The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 23, 2000
Filed:
Dec. 22, 1997
Roy Moonseuk Kim, Austin, TX (US);
Sanjay Gupta, Austin, TX (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method, for use with a data processing system having an architecture, which provide for the possibility of smart card use without unduly impacting the data processing system's architecture. An enclosure, having at least one PC card acceptor and at least one smart card acceptor, is created. A suspension mechanism is operably connected to enclosure in a fashion such that suspension mechanism is capable of physically connecting enclosure to a motherboard such that enclosure is suspended above a component of motherboard. The method and system give rise to several advantages. One advantage is that board space is saved in that the enclosure is suspended over existing board components. A second advantage is that the method and system allow original equipment manufactures to make the provision of smart card usage optional, in that smart card usage can be provided by a simple add-on to lower-end systems. A third advantage is the cost savings which comes from having integral PC card-smart card acceptors. A fourth advantage is that the method and system can be adapted to many configurations, such as providing alternate numbers of PC card and smart card acceptors, arranged in many different physical relationships. Those skilled in the art will recognize many other advantages in addition to those listed here.