Connectors providing haptic feedback

• US 9,197,011 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2015
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Molex LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Keyssa, Inc.
• Inventors: McCormack, Gary D.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEON MUNOZ, EDWIN A
• Application Number:
  US14/596,172
• Publication Number:
  US 20150126047A1
• Time in Patent Office: 315 Days
• Field of Search: 439 38- 40, 439217-218, 439/700
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00012 Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15311 being a ball array, e.g. BGA
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet

Abstract

A first connector may include a housing defining a first connector face to be positioned in a first position or a second position proximate to a second connector face of a second connector. A first extremely high frequency (EHF) communication unit may be disposed in the housing for communicating with a second EHF communication unit of the second connector when the first connector face is positioned in first or second position relative to the second connector face. A first magnet may be disposed in the housing. The first magnet may align with and repel a second magnet disposed relative to the second connector face when the first connector face is positioned in the second position. The first magnet may be configured not to align with and not to repel the second magnet when first connector face is positioned in the first position relative to the second connector face.

Claims

1. A connector comprising:

a housing defining a first connector face configured to be positioned in at least one of a first position and a second position proximate to a second connector face of an additional connector;

a first communication interface unit disposed within the housing and configured to communicate with a second communication interface unit located in the additional connector using extremely high frequency (EHF) electromagnetic energy;

a first alignment element disposed within the housing and configured to align with a second alignment element located in the additional connector; and

an interface control circuit coupled to the first communication interface unit and configured to;

determine whether a distance between the first communication interface unit and the second communication interface unit is within a specified range; and

establish communication between the first and second communication interface units when the determined distance between the first and second communication interface units is within the specified range.

2. The connector of claim 1, wherein the interface control circuit generates a haptic feedback indicator when the connector is aligned with the additional connector.

3. The connector of claim 1, wherein the interface control circuit generates a tactile feedback indicator when the connector is aligned with the additional connector.

4. The connector of claim 1, wherein the interface control circuit generates a visual feedback indicator when the connector is aligned with the additional connector.

5. The connector of claim 1, wherein the first alignment element comprises at least one of a protrusion, ridge, knob, bevel, pin, or recess.

6. The connector of claim 1, further comprising a third communication interface unit disposed within the housing relative to the first connector face of the connector to communicate with a fourth communication interface unit located in the additional connector using EHF electromagnetic energy, wherein the first communication interface is disposed within the housing in an orientation that is orthogonal to an orientation of the third communication interface unit and the second communication interface unit is disposed within the additional connector in an orientation that is orthogonal to an orientation of the fourth communication interface unit.

7. The connector of claim 1, further comprising a first magnetic element configured generate a magnetic field to attract a second magnetic element included in the additional connector when the first connector face is positioned in at least one of the first position and the second position relative to the second connector face of the additional connector.

8. A connector comprising:

a housing defining a first connector face configured to be positioned in at least one of a first position and a second position proximate to a second connector face of an additional connector;

a first communication interface unit disposed within the housing and configured to communicate with a second communication interface unit located in the additional connector using extremely high frequency (EHF) electromagnetic energy;

a first magnetic element configured generate a magnetic field to attract a second magnetic element included in the additional connector when the first connector face is positioned in at least one of the first position and the second position relative to the second connector face of the additional connector; and

an interface control circuit coupled to the first communication interface unit and configured to;

determine whether a distance between the first communication interface unit and the second communication interface unit is within a specified range; and

establish communication between the first and second communication interface units when the determined distance between the first and second communication interface units is within the specified range.

9. The connector of claim 8, wherein the first magnetic element is at least one of a permanent magnet, a ferromagnetic element, and an electromagnet.

10. A connector comprising:

a housing defining a first connector face configured to be positioned in at least one of a first position and a second position proximate to a second connector face of an additional connector;

a first communication interface unit disposed within the housing and configured to communicate with a second communication interface unit located in the additional connector using extremely high frequency (EHF) electromagnetic energy;

a first magnetic element configured to generate a magnetic field to attract a second magnetic element when the first connector face is positioned in the first position relative to the second connector face of the additional connector and repel the second magnetic element when the first connector face is positioned in the second position relative to the second connector face of the additional connector;

a first alignment element disposed in the housing relative to the first connector face, the first alignment element configured to align with a second alignment element located in the additional connector; and

an interface control circuit coupled to the first communication interface unit and configured to;

determine whether a distance between the first communication interface unit and the second communication interface unit is within a specified range; and

establish communication between the first and second communication interface units when the determined distance between the first and second communication interface units is within the specified range.

11. The connector of claim 10, wherein the first magnetic element is at least one of a permanent magnet, a ferromagnetic element, and an electromagnet.

