Magnetic reversible power and data connector

• US 9,577,372 B1
• Filed: 09/30/2015
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Western Digital Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Kakish, Musa I., Maroney, John E., Neumann, Charles A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Leon, Edwin A.
• Application Number:
  US14/871,139
• Time in Patent Office: 510 Days
• Field of Search: 439 38- 40, 439217-218, 439/700
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/642 by position or shape of contact members
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7175 Light emitting diodes (LEDs)

Abstract

A connector may include at least one power conductor configured to supply power to an electronic device; at least one ground conductor to supply a ground to the electronic device; at least one data conductor configured to carry data to or from the electronic device; optionally, one or more connector orientation conductors; a first magnet on a first side of the connector; and a second magnet on a second side of the connector. The connector may be reversible to be magnetically-connectable to a mating connector in a first orientation and in a second orientation that is 180 degrees from the first orientation. The connector may be operative to carry data and power to and/or from the mating connector when connected to the mating connector in the first orientation or in the second orientation.

Claims

1. A connector, comprising:

at least one power conductor configured to supply power to an electronic device;

at least one ground conductor to supply a ground to the electronic device;

at least one data conductor configured to carry data to or from the electronic device;

a connector orientation conductor that is separate from the at least one power conductor, the at least one ground conductor, and the at least one data conductor, the connector orientation conductor being configured to electrically indicate an orientation of the connector;

a first magnet on a first side of the connector; and

a second magnet on a second side of the connector, wherein the connector is reversible such that the connector is magnetically-connectable to a mating connector in a first orientation and in a second orientation that is 180 degrees from the first orientation, the connector being operative to carry data and power to and/or from the mating connector when connected to the mating connector in the first orientation or in the second orientation, as indicated by the connector orientation conductor.

2. The connector of claim 1, wherein the connector is Universal Serial Bus (USB) compatible.

3. The connector of claim 1, further comprising a light-emitting diode (LED) connector coupled to a LED configured to illuminate when the connector is connected to the mating connector and data flows between the connector and mating connector.

4. The connector of claim 3, wherein the LED connector is configured to show illumination on an outside surface of the connector when the connector is magnetically-connected to the mating connector and data flows between the connector and mating connector.

5. The connector of claim 3, wherein the LED conductor is substantially centered on the connector.

6. The connector of claim 1, wherein the at least one data conductor comprises a first differential receiver conductor, a second differential receiver conductor, a first differential transmitter conductor and a second differential transmitter conductor.

7. The connector of claim 6, wherein the connector orientation conductor is further configured to enable a determination of polarities of the first and second differential receiver conductors and to enable a determination of polarities of the first and second differential transmitter conductors when the connector is magnetically-connected to the mating connector in the first or in the second orientation.

8. The connector of claim 6, wherein the at least one data conductor further comprises a first legacy data conductor and a second legacy data conductor.

9. The connector of claim 8, wherein the connector orientation conductor is further configured to control a multiplexer that is configured to select polarities of the first and second legacy data conductors when the connector is magnetically-connected to the mating connector in the first or in the second orientation.

10. The connector of claim 1, wherein the power, ground, data, and connector orientation conductors are arranged in one of two and three rows of conductors.

11. The connector of claim 1, wherein the connector orientation conductor is the only non-symmetrically-disposed conductor on the connector.

12. The connector of claim 1, wherein the at least one power conductor comprises a first power conductor and a second power conductor, each disposed such that a power connection is made when the connector is magnetically-connected to the mating connector in the first or in the second orientation.

13. The connector of claim 1, wherein the at least one ground conductor comprises a first ground conductor and a second ground conductor, each disposed such that a ground connection is made when the connector is magnetically-connected to the mating connector in the first or in the second orientation.

14. The connector of claim 1, further comprising a first channel configuration conductor and a second channel configuration conductor, each being configured as a channel for power delivery when the connector is magnetically-connected to the mating connector in the first or in the second orientation.

15. A cable, comprising:

a plurality of wires, terminating in, at least one end thereof, a connector that comprises;

at least one power conductor configured to supply power to an electronic device;

at least one ground conductor to supply a ground to the electronic device;

at least one data conductor configured to carry data to or from the electronic device;

a connector orientation conductor that is separate from the at least one power conductor, the at least one ground conductor, and the at least one data conductor, the connector orientation conductor being configured to electrically indicate an orientation of the connector;

a first magnet on a first side of the connector; and

a second magnet on a second side of the connector, wherein the connector is reversible such that the connector of the cable is magnetically-connectable to a mating connector of an electronic device in a first orientation and in a second orientation that is 180 degrees from the first orientation, the connector being operative to carry data and power to and/or from the mating connector of the electronic device when connected to the mating connector in the first orientation or in the second orientation, as indicated by the connector orientation conductor.

16. The cable of claim 15, wherein the plurality of wires terminate, at another end thereof, in a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector.

17. An electronic device, comprising:

a body; and

a connector attached to the body of the electronic device, wherein the connector comprises;

at least one power conductor configured to supply power to the electronic device;

at least one ground conductor to supply a ground to the electronic device;

at least one data conductor configured to carry data to or from the electronic device;

a connector orientation conductor that is separate from the at least one power conductor, the at least one ground conductor, and the at least one data conductor, the connector orientation conductor being configured to electrically indicate an orientation of the connector;

a first magnet on a first side of the connector; and

a second magnet on a second side of the connector, wherein the connector is connectable to a mating connector such that the mating connector is magnetically-connectable to the connector in a first orientation or in a second orientation that is 180 degrees from the first orientation, the mating connector being operative to carry data and power to and/or from the connector of the electronic device when connected to the connector in the first orientation and in the second orientation, as indicated by the connector orientation conductor.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the connector is Universal Serial Bus (USB) compatible.

19. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the connector further comprises a light-emitting diode (LED) connector coupled to a LED configured to illuminate when the connector is connected to the mating connector.

20. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the at least one data conductor comprises a first differential receiver conductor, a second differential receiver conductor, a first differential transmitter conductor and a second differential transmitter conductor.

21. The electronic device of claim 20, wherein the connector orientation conductor is further configured to enable a determination of polarities of the first and second differential receiver conductors and to enable a determination of polarities of the first and second differential transmitter conductors when the connector is magnetically-connected to the mating connector in the first or in the second orientation.

22. The electronic device of claim 20, wherein the at least one data conductor further comprises a first legacy data conductor and a second legacy data conductor.

23. The electronic device of claim 20, further comprising a multiplexer coupled to the connector, wherein the multiplexer is configured to select polarities of the first and second legacy data conductors when the mating connector is magnetically-connected to the connector of the electronic device in the first or in the second orientation.

24. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the power, ground, data, and connector orientation conductors are arranged in one of two and three rows of conductors.

25. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the connector orientation conductor is the only non-symmetrically-disposed conductor on the connector.

26. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the at least one power conductor comprises a first power conductor and a second power conductor, each disposed such that a power connection is made when the connector is magnetically-connected to the mating connector in the first or in the second orientation.

27. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the at least one ground conductor comprises a first ground conductor and a second ground conductor, each disposed such that a ground connection is made when the mating connector is magnetically-connected to the connector in the first or in the second orientation.

28. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the connector further comprises a first channel configuration conductor and a second channel configuration conductor, each being configured as a channel for power delivery when the mating connector is magnetically-connected to the connector in the first or in the second orientation.