Communication card extension and adapter port

• US 6,174,205 B1
• Filed: 05/28/1999
• Issued: 01/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: 3Com Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Madsen, Brent D., Aldridge, Timothy W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Khiem
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hyeon, Hae Moon
• Application Number:
  US09/322,869
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 439/638, 439/131, 439/946
• US Class Current: 439/638
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2107/00 Four or more poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/62 Sliding engagements with one side only, e.g. modular jack coupling devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 27/02 for simultaneous co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/06 Intermediate parts for linking two coupling parts, e.g. adapter with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/94
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0273 having extensions for peripherals, e.g. LAN, antennas details of antennas H01Q1/2275
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/946 Memory card cartridge

Abstract

The present invention is an adaptor module that allows an electrical connection to be established between a communication system and a communication card. Advantageously, the adaptor module can be configured to provide an interface between the communication card and various communication systems, such as conventional telephone systems, cellular telephone systems, digital telephone systems, local area networks (LANs), personal area networks (PANs), wireless systems, etc. Additionally, the adaptor module can provide an interface between a plurality of communication systems and the communication card. For example, the adaptor module may provide an interface for a plurality of connectors from the same type of communication system and/or the adaptor module may provide an interface for connectors from different types of communication systems. Advantageously, the adaptor module can provide simultaneous communication with these various communication systems. The adaptor module is preferably configured to be attached to a standard PCMCIA card to facilitate communication between a computer and a communication system.

Claims

1. An apparatus which facilitates communication between an electrical device and a communication system, said apparatus comprising:

a communication card having a generally rectangular body with an upper surface, lower surface, front surface, rear surface, left surface and right surface, said communication card being configured to be at least partially inserted into an opening in the electrical device;

a communications port connected to said communication card;

an adaptor comprising;

at least one socket capable of receiving a connector coupled to a communication system; and

an extension interface configured to electrically and physically interface with the communication port to establish electrical communication between the at least one socket and said communication card, said extension interface including at least one rail that is capable of being operatively received by a corresponding groove formed in the communications port so as to provide physical attachment between the adapter and the communication card.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one socket is comprised of one or more RJ-type connectors.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an input/output connector attached to said communication card and an auxiliary connector attached to said adaptor, said auxiliary connector configured to be electrically coupled to said input/output connector.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least two sockets attached to said adaptor assembly and wherein said sockets are configured to receive different types of communication connectors.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein one of said sockets is configured to receive an RJ-11 type communication connector and another of said sockets is configured to receive an RJ-45 type communication connector.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an antenna attached to said adaptor and configured for wireless communication.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said communication card is configured to be inserted into an opening in the electrical device and said adaptor is configured to be partially inserted into said opening in the electrical device.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said adaptor is releasably attached to said communication card and said adaptor is readily interchangeable with other adapters.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said adaptor allows said communication card to be simultaneously connected to at least two different communication connectors.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an indicator attached to said adaptor for providing information to a user.

11. An adapter module configured to be in electrical communication with a communication card of a portable electric device, said adaptor module comprising:

a generally rectangular body portion including top, front, bottom, rear and side surfaces;

an extention interface configured to electrically and physically interface with the communication card, the extention interface comprising at least one rail that is capable of being operatively received by a corresponding groove formed in a communication port of the communication card so as to provide physical attachment between the adapter module and the communication card, and wherein the extention interface electrically interfaces with connector formed on a printed circuit bord positioned within the communication card when the adaptert module is physically attached to the communication card; and

an antenna attached to said body portion, said antenna configured to esterblish wireless communication.

12. An adaptor module as in claim 11, further comprising an indicator attached to said body portion for providing information to a user.

13. An interface between a communications connector and a communication card for an electrical devices;

said interface comprising;

a generally rectangular body portion including top, front, bottom, rear and side surfaces;

a plurality of socket positioned in said front surface of said body portion, each of said sockets configured to receive a communication connector; and

an elongated extention interface extenting from said rear surface of said body, said extention interface configured to establish electrical communication between the plurality of sockets and an edge connector on a printed circuit bord positioned within the communication card.

14. The interface of claim 13, further comprising an auxiliary input/output connector configured to be electrically connected to an input/output connector of a communications card.

15. The interface of claim 13, further comprising an antenna to allow wireless communication.

16. The interface of claim 13, wherein said interface is configured to be releasably attached to a communications card.

17. The interface of claim 13, wherein said interface is configured to be attached to a communications card;

and wherein when said interface and communications card are attached to fit in a type III PCMCIA slot.

18. The interface of claim 13, wherein said interface is integrally connected to a communications card.

19. An electrical coupling system for use with a media plug, the coupling system comprising:

an adaptor including one or more sockets, each of said sockets configured to be releasably coupled to a media plug;

a communications card including a communication port, said adaptor being connected to said communication port to allow electrical communication between said adaptor and said card; and

an edge connector formed on a printed circuit board that is disposed within the communication card, the edge connector oriented so as to be operatively received by the adapter in a manner so as to effect electrical communication between the media plug and the communication card when the media plug is attached to one of the sockets.

20. An adaptor module for electrical connection to a communication card having a communication port, said adaptor module comprising:

a body having an extension configured to be inserted into the communication port of the communication card to establish a physical and an electrical connection between the adaptor module and the communication card, the electrical connection being provided via an elongate printed circuit board section that is capable of being electrically received within the extension;

a slide rail attached to an outer surface of said extension, said slide rail configured to be received in a frame track of the communication card to facilitate attachment of the adaptor module to the communication card; and

one or more connectors in said body to allow electrical connection to one or more communication connectors to said adaptor.

21. The adaptor module of claim 20, wherein said extension is readily insertable and removable from said communication port of the communication card.

22. The adaptor module of claim 20, wherein at least one of said recesses is configured to receive an RJ-11 type communication connector and wherein at least one of said recesses is configured to receive an RJ-45 type communication connector.