Connectors designed for ease of use
First Claim
1. A headset connector system for interfacing with a headset engaging connector including at least two headset engaging contact regions, the headset connector system comprising:
- a symmetrical connector housing having a connector surface;
a plurality of headset connector contact regions positioned on the connector surface within the symmetrical connector housing, wherein, when the headset connector system interfaces with the headset engaging connector in at least two different interface orientations with approximately 180 degrees of symmetry along the connector surface;
each headset connector contact region of the plurality of headset connector contact regions remains in a respective first position relative to the headset connector system; and
each headset engaging contact region of the at least two headset engaging contact regions remains in a respective second position relative to the headset engaging connector; and
switching circuitry electrically coupled to the headset connector contact regions, wherein the switching circuitry is operative to;
determine an interface orientation of the at least two different interface orientations between the headset connector system and the headset engaging connector; and
selectively route signals received on the plurality of headset connector contact regions based on the determination.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Headset connector systems and headset engaging connector systems are provided. Headset connector systems can include two or more headset connector contact regions. Headset engaging connector systems can include two or more headset engaging contact regions to provide at least one of power and data. The headset connector system or the headset engaging connector system can include switching circuitry electrically coupled to the respective contact regions. The switching circuitry can be operative to determine an interface orientation between the headset connector contact regions and the headset engaging contact regions. The switching circuitry can also be operative to selectively route received signals based on the determined interface orientation. At least a portion of the headset connector system or the headset engaging connector system can be magnetically attractive.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A headset connector system for interfacing with a headset engaging connector including at least two headset engaging contact regions, the headset connector system comprising:
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a symmetrical connector housing having a connector surface; a plurality of headset connector contact regions positioned on the connector surface within the symmetrical connector housing, wherein, when the headset connector system interfaces with the headset engaging connector in at least two different interface orientations with approximately 180 degrees of symmetry along the connector surface; each headset connector contact region of the plurality of headset connector contact regions remains in a respective first position relative to the headset connector system; and each headset engaging contact region of the at least two headset engaging contact regions remains in a respective second position relative to the headset engaging connector; and switching circuitry electrically coupled to the headset connector contact regions, wherein the switching circuitry is operative to; determine an interface orientation of the at least two different interface orientations between the headset connector system and the headset engaging connector; and selectively route signals received on the plurality of headset connector contact regions based on the determination. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for interfacing a headset connector system including a plurality of headset connector contact regions with a headset engaging connector including at least two headset engaging contact regions, the method comprising:
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providing a symmetrical configuration with a symmetrical connector surface for the headset connector system; interfacing the headset engaging connector with the headset connector system, wherein, at least two different interface orientations approximately 180 degrees apart are along the connector surface and are selectable during the interfacing such that; each headset connector contact region of the plurality of headset connector contact regions remains in a respective first position relative to the headset connector system; and each headset engaging contact region of the at least two headset engaging contact regions remains in a respective second position relative to the headset engaging connector; determining with the headset connector system an interface orientation of the at least two different interface orientations between the headset engaging connector and the headset connector system based on the interfacing; and selectively electrically coupling the at least two headset engaging contact regions to predetermined pathways of the headset connector system based on the using the headset connector system. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 29, 30)
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21. A headset engaging connector system for interfacing with a headset connector including at least two headset connector contact regions, the headset engaging connector system comprising:
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a housing having a symmetrical configuration along a single surface, at least a portion of the housing being magnetically attractive; at least two headset engaging contact regions biased to protrude from the housing and including at least four elongated contacts vertically aligned in parallel to each other within the housing, and operative to; interface with the at least two headset connector contact regions in one of at least two different interface orientations that are about 180 degrees apart along the single surface, wherein, when the at least two headset engaging contact regions interface with the at least two headset connector contact regions using any of the at least two different interface orientations; each headset connector contact region of the at least two headset connector contact regions remains in a respective first position relative to the headset connector; and each headset engaging contact region of the at least two headset engaging contact regions remains in a respective second position relative to the headset engaging connector system; and electronic circuitry electrically coupled to the at least two headset engaging contact regions. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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31. A method for interfacing a headset engaging connector system including at least two headset engaging contact regions with a headset connector including at least two headset connector contact regions, the method comprising:
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providing a symmetrical configuration of the at least two headset engaging contact regions, wherein each contact region is positioned on a single surface; receiving with the headset engaging connector system the headset connector in one interface orientation of at least two different interface orientations that are approximately 180 degrees apart along the single surface, wherein, when any interface orientation of the at least two different interface orientations is used during the receiving; each headset connector contact region of the at least two headset connector contact regions remains in a respective first position relative to the headset connector; and each headset engaging contact region of the at least two headset engaging contact regions remains in a respective second position relative to the headset engaging connector; in response to the receiving, determining with the headset engaging connector system the polarity arrangement of the at least two headset connector contact regions; and selectively routing signals to the at least two headset engaging contact regions based on the determining using the headset engaging connector system. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification