Scalable switch device and system

• US 7,859,137 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2008
• Issued: 12/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AMI Entertainment Network, LLC
• Original Assignee: TAP.tv, Inc.
• Inventors: Winans, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman; Jared J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Amaya; Carlos
• Application Number:
  US12/176,150
• Publication Number:
  US 20090280680A1
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 307/115, 307/147, 439/49, 439/540.1
• US Class Current: 307/147
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/70 with built-in switch
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/065 with built-in electric apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53209 Terminal or connector

Abstract

A scalable switch system and method for connecting a plurality of output devices to a plurality of media source includes an array of input connectors and a first array of first jumper connectors electrically connected to the array of input connectors such that at least one input connector of the array of input connectors electrically connects to a first jumper connector. The input connector connected to the first jumper connector is electrically connected to a termination resistance when the first jumper connector for the input connector is in a first jumper configuration. A second array of the second jumper connectors is configured to make available to electrically connect one of at least two input connections to an output connector of the array of output connectors. Multiple switch devices may be interconnected to fit a variety of media systems.

Claims

1. A switch system for connecting a plurality of media output devices to a plurality of media sources, the system comprising:

an array of a plurality of input connectors that receive media signals;

a first array of a plurality of first jumper connectors electrically connected to the input connectors, the first jumper connectors in the first array providing electrical connections for the input connectors with a termination resistance that is preselected and about the same for more than one of the input connectors;

an array of output connectors configured to provide media signals;

a second array of a plurality of second jumper connectors configured to electrically connect the input connectors via the first array of first jumper connectors to the output connectors in the array of output connectors.

2. The scalable switch system of claim 1 further comprising:

a switching circuit in communication with the first array of jumper connectors, the second array of jumper connectors, and the array of output connectors;

a controller circuit in communication with the switching circuit to control a switching configuration of the switching circuit to associate signals received at the input connectors with certain of the output connectors.

3. The scalable switch system of claim 1 further comprising:

a circuit board electrically connecting the input connectors to the first array of first jumper connectors, at least a portion of the first array of first jumper connectors to the second array of second jumper connectors, and the second array of second jumper connectors to the output connectors.

4. A scalable switch system for connecting a plurality of output devices to at least one media source comprising:

an array of input connectors configured to receive media signals;

a first array of first jumper connectors electrically connected to the array of input connectors such that at least one input connector of the array of input connectors electrically connects to a first jumper connector and the input connector connected to the first jumper connector is electrically connected to a termination resistance when the first jumper connector for the input connector is in a first jumper configuration;

an array of output connectors configured to provide media signals;

a second array of second jumper connectors configured to make available to electrically connect one of at least two input connectors via the first array of first jumper connectors to an output connector of the array of output connectors.

5. The scalable switch system of claim 4 further comprising:

a switching circuit in communication with the first array of jumper connectors, the second array of jumper connectors, and the array of output connectors;

a controller circuit in communication with the switching circuit to control a switching configuration of the switching circuit to associate signals received at the input connectors with certain of the output connectors.

6. The scalable switch system of claim 4 wherein:

the array of input connectors comprises a first sub-array of input connectors configured such that each of the first sub-array of input connectors is available for connection to one output connector of the array of output connectors regardless of a jumper configuration of the first array of jumper connectors;

the array of input connectors comprises a second sub-array of input connectors; and

the second array of second jumper connectors make available for connection to one of the output connectors one of a group consisting of the second sub-array of input connectors and the first sub-array of input connectors depending on a jumper configuration of the second array of second jumper connectors.

7. The scalable switch system of claim 6 wherein the first array of first jumper connectors and the second array of second jumper connectors are configured to make available to electrically connect the second sub-array of input connectors to the output connectors and such that the first sub-array of input connectors and the second sub-array of input connectors have a termination resistance and are available to connect to output connectors.

8. The scalable switch system of claim 6 wherein the first array of first jumper connectors and the second array of second jumper connectors are configured to make available to electrically connect the first sub-array of input connectors to the output connectors and such that the first sub-array of input connectors has a termination resistance and is available to connect to at least two output connectors.

