Mechanism to disable dynamically a computer audio input/output connector

• US 6,981,076 B1
• Filed: 09/27/2000
• Issued: 12/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Armstrong, Anthony B., Kitten, Gary S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Auve, Glenn A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Christopher E.
• Application Number:
  US09/672,131
• Time in Patent Office: 1,917 Days
• Field of Search: 345/520, 361/42, 369/47.27, 379/388.02, 379/88.07, 379/308, 381/58, 381/59, 381/56, 439/607, 847/36, 320/148, 330/107, 330/251, 330/254, 327/385, 710/14, 713/323, 714/805, 455/563, 73/310.6
• US Class Current: 710/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• 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

Abstract

An apparatus and method are presented for dynamically disabling a first audio input/output (“I/O”) connector when an audio I/O device is coupled to a second audio I/O connector, locating the disablement point to reduce significantly any spurious noise coupled onto the primary audio I/O connector and its associated electrical components and cabling. An advantage is that it can be implemented with components that provide low resistance from the first audio I/O connector to ground, thoroughly grounding, and significantly reducing spurious noise coupled onto, the first audio I/O connector and associated electronics and cabling. This invention therefore also significantly reduces the spurious noise processed with, and therefore interfering with, the signal associated with a device coupled to a second audio I/O connector, significantly increasing the quality of the input or output signal from that secondary device. Another advantage is that the components required are relatively inexpensive and can be purchased in single units.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first audio input/output (I/O) connector provided for coupling to a first audio I/O device;

a second audio I/O connector provided for coupling to a second audio I/O device;

the first and second connectors being coupled to an audio controller by a circuit including;

a first circuit element coupling a filter device and an inverting amplifier;

a disabling device coupled to the filter device;

an integrating amplifier, the second audio I/O connector coupled between the inverting amplifier and the integrating amplifier;

a primary audio input disable connection and the first audio I/O connector coupled to the disabling device; and

a second circuit element coupling an audio input reference voltage connection between the first circuit element and the inverting amplifier.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a PCI bus connecting a PCI card slot to a card/bus controller, the audio controller connected to the PCI bus, and an I/O controller hub connected to the PCI bus.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a super I/O controller connected to the I/O controller hub.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first audio I/O connector comprises a jack.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second audio I/O connector comprises a jack.

6. A computer system, comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor;

an audio controller coupled to the processor;

a first audio I/O connector coupled to the audio controller and provided for coupling to a first audio I/O device;

a second audio I/O connector coupled to the audio controller and provided for coupling to a second audio I/O device;

a circuit coupled to the computer system including;

a first circuit element coupling a filter device and an inverting amplifier;

a disabling device coupled to the filter device;

an integrating amplifier, the second audio I/O connector coupled between the inverting amplifier and the integrating amplifier;

a primary audio input disable connection and the first audio I/O connector coupled to the disabling device; and

a second circuit element coupling an audio input reference voltage connection between the first circuit element and the inverting amplifier.

7. The computer system of claim 6, further comprising a PCI bus connected to a PCI card slot and to a card/bus controller, the audio controller connected to the PCI bus, and an I/O controller hub connected to the PCI bus.

8. The computer system of claim 7, further comprising a super I/O controller connected to the I/O controller hub.

9. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the first and second audio I/O connectors each comprise a jack.

10. The computer system of claim 6, wherein the first audio I/O connector is a jack.

11. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the second audio I/O connector comprises a jack.