Patent · US Expired

High-density removable expansion module having I/O and second-level removable expansion memory

US6976111B1 · kind B1 · utility

23Cited by
46References
55Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 9, 2000
Grant dateDec 13, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 9, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S439/946
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The utility of portable computer hosts, such as PDAs (or handhelds), is enhanced by methods and apparatus for removable expansion modules (100) having application specific circuitry, a second-level-removable memory (120), and optional I/O (140), in a number of illustrative embodiments. In addition to providing greater expansion utility in a compact and low profile industrial design, the present invention permits memory configuration versatility for application specific expansion modules, permitting easy user field selection and upgrades of the memory used in conjunction with the expansion module. Finally, from a system perspective, the present invention enables increased parallelism and functionality previously not available to portable computer devices.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.