Connectors designed for ease of use

• US 9,118,990 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Hankey, M. Evans, Sanford, Emery A., Prest, Christopher D., De Iuliis, Daniele, Russell-Clark, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Lao, Lun-See
• Application Number:
  US11/824,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20080164934A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,980 Days
• Field of Search: 381/74, 381/150, 381/182, 381/370, 381/374, 381/381, 381/123, 381/322, 381/384, 381/309, 379/430, 379/419, 379/428.01, 379/438, 439/39, 439/173, 439/218, 439/53, 439/954, 439/217
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2428 using meander springs
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/64 Means for preventing incorrect coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7039 the coupling part with coding means activating the switch to establish different circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 29/00 Coupling parts for selective co-operation with a counterpart in different ways to establish different circuits, e.g. for voltage selection, for series-parallel selection, programmable connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/26 for engaging or disengaging the two parts of a coupling device structural association with two-part coupling device H01R13/629
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0262 for a battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0274 for an electrical connector module
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0277 for a printed circuit board assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1058 Manufacture or assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/033 Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Headset connector systems and headset engaging connector systems are provided. Headset connector systems can include two or more headset connector contact regions. Headset engaging connector systems can include two or more headset engaging contact regions to provide at least one of power and data. The headset connector system or the headset engaging connector system can include switching circuitry electrically coupled to the respective contact regions. The switching circuitry can be operative to determine an interface orientation between the headset connector contact regions and the headset engaging contact regions. The switching circuitry can also be operative to selectively route received signals based on the determined interface orientation. At least a portion of the headset connector system or the headset engaging connector system can be magnetically attractive.

Claims

1. A headset connector system for interfacing with a headset engaging connector including at least two headset engaging contact regions, the headset connector system comprising:

a symmetrical connector housing having a connector surface;

a plurality of headset connector contact regions positioned on the connector surface within the symmetrical connector housing, wherein, when the headset connector system interfaces with the headset engaging connector in at least two different interface orientations with approximately 180 degrees of symmetry along the connector surface;

each headset connector contact region of the plurality of headset connector contact regions remains in a respective first position relative to the headset connector system; and

each headset engaging contact region of the at least two headset engaging contact regions remains in a respective second position relative to the headset engaging connector; and

switching circuitry electrically coupled to the headset connector contact regions, wherein the switching circuitry is operative to;

determine an interface orientation of the at least two different interface orientations between the headset connector system and the headset engaging connector; and

selectively route signals received on the plurality of headset connector contact regions based on the determination.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more magnetic elements for magnetically attracting the headset engaging connector.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more magnetic elements are disposed between the plurality of headset connector contact regions.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more magnetic elements are constructed from one of a ferromagnetic and a rare-earth magnet material.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein:

a first portion of the at least two headset engaging contact regions is configured to provide power;

a second portion of the at least two headset engaging contact regions is configured to provide data;

the plurality of headset connector contact regions comprises four headset connector contact regions;

a first pair of headset connector contact regions of the four headset connector contact regions is operative to receive the provided power; and

a second pair of headset connector contact regions of the four headset connector contact regions is operative to receive the provided data.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein each headset connector contact region of the first pair of headset connector contact regions comprises a different polarity.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the switching circuitry is further operative to detect a polarity arrangement of the first pair of headset connector contact regions.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein each headset connector contact region of the second pair of headset connector contact regions comprises a different polarity.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the switching circuitry is further operative to detect a polarity arrangement of the second pair of headset connector contact regions.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the switching circuitry comprises power polarity switching circuitry.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the switching circuitry comprises data polarity switching circuitry.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the headset connector system is magnetic to attract the headset engaging connector.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the determined interface orientation indicates a polarity arrangement of the at least two headset engaging contact regions.

14. The headset connector system of claim 1 further comprising a mating surface, wherein:

the plurality of headset connector contact regions are disposed within the mating surface;

the mating surface is configured to maintain each headset connector contact region of the plurality of headset connector contact regions in the respective first position.

15. The headset connector system of claim 1, wherein:

each headset connector contact region of the plurality of headset connector contact regions is operative to engage a respective headset engaging contact region of the at least two headset engaging contact regions when the headset connector system interfaces with the headset engaging connector in a first interface orientation of the at least two interface orientations; and

each headset connector contact region of the plurality of headset connector contact regions is operative to engage another respective headset engaging contact region of the at least two headset engaging contact regions when the headset connector system interfaces with the headset engaging connector in a second interface orientation of the at least two interface orientations.

