Abstract:
An electronic device includes a housing for safely breaking electronic communication with a smart card on removal from the electronic device. A safeguard structure rotates with respect to the housing to cover the smart card when inserted, and a switch breaks communication between the smart card and the electronic device when the safeguard structure is rotated away from the housing to enable removal of the smart card. The breaking of communication safely prevents damage to, or corruption of, data in the smart card upon removal from the electronic device.

Description:
FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to data protection. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A smart card can be inserted into an electronic device for communicating with the electronic device, to write and read data. Examples of smart cards can include contact smart cards such as SIM cards. However, when the smart card is detached or removed from the electronic device, the data stored in the smart card can become corrupted. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Implementations of the present technology will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached figures. 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an electronic device. 
         FIG. 2  is a cutaway view of the electronic device illustrated in  FIG. 1  in a first state. 
         FIG. 3  is a view of circled portion III in  FIG. 2  which shows the electronic device in a second state. 
         FIG. 4  is a cutaway view of the electronic device illustrated in  FIG. 3  in a third state. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. Also, the description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts have been exaggerated to better illustrate details and features of the present disclosure. 
     The term “comprising,” when utilized, means “including, but not necessarily limited to”; it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion or membership in the so-described combination, group, series and the like. 
     The present disclosure describes an electronic device. 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  are two views of an electronic device  100  for receiving and communicating with a smart card  20 . The smart card  20  can be any card having embedded integrated circuits, that can optionally be accessed via electrical contacts on the card, or can be accessed in a contactless manner. Examples of such smart cards  20  can include SIM cards for telephones, memory cards, and encryption or security cards. The electronic device  100  includes a housing  10 , a safeguard structure  30 , and a switch  40 . An opening  13  (shown in  FIG. 3 ) is defined in a sidewall of the housing  10  allowing the smart card  20  to be inserted into the housing  10 . The switch  40  is detachably received in the housing  10  and makes and breaks the communication between the smart card  20  and the electronic device  100 . The safeguard structure  30  is rotatably connected to the housing  10  for covering and uncovering the opening  13 . In the embodiment, the electronic device  100  may be a set-top box or other device requiring a smart card  20 . 
     The housing  10  includes a top cover  12  and a bottom cover  11 . The top cover  12  is assembled to connect or join with the bottom cover  11  to form a receiving space for receiving electronic components. 
     The top cover  12  is substantially a rectangular plate. A locating pin  121  protrudes downwards towards the bottom cover  11  from the top cover  12 . The locating pin  121  is a pole or pillar-like structure, which defines a shaft hole  1211  and a limit groove  1212 . The locating pin  121  has an inner wall surrounding the shaft hole  1211 . The shaft hole  1211  runs through the central axis of the locating pin  121 . The limit groove  1212  is defined in the inner wall and communicates with the shaft hole  1211 . 
     The bottom cover  11  includes a base plate  111  and sidewall  112  protruding from edges of the base plate  111  towards the top cover  12 . A rotating shaft  1111  protrudes from the base plate  111  towards the top cover  12 . The opening  13  is defined in the sidewall  112 . The smart card  20  is inserted into the housing  10  through the opening  13 . The switch  40  makes electrical connections between the smart card  20  and the electronic device  100  when the smart card  20  is inserted into the housing  10 . 
     The safeguard structure  30  can contact the switch  40  to break the communication between the smart card  20  and the electronic device  100 . The safeguard structure  30  includes a door  31 , a touching arm  32  located on the door  31 , and a locating portion  33  located on the touching arm  32 . The locating portion  33  is inserted in to the shaft hole  1211  to allow the door  31  to be rotated in relation to the housing  10 . 
     The door  31  is a rectangular plate, and the door  31  includes a first surface facing the smart card  20 . The touching arm  32  protrudes from the first surface of the door  31 . The touching arm  32  is L-shaped and includes a joint portion  321  and a touching portion  322 . The joint portion  321  perpendicularly protrudes towards the switch  40  from the first surface of the door  31 , and the joint portion  321  has a first end away from the door  31 . The touching portion  322  perpendicularly protrudes from the first end of the joint portion  321 , and away from the switch  40 , and the touching portion  322  is substantially parallel to the base plate  111 . When the door  31  is rotated, the touching arm  32  rotates, allowing the touching portion  322  to make physical contact with the switch  40 . In the embodiment, the touching portion  322  is buffered with an elastic member (not shown), which insulates the switch  40  from damage caused by overmovements or forceful movements of the door  31 . In the embodiment, the joint portion  321  also can be buffered with an elastic member (not shown), such as a spring, the joint portion  321  is connected between the door  31  and the touching portion  322  to provide a buffer for the touching portion  322 . In other embodiments, the touching arm  32  can be omitted, and it can be an end of the door  31  which makes physical contact with the switch  40  when the door  31  is opened. 
     The locating portion  33  includes a locating shaft  331  and a stop block  332  protruding from a periphery of the locating shaft  331 . The locating shaft  331  is rotatably inserted into the shaft hole  1211 . The locating shaft  331  is located on a joint of the joint portion  321  and the touching arm  32 , and protrudes towards the top cover  12 . In the embodiment, the locating shaft  331  is a pole or pillar-like structure. The stop block  332  protrudes outward from the periphery of the locating shaft  331 . 
     In other embodiments, the electronic device  30  further includes an indicator light (not shown) and a sensor (not shown). The indicator light can be arranged on sidewall  112  or other location, surface, or component of the electronic device  30 . When the safeguard structure  30  contacts the switch  40  to break the communication between the smart card  20  and the electronic device  100 , the sensor detects and sends a control signal to light the indicator light. In the embodiment, the sensor can be a position sensor or a pressure sensor or the like. The indicator light is illuminated according to a position information detected by position sensor or a pressure value detected by pressure sensor, which indicates that the communication between the smart card  20  and the electronic device  100  smart card  20  is broken, and user can take out the smart card  20 . In other embodiments, the indicator light can be a visual, audible, vibrating, or other type of alarm or warning device. The alarm or warning device is not necessarily limited to being included on the electronic device  30  and can be part of a separate device (not shown). 
     In assembly, the safeguard structure  30  is rotatably connected to the housing  10  by the rotating shaft  1111  being rotatably inserted into the touching arm  32 . The top cover  12  is assembled together with the bottom cover  11 , and the locating shaft  331  is rotatably inserted into the shaft hole  1211  and the stop block  332  is slidably received in the limit groove  1212 . When the locating shaft  331  is rotated in the shaft hole  1211 , the stop block  332  slides along the limit groove  1212  and regulates a rotation of the locating shaft  331 , for regulating a rotation of the door  31  and the touching arm  32 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , in use, when the smart card  20  is to be inserted into the housing  10 , the door  31  is rotated open, and the smart card  20  is inserted into the housing  10  from the opening  13 , to connect to and communicate with the electronic device  100 . When the smart card  20  needs to be taken out, the door  31  is rotated open and the touching portion  322  moves to make contact with the switch  40 , which breaks the communication between the smart card  20  and the electronic device  100  The smart card  20  is then taken out from the opening  13 . 
     Many details are often found in the art such as the other features of a shielding plate. Therefore, many such details are neither shown nor described. Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present technology have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the present disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in the detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of the parts within the principles of the present disclosure, up to and including the full extent established by the broad general meaning of the terms used in the claims. It will therefore be appreciated that the embodiments described above may be modified within the scope of the claims.