Divider for PCI card concurrent maintenance

A divider for preventing a card device from contacting another card device or other electrical component includes a planar member, and locating and securing features which serve to locate the planar member with respect to a card connector, a card planer board, and to locate and secure a card device with respect to the divider.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Field of The Invention 
The invention relates to the field of electronic circuit component cards 
having edge connectors for mating with corresponding slot connectors, such 
as peripheral component interconnect (PCI) cards which are pluggable into 
PCI slot connectors disposed on computer motherboards and backplanes, for 
example, and in particular to concurrent maintenance and hot-plugging of 
PCI circuit cards. 
Background Information 
There are a variety of standard bus types and associated slot connectors 
currently in use in computer systems, including the currently popular PCI 
(Peripheral Component Interconnect), for example. There are also a number 
of corresponding electronic circuit component cards, also referred to as 
electronic cards or card devices herein, having card edge connectors for 
mating with the slot connectors on personal computer (PC) system 
motherboards and/or backplanes, for example. 
The card edge connectors have a number of relatively closely spaced metal 
contacts on one or both sides of the card edge, and the corresponding 
slots similarly have a like number of closely spaced metal contacts 
therein. When the card edge connector is inserted in the slot connector, 
the corresponding contacts make electrical connection. Through these 
contacts and their electrical connection, the card device and the personal 
computer system communicate data, address and control signals, for 
example. The card device also generally obtains electrical energy from the 
personal computer system through two or more of the contacts. 
The card edge connectors have a predefined size and, in the case of PCI 
cards, for example, have key slots which align with corresponding key 
ridges provided within the slot connectors. These keyed features, as well 
as the fact that the slots of the slot connectors are closed at ends 
thereof, help to ensure that the card edge connector contacts align with 
the correct slot connector contacts when fully inserted. However, these 
card devices have been designed with the assumption that they will be 
inserted by hand by the personal computer owner or technician. During 
insertion by hand, it is possible that there could be a momentary contact 
with an adjacent card or other nearby component, or there could be a 
momentary misalignment of the closely spaced edge contacts, causing a 
short circuit, for example. (It should be noted that the providing of the 
keyed features generally adequately prevents any contact misalignment 
during insertion.) Because of this, such cards are generally installed 
with the personal computer system turned off, i.e., "powered down." 
The following discussion relates to PCI-based card devices, however, the 
same factors addressed may hold true for other types of card devices. The 
PCI bus is a synchronous, processor independent, 32- or 64-bit bus that 
functions similarly to a processor local bus. The PCI bus can be thought 
of as a buffered intermediate or so-called mezzanine bus, that is, an 
extension of the processor local bus. It is coupled to the personal 
computer processor local bus by so-called "bridge" circuitry, but 
maintains its own separate set of circuits. The original PCI bus 
specification required a constant speed of 33 MHz, which translates to a 
transfer rate of 80-120 Mbs in a 32-bit environment, and up to a 264 Mbs 
transfer rate in a 64-bit environment. The PCI bus operates on 5 volts, 
3.3 volts, or both. 
PCI and the other so-called local bus technologies, e.g., VESA (Video 
Electronics Standard Association), were developed to permit personal 
computers to communicate more quickly with peripheral devices, 
particularly video cards in the case of VESA where the "V" stands for 
video. Graphic operating systems and applications, for example, place a 
high throughput demand on a bus system. The original IBM PC (IBM is a 
registered trademark of International Business Machine Corporation) had a 
bus speed of about 1 megabyte per second, the IBM AT about 4 megabytes per 
second, a typical ISA bus about 8 megabytes to a maximum of 16 megabytes 
per second, the EISA bus has 32 megabytes per second, the MCA bus 20-40 
megabytes per second, the VESA VL-1 has 20-132 megabytes per second, the 
VESA VL-2 up to 264 megabytes per second, the PCI 1.0 has 80-120 megabytes 
per second and the PCI 2.0 up to 264 megabytes per second. The VESA and 
PCI buses are called "local bus" technologies because the motherboard bus 
is bypassed, and the peripheral connected to the processor "local" bus, 
through the VESA circuitry or the PCI bridge circuitry. This permits 
peripherals to be run at the full CPU clock speed, over the full CPU 32- 
or 64-bit data path, with readily apparent benefits. 
