June 3, 2008. O₂Micro^® International Limited (NASDAQ^®: OIIM; SEHK: 0457), a leading supplier of innovative power management and security components and systems, was issued 30 claims under United States patent number 7,343,498 for its ExpressCard™ Power Switch architecture.

O₂Micro's patented ExpressCard Power Switch device provides a method for a computer system to monitor and control the ExpressCard slot, particularly for power management related functions, by means of a communication path such as SMBus. The enhancement further enables a convenient programming interface to other elements, such as system security features, that may be further integrated with the power switch device. The system and methods of the patent apply primarily to desktop and notebook computers, and docking stations.

"This invention is particularly useful in docking stations and internal security modules that provide an ExpressCard connection to a host PC," said, Max Huang, executive vice president, O₂Micro.

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