TECHNIQUES FOR MONITORING CONTACTS IN A CONNECTOR

• US 20140013012A1
• Filed: 07/03/2013
• Published: 01/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Terlizzi, Jeffrey J., Minoo, Jahan C., Menzel, Brian, Rich, Zachary C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,146,888 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/38 Information transfer, e.g. on bus G06F13/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning

Abstract

Techniques for mounting contacts of a connector are provided. One technique involves actively and continuously monitoring contacts being used and the contacts not being used in a connector in order to determine potential dendrite growth and/or potential corrosion due to liquid intrusion or the like. Another technique includes lowering a bias voltage on a power contact and performing a system detect prior to enabling operational voltage/current on the contact.

Claims

1. An accessory comprising:

a connector having a plurality of contacts, wherein the plurality of contacts include at least one power contact and at least one data contact and wherein the connector is configured to couple the accessory to a host device;

a controller coupled to the connector; and

circuitry coupled to the controller,

wherein the controller in conjunction with the circuitry is configured to;

provide a first current at a first voltage at the power contact;

detect change in state of a communication line between the accessory and the host device via the data contact;

in response to the detection, provide the first current at a second voltage at the power contact;

communicate with the host device to authenticate the accessory;

upon successful authentication, provide a second current at the second voltage at the power contact.

2. The accessory of claim 1 wherein the second current is higher than the first current.

3. The accessory of claim 1 wherein the first voltage is lower than the second voltage.

4. The accessory of claim 1 wherein the first current is in the range of 15 mA or less and the second current is in the range of 3 A to 5 A.

5. The accessory of claim 1 wherein the change is state of the communication line is characterized by the communication line transitioning from a logic “

low”

to a logic “

high”

state.

6. The accessory of claim 1 wherein to authenticate the accessory the controller is further configured to:

receive a request from the host device to provide authentication information for the accessory; and

send the authentication information to the host device based on the request.

7. An accessory comprising:

a first connector having a plurality of contacts, wherein the first connector is configured to couple with a corresponding second connector of a host device to provide electrical connection between the accessory and the host device and the plurality of contacts include a power contact and a data contact, wherein the power contact is connected to a power input line of the host device and the data contact is connected with a communication line between the accessory and the host device;

circuitry coupled to the connector; and

a controller coupled to the first connector and the circuitry and operable to control communications with the host device, wherein the controller in conjunction with the connector and the circuitry is configured to;

provide a first current at a first voltage at the power contact;

measure an impedance of the communication line using the data contact;

determine that the measured impedance is substantially similar to an expected impedance value;

in response to the determination, provide the first current at a second voltage at the power contact;

communicate with the host device to authenticate the accessory; and

upon successful authentication, provide a second current at the second voltage at the power contact.

8. The accessory of claim 7 wherein the expected impedance value is between 1 MΩ

and 5 MΩ

.

9. The accessory of claim 7 wherein the first voltage has a value of 0.5 V or lower.

10. The accessory of claim 7 wherein the first current has a value of 15 mA or lower.

11. The accessory of claim 7 wherein the second voltage is between 3 V and 30 V.

12. A method for operating an accessory having a connector including a plurality of contacts, the connector configured to couple the accessory to a host device, the method comprising:

providing, by the accessory, a first current at a first voltage over a first contact from the plurality of contacts;

detecting, by the accessory, change in state of a communication line between the accessory and the host device, the change being detected via a second contact from the plurality of contacts;

in response to the detection, providing, by the accessory, the first current at a second voltage over the first contact;

communicating, by the accessory, with the host device to authenticate the accessory; and

upon successful authentication, providing, by the accessory, a second current at the second voltage over the first contact.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the first current is about 15 mA and the first voltage is about 0.3 V.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the second current is between 3 A and 5 A and the second voltage is between 5 V and 30 V.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the communication line is characterized by a first state and a second state and wherein the first state corresponds to logic “

low” and

the second state corresponds to logic “

high.”

16. A method for operating an accessory, the method comprising:

providing, by the accessory, at a first contact of an accessory connector, a first current at a first voltage;

measuring, by the accessory, at a second contact of the accessory connector, an impedance, wherein the second contact of the accessory connector is coupled to a communication line between the accessory and a host device coupled to the accessory;

determining, by the accessory, that the measured impedance is substantially similar to a reference impedance value;

in response to the determination, providing, by the accessory at the first contact, a first current at a second voltage;

communicating, by the accessory, with the host device to authenticate the accessory; and

providing, by the accessory at the first contact, a second current at the second voltage only if the authentication is successful.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the reference impedance value is in the range of 1 MΩ

to 5 MΩ

.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the first current is lower than the second current and the first voltage is lower than the second voltage.

19. A method comprising:

determining, by an accessory, that a voltage is available to be outputted over a power contact of an accessory connector coupled to the accessory;

determining, by the accessory, that a host device is not coupled to the accessory connector;

opening, by the accessory, a switch connected to a data contact of the accessory connector thereby grounding the voltage; and

preventing, by the accessory, the voltage from appearing on the power contact.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the switch is disposed within the accessory connector.