As mentioned, the PCI standard bus was also developed as a way to integrate 
peripherals in general onto personal computer motherboards. PCI buses have 
gained favor over other buses due in part to the fewer control lines used. 
A PCI bus uses 32 conductors to carry both the address and data lines, 
while a VESA VL-1 bus, for example, uses up to 64 (32 data and 32 
address). This permits PCI cards to be, in general, smaller than other 
types of local bus cards. 
For these reasons, and others, PCI buses, cards and card slots have become 
widespread in the personal computer (PC) market, and there are now a 
plethora of PCI-based card devices available. Until recently, personal 
computer buses and card devices, e.g., PCI buses and card devices, have 
not been used in mid-range to high-end, e.g., "mainframe," computer 
systems. Therefore, until recently, only the personal computer user has 
had the advantage of the wide range of available peripheral component 
interconnect (PCI) card devices, and the like. However, as personal 
computers and their peripherals have reached higher and higher performance 
levels, and have become more and more varied, their integration into 
mid-range to high-end computer systems has been given serious 
consideration. It has now been recognized that the users of mid-range to 
high-end computer systems could benefit from the variety, versatility and 
availability of PCI card devices, and the like. 
Therefore, mid-range and high-end computer systems are now being shipped 
with PCI card devices. One example of a mid-range computer is the IBM 
AS/400 series (AS/400 is a registered trademark of International Business 
Machine Corporation). 
While providing a PCI bus and card connector on a mid-range to high-end 
computer system motherboard or backplane, for example, to meet the 
above-identified need may seem to be relatively straight forward, and 
admittedly, can be accomplished with sufficient effort, there are a number 
of related technical issues which have to be addressed in doing so. One of 
these issues relates to common differences in the way personal computers 
and mid-range to high-end computers are put to use, as will be explained. 
As mentioned, PCI and similar electronic card devices generally derive 
power from the personal computer motherboard or backplane through the card 
slot they are plugged into. Further, it is generally assumed in the design 
of the cards that they will be plugged in by hand when the power to the 
personal computer is off, to avoid the possibility of damage to components 
on the cards and/or motherboard, should there be a momentary contact with 
an adjacent card or component, or a misalignment of the closely spaced 
contacts, during insertion causing a short circuit or connection of power 
to the wrong contact, for example, as mentioned earlier. 
This requirement that power be off during insertion and/or extraction of 
the card is inconvenient but generally tolerable when the card devices are 
used in the typical desktop personal computer. Because PCI and other types 
of card devices designed for personal computers were not designed to be 
able to be plugged in while the computer system is powered up, until now, 
their use in high-end and mid-range computer systems could have 
undesirable consequences. 
In mid-range to high-end systems, uninterrupted service is highly desirable 
and therefore, it is also desirable to be able to "hot plug" peripheral 
devices and their controller cards, that is, plug them in and take them 
out without turning off the power to the computer system. This is 
sometimes referred to as "concurrent maintenance." Since such computer 
systems typically are used to perform critical business functions, for 
example, the losses in productivity and the resultant economic costs 
associated with computer system down-time can be significant. Such systems 
may be serving many users concurrently. 
Besides the desire for uninterrupted service, there may be considerable 
penalties involved with powering-down and powering-up such computer 
systems to add or replace components. For example, currently running 
programs must be halted and sometimes large amounts of data saved to 
non-volatile storage, before the system can be powered down without 
risking data loss. In mid-range and high-end computer systems, 
considerable amounts of time and inconvenience may thus be involved in 
performing unscheduled shutdown and restart operations in an orderly 
fashion. 
In personal computer systems, the above are generally not significant 
factors to be considered when a new card device is to be added or when an 
existing card device requires service or replacement. Powering down and 
restarting a PC does not generally cause the concern it would cause for a 
user of a mid-range to high-end computer system since, with some 
exceptions, these are relatively quick and simple operations. Providing 
uninterrupted customer service even when a system is being upgraded or 
components repaired is highly desirable and may even be essential for 
commercial viability in mid-range to high-end systems due to the factors 
mentioned above. However, this is generally not a major concern with a 
typical desk-top PC since the PC is not typically performing as critical a 
business function. 