16. A method for interfacing a headset connector system including a plurality of headset connector contact regions with a headset engaging connector including at least two headset engaging contact regions, the method comprising:

providing a symmetrical configuration with a symmetrical connector surface for the headset connector system;

interfacing the headset engaging connector with the headset connector system, wherein, at least two different interface orientations approximately 180 degrees apart are along the connector surface and are selectable during the interfacing such that;

each headset connector contact region of the plurality of headset connector contact regions remains in a respective first position relative to the headset connector system; and

each headset engaging contact region of the at least two headset engaging contact regions remains in a respective second position relative to the headset engaging connector;

determining with the headset connector system an interface orientation of the at least two different interface orientations between the headset engaging connector and the headset connector system based on the interfacing; and

selectively electrically coupling the at least two headset engaging contact regions to predetermined pathways of the headset connector system based on the using the headset connector system.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the interfacing further comprises magnetically attracting the headset engaging connector to the headset connector system.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least two headset engaging contact regions conduct dual polarity power signals.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least two headset engaging contact regions conduct dual polarity data signals.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the headset connector system comprises a magnetic element disposed between the plurality of headset connector contact regions.

29. The method of claim 16, wherein the interfacing comprises:

interfacing the headset engaging connector with the headset connector system using a first interface orientation of the at least two different interface orientations; and

the first interface orientation comprises each headset engaging contact region of the at least two headset engaging contact regions being engaged with a respective headset connector contact region of the plurality of headset connector contact regions.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the interfacing comprises:

interfacing the headset engaging connector with the headset connector system using a second interface orientation of the at least two different interface orientations; and

the second interface orientation comprises each headset engaging contact region of the at least two headset engaging contact regions being engaged with another respective headset connector contact region of the plurality of headset connector contact regions.

21. A headset engaging connector system for interfacing with a headset connector including at least two headset connector contact regions, the headset engaging connector system comprising:

a housing having a symmetrical configuration along a single surface, at least a portion of the housing being magnetically attractive;

at least two headset engaging contact regions biased to protrude from the housing and including at least four elongated contacts vertically aligned in parallel to each other within the housing, and operative to;

interface with the at least two headset connector contact regions in one of at least two different interface orientations that are about 180 degrees apart along the single surface, wherein, when the at least two headset engaging contact regions interface with the at least two headset connector contact regions using any of the at least two different interface orientations;

each headset connector contact region of the at least two headset connector contact regions remains in a respective first position relative to the headset connector; and

each headset engaging contact region of the at least two headset engaging contact regions remains in a respective second position relative to the headset engaging connector system; and

electronic circuitry electrically coupled to the at least two headset engaging contact regions.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the at least two headset engaging contact regions provide dual polarity power signals.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the at least two headset engaging contact regions provide dual polarity data signals.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the at least two headset engaging contact regions are biased by a spring member.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the magnetically attractive portion of the housing magnetically attracts and secures the headset connector to the housing.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the electronic circuitry is operative to:

determine an interface orientation between the headset engaging connector system and the headset connector; and

selectively route signals to the at least two headset engaging contact regions based on the determined interface orientation.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the determined interface orientation indicates a polarity arrangement of the at least two headset connector contact regions.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein a portion of the magnetically attractive portion of the housing is disposed between the at least two headset engaging contact regions.

31. A method for interfacing a headset engaging connector system including at least two headset engaging contact regions with a headset connector including at least two headset connector contact regions, the method comprising:

providing a symmetrical configuration of the at least two headset engaging contact regions, wherein each contact region is positioned on a single surface;

receiving with the headset engaging connector system the headset connector in one interface orientation of at least two different interface orientations that are approximately 180 degrees apart along the single surface, wherein, when any interface orientation of the at least two different interface orientations is used during the receiving;

each headset connector contact region of the at least two headset connector contact regions remains in a respective first position relative to the headset connector; and

each headset engaging contact region of the at least two headset engaging contact regions remains in a respective second position relative to the headset engaging connector;

in response to the receiving, determining with the headset engaging connector system the polarity arrangement of the at least two headset connector contact regions; and

selectively routing signals to the at least two headset engaging contact regions based on the determining using the headset engaging connector system.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising magnetically securing the received headset connector.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprising transmitting power from the headset engaging connector system to the headset connector.

34. The method of claim 31, further comprising transmitting data from the headset engaging connector system to the headset connector.

35. The method of claim 31, further comprising transmitting data from the headset connector to the headset engaging connector system.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein the headset engaging connector system comprises a magnetically attractive portion disposed between the at least two headset engaging contact regions.