Why does linux loading infrared drivers while plugging in an sdcard reader?

Question

I have a Modecom CR-202 card reader. It is Realtek inside (VID=0bda, PID=0161).

What has this hardware to do with IR? Look at the middle of dmesg's output.

[Fri May 31 12:25:09 2013] -  usb 4-5: new high-speed USB device number 2 using ehci_hcd
[Fri May 31 12:25:09 2013] -  usb 4-5: New USB device found, idVendor=0bda, idProduct=0161
[Fri May 31 12:25:09 2013] -  usb 4-5: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[Fri May 31 12:25:09 2013] -  usb 4-5: Product: USB2.0-CRW
[Fri May 31 12:25:09 2013] -  usb 4-5: Manufacturer: Generic
[Fri May 31 12:25:09 2013] -  usb 4-5: SerialNumber: 20070818000000000
[Fri May 31 12:25:09 2013] -  Initializing USB Mass Storage driver...
[Fri May 31 12:25:09 2013] -  scsi6 : usb-storage 4-5:1.1
[Fri May 31 12:25:09 2013] -  usbcore: registered new interface driver usb-storage
[Fri May 31 12:25:09 2013] -  USB Mass Storage support registered.
[Fri May 31 12:25:09 2013] -  usbcore: registered new interface driver mceusb
[Fri May 31 12:25:09 2013] -  IR NEC protocol handler initialized
[Fri May 31 12:25:09 2013] -  IR RC5(x) protocol handler initialized
[Fri May 31 12:25:09 2013] -  IR RC6 protocol handler initialized
[Fri May 31 12:25:09 2013] -  IR JVC protocol handler initialized
[Fri May 31 12:25:09 2013] -  IR Sony protocol handler initialized
[Fri May 31 12:25:09 2013] -  IR MCE Keyboard/mouse protocol handler initialized
[Fri May 31 12:25:09 2013] -  lirc_dev: IR Remote Control driver registered, major 249 
[Fri May 31 12:25:09 2013] -  IR LIRC bridge handler initialized
[Fri May 31 12:25:10 2013] -  scsi 6:0:0:0: Direct-Access     Generic- Compact Flash    1.00 PQ: 0 ANSI: 0 CCS
[Fri May 31 12:25:10 2013] -  scsi 6:0:0:1: Direct-Access     Generic- SM/xD-Picture    1.00 PQ: 0 ANSI: 0 CCS
[Fri May 31 12:25:10 2013] -  scsi 6:0:0:2: Direct-Access     Generic- SD/MMC           1.00 PQ: 0 ANSI: 0 CCS
[Fri May 31 12:25:10 2013] -  scsi 6:0:0:3: Direct-Access     Generic- MS/MS-Pro        1.00 PQ: 0 ANSI: 0 CCS
[Fri May 31 12:25:10 2013] -  sd 6:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg2 type 0
[Fri May 31 12:25:10 2013] -  sd 6:0:0:1: Attached scsi generic sg3 type 0
[Fri May 31 12:25:10 2013] -  sd 6:0:0:2: Attached scsi generic sg4 type 0
[Fri May 31 12:25:10 2013] -  sd 6:0:0:3: Attached scsi generic sg5 type 0
[Fri May 31 12:25:11 2013] -  sd 6:0:0:0: [sdc] Attached SCSI removable disk
[Fri May 31 12:25:11 2013] -  sd 6:0:0:3: [sdf] Attached SCSI removable disk
[Fri May 31 12:25:11 2013] -  sd 6:0:0:1: [sdd] Attached SCSI removable disk
[Fri May 31 12:25:11 2013] -  sd 6:0:0:2: [sde] Attached SCSI removable disk

Answer 1

Apparently at least some devices identified by the USB ID 0bda:0161 have an infrared interface. E.g., this mailing list posting refers to some “realtek smartcard reader with MCE remote, usb in front and sd/cf/sim reader”, which is seen in the lsusb -vv output as:

