The innovative technology of the ExpressCard interconnect product was developed by the PCMCIA standards organization to replace CardBus product as the next generation of serial bus interconnect for PC Cards. The new ExpressCard product specification provides the reliability and ease of use of the PC Card form factor while offering faster performance via a standardized connector platform. Tyco Electronics offers a broad line for ExpressCard products including standard header and ejector mechanisms, module connectors, and framekits. Combo readers with a PCMCIA Cardbus are also available.
The significant increase in bandwidth is the greatest advantage of ExpressCard products over the previous PCMCIA CardBus PC card. The ExpressCard product has a maximum throughput of 500 MB/s two-way communications versus the available 132 MB/s of CardBus technology. The ExpressCard host interface product supports a PCI Express standard single lane (x1) operating at 2.5 Gigabits/second as defined by the PCI Express base specification and low, full, and high-speed USB as defined by the USB 2.0 specification.
The substantial multiplication of bandwidth is a result of the direct connection of ExpressCard product to the system bus over a USB 2.0 or PCI Express standard x1 lane. In addition to the enhanced data transfer rate available in ExpressCard product technology, this new standard uses lower voltage, at 1.5V and 3.3V, and thus less power than the previous CardBus slots at 3.3V and 5.0V.
Product Manager Eric Himelright states, "Tyco Electronics' product line for ExpressCard continues a long tradition of development in the memory card product family driven by our active participation in the PCMCIA standards body."
The interconnection system includes a 26-position module connector and a surface mount, 26-position right-angle host connector and is designed for 10,000 cycles durability on the card and 5,000 cycles on the host.
Tyco Electronics offers connectors for ExpressCard products compliant both to current RoHS regulations and specification Revision 1.0 of the Express Card Standard.
Tyco Electronics contributed both mechanical and electrical engineering input during the PCMCIA development of the ExpressCard connector specifications.
Applications for the new ExpressCard product include wireless and wired communications cards, rotating and solid state storage devices, optical and magnetic micro drives, and a variety of I/O, security, and flash memory cards.