Therefore, in order to take advantage of the multitude of circuit cards, 
e.g., PCI cards, designed for personal computers, in a mid-range to 
high-end computer system, without incurring disadvantageous system 
down-time, a need has existed for a way to safely hot-plug PCI card 
devices in a mid-range to high-end computer system, avoiding the danger of 
contact with powered-up adjacent cards or components, for example. That 
is, a need has existed for a protection mechanism to prevent adjacent PCI 
cards from touching during hot-plug concurrent maintenance operations. 
Although typically the factors making hot-pluggability highly desirable in 
mid-range to high-end computer systems are not as relevant to PCs, there 
may be a number of exceptions. In recent years, desktop personal computers 
have become more and more powerful, and have even been adapted to operate 
as network servers, and the like, for small businesses. In such a role, 
there are the same kind of penalties for down time as with mid-range to 
high-end computer systems. 
One solution to minimize the possibility of an accidental electrical 
contact between cards is to provide non-conductive card separators such as 
are provided in the Compaq 7000, for example. 
However, insertion of PCI cards also requires alignment of the card edge 
connector with the slot connector into which it is to be plugged, as well 
as alignment of the "tailstock bracket" on the rear of the card with the 
system frame or "cage" to which it is to be secured. Simple non-conducting 
card dividers do not provide any autodocking functionality. 
One way of providing for autodocking of component cards involves using an 
autodocking assembly and method such as that described and disclosed in 
co-pending application Ser. No. 09/045,934, filed Mar. 23, 1998, 
"AUTODOCKING ASSEMBLY AND METHOD" (Docket No. R0998-009IBM-1 12). However, 
there may be situations where such an assembly and method is not suitable, 
and/or where a less expensive, less complicated solution may be desirable. 
Other autodocking solutions have also been proposed, within the 
International Business Machines Corporation, referred to here as "above 
the card solutions." However, PCI cards, and the like, sometimes not only 
have bottom edge connectors for mating with corresponding PCI 
motherboard/backplane slots, but also have top edge connectors for 
connections to other components. These above the card solutions did not 
accommodate these top edge connectors. 
These other autodocking solutions are described in co-pending application 
Ser. No. 08/764,963, Filed Dec. 13, 1996, "SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INSERTING 
CIRCUIT BOARDS IN TIGHT SES" (Docket P0996-102); and Ser. No. 
08/766,566, Filed Dec. 13, 1996, "CABINET FOR INSERTION OF CIRCUIT BOARDS 
IN TIGHT SES" (Docket P0996-109). 
It is also noted that these prior above the card solutions used a number of 
component parts, complicating assembly and manufacturing, and that these 
solutions generally would not work with a variety of types of cards. 
The above described autodocking solutions do not provide for a separator or 
divider fixed in position between card devices. 
Therefore, a need exists for a separator or divider which provides a simple 
inexpensive solution to the problem of protecting against accidental 
touching of adjacent cards during a hot-plugging concurrent maintenance 
operation. 
It should be mentioned that besides the preventing of accidental contact 
with adjacent cards or component, in order to achieve hot-plugging, there 
are other engineering issues involved in hot-plugging. For example, it may 
be necessary or desirable to place unused slots in a quiescent 
powered-down state until a card device is plugged therein. This serves to 
avoid transients, for example, which may occur as the electrical 
connection is made between the slot and card edge contacts. Since no two 
metal contact surfaces are perfect, when they are mechanically brought 
together, there may initially occur what is commonly called "bounce," 
i.e., a momentary making and breaking of electrical connection, until the 
contact surfaces are securely aligned. Such bounce can result in 
electrical noise which could be misinterpreted as data or control signals, 
for example. Further, some electronic components may not tolerate the 
power spikes which could result from this bounce. One solution to these 
problems is described in Ser. No. 08/878,025, filed Jun. 18, 1997, 
"PERIPHERAL COMPONENT INTERCONNECT (PCI) ARCHITECTURE HAVING HOTPLUGGING 
CAPABILITY FOR A DATA-PROCESSING SYSTEM" (Docket R09-97-028). Here, the 
bus slot is kept quiescent until it is detected that a card device is 
seated therein, at which point power can be safely applied to the slot 
connector and associated card device. 
Therefore, it should be understood that additional engineering issues 
beyond those considered herein may need to be addressed in order to 
hot-plug card devices. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is, therefore, a principle object of this invention to provide a method 
and apparatus for enabling hot-plugging of PCI circuit cards. 
It is another object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus 
that solves the above mentioned problems so that a PCI circuit card is 
prevented from coming in contact with an adjacent card, or other 
component, during hot-plugging. 
