Adaptive Plug With Discriminating Functionality

• US 20090221170A1
• Filed: 12/28/2006
• Published: 09/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Leinonen, Pekka, Vuori, Petri
• Application Number:
  US12/087,322
• Publication Number:
  US 20090221170A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/223
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/642 by position or shape of contact members
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 27/02 for simultaneous co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries

Abstract

A charging plug for charging a mobile terminal, includes a plug element for carrying current, and also includes a portion extending beyond the plug element.

That portion is long enough to prevent the plug element from contacting the mobile terminal, if the mobile terminal requires a smaller current. However, the portion is short enough to allow the plug element to contact the mobile terminal if the mobile terminal is equipped to handle the current carried by the plug element. According to an additional embodiment, the portion extending beyond the plug element will provide the smaller current if the smaller current is required.

Claims

1. A charging plug, comprising:

a plug element configured to carry a first current;

a portion extending beyond an end of the plug element,

wherein said portion is long enough to prevent the plug element from contacting a mobile terminal if the mobile terminal requires a second current that is less than the first current.

2. The charging plug of claim 1, wherein the portion is short enough to allow the plug element to contact the mobile terminal if the mobile terminal is equipped to handle the first current.

3. The charging plug of claim 1, wherein the portion is for carrying the second current.

4. The charging plug of claim 1, wherein the portion has a second current ground that is less than a first ground of the plug element.

5. The charging plug of claim 4,

wherein the charging plug has at least one groove or protuberance for alignment with the mobile terminal, if the mobile terminal is equipped to handle the first current, and

wherein said alignment allows the plug element to contact the mobile terminal, and lack of said alignment prevents the plug element from contacting the mobile terminal.

11. The charging plug of claim 1, wherein the second means is short enough to allow the first means to contact the mobile terminal if the mobile terminal is equipped to handle the first current.

6. A mobile terminal comprising:

a jack element for receiving a charge; and

a battery for storing the charge,

wherein the jack element is sufficiently long to contact a second current,

wherein the jack element has added length for contacting a first current, and

wherein the second current is less than the first current.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein the jack element is configured to be charged by the first current if a plug element is sufficiently long to reach the first current, and is further configured to otherwise be charged by the second current.

8. A system for charging mobile terminals, comprising:

a first mobile terminal having a first jack;

a second mobile terminal having a second jack;

a first current charger including a first plug element for carrying a first current;

a second current charger having a second plug element for carrying a second current that is less than the first current;

wherein the second jack has a second jack element that is shorter than a first jack element of the first jack,

wherein the first jack element is long enough to reach either the first plug element or the second plug element, and

wherein the second jack element is too short to reach the first plug element, but long enough to reach the second plug element.

9. The system of claim 8,

wherein the first current charger further includes a portion for carrying the second current, and

wherein the second jack element is long enough to reach the portion carrying the second current.

10. A charging plug, comprising:

first means, for carrying a first current;

second means, for extending beyond an end of the first means,

wherein said second means is long enough to prevent the plug element from contacting a mobile terminal if the mobile terminal requires a second current that is less than the first current.