US Patent 7321313 Electronic insertion/extraction cycle counter and logger device

A monitoring system monitors wear of a connector by counting insertions or extractions between circuit boards. The monitoring system includes a sensor that senses insertions or extractions through contact or non-contact sensing. The monitoring system also includes a monitor connected to the sensor to monitor insertions or extractions and, optionally, store data in memory and generate an alarm signal if a predetermined threshold has been exceeded. The monitoring system may be positioned at any location in an electronic system and may be configured such that the sensor connects to the monitor directly, indirectly, or over a network.