Connector interface system facilitating communication between a media player and accessories
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A docking connector comprising:
- a keying arrangement, wherein one set of keys are spaced apart by one length and another set of keys are spaced apart by another length; and
a plurality of signal contacts, wherein the ground contacts make contact with a mating connection before a power contact;
wherein the plurality of contacts comprise at least one digital ground contact, a Firewire signal contact, at least one USB signal contact, at least one USB power contact, an accessory identify signal contact, at least one Firewire and charger input power signals contacts, at least one video contact, at least one accessory power contact, at least one accessory protocol contact, an accessory detect signal contact, a remote sense signal contact, at least one line signal, and at least one signal contact, wherein at least one of the contacts is active when a device is coupled to the docking connector.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A connector interface system is disclosed. The connector interface system includes an interface and a protocol in communication with which allows a media player to communicate with external devices over a transport link. The protocol includes a core protocol functionality and a plurality of accessory lingoes. The accessory lingoes comprise a microphone lingo, a simple remote lingo, a display remote lingo, a RF transmitter lingo and an extended interface lingo.
225 Citations
9 Claims
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1. A docking connector comprising:
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a keying arrangement, wherein one set of keys are spaced apart by one length and another set of keys are spaced apart by another length; and a plurality of signal contacts, wherein the ground contacts make contact with a mating connection before a power contact;
wherein the plurality of contacts comprise at least one digital ground contact, a Firewire signal contact, at least one USB signal contact, at least one USB power contact, an accessory identify signal contact, at least one Firewire and charger input power signals contacts, at least one video contact, at least one accessory power contact, at least one accessory protocol contact, an accessory detect signal contact, a remote sense signal contact, at least one line signal, and at least one signal contact, wherein at least one of the contacts is active when a device is coupled to the docking connector.
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2. A docking connector comprising:
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a keying arrangement, wherein one set of keys are separated by one length and another set of keys are separated by another length; and thirty signal contacts, wherein the contacts include first break/last make contact, wherein the ground contacts make contact with a mating connection before the power contacts;
wherein the thirty contacts are in the following configuration;
contact (1) comprises a first Digital ground in MediaPlayer contact;
contact two (2) comprises a second Digital ground in MediaPlayer contact, contact three (3) comprises a FireWire signal contact;
contact four (4) comprises a first USB signal contact;
contact five (5) comprises a second FireWire signal contact;
contact six (6) comprises a second USB signal contact;
contact seven (7) comprises a third FireWire signal contact;
contact eight (8) comprises a USB power in contact;
contact nine (9) comprises a fourth FireWire signal;
contact ten (10) comprises an Accessory Identify contact;
contact eleven (11) comprises a first FireWire and charger input power contact;
contact twelve (12) comprises a second FireWire and charger input power contact;
contact thirteen (13) comprises an Accessory Power contact;
contact fourteen (14) comprises a Reserved contact;
contact fifteen (15) comprises a third Digital ground in MediaPlayer contact;
contact sixteen (16) comprises a fourth Digital ground in MediaPlayer contact;
contact seventeen (17) comprises a second Reserved contact;
contact eighteen (18) comprises a receive MediaPlayer accessory protocol contact;
contact nineteen (19) comprises a transmit MediaPlayer accessory protocol;
contact twenty (20) comprises an Accessory Detect contact;
contact twenty-one (21) comprises a luminance components of S Video contact;
contact twenty-two (22) comprises a Composite Video contact;
contact twenty-four (24) comprises a Remote Sense contact;
contact twenty-five (25) comprises a Line level input to the MediaPlayer for the left channel contact;
contact twenty-six (26) comprises a Line level input to the MediaPlayer for the right channel contact;
contact twenty-seven (27) comprises s Line level output to the MediaPlayer for the left channel contact;
contact twenty-eight (28) comprises a Line level output to the MediaPlayer for the right channel contact;
contact twenty-nine (29) comprises an Audio Return contact; and
contact thirty (30) comprises a fifth Digital ground in MediaPlayer contact, wherein at least one of the contacts is active when a device is coupled to the docking connector.
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3. A remote connector comprising:
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a body portion, the body portion including a first receptacle for a headphone and second receptacle for a remote device; and nine signal contacts coupled to the first and second receptacles, wherein the nine contacts in the following configuration;
contact one (1) comprises an Audio Out Left/Mono Mic In contact;
contact two (2) comprises a Headphone Detect contact;
contact three (3) comprises an Audio Return contact;
contact four (4) comprises an Audio Out Right contact;
contact five (5) comprises a Composite Video contact;
contact six (6) comprises an Accessory Power contact;
contact seven (7) comprises a MediaPlayer accessory protocol transmit contact;
contact eight (8) comprises a MediaPlayer accessory protocol receive contact; and
contact nine (9) comprises a Digital ground contact, wherein at least one of the contacts is active when a device is coupled to the remote connector.
