Adapter and method for converting data interface hardware on a computer peripheral device

• US 6,558,201 B1
• Filed: 10/20/1999
• Issued: 05/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Begley, Paul V, Standiford, Gregory A
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Tulsidas
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, THANH TAM T
• Application Number:
  US09/420,993
• Time in Patent Office: 1,294 Days
• Field of Search: 439/488, 439/638, 439/955, 710/129, 710/131
• US Class Current: 439/638
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/06 for computer periphery
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/06 Intermediate parts for linking two coupling parts, e.g. adapter with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/94
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/955 including electronic identifier or coding means

Abstract

An adapter and method for converting the data interface hardware of a computer peripheral device. A set of connectors is arranged to mate with the interface conductors of a computer peripheral device that contains the circuitry and firmware necessary to support the use of more than one computer peripheral data interface. Another set of connectors is provided to connect with the interfaces being used by a computer. An indication to the device of which of the supported data interfaces is to be used is provided.

Claims

1. An adapter for connecting a computer peripheral device to a computer, the computer peripheral device having a plurality of interface conductors, the computer peripheral device having the capability of communicating with the computer via any data interface of a plurality of data interfaces supported by the peripheral device, the adapter comprising:

a physical connection converter electrically connecting at least one of the plurality of interface conductors of the computer peripheral device to the computer, the physical connection converter is configured to use a selected data interface of the plurality of supported data interfaces; and

an indicator operable to indicate to the computer peripheral device selection of the selected computer peripheral data interface.

2. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the indicator comprises:

an electrical conductor connecting an interface selection contact of the computer peripheral device to one of the plurality of interface conductors that provides a predetermined voltage, the interface selection contact being one of the plurality of interface conductors.

3. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the physical connection converter comprises:

a device connector having a plurality of electrical contacts arranged for connection with a plurality of interface contacts of a data interface connector of the computer peripheral device, the interface contacts of the data interface connector comprising at least one of the plurality of interface conductors;

a peripheral interface connector having a plurality of signal contacts arranged for connection to a plurality of electrical contacts of a computer interface connector of the computer; and

a plurality of connections operably extending from the electrical contacts of the device connector to the signal contacts of the peripheral interface connector.

4. The adapter of claim 3, further comprising:

an audio connector having a plurality of electrical contacts arranged for connection with a plurality of signal contacts of a device audio connector of the computer peripheral device, the signal contacts of the device audio connector comprising at least one of the plurality of interface conductors;

an audio interface connector having a plurality of signal contacts arranged for connection with a plurality of electrical contacts of a computer peripheral audio interface connector associated with the indicated computer peripheral data interface; and

at least one audio connection operably extending from the electrical contacts of the audio connector to the signal contacts of the audio interface connector.

5. The adapter of claim 3, further comprising:

a power connector having a plurality of electrical contacts arranged for connection with a plurality of power contacts of a device power connector of the computer peripheral device, the power contacts of the device power connector comprising at least one of the plurality of interface conductors;

a power interface connector having a plurality of power contacts arranged for connection with a plurality of electrical contacts of a computer peripheral power interface connector associated with the indicated computer peripheral data interface; and

at least one power connection operably extending from the electrical contacts of the power connector to the power contacts of the power interface connector.

6. The adapter of claim 3, wherein the plurality of connections comprise electrically conductive traces on a printed circuit board.

7. The adapter of claim 3, wherein the plurality of connections comprise flexible wires.

8. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the physical connection converter comprises:

a device connector having a plurality of electrical contacts arranged for connection with a plurality of signal contacts of a general-purpose connector on the computer peripheral device, the signal contacts of the general-purpose connector being connected to a plurality of internal signal lines to be used for the indicated computer peripheral data interface, the signal contacts of the general-purpose connector comprising at least one of the plurality of interface conductors;

a peripheral interface connector having a plurality of signal contacts arranged for connection to a plurality of electrical contacts of a computer peripheral data interface connector, the electrical contacts of the computer peripheral data interface connector being connected to the indicated computer peripheral data interface of the computer; and

a plurality of connections operably extending from the electrical contacts of the device connector to the signal contacts of the peripheral interface connector.

