Intel Corporation

Jadoo Power Systems Inc.

Itt Corporation

Duncan D MacGregor

Paul A Getchel

Neal E Broadbent

Kenneth E Pearson

Glenn M Dunn

Sinclair D MacGregor

Daryl James Nelson

David C Scheer

Carl C Perkins

Michael E Pierce

Chengwu Chen

Jeff Lauruhn

Richard R Gargiulo

John A Horn

Bob Gormley

Rodney K Rose

There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a portable fuel cell power and management system (for example, hydrogen and/or methanol based systems), components and/or elements thereof, as well as techniques for controlling and/or operating such systems. The fuel cell power management system (and method of controlling and/or operating same) actively monitors, manages and/or controls one or more operating parameter(s) of the fuel cell system. For example, the system monitors, manages and/or controls the consumption and/or the rate of consumption of fuel by the system, and in response thereto, may provide and/or alert the user to amount of fuel remaining, consumed, the rate of consumption and/or the time (or estimation thereof remaining until all of the fuel is spent. In this way, the user may schedule or plan accordingly.

Fuel cell power and management system, and technique for controlling and/or operating same

There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a portable fuel cell power and management system (for example, hydrogen and/or methanol based systems), components and/or elements thereof, as well as techniques for controlling and/or operating such systems. The fuel cell power management system (and method of controlling and/or operating same) actively monitors, manages and/or controls one or more operating parameter(s) of the fuel cell system. For example, the system monitors, manages and/or controls the consumption and/or the rate of consumption of fuel by the system, and in response thereto, may provide and/or alert the user to amount of fuel remaining, consumed, the rate of consumption and/or the time (or estimation thereof) remaining until all of the fuel is spent. In this way, the user may schedule or plan accordingly.

System for a fuel cell power and management system

Power unit for a fuel cell power and management system

An electronic assembly that incorporates a heat sink. The subassembly includes an integrated circuit package that is mounted to a substrate. The substrate is mounted to a spacer block which includes a pin field that contains a plurality of pins. The heat sink is coupled to the integrated circuit package by a clip that wraps around the sink and is attached to the spacer block.

Clip and pin field for IC packaging

An improved printed circuit card for add in functions for computer systems which adds bandwidth to such cards through additional bus type connectors without changing the form factor. The basic card add in system consist of a card having a printed circuit board surrounded and supported by a frame. A connector socket is mounted to the frame and electrically connected to the printed circuit board. The card has top and bottom covers attached to the frame which enclose the printed circuit board and a portion of the socket. The portion of the existing system located in the host consists of a header which is electrically and mechanically connected to the mother board in the digital computer system. The header has a connector which is electrically connected to the mother board and is adapted to mate with the connector socket in the card. The card and header conform to the PCMCIA standard. Up to 34 electrically conductive and mechanically deformable interconnects are mounted on one or both sides of the card substantially adjacent to the connector and electrically connected to the printed circuit board. The interconnects are accessible through the covers of the card. On the header, a plurality of electrically conductive interconnects are mounted and electrically connected to the mother board and positioned to make electrical contact with the interconnects mounted on the card when the card is inserted into the header. The form factor of the card and position of the connector remains unchanged.

Performance of add in printed circuit cards for computer systems

An integrated circuit package that contains a fan assembly which is mounted to the package. The package includes a printed circuit board substrate which has a top surface, an opposite bottom surface and an inner die cavity. A plurality of pins extend from the bottom surface of the substrate so that the package can be connected to an external printed circuit board. A metal lid may be mounted to the top surface to enclose an integrated circuit located within the die cavity of the substrate. The integrated circuit may be mounted to the lid and is electrically coupled to the pins by various routing features of the package. The package includes a plurality of metal disks that are soldered to corresponding surface pads on the top surface of the substrate. The lid exposes the disks. A fan assembly is mounted to the lid and connected to the disks so that the fan receives electrical current through the package.

Contact pad extender for integrated circuit packages

An improved printed circuit card for add in functions for computer systems which adds bandwidth to such cards through additional bus type connectors without changing the form factor. The basic card add in system consist of a card having a printed circuit board surrounded and supported by a frame. A connector socket is mounted to the frame and electrically connected to the printed circuit board. The card has top and bottom covers attached to the frame which enclose the printed circuit board and a portion of the socket. The portion of the existing system located in the host consists of a header which is electrically and mechanically connected to the mother board in the digital computer system. The header has a connector which is electrically connected to the mother board and is adapted to mate with the connector socket in the card. The card and header conform to the PCMCIA standard. Up to 34 electrically conductive and mechanically deformable 20 interconnects are mounted on one or both sides of the card substantially adjacent to the connector and electrically connected to the printed circuit board. The interconnects are accessible through the covers of the card. On the header, a plurality of electrically conductive interconnects are mounted and electrically connected to the mother board and positioned to make electrical contact with the interconnects mounted on the card when the card is inserted into the header. The form factor of the card and position of the connector remains unchanged.

