Plug Insertion Detection Circuits and Related Methods and Communications Connectors
First Claim
1. A method of detecting a plug insertion into a plug aperture of a communications connector that includes a plurality of input ports, a plurality of output ports, and a plurality of conductive paths that connect respective ones of the input ports to respective ones of the output ports, where the conductive paths are configured as a plurality of differential pairs of conductive paths, the method comprising:
- transmitting a control signal to a control signal input circuit on the communications connector that includes a reactive coupling element;
electromagnetically coupling the control signal through the control signal input circuit;
detecting the electromagnetically coupled control signal on a first of the differential pairs of conductive paths; and
determining that a plug is present in the plug aperture based at least in part on detecting the electromagnetically coupled control signal on the first of the differential pairs of conductive paths.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods of detecting a plug insertion into a plug aperture of a communications connector are provided in which a control signal is transmitted to a control signal input circuit of the connector that includes a reactive coupling element. The control signal is electromagnetically coupled through the control signal input circuit. The electromagnetically coupled control signal is thereafter detected on a first differential pair of conductive paths that are included in the connector. A determination is made that a plug is present in the plug aperture based at least in part on detecting the electromagnetically coupled control signal on the first differential pair of conductive paths.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of detecting a plug insertion into a plug aperture of a communications connector that includes a plurality of input ports, a plurality of output ports, and a plurality of conductive paths that connect respective ones of the input ports to respective ones of the output ports, where the conductive paths are configured as a plurality of differential pairs of conductive paths, the method comprising:
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transmitting a control signal to a control signal input circuit on the communications connector that includes a reactive coupling element; electromagnetically coupling the control signal through the control signal input circuit; detecting the electromagnetically coupled control signal on a first of the differential pairs of conductive paths; and determining that a plug is present in the plug aperture based at least in part on detecting the electromagnetically coupled control signal on the first of the differential pairs of conductive paths. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A communications jack, comprising:
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a plurality of spring contacts that have plug contact regions that comprise input ports of the communications jack; a plurality of wire connection contacts that include wire contact regions that comprise output ports of the communications jack; a plurality of conductive paths that connect respective ones of the spring contacts to respective ones of the wire connection contacts, where the conductive paths are arranged as a plurality of differential pairs of conductive paths; a control signal input circuit that is configured to inject a common mode control signal onto a first of the differential pairs of conductive paths; a control signal output circuit that is configured to output at least a portion of the injected common mode control signal; and a plug insertion detection circuit that is coupled to the control signal output circuit. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of detecting insertion of a plug into a plug aperture of a communications jack, the method comprising:
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transmitting a plug insertion detection signal to a plug insertion detection circuit that includes a switch that selectively opens and closes the plug insertion detection circuit; receiving a received version of the plug insertion detection signal at a receiver; and determining that the plug is present within the plug aperture based on receipt of the received version of the plug insertion detection signal. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21-30. -30. (canceled)
Specification