Sequentially unlocking expansion slots
AssigneeGateway, Inc.
InventorMichael Janicek
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A lockout apparatus for a number of expansion slots in a printed circuit board includes a lockout mechanism for the expansion slots. Each lockout mechanism includes a lockout member movable between a first position in which its respective expansion slot is blocked, and a second position in which its respective expansion slot is open. Only a single expansion slot is available for use at any one time. In another embodiment, add-on card installed into expansion slots may be retained in the expansion slot when the next expansion slot is filled.
Claims5
A method of sequential access to a plurality of expansion slots of a printed circuit board, the method comprising:
- blocking access to all but the first of the plurality of expansion slots;
- and
- automatically opening access to the next of the plurality of expansion slots upon installation of an add-on card into the first of the expansion slots.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.