ADAPTER FOR USE WITH A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20140075210A1
• Filed: 09/07/2012
• Published: 03/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Rich, Zachary C., Siahaan, Edward, Colahan, Ian
• Granted Patent: US 9,459,670 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/32 Means for saving power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/065 with built-in electric apparatus

Abstract

An adapter for enabling connection of a portable electronic device with an accessory includes two connectors, an identification device, a power control device, and power clamping circuitry. All of these components may be included in a single integrated housing. Another adapter may have a cable with two connectors connected to either end of the cable. One of the connectors may house the identification device and the power control device. Optionally, the adapter may also house the power clamp circuitry.

Claims

1. An adapter comprising:

a housing including a first side and a second side;

a first connector disposed at the first side;

a second connector disposed at the second side;

an identification device coupled to the first connector and disposed in the housing, the identification device storing identification information for the adapter; and

a power control device disposed in the housing and coupled to the identification device, the first connector, and the second connector, wherein the power control device is configured to control a power path between the second connector and the first connector.

2. The adapter of claim 1 wherein the first connector comprises between 4 and 16 contacts arranged in opposing pairs and wherein a first contact from a pair of contacts is disposed on a top surface of a printed circuit board (PCB) and a second contact from the pair of contacts is disposed on a bottom surface of the PCB directly below the first contact.

3. The adapter of claim 1 wherein the first connector comprises:

a tab portion that extends from the housing to a predetermined distance;

a first plurality of contacts arranged on an upper surface of the tab;

a second plurality of contacts arranged on a bottom surface of the tab;

wherein each contact in the first plurality of contacts is located directly above a corresponding contact in the second plurality of contacts.

4. The adapter of claim 3 wherein the first plurality of contacts and the second plurality of contacts are exposed to the environment.

5. The adapter of claim 1 wherein the second connector is a universal serial bus (USB) connector.

6. The adapter of claim 1 wherein the identification device is implemented as a single integrated circuit (IC) chip.

7. The adapter of claim 1 wherein the power control device is implemented as a single integrated circuit (IC) chip.

8. The adapter of claim 1 further comprising power clamping circuitry coupled to the power control device, the power clamping circuitry configured to present a voltage at the input of the power control device that does not exceed a predetermined value.

9. An adapter comprising:

a cable having a first end and a second end;

a first connector attached to the first end of the cable; and

a second connector attached to the second end of the cable,

wherein the first connector comprises;

an identification device configured to store identification information for the accessory and communicate the identification information to a portable electronic device upon connection of the portable electronic device to the first connector; and

a power control device coupled to the identification device and the second connector and configured to control a power path between the second connector and the first connector.

10. The adapter of claim 9 further comprising a power clamp circuit coupled to the power control device and configured to ensure that a voltage at the input of the power control device does not exceed a predetermined value.

11. The adapter of claim 9 wherein the identification device is implemented as single integrated circuit (IC) chip.

12. The adapter of claim 9 wherein the power control device is implemented as single integrated circuit (IC) chip.

13. The adapter of claim 9 wherein the identification device and the power control device are together implemented as single integrated circuit (IC) chip.

14. The adapter of claim 9 wherein the second connector is a micro universal serial bus (μ

USB) connector.

15. The adapter of claim 9 wherein the power control circuitry comprises a first power path and a second power path and wherein a first resistance of the first power path is higher than a second resistance of the second power path.

16. The adapter of claim 9 wherein the first connector comprises between 4 and 16 contacts arranged in opposing pairs and wherein a first contact from a pair of contacts is disposed on a top surface of a printed circuit board (PCB) and a second contact from the pair of contacts is disposed on a bottom surface of the PCB directly below the first contact.

17. A method for using an adapter that includes a first connector, a second connector, an identification device, and a power control device, the method comprising:

upon connection of a portable electronic device to the first connector and connection of an accessory to the second connector, sending, by the identification device, identification information associated with the adapter to the portable electronic device, the identification information being stored in the identification device;

sending, by the identification device to the power control device, a signal to enable a power path between the accessory and the portable electronic device; and

enabling, by the power control device, the power path between the accessory and the portable electronic device.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

sending, by the identification device, authentication information to the portable electronic device, the authentication information being stored in the identification device.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the first connector comprises between 4 and 16 contacts arranged in opposing pairs and wherein a first contact from a pair of contacts is disposed on a top surface of a printed circuit board (PCB) and a second contact from the pair of contacts is disposed on a bottom surface of the PCB directly below the first contact.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the power control device includes a first power path that has a first resistance and a second power path that has a second resistance higher than the first resistance and wherein enabling the power path comprises enabling the first power path.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the first power path is connected in parallel to the second power path.