Patent ID: 7069369

Claim:
An extended primary-protocol card comprising: a housing having a primary-protocol form factor for fitting into a host slot for receiving a primary-protocol card; a connector along an insertable edge of the housing, the connector having metal pads for making electrical connection to a primary-protocol host or to an extended-primary-protocol host; wherein the metal pads comprise primary-interface pads and multiplexed pads; wherein the primary-interface pads comprise a primary-protocol-data pad for sending and receiving primary-protocol data; a primary-protocol controller, coupled to the primary-interface pads, for initially communicating with the primary-protocol host by sending primary-protocol data over the primary-protocol-data pad; wherein the multiplexed pads include a first pair of differential data lines for carrying serial data; and an extended-protocol controller, coupled to the multiplexed pads, for serially communicating serial data over the first pair of differential data lines to the extended-primary-protocol host during an extended mode, wherein the primary-protocol data is initially communicated using the primary-interface pads, and serial data is serially communicated over the first pair of differential data lines during the extended mode.