PCMCIA architecture
Card information structure (CIS)
- separate memory space for manufacturer information on card
- also used as configuration space for card, e.g., modem baud rate
Layers of software make card usable by the system
- socket services: reads CIS, configures card on behalf of card services, sends commands to card interface, forward interrupts (independent of specific cards)
- card services: operating system component, performs resource allocation for applications, keeps track of insertion and removal of cards, uses socket service to interact with card (independent of specific cards)
- card drivers: actually know how to use specific cards and use card services to execute operations