Plug detection mechanisms

• US 7,789,697 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2008
• Issued: 09/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Fiennes, Hugo
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; T C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Imas; Vladimir
• Application Number:
  US12/156,396
• Publication Number:
  US 20080305676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 439/489, 439/188, 439/668, 439/669, 439/490, 439/955, 200/51.1
• US Class Current: 439/489
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7031 Shorting, shunting or bussing of different terminals interrupted or effected on engagement of coupling part, e.g. for ESD protection, line continuity
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7035 comprising a separated limit switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2105/00 Three poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/58 Contacts spaced along longitudinal axis of engagement

Abstract

Plug detection mechanisms can be provided for detecting when a plug of an accessory component is present within a jack of an electronic device. A detect contact and a jack contact may be positioned within a receptacle of the jack such that a signal path may be created through the plug and between the detect contact and the jack contact when the plug is present within the receptacle of the jack. The detect contact may be biased to exert a retention force on the plug. The detect contact may be positioned to contact the plug within an indent of the plug.

Claims

1. A plug detect apparatus for detecting the presence of a plug, wherein the plug has at least a first plug contact, the plug detect apparatus comprising:

a receptacle configured to accept the plug;

a first receptacle contact disposed in the receptacle, wherein the first receptacle contact is configured to communicate with the first plug contact;

a detect contact disposed in the receptacle relative to the first receptacle contact so that the presence of the plug within the receptacle creates a signal path through the plug and between the detect contact and the first receptacle contact, wherein the detect contact and the first receptacle contact both contact the same first plug contact when the plug is present in the receptacle; and

detection circuitry coupled to the detect contact and the first receptacle contact to detect that the signal path is a low or a high impedance path.

2. The plug detect apparatus of claim 1, wherein the signal path is a low impedance path created by the first receptacle contact and the detect contact.

3. The plug detect apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first receptacle contact is a ground contact.

4. The plug detect apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first receptacle contact is a functional contact.

5. The plug detect apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first receptacle contact is biased to exert a retention force on a first portion of the plug when the plug is present within the receptacle.

6. The plug detect apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first portion of the plug is an indented portion of an outer surface of the plug.

7. The plug detect apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first receptacle contact includes a spring.

8. The plug detect apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detect contact is biased to exert a retention force on a first portion of the plug when the plug is present within the receptacle.

9. The plug detect apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first portion of the plug is an indented portion of an outer surface of the plug.

10. The plug detect apparatus of claim 8, wherein the detect contact includes a spring.

11. The plug detect apparatus of claim 1, wherein any debris in a space between the detect contact and the first receptacle contact is removed from the space between the detect contact and the first receptacle contact by the plug when the plug is inserted into the receptacle.

21. The plug detect apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first plug contact is a metal and the low impedance path has approximately zero resistance.

23. The plug detect apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detection circuitry includes circuitry to detect the presence of the plug by detecting that the signal path is a low impedance path.

24. The plug detect apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detection circuitry includes circuitry to detect that the plug is not present in the receptacle by detecting that the signal path is a high impedance path caused by a gap in the signal path.

28. The plug detect apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first receptacle contact and the detect contact are biased by a spring to exert a retention force on an indented portion of an outer surface of the plug when the plug is present within the receptacle.

12. An electronic device capable of detecting the presence of a plug of an accessory component, wherein the plug includes a first plug contact, the electronic device comprising:

a receptacle configured to accept the plug;

a first receptacle contact disposed in the receptacle, wherein the first receptacle contact is configured to communicate with the first plug contact;

a detect contact disposed in the receptacle relative to the first receptacle contact so that the presence of the plug within the receptacle creates a plug signal path through the plug and between the detect contact and the first receptacle contact, wherein the detect contact and the first receptacle contact both contact the same first plug contact when the plug is present in the receptacle; and

detection circuitry coupled to the detect contact and the first receptacle contact to detect that the signal path is a low or a high impedance path.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the electronic device further comprises:

a first input/output component; and

control circuitry coupled to the detect contact, wherein the control circuitry is configured to instruct the electronic device to utilize the first input/output component when a detect signal on the detect contact has a first value, and wherein the control circuitry is configured to instruct the electronic device to utilize the accessory component when the detect signal has a second value.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the plug signal path is configured to make the detect signal have the second value.

15. The plug detect apparatus of claim 12, wherein the plug signal path is a low impedance path.

16. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the first receptacle contact is one of a ground contact and a functional contact.

17. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the first receptacle contact is biased to exert a retention force on a first portion of the plug when the plug is present within the receptacle.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the first receptacle contact includes a spring.

19. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the detect contact is biased to exert a retention force on a first portion of the plug when the plug is present within the receptacle.

20. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein the detect contact includes a spring.

22. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the first plug contact is a metal and the low impedance path has approximately zero resistance.

25. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the detection circuitry includes circuitry to detect the presence of the plug by detecting that the signal path is a low impedance path.

26. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the detection circuitry includes circuitry to detect that the plug is not present in the receptacle by detecting that the signal path is a high impedance path caused by a gap in the signal path.

27. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein any debris in a space between the detect contact and the first receptacle contact is removed from the space between the detect contact and the first receptacle contact by the plug when the plug is inserted into the receptacle.

29. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the first receptacle contact and the detect contact are biased by a spring to exert a retention force on an indented portion of an outer surface of the plug when the plug is present within the receptacle.