These and other objects of the present invention are accomplished by the 
method and apparatus disclosed herein. 
According to an aspect of the invention, a divider for preventing a card 
device from contacting another card device or other electrical component 
includes a planar member, and locating and securing features which serve 
to locate the planar member with respect to a card connector, a card 
planer board, and to locate and secure a card device with respect to the 
divider. 
According to another aspect of the invention, the locating and securing 
features include snap-fit features permitting easy installation and 
removal of the divider. 
According to another aspect of the invention, by virtue of the snap-fit 
features described above, the divider can be advantageously removed for 
special card applications that require component height from the surface 
of a PCI card beyond the PCI standard. 
According to another aspect of the invention, the divider includes features 
to support a card guide retainer bracket located at the rear of full size 
PCI cards. 
According to another aspect of the invention, a pivot point provided by the 
divider facilitates insertion and removal where access space is limited. 
According to another aspect of the invention, the divider serves to guide a 
PCI card during insertion. 
These and other aspects of the invention will become apparent from the 
detailed description set forth below.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The invention will now be described in more detail by way of example with 
reference to the embodiments shown in the accompanying figures. It should 
be kept in mind that the following described embodiments are only 
presented by way of example and should not be construed as limiting the 
inventive concept to any particular physical configuration. 
FIG. 1 shows a typical PCI card system 100 without card dividers. A PCI 
cage 102 which surrounds the other components is illustrated, although the 
cage 102 may also be a drawer that slides into a frame or rack of a 
computer system (not shown). 
Inside the cage 102 is a PCI planer board 104 having a number of PCI slot 
connectors 106 for receiving edge connectors of the full-length PCI cards 
108. Although shown using PCI slot connectors 106 and PCI cards 108, the 
invention is not limited to only PCI-type connectors and card devices, 
such details being used for the purposes of explanation. At one end of a 
PCI card 108 is provided a tailstock 110 which is essentially a bracket 
used to guide and secure the PCI card 108 to the cage 102. At an opposite 
end of the PCI card 108 is a PCI card rear guide retainer bracket 112, 
which is used on so-called full-sized or full-length PCI cards. Other 
sizes of PCI cards are known, for example, half-length PCI cards. Such 
smaller cards would not extend the full length of the PCI cards 108 shown 
in the figure, and would not be provided with the card rear guide retainer 
brackets 112. 
The convention is for the electronic components to be disposed on one side 
of a PCI card 108, in particular, the side visible in the figure. Printed 
circuit wiring, and possibly other electronic components, would be 
disposed on the surface of the side of the PCI cards 108 not visible, 
extending a small distance beyond that surface of the cards 108. 
As can be seen, adjacent PCI cards 108 are relatively close together. 
Contact of components on one PCI card 108 with wiring, or components, on 
an adjacent PCI card 108, is to be avoided when the cards are powered-up 
since damage to the electronic components could result otherwise. For this 
reason, PCI cards 108 have not been "hot-plugged" until recently. As 
mentioned at the outset, hot-plugging refers to inserting or removing a 
component while the system is "hot," i.e., powered-up. Such operations 
fall under the category of concurrent maintenance since they are performed 
while the computer system is running (concurrently). 
FIG. 2 shows the same PCI system of FIG. 1, however, with a card divider 
200 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention 
installed between adjacent PCI cards 108. As is apparent, the card divider 
200 extends the full length of the PCI cards 108 and provides a barrier 
between the cards 108 so that they cannot touch during a hot-plugging, 
concurrent maintenance, operation. 
The divider card 200 would be made of a rigid, electrically non-conducting 
material, such as plastic resin, and be approximately 2 mm thick. The 
divider 200 could also be made of a composite material or a laminate of 
several materials. If electromagnetic and/or electrostatic shielding of 
the cards 108 is desirable, the divider 200 could be made of a metal 
substrate with a non-conducting plastic laminate covering the metal, for 
example. 
If heat dissipation is an issue, the divider 200 could be provided with 
cooling holes at strategic locations to avoid PCI card component damage 
due to excessive heat build-up. However, these through-holes would have to 
be sized and placed so as not to defeat the object of the invention of 
preventing accidental contact between cards during hot-plugging concurrent 
maintenance. 
