Electrical device with electrical interface that is compatible with integrated optical cable receptacle
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A device comprising:
- a plug configured to interface with an active cable receptacle that is separate from the device, the plug including a mechanical interface and an electrical interface, the mechanical interface configured to be releasably received within the active cable receptacle, the mechanical interface being substantially similar to a mechanical interface of an active cable that is also configured to be releasably received within the active cable receptacle, the active cable configured to convert a received electrical signal to an optical signal and communicate the optical signal over most of the length of the active cable, the electrical interface including at least five electrical contacts each being configured to mechanically and electrically interface with at least one of twelve electrical contacts of the active cable receptacle, the twelve electrical contacts of the active cable receptacle being divided into a first group of four electrical contacts, a second group of four electrical contacts, and a third group of four electrical contacts, the first group being configured for transmitting signals and the second group being configured for receiving signals;
a data communication endpoint; and
an internal electrical communication channel communicatively coupling the data communication endpoint with the electrical interface of the plug, the electrical communication channel configured to communicate data between the data communication endpoint and the electrical interface exclusively via electrical communication.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A device having a plug that is configured to mechanically interface with a receptacle external to the device. The plug also has an electrical interface that electrically interfaces with the receptacle even though the external receptacle has a mechanical and electrical interface shaped to interface with an integrated cable that includes an optical communication mechanism for communicating over most of the length of the integrated cable, and even though the device itself has a full electrical communication channel communicatively coupling a data communication endpoint of the device with the electrical interface of the plug.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A device comprising:
-
a plug configured to interface with an active cable receptacle that is separate from the device, the plug including a mechanical interface and an electrical interface, the mechanical interface configured to be releasably received within the active cable receptacle, the mechanical interface being substantially similar to a mechanical interface of an active cable that is also configured to be releasably received within the active cable receptacle, the active cable configured to convert a received electrical signal to an optical signal and communicate the optical signal over most of the length of the active cable, the electrical interface including at least five electrical contacts each being configured to mechanically and electrically interface with at least one of twelve electrical contacts of the active cable receptacle, the twelve electrical contacts of the active cable receptacle being divided into a first group of four electrical contacts, a second group of four electrical contacts, and a third group of four electrical contacts, the first group being configured for transmitting signals and the second group being configured for receiving signals; a data communication endpoint; and an internal electrical communication channel communicatively coupling the data communication endpoint with the electrical interface of the plug, the electrical communication channel configured to communicate data between the data communication endpoint and the electrical interface exclusively via electrical communication. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 20)
-
-
17. A device comprising:
-
a plug configured to interface with an active cable receptacle that is separate from the device, the plug including an electrical interface and a mechanical interface, the electrical interface including at least five electrical contacts each being configured to mechanically and electrically interface with at least one of twelve electrical contacts of the active cable receptacle, the twelve electrical contacts of the active cable receptacle being divided into a first group of four electrical contacts, a second group of four electrical contacts, and a third group of four electrical contacts, the first group being configured for transmitting signals and the second group being configured for receiving signals, the mechanical interface configured to be releasably received within the active cable receptacle, the mechanical interface being substantially similar to a mechanical interface of an active cable that is also configured to be releasably received within the active cable receptacle, the active cable configured to convert a received electrical signal to an optical signal and communicate the optical signal over most of the length of the active cable, the mechanical interface including a latching mechanism for latching with the active cable receptacle when the mechanical interface of the plug is releasably received within the active cable receptacle, the latching mechanism being configured to mechanically engage with the active cable receptacle to lock the mechanical interface into place within the active cable receptacle until the next time the latching mechanism is disengaged, the latching mechanism requiring less force to engage the mechanical interface with the active cable receptacle than is required to disengage the mechanical interface from the active cable receptacle; a data communication endpoint not configured to communicate with an external cable; an internal electrical communication channel communicatively coupling the data communication endpoint with the electrical interface of the plug, the electrical communication channel configured to communicate data between the data communication endpoint and the electrical interface exclusively via electrical communication; and a rigid casing that encases the data communication endpoint and at least a portion of the electrical communication channel and the plug, the rigid casing not configured to interface with an external cable. - View Dependent Claims (18)
-
-
19. A memory device comprising:
-
a plug configured to interface with an active cable receptacle that is separate from the device, the plug including an electrical interface and a mechanical interface, the electrical interface including at least five electrical contacts each being configured to mechanically and electrically interface with at least one of twelve electrical contacts of the active cable receptacle along a top side of the plug, the twelve electrical contacts of the active cable receptacle being divided into a first group of four electrical contacts, a second group of four electrical contacts, and a third group of four electrical contacts, the first group being configured for transmitting signals and the second group being configured for receiving signals, the electrical interface further configured to make electrical contact with a plurality fingers of the active cable receptacle that serve as electromagnetic interference (EMI) barriers between the active cable receptacle and an ambient environment, the mechanical interface configured to be releasably received within the active cable receptacle, the mechanical interface being substantially similar to a mechanical interface of an active cable that is also configured to be releasably received within the active cable receptacle, the active cable configured to convert a received electrical signal to an optical signal and communicate the optical signal over most of the length of the active cable; a memory not configured to communicate with an external cable; an internal electrical communication channel communicatively coupling the memory with the electrical interface of the plug, the electrical communication channel configured to communicate data between the memory and the electrical interface exclusively via electrical communication; and a rigid casing that encases the memory and at least a portion of the electrical communication channel and the plug, the rigid casing not configured to interface with an external cable.
-
Specification