Male plug connector

• US 8,190,205 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2011
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Fadell, Anthony M., Zedesky, Stephen Paul, Filson, John Benjamin
• Primary Examiner(s): MILLER, BRANDON J
• Application Number:
  US13/042,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20110151725A1
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• Field of Search: 439/218, 439/638, 439/660, 439/557, 439/90.3, 439/556.1, 439/559, 710/64, 710/72, 710/300, 455/557, 455/90.3, 455/556.1, 455/559
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2205/021 Aspects relating to docking-station type assemblies to obtain an acoustical effect, e.g. the type of connection to external loudspeakers or housings, frequency improvement

Abstract

A media player system is disclosed. One aspect of the media player system pertains to a docking station that allows a media player to communicate with other media devices. Another aspect of the media player system pertains to a wireless media player system that includes a hand held media player capable of transmitting information over a wireless connection and one or more media devices capable of receiving information over the wireless connection. Another aspect of the media player system pertains to a method of wirelessly connecting the hand held media player to another device. The method includes selecting a media item on the hand held media player; selecting one or more remote recipients on the hand held media player; and transmitting the media item locally to the hand held media player, and wirelessly to the selected remote recipients. Another aspect of the media player system pertains to a hand held music player that includes a transmitter for transmitting information over a wireless connection. The transmitter is configured to at least transmit a continuous music feed to one or more personal tuning devices that each include a receiver capable of receiving information from the transmitter over the wireless connection. Yet another aspect of the media player system pertains to a connector that includes a housing and a plurality of spatially separated contacts mounted within the housing. A first set of contacts are directed at a first functionality and a second set of contacts are directed at a second functionality that is different than the first functionality.

Claims

1. A male plug connector for connecting to a corresponding female receptacle connector, the male plug connector comprising:

a housing designed to accommodate thirty contacts positioned within the housing and spaced apart in sequentially numbered contact locations, wherein the sequentially numbered contact locations include;

first, second and third ground contact locations designated for ground at contact locations 2, 16 and 29, respectively;

a USB power contact location designated for a USB power signal;

first and second digital USB contact locations designated for USB differential data signals interleaved around a contact location designated for another digital signal other than a USB differential data signal;

analog contact locations designated for left and right audio signals;

a fourth ground contact location designated for ground at a location between contact locations 2 and 16, wherein the analog contact locations are separated from the first and second digital USB contact locations by the fourth ground contact location and wherein the first and second digital USB contact locations are located between the first ground contact location and the fourth ground contact location.

2. The male plug connector set forth in claim 1 wherein the sequentially numbered contact locations further include fifth and sixth ground contact locations.

3. The male plug connector set forth in claim 1 wherein the sequentially numbered contact locations further include an accessory power contact location designated for an accessory power signal that can power an accessory device coupled to the plug connector at a first power level, and first and second power contact locations designated for providing power at a second power level that is higher than the first power level.

4. The male plug connector set forth in claim 3 wherein the first power level is 3.3 volts.

5. The male plug connector set forth in claim 1 wherein the sequentially numbered contact locations further include an accessory detect contact location 20 for an accessory detect signal.

6. The male plug connector set forth in claim 1 wherein the contact location for another digital signal between the first and second digital USB contact locations is a Firewire contact location for a Firewire data signal.

7. The male plug connector set forth in claim 1 wherein the thirty sequential contact locations are spaced apart along a single row.

8. A male plug connector for connecting to a corresponding female receptacle connector, the male plug connector comprising:

a housing designed to accommodate thirty contacts positioned within the housing and spaced apart in a single row of contact locations sequentially numbered from a first end to a second end, the contact locations including;

first, second and third ground contact locations designated for ground, the first ground contact location at contact location 2 near the first end of the connector, the second ground contact location at contact location 29 near the second end of the connector, and the third ground contact location between the first and second ground contact locations;

a first group of digital contact locations including first and second digital USB contact locations designated for USB differential data signals and a third digital contact location between the first and second digital USB contact locations designated for a digital signal other than a USB differential data signal; and

a second group of analog contact locations including left and right audio contact locations designated for left and right audio signals, the second group of analog contact locations located between the second ground contact location and the third ground contact location.

9. The male plug connector set forth in claim 8 wherein the sequentially numbered contact locations further include fourth, fifth and sixth ground contact locations.

10. The male plug connector set forth in claim 8 wherein the sequentially numbered contact locations further include an accessory power contact location designated for an accessory power signal that can power an accessory device coupled to the plug connector at a first power level, and first and second power contact locations designated for providing power at a second power level that is higher than the first power level.

11. The male plug connector set forth in claim 10 wherein the first power level is 3.3 volts.

12. The male plug connector set forth in claim 8 wherein the sequentially numbered contact locations further include an accessory detect contact location 20 for an accessory detect signal.

13. The male plug connector set forth in claim 8 wherein the third digital contact location between the first and second digital USB contact locations is a Firewire contact location for a Firewire data signal.

14. The male plug connector set forth in claim 8 wherein the thirty sequential contact locations are spaced apart along a single row.

15. The male plug connector set forth in claim 8 wherein the analog contact locations include left and right audio in contact locations designated for left and right audio in signals and left and right audio out contact locations designated for left and right audio out signals.

16. A male plug connector for connecting to a corresponding female receptacle connector, the male plug connector comprising:

a housing designed to accommodate thirty contacts within the housing spaced apart in one or more rows of contact locations sequentially numbered from a first end to a second end, the contact locations including;

first, second and third ground contact locations designated for ground, the first ground contact location being disposed at contact location 1, the second ground contact location being disposed at contact location 30 and the third ground contact location being disposed at one of contact locations 15 or 16 between contact locations 1 and 30;

a group of digital contact locations designated for one or more digital signals including universal serial bus (USB) signals, the group of digital contact locations being disposed between the first and third ground contact locations;

a group of analog contact locations designated for one or more analog signals including an audio left signal and an audio right signal, the group of analog contact locations being disposed between the second and third ground contact locations; and

a group of power contact locations designated for one or more power signals including USB power, accessory power and charger input power, the group of power contact locations being disposed between the first and third ground contact locations.

17. The male plug connector set forth in claim 16 wherein the sequentially numbered contact locations further include fourth and fifth ground contact locations designated for ground, the fourth ground contact location being disposed at contact location 2 and the fifth ground contact location being disposed adjacent to the third ground contact location at the other of contact locations 15 or 16.

18. The male plug connector set forth in claim 16 wherein the group of analog contact locations includes an audio out left contact location at contact location 27 and an audio out right contact location at contact location 28.

19. The male plug connector set forth in claim 18 wherein contact location 8 is designated for a USB power signal.

20. The male plug connector set forth in claim 16 wherein the contact locations further include an accessory identify contact location designated for an accessory identify signal that has an associated electrical pull down function to notify the media player of an accessory identification, the accessory identify contact location being located between the first and third ground contact locations.

21. The male plug connector set forth in claim 20 wherein the contact locations further include an accessory detect contact location designated for an accessory detect signal.

22. The male plug connector set forth in claim 16 wherein the contact locations further include first and second serial protocol contact locations designated for serial protocol signals.