Connector interface system for data acquisition
First Claim
1. A data acquisition device comprising:
- circuitry configured to receive biometric data acquired from one or more sensors having electrode leads coupled to a living subject;
a Universal Serial Bus (USB) plug having a plurality of pins operatively coupled to the circuitry, a first subset of the plurality of pins configured to receive data signals from the one or more sensors having electrode leads coupled to the living subject and a second subset of the plurality of pins configured to support standard USB communication with USB-compliant devices; and
a modification to the USB plug configured such that the modification facilitates interconnection of the USB plug both with standard USB-compliant devices and with a living subject-connected receptacle that is configured to prevent interconnection with standard USB plugs;
wherein the modification to the USB plug comprises an opening that mates with an accommodating protrusion in the living subject-connected receptacle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A data acquisition system includes a receptacle and a data acquisition device. The receptacle has a housing, sensor inputs to receive data signals from sensors coupled to an object, and a rib to block insertion of a standard Universal Serial Bus (USB) plug and facilitate insertion of a modified USB plug having a slot that mates with the rib. The data acquisition device includes circuitry to receive, store and process data, a USB plug having pins operatively coupled to the circuitry, a first subset of pins configured to receive data signals from the receptacle and a second subset of pins configured to support standard USB communication with USB-compliant devices, and a slot formed in the USB plug such that the slot facilitates interconnection of the USB plug both with standard USB-compliant devices and with the receptacle, the slot mating with the rib to facilitate interconnection.
64 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A data acquisition device comprising:
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circuitry configured to receive biometric data acquired from one or more sensors having electrode leads coupled to a living subject; a Universal Serial Bus (USB) plug having a plurality of pins operatively coupled to the circuitry, a first subset of the plurality of pins configured to receive data signals from the one or more sensors having electrode leads coupled to the living subject and a second subset of the plurality of pins configured to support standard USB communication with USB-compliant devices; and a modification to the USB plug configured such that the modification facilitates interconnection of the USB plug both with standard USB-compliant devices and with a living subject-connected receptacle that is configured to prevent interconnection with standard USB plugs; wherein the modification to the USB plug comprises an opening that mates with an accommodating protrusion in the living subject-connected receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A data acquisition receptacle comprising:
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a plurality of sensor inputs configured to receive biometric data signals from one or more sensors having electrode leads coupled to a living subject; and a connection prevention mechanism that is configured to prevent insertion of a standard Universal Serial Bus (USB) plug and to facilitate insertion of and electrical connection with a modified USB plug having a feature that defeats the connection prevention mechanism; wherein the connection prevention mechanism comprises a protrusion that mates with an accommodating opening in the modified USB plug. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A data acquisition system comprising:
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(i) a receptacle including; (a) a housing; (b) a plurality of sensor inputs configured to receive biometric data signals from one or more sensors having electrode leads coupled to a living subject; and (c) a rib that is configured to block insertion of a standard Universal Serial Bus (USB) plug and to facilitate insertion of and electrical connection with a modified USB plug having a slot that mates with the rib when inserted; and (ii) a data acquisition device including; (a) circuitry configured to receive, store and/or process data received via the receptacle from the one or more sensors having electrode leads coupled to the living subject; (b) a USB plug having a plurality of pins operatively coupled to the circuitry, a first subset of the plurality of pins configured to receive data signals from the receptacle and a second subset of the plurality of pins configured to support standard USB communication with USB-compliant devices; and (c) a slot formed in the USB plug such that the slot facilitates interconnection of the USB plug both with standard USB-compliant devices and with the receptacle, the slot mating with the rib to facilitate interconnection between the data acquisition device and the receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of acquiring data, the method comprising:
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establishing a connection between a receptacle to a living subject from which biometric data is to be acquired via one or more sensors having electrode leads coupled to a living subject, the receptacle having a connection prevention mechanism comprising a rib that prevents connection of a standard USB plug to the receptacle; connecting a data acquisition device having a modified USB plug to the receptacle having the connection prevention mechanism, the modified USB plug being configured such that the modification comprises a slot that defeats the receptacle'"'"'s connection prevention mechanism while facilitating interconnection of the modified USB plug with standard USB-compliant devices; and acquiring living subject-related data via the one or more sensors having electrode leads coupled to a living subject using the connected data acquisition device. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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Specification