Bus connector

• US 5,871,368 A
• Filed: 11/19/1996
• Issued: 02/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Erdner, Todd D., Hart, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Stephan, Steven L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, TULSIDAS C
• Application Number:
  US08/751,805
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• Field of Search: 439/188, 439/489, 439/490, 361/686
• US Class Current: 439/188
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/7094 with switch operated by engagement of PCB
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/725 containing contact members presenting a contact carrying strip, e.g. edge-like strip
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/06 for computer periphery

Abstract

A power supply supplies power from a bus at a hub to a peripheral over a bus which plugs into a connector at the hub, the connector having a plurality of contacts, including at least two power contacts the power supply. When the bus is plugged into the connector, a mated contact is provided in the connector at the hub. When a mating connector on the bus is plugged in, one of the plurality of contacts is shorted to the mated contact. The sensed shorting at the mated contact is used to control the ramping of current on the power lines of connector.

Claims

1. A connector adapted to accept a mating connector on the end of a bus comprising:

a. a plurality of contacts including at least two power contacts, each adapted to make contact with a corresponding contact in the mating connector; and

b. an additional contact mated to one of said plurality of contacts, such that, when no mating connector is plugged into said connector, said mated contact is not shorted to said one of said plurality of contacts and when a mating connector is plugged into said connector, said additional mated contact is shorted to the one of said plurality of contacts to which it is mated.

2. A connector according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of contacts include a pair of data contacts and a pair of power contacts.

3. A connector according to claim 2 where said bus is a Universal Serial Bus.

4. A connector according to claim 3 wherein said power contacts include a voltage contact and a ground contact and said mated contact is adapted to be mated to said ground contact.

5. A bus hub comprising:

a. a bus which has lines for power and data; and

b. a connector adapted to accept a mating connector, said connector including a plurality of contacts, one coupled to each line of said bus and each adapted to make contact with a corresponding contact in the mating connector, and an additional contact mated to one of said plurality of contacts, such that, when no mating connector is plugged into said connector, said additional contact is not shorted to said one of said plurality of contacts and, when a mating connector is plugged into said connector, said additional mated contact is shorted to the one of said plurality of contacts to which is mated.

6. A bus hub according to claim 5 wherein said plurality of contacts include a pair of data contacts and a pair of power contacts.

7. A bus hub according to claim 6 wherein said bus is a Universal Serial Bus.

8. A bus hub according to claim 6 wherein said power contacts include a voltage contact and a ground contact and said mated contact is mated to said ground contact.

9. A bus hub according to claim 5 and further including a printed circuit board on which traces for said bus lines are formed, said plurality of contacts coupled to said traces and further including an additional trace to which said mated contact is coupled.

10. A computer system comprising:

a. a hub including;

i. a bus which has lines for power; and

ii. a hub connector including a plurality of contacts, each coupled to a respective line of said bus and each adapted to make contact with a corresponding contact in the mating connector, and an additional contact mated to one of said plurality of contacts such that, when no mating connector is plugged into said connector, said additional contact is not shorted to said one of said plurality of contacts and, when a mating connector is plugged into said connector, said additional mated contact is shorted to the one of said plurality of contacts to which is mated,

b. a bus having a mating connector on one end thereof coupled to said hub connector said mating connector causing said additional mated contact to be shorted to the one of said plurality of contacts to which it is mated; and

c. a peripheral at the other end of said bus to which power is supplied via said bus.

11. A computer system according to claim 10 wherein said plurality of contacts include a pair of data contacts and a pair of power contacts.

12. A computer system according to claim 11 wherein said power contacts include a voltage contact and a ground contact and said mated contact is mated to said ground contact.

13. A computer system according to claim 10 and further including a computer with a processor and a power supply, said computer being a host for said peripheral and said power lines of said bus coupled to said power supply.

14. A computer system according to claim 13 wherein said computer is a personal computer with a housing, said hub installed within the housing of said computer and said peripheral being external to said housing.

15. A computer system according to claim 14 wherein said personal computer is a laptop computer.

16. A computer system according to claim 14 wherein said bus is a Universal Serial Bus.

17. A computer system according to claim 14 and further including a printed circuit board on which traces for said bus lines are formed, said plurality of contacts coupled to said traces and further including an additional trace to which said mated contact is coupled.

18. A method of reducing the overloading of a power supply which supplies power from a bus at a hub to a peripheral over a bus which plugs into a connector at the hub, said connector having a plurality of contacts, including at least two power contacts, when a mating connector on the bus is plugged into said connector, comprising:

a. shorting one of said plurality of contacts to a mated contact;

b. sensing the shorting at said mated contact; and

c. controlling the ramping of current on the power contacts of said connector in response to said sensing.

19. A method according to claim 18 where in one of said power contacts is a ground contact and said mated contact is shorted to said ground contact.