PCI Express Mini Card
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
PCI Express Mini Card is a replacement for the Mini PCI form factor based on PCI Express. It is developed by the PCI-SIG. The host device supports both PCI Express and USB 2.0 connectivity, and each card uses whichever the designer feels most appropriate to the task. This is not a free open public standard; payment is required to access the full official specifications.
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[edit] Form factors
PCI Express Mini Cards are 30 x 56 mm. There is a 52 pin edge connector. A half-length card is also specified 30 x 31.9 mm.
[edit] Electrical Interface
PCI Express Mini Card edge connector provide multiple connections and buses:
- PCI Express with 1 lane
- USB 2.0
- SMBus
- Diagnostics LEDs for wireless network (i.e. WiFi) status
- SIM card for GSM and WCDMA applications
- Future extension for another PCIe lane
- 1.5 and 3.3 Volt power
[edit] Availability
Most newer laptop computers (after 2005) are based on PCI Express and have 1 or 2 sockets for Mini Cards. Intel provides WiFi cards; Sierra Wireless and Novatel Wireless provide GSM and 3G cards; WiQuest provides Wireless USB card.
SparkLAN offers Atheros WLAN PCI Express mini card modules, including the AR5006EX AR5423, AR5006EGS AR2424, and AR5006 EGB AR2423. http://www.sparklan.com/category.php?cat_id=55