Bus 001 Device 005: ID 0bda:0161 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. Mass Storage Device
Device Descriptor:
  bLength                18
  bDescriptorType         1
  bcdUSB               2.00
  bDeviceClass            0 (Defined at Interface level)
  bDeviceSubClass         0 
  bDeviceProtocol         0 
  bMaxPacketSize0        64
  idVendor           0x0bda Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
  idProduct          0x0161 Mass Storage Device
  bcdDevice           61.10
  iManufacturer           1 Generic
  iProduct                2 USB2.0-CRW
  iSerial                 3 20070818000000000
  bNumConfigurations      1
  Configuration Descriptor:
    bLength                 9
    bDescriptorType         2
    wTotalLength          139
    bNumInterfaces          3
    bConfigurationValue     1
    iConfiguration          4 CARD READER
    bmAttributes         0xa0
      (Bus Powered)
      Remote Wakeup
    MaxPower              500mA
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength                 9
      bDescriptorType         4
      bInterfaceNumber        0
      bAlternateSetting       0
      bNumEndpoints           3
      bInterfaceClass        11 Chip/SmartCard
      bInterfaceSubClass      0 
      bInterfaceProtocol      0 
      iInterface              6 Smart Card Reader Interface
      ChipCard Interface Descriptor:
        bLength                54
        bDescriptorType        33
        bcdCCID              1.10  (Warning: Only accurate for version 1.0)
        nMaxSlotIndex           0
        bVoltageSupport         7  5.0V 3.0V 1.8V 
        dwProtocols             3  T=0 T=1
        dwDefaultClock       3750
        dwMaxiumumClock      7500
        bNumClockSupported      0
        dwDataRate          10080 bps
        dwMaxDataRate      312500 bps
        bNumDataRatesSupp.      0
        dwMaxIFSD             254
        dwSyncProtocols  00000000 
        dwMechanical     00000000 
        dwFeatures       00010030
          Auto clock change
          Auto baud rate change
          TPDU level exchange
        dwMaxCCIDMsgLen       271
        bClassGetResponse      00
        bClassEnvelope         00
        wlcdLayout           none
        bPINSupport             0 
        bMaxCCIDBusySlots       1
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x83  EP 3 IN
        bmAttributes            3
          Transfer Type            Interrupt
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0040  1x 64 bytes
        bInterval               8
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x05  EP 5 OUT
        bmAttributes            2
          Transfer Type            Bulk
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0200  1x 512 bytes
        bInterval               0
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x86  EP 6 IN
        bmAttributes            2
          Transfer Type            Bulk
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0200  1x 512 bytes
        bInterval               0
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength                 9
      bDescriptorType         4
      bInterfaceNumber        1
      bAlternateSetting       0
      bNumEndpoints           2
      bInterfaceClass         8 Mass Storage
      bInterfaceSubClass      6 SCSI
      bInterfaceProtocol     80 Bulk (Zip)
      iInterface              5 Bulk-In, Bulk-Out, Interface
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x01  EP 1 OUT
        bmAttributes            2
          Transfer Type            Bulk
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0200  1x 512 bytes
        bInterval               0
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x82  EP 2 IN
        bmAttributes            2
          Transfer Type            Bulk
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0200  1x 512 bytes
        bInterval               0
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength                 9
      bDescriptorType         4
      bInterfaceNumber        2
      bAlternateSetting       0
      bNumEndpoints           2
      bInterfaceClass       255 Vendor Specific Class
      bInterfaceSubClass    255 Vendor Specific Subclass
      bInterfaceProtocol    255 Vendor Specific Protocol
      iInterface              7 eHome Infrared Receiver   
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x07  EP 7 OUT
        bmAttributes            3
          Transfer Type            Interrupt
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0040  1x 64 bytes
        bInterval               8
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x88  EP 8 IN
        bmAttributes            3
          Transfer Type            Interrupt
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0040  1x 64 bytes
        bInterval               8
Device Qualifier (for other device speed):
  bLength                10
  bDescriptorType         6
  bcdUSB               2.00
  bDeviceClass            0 (Defined at Interface level)
  bDeviceSubClass         0 
  bDeviceProtocol         0 
  bMaxPacketSize0        64
  bNumConfigurations      1
Device Status:     0x0000
  (Bus Powered)

There are three interfaces on this device: smart card reader (used for SIM cards), mass storage (used for flash memory cards) and “eHome Infrared Receiver“.

Your device might be using the same chip, but with the infrared part left unconnected by the manufacturer.