The present invention relates to electronic packaging for PC Cards, and more particularly to attaching the PC Card covers to the printed circuit board and frame. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a PC card assembly comprising of a printed circuit board coupled to the frame and attached to a bottom cover and a top cover by tabs in the bottom cover. The present invention also provides a method of assembling the PC Cards such that the tabs in the bottom cover are inserted into the through openings in the frame. These inserted tabs are then bonded to the top cover, creating a very rigid assembly and providing a very fast manufacturing process throughput.

Tabbed cover attach for PCMCIA card packaging and method for attaching

A sideswipe contact system for an add in PC card consisting of an apparatus for identifying the card as having a sideswipe connector and apparatus on a header for causing the header connectors to be electrically isolated from an inserted PC card unless the PC card is equipped with the sideswipe connectors. The header assembly includes a frame mechanically shaped to receive the card frame in an inserting relationship. A plurality of connector assemblies are movably mounted to the header frame. Each of the connector assemblies consists of an insulating standoff having substantially the same specified shape as the first cavity and fitting therein and a second electrical conductor adjacent to and smaller than the standoff. The plurality of connector assemblies are movable from a first position when the PC card is not inserted in the header frame to a second position when the card is fully inserted into the header. The movement from the first position to the second position is in a direction substantially orthogonal to the long dimension of the PC card. When the plurality of connectors assemblies are in the second position, each connector assembly fits into a matching connector receptacle and the first and second electrical conductors are in electrical contact. The plurality of connector assemblies move to a third position intermediate between the first and second positions if a PC card not having the plurality of connector receptacles is inserted into the header frame.

Voltage protection for add in cards with sideswipe contacts

A modem located on a PC card. An I/O socket is mounted on one end of the PC card and sideswipe contacts are positioned long e one or more sides. The I/O socket has a plurality of positions including one or more positions which are electrically connected to the modem. A relay is located in the PC card, and has one side connected in common to the modem and the positions on the I/O socket. The other side of the relay is connected to the sideswipe connectors. The control input to the relay is connected to a position of the I/O socket separate from the modem positions. A voltage source is connected to a position in the socket separate from the modem positions and the control signal position. An I/O plug is designed to have one side connected to the telephone network and the other side connected to the I/O socket such that all pins in the plug mate with the corresponding positions in the I/O socket. The I/O plug contains a lead interconnecting and creating a short circuit between the pin in the I/O plug which mates with the position in the I/O socket connected to the control input of the relay and the pin in the I/O plug which mates with the position in the socket connected to the voltage source. This causes the voltage source to appear on the input of the relay when the I/O plug is inserted into the I/O socket.

Voltage protection for modem add in cards with sideswipe contacts

A connector system for an add in PC card for supplying network communications functions to a host computer wherein the connector to the network is a RJ type universal jack consisting of a socket and plug. A cavity in the card is formed by an opening in the short dimension of the frame opposite the 68 position connector and the top and bottom covers. A carriage is mounted in the cavity so that it can slide in and out and occupy at least two positions. The carriage consists of a socket portion for making contact with the RJ type plug and a support and contact portion that mechanically supports the carriage within the card and also makes the electrical contact between the carriage and the card. In the first of the two positions, substantially all of the carriage is within the cavity. In the second of the two positions, the socket portion of the carriage is outside of the cavity. In this position, the socket is electrically connected to the printed circuit board.

I/O connector for add in printed circuit cards for computer systems

A method and apparatus for providing alternate signal paths between a removably insertable integrated circuit (IC) card in a computer system and an external device is described. The method and apparatus includes an IC card designed for coupling with the external device through a rear I/O receptacle located along the rear IC card edge, the IC card also including an auxiliary side contacts along a side edge. The method and apparatus includes the use of a flexible conducting strip to connect each of the auxiliary side contacts along the side edge to the appropriate pins of the rear I/O receptacle. In this manner the IC card contains alternate signal paths to the external device, being capable of coupling to the external device in either a rear-connecting scheme or a side-connecting scheme, the adaptation to side contacts having been achieved with minimal redesign of the rear-connecting IC card.

Interconnection scheme for integrated circuit card with auxiliary

A modular communications connector apparatus for coupling an external communications device to the auxiliary I/O contacts of an IC card receptacle of a computer system is described. The apparatus includes a communications adapter receptacle, affixed to the computer chassis, which includes electrical contacts which are coupled to the auxiliary I/O contacts of the IC card receptacle. The apparatus also includes at least one communications adapter module which serves as an intermediate adapter between the communications adapter receptacle and one of a variety of standard communications plugs. To form the desired interface, the standard communications plug of the external device is inserted into a standard receptacle contained on communications adapter module, and the communications adapter module is then inserted into the communications adapter receptacle. Flexibility is achieved because the communications adapter receptacle is capable of receiving a variety of differently-adapted communications adapter modules.

Modular communications connector for I/O card applications

A system is provided wherein an IC memory card (10) is inserted into a slot (12) of an electronic device (14), which discharges any static electric charge on the card prior to mating of card and device contacts (32, 34). The card has a frame with opposite sides that have metal clips, and the electronic device has grounding terminals (74, 76) that engage the clips, as the card is inserted.

Growing community of inventors

Shingle Springs, CA, United States of America

Duncan D MacGregor