9. The scalable switch system of claim 6 wherein the first array of first jumper connectors and the second array of second jumper connectors are configured to make available to electrically connect the second sub-array of input connectors to the output connectors and such that the first sub-array of input connectors and the second sub-array of input connectors do not have a termination resistance and are available to connect to output connectors.

10. The scalable switch system of claim 6 wherein the first array of first jumper connectors and the second array of second jumper connectors are configured to make available to electrically connect the first sub-array of input connectors to the output connectors and such that the first sub-array of input connectors does not have a termination resistance and is available to connect to at least two output connectors.

11. A scalable switching system comprising:

a plurality of scalable switches, each comprising;

an array of input connectors configured to receive media signals;

a first array of first jumper connectors electrically connected to the array of input connectors such that at least one input connector of the array of input connectors electrically connects to a first jumper connector and the input connector connected to the first jumper connector is electrically connected to a termination resistance when the first jumper connector for the input connector is in a first jumper configuration;

an array of output connectors configured to provide media signals;

a second array of second jumper connectors wherein at least some of the second jumper connectors are configured to make available to electrically connect one of at least two input connectors to an output connector of the array of output connectors;

the array of input connectors comprising a first sub-array of input connectors configured such that each of the first sub-array of input connectors is available to connect to an output connector of the array of output connectors regardless of a jumper configuration of the first array of first jumper connectors;

the array of input connectors comprises a second sub-array of input connectors; and

the second array of second jumper connectors make available to connect at least one of the output connectors to one of a group consisting of the second sub-array of input connectors and the first sub-array of input connectors depending on a jumper configuration of the second array of second jumper connectors;

wherein the plurality of scalable switches are interconnected such that the scalable switching system is configurable in at least one configuration of the group consisting of;

able to receive more distinct media signals than one scalable switch has input connectors; and

able to output more distinct media signals than one scalable switch has output connectors.

12. A scalable switching system comprising:

at least a first scalable switch and a second scalable switch, each comprising;

an array of input connectors configured to receive media signals;

a first array of first jumper connectors electrically connected to the array of input connectors such that at least one input connector of the array of input connectors electrically connects to a first jumper connector and the input connector connected to the first jumper connector is electrically connected to a termination resistance when the first jumper connector for the input connector is in a first jumper configuration;

an array of output connectors configured to provide media signals;

a second array of second jumper connectors wherein at least some of the second jumper connectors are configured to make available to electrically connect one of at least two input connectors to an output connector of the array of output connectors;

the array of input connectors comprising a first sub-array of input connectors configured such that each of the first sub-array of input connectors is available to connect to an output connector of the array of output connectors regardless of a jumper configuration of the first array of jumper connector;

the array of input connectors comprises a second sub-array of input connectors; and

the second array of second jumper connectors make available to connect at least one of the output connectors to one of the group consisting of the second sub-array of input connectors and the first sub-array of input connectors depending on a jumper configuration of the second array of second jumper connectors;

wherein the first scalable switch is configured such that the first array of first jumper connectors and the second array of second jumper connectors are configured to make available to electrically connect the second sub-array of input connectors to the output connectors and such that the first sub-array of input connectors and the second sub-array of input connectors have a termination resistance and are available to connect to output connectors;

wherein the second scalable switch is configured such that the first array of first jumper connectors and the second array of second jumper connectors are configured to make available to electrically connect the second sub-array of input connectors to the output connectors and such that the first sub-array of input connectors and the second sub-array of input connectors do not have a termination resistance and are available to connect to output connectors;

wherein the input connectors of the first scalable switch and the input connectors of the second scalable switch are electrically connected such that a media input signal is associable with output connectors for the first scalable switch and the second scalable switch.