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4. An accessory comprising;
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a device; and thirty signal contacts, wherein the contacts include first break/last make contact, wherein the ground contacts make contact with a mating connection before the power contacts;
wherein the thirty contacts are in the following configuration;
contact one (1) comprises a first Digital ground in MediaPlayer contact;
contact two (2) comprises a second Digital ground in MediaPlayer contact;
contact three (3) comprises a FireWire signal contact;
contact four (4) comprises a first USB signal contact;
contact five (5) comprises a second FireWire signal contact;
contact six (6) comprises a second USB signal contact;
contact seven (7) comprises a third FireWire signal contact;
contact eight (8) comprises a USB power in contact;
contact nine (9) comprises a fourth FireWire signal;
contact ten (10) comprises an Accessory Identify contact;
contact eleven (11) comprises a first FireWire and charger input power contact;
contact twelve (12) comprises a second FireWire and charger input power contact;
contact thirteen (13) comprises an Accessory Power contact;
contact fourteen (14) comprises a Reserved contact;
contact fifteen (15) comprises a third Digital ground in MediaPlayer contact;
contact sixteen (16) comprises a fourth Digital ground in MediaPlayer contact;
contact seventeen (17) comprises a second Reserved contact;
contact eighteen (18) comprises a receive MediaPlayer accessory protocol contact;
contact nineteen (19) comprises a transmit MediaPlayer accessory protocol;
contact twenty (20) comprises an Accessory Detect contact;
contact twenty-one (21) comprises a luminance component of S Video contact;
contact twenty-two (22) comprises a chrominance component of S Video contact;
contact twenty-three (23) comprises a Composite Video contact;
contact twenty-four (24) comprises a Remote Sense contact;
contact twenty-five (25) comprises a Line level input to the MediaPlayer for the left channel contact;
contact twenty-six (26) comprises a Line level input to the MediaPlayer for the right channel contact;
contact twenty-seven (27) comprises a Line level output to the MediaPlayer for the left channel contact;
contact twenty-eight (28) comprises a Line level output to the MediaPlayer for the right channel contact;
contact twenty-nine (29) comprises an Audio Return contact; and
contact thirty (30) comprises a fifth Digital ground in MediaPlayer contact, wherein at least one of the contacts is active when the accessory is coupled to a media player. - View Dependent Claims (5)
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6. An accessory comprising:
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a device; a keying arrangement within the accessory, wherein one set of keys are spaced apart by one length and another set of keys are spaced apart by another length; and a plurality of signal contacts, wherein the ground contacts make contact with a mating connection before a power contact;
wherein the plurality of contacts comprise at least one digital ground contact, a Firewire signal contact, at least one USB signal contact, at least one USB power contact, an accessory identify signal contact, at least one Firewire and charger input power signals contacts, at least one accessory power contact, at least one accessory protocol contact, an accessory detect signal contact, at least one video contact, a remote sense signal contact, at least one line signal, and at least one signal contact, wherein at least one of the contacts is active when the accessory is coupled to a media player. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. An accessory comprising:
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a device; a body portion within the accessory, the body portion including a first receptacle for a headphone and second receptacle for a remote accessory; and nine signal contacts within the accessory coupled to the first and second receptacles, wherein the nine contacts in the following configuration;
contact one (1) comprises an Audio Out Left/Mono Mic In contact;
contact two (2) comprises a Headphone Detect contact;
contact three (3) comprises an Audio Return contact;
contact four (4) comprises an Audio Out Right contact;
contact five (5) comprises a Composite Video contact;
contact six (6) comprises an Accessory Power contact;
contact seven (7) comprises an MediaPlayer accessory protocol transmit contact;
contact eight (8) comprises an MediaPlayer accessory protocol receive contact; and
contact nine (9) comprises a Digital ground contact, wherein at least one of the contacts is active when the accessory is coupled to a media player. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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Specification
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Current AssigneeApple Inc.
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Original AssigneeApple Inc.
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InventorsKrueger, Scott, Lydon, Gregory T., Filson, John B., Novotney, Donald J., Archibald, John, Tupman, David, Holden, Paul, Bolton, Lawrence G., Schubert, Emily C., Leung, Wang Chun
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Primary Examiner(s)PHAN, RAYMOND NGAN
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Application NumberUS11/479,308Time in Patent Office494 DaysField of Search710 62- 66, 710/72, 710 8- 19, 710300-317, 710104-107, 713324-340, 439/609US Class Current710/62CPC Class CodesG06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e...G06F 13/4068 Electrical couplingH01R 13/6456 comprising keying elements ...H01R 2201/06 for computer peripheryH01R 27/00 Coupling parts adapted for ...H04M 1/0274 for an electrical connector...
