Backward Compatible Connectivity for High Data Rate Applications

• US 20150171576A1
• Filed: 01/29/2015
• Published: 06/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panduit Corporation
• Original Assignee: Panduit Corporation
• Inventors: Bolouri-Saransar, Masud, Babu, Surendra Chitti, Wachtel, Paul W., Nordin, Ronald A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,698,547 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6461 Means for preventing cross-talk
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/658 High frequency shielding arrangements, e.g. against EMI [Electro-Magnetic Interference] or EMP [Electro-Magnetic Pulse] coaxial coupling devices specially adapted for high frequency H01R24/40; for flat or ribbon cable connectors H01R12/774; for coaxial cable H01R9/05
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6658 on printed circuit board H01R13/6666 - H01R13/6691 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/703 operated by engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, e.g. dual-continuity coupling partH01R13/71 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2107/00 Four or more poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/62 Sliding engagements with one side only, e.g. modular jack coupling devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/64 for high frequency, e.g. RJ 45
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 27/00 Coupling parts adapted for co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts for dissimilar contact members H01R13/35; supported only by co-operation with a counterpart H01R31/00; with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/90
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 29/00 Coupling parts for selective co-operation with a counterpart in different ways to establish different circuits, e.g. for voltage selection, for series-parallel selection, programmable connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0228 Compensation of cross-talk by a mutually correlated lay-out of printed circuit traces, e.g. for compensation of cross-talk in mounted connectors balanced signal pairs H05K1/0245
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0239 Signal transmission by AC coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10189 Non-printed connector

Abstract

The present invention provides a communication jack for connecting to one of a first plug and a second plug. The jack includes a housing, plug interface contacts, and coupling circuitry. The plug interface contacts are at least partially within said housing and include a plurality of contact pairs having at least a first contact pair and a second contact pair. The coupling circuitry is configured for engaging said first contact pair and said second contact pair when said first plug is inserted into said housing. The coupling circuitry is configured for disengaging from said first contact pair and said second contact pair when said second plug is inserted into said housing.

Claims

1. A communication jack for connecting to a first plug and a second plug, said jack comprising:

a housing including a plug receiving aperture;

a first plurality of plug interface contacts in said plug receiving aperture for connection to said first plug and including a plurality of first contact pairs, a subset of said first contact pairs also for connection to said second plug;

a second plurality of plug interface contacts in said plug receiving aperture for connection to said second plug; and

at least one ground contact at least partially within said housing for providing a signal ground for said subset of said first contact pairs when said jack is connected to said second plug.

2. The communication jack of claim 1 further comprising coupling circuitry having a first circuit which engages said first set of plug interface contacts when said first plug is inserted into said plug receiving aperture and a second circuit which engages said second set of plug interface contacts when said second plug is inserted into said plug receiving aperture.

3. The communication jack of claim 2 further comprising a circuit board within said housing, wherein said coupling circuitry is on said circuit board.

4. The communication jack of claim 3, wherein said circuit board is movable between a first position in which said first circuit engages said first set of plug interface contacts and a second position in which said second circuit engages said second set of plug interface contacts.

5. The communication jack of claim 4 further comprising a set of cable connecting contacts, wherein in said first position said first circuit connects said first set of plug interface contacts with said cable connecting contacts, and wherein in said second position said second circuit connects said second set of plug interface contacts with said cable connecting contacts.

6. The communication jack of claim 2 further comprising a shield associated with said housing, wherein at least one pair of said first set of plug interface contacts is connected to said shield when at least one of said first plug and said second plug is inserted into said plug receiving aperture.

7. The communication jack of claim 2, wherein said first circuit is electrically isolated from said second circuit.

8. The communication jack of claim 2, wherein said first circuit is at least partially coupled to said second circuit.