Mini PCI
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Mini PCI is a standard for a computer bus for attaching peripheral devices to a computer motherboard and is an adaptation of the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus. It was designed for laptops and other small-footprint computer systems.
There are three card form-factors: Type I, Type II, and Type III cards. The card connector used for each type include: Type I and II use a 100-pin stacking connector, while Type III uses a 124-pin edge connector, i.e. connector for Type I and II differ from Type III, which supports a card edge (like SO-DIMM). The additional 24 pins provide the extra signals required to route I/O back through the system connector (Audio, AC-Link, LAN, Phone-Line interface). Type II cards have an RJ11 and RJ45 mounted connectors. These cards must be located at the edge of the computer or docking station so that the RJ11 and RJ45 ports can be mounted for external access.
| Type | Connector | Size |
|---|---|---|
| IA | 100-Pin Stacking | 7.5 × 70 × 45 mm |
| IB | 100-Pin Stacking | 5.5 × 70 × 45 mm |
| IIA | 100-Pin Stacking | 7.5 × 70 × 45 mm |
| IIB | 100-Pin Stacking | 17.44 × 78 × 45 mm |
| IIIA | 124-Pin Card Edge | 2.4 × 59.6 × 50.95 mm |
| IIIB | 124-Pin Card Edge | 2.4 × 59.6 × 44.6 mm |
As it is functionally equivalent to PCI version 2.2, it is a 32-bit, 33 MHz bus with powered connections (3.3 V only) and support for bus mastering and DMA. Mini PCI cards supports CLKRUN# PCI signal used for start and stop the PCI clock for power management purposes. The standard size for Mini PCI cards is approximately 1/4 of their full-sized counterparts. Given that there is no external access to the card in the same manner that there is for desktop PCI cards, Mini PCI cards are generally limited in the functions they may perform. Mini PCI cards have a 2W maximum power consumption, which also limits the functionality that can be implemented in this form factor.
Many Mini PCI devices are available today: WiFi, modems, sound cards, cryptographic accelerators, SCSI, IDE/ATA and SATA controllers :
- ADLINK Single Channel Ultra160 SCSI
- ADLINK Dual Intel 82559 10/100 Mbit/s Ethernet
- Advantech MiniPCI modules
- emtrion HiCO.CAN-miniPCI
- Kontron MiniPCI cards
- Sierra Wireless Sierra Wireless Mini Card Modules
- SparkLAN Mini PCI Module based on Atheros, Ralink, Broadcom, Intersil (Prism, Frisbee, Javelin)
- Soekris Cryptographic accelerator cards
Because Mini PCI and PCI are cousins, you can use regular PCI cards with your Mini PCI-equipped hardware and vice-versa, using Mini PCI-to-PCI and PCI-to-Mini PCI converters.
[edit] See also
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Besides WLAN AP/Router and notebook, wireless Mini PCI Module can be embedded in IP Camera, STB, NAS, and IPC. Most of Chipset provider can offer open source and support Linux.
