COMMUNICATIONS CABLE WITH STATUS INDICATOR FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICES

• US 20170187152A1
• Filed: 03/14/2017
• Published: 06/29/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Western Digital Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Jenkins, Dean M., Kakish, Musa I.
• Granted Patent: US 9,893,476 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/665 with built-in electronic circuit H01R13/70, H01R13/719 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7172 Conduits for light transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7175 Light emitting diodes (LEDs)

Abstract

An electronic device system can include an electronic device. The electronic device can include a receptacle, and a device logic driving status unit configured to generate a status signal indicating activity of the electronic device, and a communications cable. The communications cable can include a first plug configured to connect to the receptacle and receive the status signal, wherein the first plug includes a status indicator configured to indicate activity of the electronic device based on the status signal.

Claims

1. An electronic device system comprising:

an electronic device comprising;

a receptacle, and

a device logic driving status unit configured to generate a status signal indicating a status of the electronic device; and

a communications cable comprising;

a cable unit, and

a first plug coupled to one end of the cable unit and configured to connect to the receptacle and to the device logic driving status unit of the electronic device, wherein the first plug comprises a status indicator driven by the status signal, and wherein the status indicator is configured to indicate the status of the electronic device based on the status signal;

wherein the device logic driving status unit is further configured to detect whether the first plug is connected to the receptacle and to commence transmission of the status signal to the status indicator of the connected first plug such that the status indicator is indicative of the status of the electronic device.

2. The electronic device system of claim 1, wherein the status indicator comprises one or more lights.

3. The electronic device system of claim 1, wherein:

the status indicator comprises a plurality of lights;

at least one of the lights is a first color; and

at least one of the lights is a second color different from the first color.

4. The electronic device system of claim 1, wherein the status indicator is optically coupled with a light pipe.

5. The electronic device system of claim 1, wherein the status of the electronic device is associated with a temperature of the electronic device.

6. The electronic device system of claim 1, wherein the status of the electronic device is associated with a shock applied to the electronic device.

7. The electronic device system of claim 1, wherein the status of the electronic device is associated with an error with the electronic device.

8. The electronic device system of claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a data storage device.

9. The electronic device system of claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a power supply.

10. A communications cable comprising:

a cable unit; and

a first plug coupled to one end of the cable unit and configured to connect to a receptacle on an electronic device and to receive a status signal from the electronic device, wherein the first plug comprises at least a portion of a status indicator configured to indicate a status of the electronic device based on a status signal received from the electronic device;

wherein the status indicator is configured to receive the status signal only in response to the electronic device detecting that the first plug is connected to the electronic device, and wherein the status indicator is configured to be indicative of the status of the electronic device.

11. The communications cable of claim 10, wherein the status indicator comprises one or more lights.

12. The communications cable of claim 10, wherein:

the status indicator comprises a plurality of lights;

at least one of the lights is a first color; and

at least one of the lights is a second color different from the first color.

13. The communications cable of claim 10, wherein the status indicator is optically coupled with a light pipe.

14. The communications cable of claim 10, wherein the status of the electronic device is associated with at least one selected from a group consisting of a temperature of the electronic device, a shock applied to the electronic device, and an error with the electronic device.

15. The communications cable of claim 10, further comprising:

a second plug at an end opposing the first plug;

wherein the second plug comprises at least a portion of the status indicator.

16. The communications cable of claim 10, wherein the cable unit comprises at least a portion of the status indicator.

17. A method comprising:

providing a communications cable comprising a cable unit and a first plug coupled to one end of the cable unit, wherein the first plug is configured to connect to a mating receptacle of an electronic device and to the electronic device and comprises a status indicator configured to indicate a status of the electronic device based on a status signal received from the electronic device;

connecting the first plug to the electronic device so as to communicatively couple the status signal from the electronic device to the status indicator of the first plug;

detecting, by the electronic device, that the first plug is connected to the electronic device;

commencing transmission of the status signal from the electronic device to the status indicator of the connected first plug responsive to the electronic device detecting that the first plug is connected to the electronic device;

receiving the transmitted status signal from the electronic device at the status indicator of the connected first plug; and

driving the status indicator of the first plug using the received status signal such that the status indicator is indicative of the status of the electronic device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the status of the electronic device is associated with a temperature of the electronic device.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the status of the electronic device is associated with a shock applied to the electronic device.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the status of the electronic device is associated with a health indication of the electronic device.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the status of the electronic device is associated with an error with the electronic device.

22. A plug, configured to be connected to one end of a cable unit of a communications cable, the plug being configured to receive a status signal via a mating receptacle of an electronic device, the plug comprising:

a status indicator configured to indicate a status of the electronic device based on the status signal received from the electronic device;

wherein the status indicator is configured to receive the status signal transmitted in response to the electronic device detecting that the plug is connected to the electronic device and to respond in a manner that is indicative of the status of the electronic device.

23. The plug of claim 22, wherein the status indicator comprises one or more lights.

24. The plug of claim 22, wherein:

the status indicator comprises a plurality of lights;

at least one of the lights is a first color; and

at least one of the lights is a second color different from the first color.

25. The plug of claim 22, wherein the status indicator is optically coupled with a light pipe.

26. The plug of claim 22, wherein the status of the electronic device is associated with at least one selected from a group consisting of a temperature of the electronic device, a shock applied to the electronic device, and an error with the electronic device.