12. A connector comprising:

a housing defining a first connector face configured to be positioned in at least one of a first position and a second position proximate to a second connector face of an additional connector;

a first communication interface unit disposed within the housing and configured to communicate with a second communication interface unit located in the additional connector using extremely high frequency (EHF) electromagnetic energy;

a first magnetic element configured to generate a magnetic field to attract a second magnetic element when the first connector face is positioned in the first position relative to the second connector face of the additional connector and repel the second magnetic element when the first connector face is positioned in the second position relative to the second connector face of the additional connector; and

an interface control circuit coupled to the first communication interface unit and

configured to;

determine whether a distance between the first communication interface unit and the second communication interface unit is within a specified range; and

establish communication between the first and second communication interface units when the determined distance between the first and second communication interface units is within the specified range.

13. The connector of claim 12, wherein the first magnetic element is at least one of a permanent magnet, a ferromagnetic element, and an electromagnet.

14. A connector comprising:

a housing defining a first connector face configured to be positioned in at least one of a first position and a second position proximate to a second connector face of an additional connector;

a first communication interface unit disposed within the housing and configured to communicate with a second communication interface unit located in the additional connector using extremely high frequency (EHF) electromagnetic energy;

a third communication interface unit disposed within the housing and configured to communicate with a fourth communication interface unit located in the additional connector using EHF electromagnetic energy; and

an interface control circuit coupled to the first communication interface unit and configured to;

determine whether a first distance between the first communication interface unit and the second communication interface unit is within a first specified range;

determine whether a second distance between the third communication interface unit and the fourth communication interface unit is within a second specified range; and

establish communication between the first and second communication interface units when the first distance is within the first specified range and the second distance is within the second specified range.

15. The connector of claim 14, further comprising a first alignment element disposed in the housing relative to the first connector face, the first alignment element configured to align with a second alignment element located in the additional connector.

16. The connector of claim 15, further comprising:

a first magnetic element configured generate a magnetic field to attract a second magnetic element included in the additional connector when the first connector face is positioned in at least one of the first position and the second position relative to the second connector face of the additional connector; and

a third magnetic element configured generate a magnetic field to attract a fourth magnetic element included in the additional connector when the first connector face is positioned in at least one of the first position and the second position relative to the second connector face of the additional connector.

17. The connector of claim 14, further comprising:

a first magnetic element configured generate a magnetic field to attract a second magnetic element included in the additional connector when the first connector face is positioned in at least one of the first position and the second position relative to the second connector face of the additional connector; and

a third magnetic element configured generate a magnetic field to attract a fourth magnetic element included in the additional connector when the first connector face is positioned in at least one of the first position and the second position relative to the second connector face of the additional connector.

18. The connector of claim 17, wherein the first magnetic element is at least one of a permanent magnet, a ferromagnetic element, and an electromagnet.

19. A connector comprising:

a housing defining a first connector face configured to be positioned in at least one of a first position and a second position proximate to a second connector face of an additional connector;

a first communication interface unit disposed within the housing and configured to communicate with a second communication interface unit located in the additional connector using extremely high frequency (EHF) electromagnetic energy;

a third communication interface unit disposed within the housing and configured to communicate with a fourth communication interface unit located in the additional connector using EHF electromagnetic energy, wherein the first communication interface unit is disposed within the housing in an orientation that is orthogonal to an orientation of the third communication interface unit, and the second communication interface unit is disposed within the additional connector in an orientation that is orthogonal to an orientation of the fourth communication interface unit; and

an interface control circuit coupled to the first and the third communication interface units and configured to;

establish communication between the first and second communication interface units, and the third and fourth communication interface units, when the first connector face is positioned in the first position relative to the second connector face; and

establish communication between the first and fourth communication interface units, and the third and second communication interface units, when the first connector face is positioned in the second position relative to the second connector face.

20. The connector of claim 19, further comprising a first alignment element disposed in the housing relative to the first connector face, the first alignment element configured to align with a second alignment element located in the additional connector.

21. The connector of claim 19, further comprising:

a first magnetic element configured generate a magnetic field to attract a second magnetic element included in the additional connector when the first connector face is positioned in at least one of the first position and the second position relative to the second connector face of the additional connector; and

a third magnetic element configured generate a magnetic field to attract a fourth magnetic element included in the additional connector when the first connector face is positioned in at least one of the first position and the second position relative to the second connector face of the additional connector.

22. The connector of claim 20, further comprising:

a first magnetic element configured generate a magnetic field to attract a second magnetic element included in the additional connector when the first connector face is positioned in at least one of the first position and the second position relative to the second connector face of the additional connector; and

a third magnetic element configured generate a magnetic field to attract a fourth magnetic element included in the additional connector when the first connector face is positioned in at least one of the first position and the second position relative to the second connector face of the additional connector.

23. The connector of claim 22, wherein the first magnetic element is at least one of a permanent magnet, a ferromagnetic element, and an electromagnet.