A divider 200 would be placed between each adjacent PCI card 108 in a PCI 
card array. Although the divider 200 is made from an electrically 
non-conductive material to accomplish the goal of avoiding accidental 
electrical contact between cards 108, it may be desirable and advantageous 
to use a non-conducting material with the ability to drain electrostatic 
charges. 
Since plastic structures which are subject to the flow of cooling gases, 
for example, may become charged with static electricity, it is known to 
incorporate a carbon-based material therein. This does not convert the 
plastic material into a conductor, however, such is adequate to permit 
these static charges to be drained away preventing the possibility of a 
potentially harmful sudden discharge of the static electricity. Such 
materials are well known in the art. 
In such a case, a ground connection (not shown) to, for example, the PCI 
cage 102, would provide a path for the static charges to drain to ground. 
With reference to FIG. 2A, the detail of FIG. 2 is shown, with the PCI card 
108 removed. As can be seen, the divider 200 is designed with connector 
form-fitting features 202 which locate the divider 200 into the PCI 
connector 106, either a 32 bit or 64 bit connector, and secure it thereto. 
The slanted features 204 act as guides to guide and locate the bottom edge 
of a PCI card 108 to the connector 106 during card insertion into the 
connector 106. The divider 200 is further designed with features allowing 
it to snap onto a PCI card assembly planer board 104, as will now be 
described. 
FIG. 3 shows the other side of a PCI card 108 with a divider 200 and one 
PCI card 108 installed. The cage 102 has been removed in this view so that 
details are better seen. Further locating and securing features 302 permit 
the divider 200 to snap onto the PCI planer board 104 at one end thereof. 
Features 302, as illustrated in more detail in FIG. 3B, include a hooked 
extending member 311 which extends, for example, through a hole in the 
planer board 104, and two horizontal extensions 310 which rest on the top 
surface of the planer board 104 and limit the distance the hooked 
extending member can extend through the hole. The hooked member 311 urges 
the extensions 310 against the surface of the planer board 104 with enough 
force to secure the divider 200 thereto in a snap-fit configuration. Of 
course, the invention is not limited to this particular snap-fit locating 
and securing arrangement, and other ways of locating and securing the 
divider 200 to the planer board 104 could be used within the spirit and 
scope of the invention. 
As discussed with respect to FIGS. 2 and 2A, the divider 200 also attaches 
to an adjacent connector with connector form-fitting features 202 (not 
visible in FIG. 3). Further, the divider 200 is designed to receive and 
securely connect to the PCI card rear guide retainer bracket 112, as shown 
in FIG. 3A. 
As seen in FIG. 3A, a PCI card 108 has a card rear guide retainer bracket 
112 which is located and secured by features 304, 305 and 306. Feature 304 
has upper and lower planar surfaces which extend from an end of the 
divider 200 to an upwardly slanted feature 307, the purpose of which will 
be described later with reference to FIG. 4. A top end of the card rear 
guide retainer bracket 112 rests snuggly against the underside, i.e., the 
lower planar surface, of feature 304 securing the PCI card rear guide 
retainer bracket 112 thereunder. A stop member includes feature 305 which 
extends downward from feature 304 essentially parallel to an end surface 
of the card rear guide retainer bracket 112 stopping, i.e., limiting, the 
position of the bracket 112, and has extending features 306 and 308 (not 
visible in this view, see FIG. 4) disposed along its extent which receive 
and engage the bracket 112. The PCI card rear guide retainer bracket 112 
fits between extending features 306 and 308 spaced from an inner surface 
206 of the divider 200, the extending features 306 and 308 holding the 
bracket 112 snuggly and securely in position adjacent to the divider's 
inner surface 206 and against feature 305. The extending features could be 
configured to provide a snap-fit if desired within the spirit and scope of 
the invention. 
It should be mentioned that previous PCI assemblies provided a separate 
part for receiving the PCI card rear guide retainer bracket 112 and such 
is replaced by these features of the divider card, e.g., features 304, 305 
and 306. 
As may not be apparent from FIGS. 3 and 3A, the divider 200 attaches to a 
connector 106, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 2A, and attaches to an 
adjacent PCI card rear guide retainer bracket 112. That is, the divider 
200 attaches to the card rear guide retainer bracket 112 of a PCI card 108 
which is plugged into a connector 106 adjacent to the connector 106 to 
which the divider 200 is attached. This is due in part because of the way 
the PCI card rear guide retainer bracket 112 is configured to extend from 
a PCI card surface at the end of the PCI card, i.e., in the direction as 
can be seen in FIG. 3A. The PCI card rear guide retainer bracket 112 
extends in the direction of the PCI card 108, and also out and away from 
the plane of the PCI card component surface by way of the angled portion. 
