Light illuminating data communication cable

• US 10,326,245 B1
• Filed: 03/29/2018
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mobix Labs, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cosemi Technologies
• Inventors: Parekh, Devang, Nguyen, Nguyen X.
• Primary Examiner(s): Riyami, Abdullah A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Imas, Vladimir
• Application Number:
  US15/940,913
• Time in Patent Office: 446 Days
• Field of Search: 439490, 398139, 398141
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/001 the light being emitted along at least a portion of the lateral surface of the fibre
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/562 locatable, e.g. using magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/047 using display data channel standard [DDC] communication
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/22 Detection of presence or absence of input display information or of connection or disconnection of a corresponding information source
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/006 Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a display terminal using a CRT G09G1/167; using a flat panel G09G3/2096; circuits for interfacing with colour displays G09G5/04
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6683 with built-in sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7175 Light emitting diodes (LEDs)
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/065 with built-in electric apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/00 Line transmission systems combined with near-field transmission systems H04B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/46 Monitoring; Testing

Abstract

A data communication cable that is capable of informing a user via light signals regarding any operational status of the cable and/or devices to which the cable is connected. The data communication cable includes a first connector configured to connect to a first device; a second connector configured to connect to a second device; one or more communication mediums configured to route a data signal and/or a power signal between the first and second devices; and one or more illumination fibers configured to emit light. The cable may further include a light driver circuit configured to generate a drive signal for the one or more illumination fibers based on detecting one or more events. Such events may include the cable receiving power, data signal activity or loss of signal activity in the one or more communications mediums, authentication or other operations performed between the first and second devices.

Claims

1. A data communication cable, comprising:

a first connector configured to connect to a first device;

a second connector configured to connect to a second device;

one or more communication mediums configured to route at least one of a data signal or a power signal between the first and second devices; and

one or more illumination fibers configured to emit light, each of the one or more illumination fibers not configured to route signal from the first device to the second device or vice-versa.

2. The data communication cable of claim 1, further comprising a light driver circuit configured to generate a drive signal for causing the one or more illumination fibers to emit light.

3. The data communication cable of claim 2, wherein the light driver circuit is configured to generate the drive signal in response to receiving the power signal.

4. The data communication cable of claim 2, wherein the light driver circuit is configured to generate or cease generating the drive signal in response to detecting the data signal from the one or more communication mediums.

5. The data communication cable of claim 4, wherein the data signal includes a Display Data Channel (DDC) data signal or Auxiliary (AUX) Channel data signal.

6. The data communication cable of claim 2, wherein the light driver circuit is configured to generate or cease generating the drive signal in response to not detecting the data signal from the one or more communication mediums.

7. The data communication cable of claim 2, wherein the light driver circuit is configured to generate or cease generating the drive signal in response to receiving a triggering signal from the first device or the second device.

8. The data communication cable of claim 7, wherein the triggering signal indicates a result of an authentication operation performed between the first and second devices.

9. The data communication cable of claim 7, wherein the triggering signal indicates a result of a successful transfer of the data signal between the first and second devices.

10. The data communication cable of claim 7, wherein the data signal includes Extended Display Identification Data (EDID) information, and the triggering signal indicates whether the first device received the EDID information from the second device.

11. The data communication cable of claim 7, wherein the triggering signal indicates whether an Audio Return Channel (ARC) is available.

12. The data communication cable of claim 2, further comprising a sensor configured to generate a signal based on a sensed parameter, wherein the light driver circuit is configured to generate or cease generating the drive signal in response to the sensed parameter signal.

13. The data communication cable of claim 2, wherein the light driver circuit is configured to generate the drive signal to cause the one or more illumination fibers to emit light with a set of distinct characteristics based on a set of distinct events, respectively.

14. The data communication cable of claim 13, wherein the set of distinct characteristics includes at least two different hues for the emitted light.

15. The data communication cable of claim 13, wherein the set of distinct characteristics includes at least two different strobing patterns for the emitted light.

16. The data communication cable of claim 1, wherein the one or more illumination fibers extend longitudinally in a direction from the first connector towards the second connector.

17. The data communication cable of claim 16, further comprising a sleeve configured to at least partially enclose the one or more illumination fibers and the one or more communication mediums, wherein the sleeve is at least partially transparent or translucent.

18. The data communication cable of claim 1, wherein the one or more illumination fibers are situated within at least one of the first connector or the second connector, and wherein the at least one of the first connector or the second connector includes a housing that is at least partially transparent or translucent.

19. The data communication cable of claim 1, wherein the data signal is compliant with High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), DisplayPort, Digital Visual Interface (DVI), Universal Serial Bus (USB), or Quad Small Form-factor Pluggable (QSFP) standard.

20. The data communication cable of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first connector or the second connector includes a battery or a port for receiving a second power signal from a third device, wherein the one or more illumination fibers are configured to emit the light based on the second power signal.

21. The data communication cable of claim 1, wherein the one or more illumination fibers comprises a light diffusing fiber, light emitting diode (LED) wire, or an electroluminescent wire.

22. A data communication cable, comprising:

a first connector configured to connect to a first device;

a second connector configured to connect to a second device;

one or more communication mediums extending from the first connector to the second connector, wherein the one or more communication mediums are configured to route at least a data signal between the first and second devices;

one or more illumination fibers configured to emit light, wherein the one or more illumination fibers extend in a direction from the first device towards the second device, and wherein each of the one or more illumination fibers is not configured to route signal from the first device to the second device or vice-versa;

a light driver circuit situated within at least one of the first or second connector, wherein the light driver circuit is configured to generate a drive signal for causing the one or more illumination fibers to emit light; and

a sleeve configured to at least partially enclose the one or more communication mediums and the one or more illumination fibers, wherein the sleeve is at least partially transparent or translucent.

23. A data communication cable, comprising:

a first connector configured to connect to a first device;

a second connector configured to connect to a second device;

one or more communication mediums extending from the first connector to the second connector, wherein the one or more communication mediums are configured to route at least a data signal between the first and second devices;

one or more illumination fibers configured to emit light, wherein the one or more illumination fibers are situated within at least one of the first connector or the second connector and wherein each of the one or more illumination fibers is not configured to route signal from the first device to the second device or vice-versa; and

one or more light driver circuits situated within at least one of the first connector or the second connector, wherein the one or more light driver circuit are configured to generate a drive signal for causing the one or more illumination fibers to emit light through at least the first connector or the second connector.