SIM card within the SIM carriage upon insertion of the card within the SIM carriage. Additionally, the ejection assembly automatically ejects the SIM card from the SIM carriage upon de-activation of the locking mechanism. The ejection assembly automatically ejects the SIM card with an ejection spring. The orientation of the SIM carriage within the PC card maintains the structural integrity of the PC card. Moreover, the simple configuration of the SIM carriage increases the overall reliability of PC cards which releasably engage SIM cards.

Claims

1. A PC card for providing communication capability to a module, the PC card comprising:

a connector for establishing connectivity between the PC card and the module, the connector being at a first end of the PC card; and

a SIM carriage located at an end opposite the connector, the SIM carriage being configured to hold a SIM card, where the SIM carriage further comprises;

a locking mechanism for securing the SIM card with the SIM carriage and the PC card; and

an ejection assembly for automatically ejecting the SIM card from the SIM carriage and the PC card;

a transparent surface viewable by a user; and

a LED adjacent the transparent surface such that upon illumination of the LED, the user detects the illumination through the transparent surface.