This divider arrangement also provides a more stable configuration, as now 
will be explained. 
When it is inserted in a particular slot connector 106, a "first" 
connector, a PCI card 108 is secured in place by the tight fit of that 
connector 106. By attaching a divider card 200 for that PCI card 108 to an 
adjacent connector 106, a "second" connector, additional securing of the 
PCI card 108 in place is obtained by virtue of its being secured with 
respect to both the first and the second connectors. Therefore, the 
divider card so configured may advantageously act like a mechanical 
stabilizer, adding additional resistance to shock and/or vibration to the 
PCI assembly, resulting in better reliability of the assembly. 
Of course, the invention is not limited to this particular divider 
attachment arrangement, that is, the connection to the connector 106 could 
be disposed so that it is on the same side of the divider as the features 
304, 305 and 306, which secure the divider 200 to a PCI card rear guide 
retainer bracket 112. In that case, the divider 200 would be secured to 
the same connector 106 as the PCI card 108 to which the divider 200 
attaches is inserted. 
FIG. 4 illustrates insertion of a PCI card 108 having a card rear guide 
retainer bracket 112, where a divider 200 is already installed. As can be 
seen, divider 200 acts as a barrier on the component side of the PCI card 
108 being inserted, preventing accidental damage by contact with a PCI 
card on the other side of the divider 200 during a hot-plugging operation. 
As indicated in FIG. 4 and previously described, the top of the PCI card 
rear guide retainer bracket 112 is placed under feature 304, slanted 
feature 307 serving to aid this operation. Once aligned thereunder, the 
PCI board 108 is pivoted and inserted into the connector 106. During this 
operation, the end of the card rear guide retainer bracket 112 fits into 
features 306 and 308, holding the bracket 112 against feature 305. 
Features 308 extend parallel to features 306 and serve to receive and 
secure the end of the card rear guide retainer bracket 112 therebetween. 
The features 304 and 307 are also referred to as a divider tab. Feature 304 
acts as a pivot point while the card 108 is inserted into the connector 
106. This can be advantageous where access space is limited, such as in a 
drawer-type PCI assembly application. In a drawer-type PCI assembly, it 
may be difficult to insert or remove a PCI card by holding it by one hand 
at either end, since the front of the card where the bracket 112 attaches 
may not be easily accessible due to limited space for an installer's arm, 
for example. The divider tab slanted surface 307 and pivot point feature 
304 permit installation of the PCI card 108 with one hand by holding the 
card at the rear end by the flange of the tailstock 110, for example. The 
slanted surface 307 guides the bracket 112 into position under the divider 
tab 304 which provides the pivot point. 
FIG. 5 shows a single divider 200 installed on a connector 106, and FIG. 6 
shows an assembly of three dividers 200 and three PCI cards 108 with card 
rear guide retainer brackets 112. 
Advantageously, by virtue of the snap-fit features described above, the 
divider 200 can be removed for special card applications that require 
component height from the surface of a PCI card beyond the PCI standard. 
Of course in such a situation, the adjacent PCI slot connector into whose 
space the non-standard component extends, would not normally be used. 
In addition to the protective function described above, the divider 200 
includes the described features to support a PCI card rear guide retainer 
bracket 112 which is located at the rear of full size PCI cards 108, and 
the described features to aid in the guidance of PCI cards 108 as they are 
inserted into their connectors 106. Where space is limited, such features 
provide additional advantages in facilitating insertion and removal of the 
PCI cards. 
It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the manner of making and 
using the claimed invention has been adequately disclosed in the 
above-written description of the preferred embodiments taken together with 
the drawings. 
It will be understood that the above described preferred embodiments of the 
present invention are susceptible to various modifications, changes, and 
adaptations, and the same are intended to be comprehended within the 
meaning and range of equivalents of the appended claims. 
For example, while described with respect to PCI cards, the invention is 
not limited to only PCI cards. The disclosed exemplary embodiment could be 
modified for use with other card types, within the spirit and scope of the 
invention.