9. The adapter of claim 8, further comprising:

an audio interface connector having a plurality of signal contacts arranged for connection with a plurality of electrical contacts of a computer peripheral audio interface connector associated with the indicated computer peripheral data interface;

the device connector includes a plurality of audio signal contacts arranged for connection with the signal contacts of the general-purpose connector that are associated with an audio interface of the computer peripheral device; and

at least one audio connection operably extending from the audio signal contacts of the device connector to the signal contacts of the audio interface connector.

10. The adapter of claim 8, further comprising:

a power interface connector having a plurality of power contacts arranged for connection with a plurality of electrical contacts of a computer peripheral power interface connector associated with the indicated computer peripheral data interface;

the device connector includes a plurality of power contacts arranged for connection with the signal contacts of the general-purpose connector that are associated with a power interface of the computer peripheral device; and

at least one power connection operably extending from the power contacts of the device connector to the power contacts of the power interface connector.

11. The adapter of claim 8, wherein the plurality of connections comprise electrically conductive traces on a printed circuit board.

12. The adapter of claim 8, wherein the plurality of connections comprise flexible wires.

13. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the physical connection converter comprises:

a device connector having a plurality of electrical contacts arranged for connection with a plurality of electrically conductive pads of a printed circuit board of the computer peripheral device, the conductive pads being connected to a plurality of internal signal lines to be used for the indicated computer peripheral data interface, the conductive pads comprising at least one of the plurality of interface conductors;

a peripheral interface connector having a plurality of signal contacts arranged for connection with a plurality of electrical contacts of a computer peripheral data interface connector, the electrical contacts of the computer peripheral data interface being connected to the indicated computer peripheral data interface of the computer; and

a plurality of connections operably extending from the electrical contacts of the device connector to the signal contacts of the peripheral interface connector.

14. The adapter of claim 13, further comprising:

an audio interface connector having a plurality of signal contacts arranged for connection with a plurality of electrical contacts of a computer peripheral audio interface connector associated with the indicated computer peripheral data interface;

the device connector includes a plurality of audio signal contacts arranged for connection with electrically conductive pads of the printed circuit board that are associated with an audio interface of the computer peripheral device; and

at least one audio connection operably extending from the audio signal contacts of the device connector to the signal contacts of the audio interface connector.

15. The adapter of claim 13, further comprising:

a power interface connector having a plurality of power contacts arranged for connection with a plurality of electrical contacts of a computer peripheral power interface connector associated with the indicated computer peripheral data interface;

the device connector includes a plurality of power contacts arranged for connection with electrically conductive pads of the printed circuit board that are associated with a power interface of the computer peripheral device; and

at least one power connection operably extending from the power contacts of the device connector to the power contacts of the power interface connector.

16. The adapter of claim 13, wherein the plurality of connections comprise electrically conductive traces on a printed circuit board.

17. The adapter of claim 13, wherein the plurality of connections comprise flexible wires.

18. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the physical connection converter comprises:

an audio connector having a plurality of electrical contacts arranged for connection with a plurality of audio signal contacts of a device audio connector on the computer peripheral device, the audio signal contacts of the device audio connector comprising at least one of the plurality of the interface conductors;

an audio interface connector having a plurality of signal contacts arranged for connection with a plurality of electrical contacts of a computer peripheral audio interface connector associated with the indicated computer peripheral data interface;

at least one audio connection operably extending from the electrical contacts of the audio connector to the signal contacts of the audio interface connector;

a power connector having a plurality of electrical contacts arranged for connection with power contacts of a device power connector on the computer peripheral device, the power contacts of the device power connector comprising at least one of the plurality of the interface conductors;

a power interface connector having a plurality of power contacts arranged for connection with a plurality of power contacts of a computer peripheral power interface connector associated with the indicated computer peripheral data interface; and

at least one power connection operably extending from the electrical contacts of the power connector to the power contacts of the power interface connector.

19. A method for connecting a computer peripheral device to a computer, the computer peripheral device having a plurality of interface conductors, the computer peripheral device having the capability of communicating with the computer via any data interface of a plurality of data interfaces supported by the peripheral device, the method comprising the steps of:

electrically connecting at least one of the plurality of interface conductors of the computer peripheral device to the computer using a physical connection converter; and

indicating to the computer peripheral device, using the physical connection converter, selection of a selected data interface of the plurality of supported data interfaces.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the steps of:

connecting an audio connector of the computer peripheral device to the computer; and

connecting a power connector of the computer peripheral device to a power supply of the computer.