Patent ID: 7454541
Filing Date: 2008-11-18
Classification: H05K

Abstract:
1. A subscriber-specific communications device for use in conjunction with a portable host, a removable module, at least one communications subsystem external to the subscriber-specific communications device, and at least one subscriber service available via the at least one external communications subsystem, the portable host having a first slot and the removable module containing subscriber services information, the subscriber-specific communications device comprising: a removable expansion card having a second slot to receive the removable module, removable module interface circuitry to manage data transfers with the removable module, host-interconnect adapted to couple with the portable host, I/O adapter circuitry adapted to couple to the external communications subsystem, and communications circuitry adapted to have behavior based at least in part on the subscriber services information contained in the removable module; and wherein the first slot and the second slot are respectively a first-level slot and a second-level slot, the removable expansion card is a first-level module adapted to couple to the portable host via the first-level slot, the removable module is a second-level module adapted to couple to the first-level module via the second-level slot, the data transfers include transferring information between the first-level module and the second-level module, and the subscriber services information contained in the removable module is used to determine capabilities of the portable host with respect to use of the subscriber service available via the external communications subsystem coupled to the I/O adapter circuitry.