13. A scalable switching system comprising:

at least a first scalable switch, a second scalable switch, a third scalable switch, and a fourth scalable switch each comprising;

an array of input connectors configured to receive media signals;

a first array of first jumper connectors electrically connected to the array of input connectors such that at least one input connector of the array of input connectors electrically connects to a first jumper connector and the input connector connected to the first jumper connector is electrically connected to a termination resistance when the first jumper connector for the input connector in a first jumper configuration;

an array of output connectors configured to provide media signals;

a second array of second jumper connectors wherein at least some of the second jumper connectors are configured to make available to electrically connect one of at least two input connectors to an output connector of the array of output connectors;

the array of input connectors comprising a first sub-array of input connectors configured such that each of the first sub-array of input connectors is available to connect to an output connector of the array of output connectors regardless of a jumper configuration of the first array of jumper connector;

the array of input connectors comprises a second sub-array of input connectors; and

the second array of second jumper connectors make available to connect at least one of the output connectors to one of the group consisting of the second sub-array of input connectors and the first sub-array of input connectors depending on a jumper configuration of the second array of second jumper connectors;

wherein the first scalable switch is configured such that the first array of first jumper connectors and the second array of second jumper connectors are configured to make available to electrically connect the second sub-array of input connectors to the output connectors and such that the first sub-array of input connectors and the second sub-array of input connectors have a termination resistance and are available to connect to output connectors;

wherein the second scalable switch, third scalable switch, and fourth scalable switch are configured such that the first array of first jumper connectors and the second array of second jumper connectors of the second scalable switch, third scalable switch, and fourth scalable switch are configured to make available to electrically connect the first sub-array of input connectors to the output connectors and such that each of the first sub-array of input connectors do not have a termination resistance and are available to connect to at least two output connectors;

wherein the input connectors of the first scalable switch are electrically connected to the input connectors of the second scalable switch, third scalable switch, and fourth scalable switch such that each media input signal is associated with one termination resistance and able to be associated with output connectors of the first scalable switch, the second scalable switch, the third scalable switch, and the fourth scalable switch.

14. A method of connecting a plurality of media inputs to a plurality of output devices via a scalable switching device comprising:

receiving media signals at an array of input connectors;

electrically connecting a first array of first jumper connectors to the array of input connectors such that at least one input connector of the array of input connectors electrically connects to a first jumper connector and the input connector connected to the first jumper connector is electrically connected to a termination resistance when the first jumper connector for the input connector is in a first jumper configuration;

making available to electrically connect via a second array of second jumper connectors one of at least two input connectors to an output connector of the array of output connectors to provide the media signals at the array of output connectors.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of making available to electrically connect via a second array of second jumper connectors one of at least two input connectors to an output connector of the array of output connectors to provide the media signals at the array of output connectors further comprises configuring the second array of second jumper connectors to connect each of at least one input connector to at least two output connectors.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of making available to electrically connect via a second array of second jumper connectors one of at least two input connectors to an output connector of the array of output connectors to provide the media signals at the array of output connectors further comprises configuring the second array of second jumper connectors to make available to connect each input connector to at least one output connector.

17. A method of connecting a plurality of media inputs to a plurality of output devices via at least two scalable switching devices comprising:

receiving media signals in parallel at an array of input connectors of at least a first scalable switching device configured to provide a termination resistance and at least a second scalable switching device configured to not provide a termination resistance;

providing the media signals at an array of output connectors of at least the first scalable switching device and the second scalable switching device.

18. A method of connecting a plurality of media inputs to a plurality of output devices via a scalable switching system comprising:

receiving media signals at an array of input connectors;

configuring an array of jumper connectors to match termination resistances for the media signals;

providing the media signals at an array of output connectors.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of providing the media signals at an array of output connectors further comprises making available to electrically connect via a second array of second jumper connectors one of at least two input connectors to an output connector of the array of output connectors to provide the media signals at the array of output connectors.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of making available to electrically connect via a second array of second jumper connectors one of at least two input connectors to an output connector of the array of output connectors to provide the media signals at the array of output connectors further comprises configuring the second array of second jumper connectors to connect each of at least one input connector to at least two output connectors.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of making available to electrically connect via a second array of second jumper connectors one of at least two input connectors to an output connector of the array of output connectors to provide the media signals at the array of output connectors further comprises configuring the second array of second jumper connectors to make available to connect each input connector to at least one output connector.