Write protection for eeprom of a pluggable communication module

A pluggable communication module configured to be plugged into a receptacle connector, the pluggable communication module comprising:

• a circuit card including a substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface, the substrate having an edge;
• an EEPROM device mounted to the upper surface of the substrate, the EEPROM device including a power supply pin, a serial data pin, a serial clock pin, a ground pin, and a write control pin for programming the EEPROM device;
• and
• a contact pad field on the upper surface of the substrate proximate to the edge, the contact pad field including signal pads, ground pads, a power pad, a serial data pad, a serial clock pad, and a write pad;
• wherein the power pad is electrically connected to the power supply pin of the EEPROM device, the serial data pad is electrically connected to the serial data pin of the EEPROM device, the serial clock pad is electrically connected to the serial clock pin of the EEPROM device, a programming ground pad of the ground pads is electrically connected to the ground pin of the EEPROM device, and the write pad is electrically connected to the write control pin of the EEPROM device;
• wherein the power pad, the serial data pad, the serial clock pad, and the programming ground pad are located at a programming depth from the edge of the circuit card forward of the signal pads to mate the power pad, the serial data pad, and the serial clock pad to the receptacle connector without mating to the signal pads to the receptacle connector;
• wherein the write pad is configured to mate with a programming probe to program the EEPROM device.

A communication system comprising:

• a receptacle connector including a connector housing having a cavity, contacts received in the cavity and held by the housing, each contact including a contact beam having a mating interface, the mating interfaces of the contacts being arranged in a row, the connector housing including an opening to the cavity;
• a pluggable communication module plugged into the opening to mate with the contacts, the pluggable communication module comprising:
• a circuit card including a substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface, the substrate having an edge configured to be plugged into the opening of the connector housing;
• an EEPROM device mounted to the upper surface of the substrate, the EEPROM device including a power supply pin, a serial data pin, a serial clock pin, a ground pin, and a write control pin for programming the EEPROM device;
• and
• a contact pad field on the upper surface of the substrate proximate to the edge, the contact pad field including signal pads, ground pads, a power pad, a serial data pad, a serial clock pad, and a write pad configured to be mated with the contacts when the pluggable communication module is plugged into the receptacle connector;
• wherein the power pad is electrically connected to the power supply pin of the EEPROM device, the serial data pad is electrically connected to the serial data pin of the EEPROM device, the serial clock pad is electrically connected to the serial clock pin of the EEPROM device, a programming ground pad of the ground pads is electrically connected to the ground pin of the EEPROM device, and the write pad is electrically connected to the write control pin of the EEPROM device;
• wherein the write pad is located at a programming depth from the edge of the circuit card forward of the signal pads;
• wherein the pluggable communication module is pluggable into the opening to a programming position to mate the write pad to the receptacle connector without mating to the signal pads to the receptacle connector.