Maintaining sets of cable components used for wired analysis, charging, or other interaction with portable electronic devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10401411-B2
Application number	US-201414500739-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2014
Priority date	Sep 29, 2014
Publication date	Sep 3, 2019
Grant date	Sep 3, 2019

Abstract

A machine for processing electronic devices in accordance with a particular embodiment of the present technology includes a cable system at least partially disposed within a housing. The cable system can include a hub, a plurality of cable components detachably coupled to the hub, and a drive mechanism operably connected to the plurality of cable components. The drive mechanism can be configured to cause a given one of the plurality of cable components to be staged for testing. The cable system can further include a controller and a test port. The controller can include memory, processing circuitry, and testing circuitry. The memory can store instructions that, when executed by the controller using the processing circuitry, cause the testing circuitry to test the staged cable component while the staged cable component is detachably coupled to the test port.

First claim

We claim:

1. A cable system, comprising:
a controller including memory, processing circuitry, and testing circuitry, the memory storing instructions;
a plurality of downstream-facing ports operably connected to the controller;
a cable-status indicator operably connected to the controller; and
a plurality of overcurrent-protection elements, where each of the overcurrent-protection elements is operably connected to one of the downstream-facing ports,
wherein the instructions, when executed by the controller using the processing circuitry, cause—
the testing circuitry to test a cable component having a first end portion detachably coupled to one of the downstream-facing ports, and
the cable-status indicator to indicate a status of the cable component based on the test.

2. The cable system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of test ports operably connected to the controller.

3. The cable system of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of test ports includes:
a first test port having electrical contacts arranged in a first configuration; and
a second test port having electrical contacts arranged in a second configuration different than the first configuration.

4. A cable system, comprising:
a controller including memory, processing circuitry, and testing circuitry, the memory storing instructions;
a plurality of downstream-facing ports operably connected to the controller;
a plurality of test ports operably connected to the controller, wherein the plurality of test ports includes:
a first test port having electrical contacts arranged in a first configuration; and
a second test port having electrical contacts arranged in a second configuration different than the first configuration; and

a cable-status indicator operably connected to the controller,
wherein the instructions, when executed by the controller using the processing circuitry, cause—
the testing circuitry to test a cable component having a first end portion detachably coupled to one of the downstream-facing ports and a second end portion detachably coupled to one of the test ports, and
the cable-status indicator to indicate a status of the cable component based on the test.

5. The cable system of claim 4 wherein the plurality of test ports includes a third test port having electrical contacts arranged in a third configuration different than the first and second configurations.

6. The cable system of claim 2 wherein:
the plurality of test ports is configured to be simultaneously electrically connected to the plurality of downstream-facing ports via a first electrical connection and via a separate second electrical connection while the testing circuitry tests the cable component;
the first electrical connection includes the testing circuitry; and
the second electrical connection includes the cable component.

7. The cable system of claim 1 wherein the individual overcurrent-protection elements include automatically resettable fuses.

8. The cable system of claim 1 , further comprising an actuation mechanism operably connected to the controller, wherein the instructions, when executed by the controller using the processing circuitry, cause the testing circuitry to test the cable component in response to operation of the actuation mechanism.

9. The cable system of claim 1 , further comprising a hub including a support structure, wherein the support structure carries the plurality of downstream-facing ports.

10. The cable system of claim 9 wherein the individual downstream-facing ports are parallel to one another in a first plane.

11. The cable system of claim 9 wherein the individual downstream-facing ports are circumferentially distributed around a periphery of the support structure.

12. A cable system, comprising;
a controller including memory, processing circuitry, and testing circuitry, the memory storing instructions:
a plurality of downstream-facing ports operably connected to the controller;
a plurality of test ports operably connected to the controller;
a cable-status indicator operably connected to the controller; and
an actuation mechanism operably connected to the controller,
wherein the instructions, when executed by the controller using the processing circuitry, cause—
the testing circuitry to test a cable component having a first end portion detachably coupled to one of the downstream-facing ports and a second end portion detachably coupled to one of the ports,
the cable-status indicator to indicate a status of the cable component based on the test; and
the testing circuitry to test the cable component in response to operation of the actuation mechanism.

13. A cable system, comprising:
a hub including—
a support structure,
a first downstream-facing port carried by the support structure, and
a second downstream-facing port carried by the support structure;

a first test port operably associated with the hub, the first test port having electrical contacts arranged in a first configuration;
a second test port operably associated with the hub, the second test port having electrical contacts arranged in a second configuration different than the first configuration;
a first cable component detachably coupled to the hub, the first cable component including—
a first upstream-facing connector detachably coupled to the first downstream-facing port,
a first flexible cord having a proximal end portion downstream from the first upstream-facing connector and a distal end portion downstream from its proximal end portion, and
a first downstream-facing connector at the distal end portion of the first cord; and

a second cable component detachably coupled to the hub, the second cable component including—
a second upstream-facing connector detachably coupled to the second downstream-facing port,
a second flexible cord having a proximal end portion downstream from the second upstream-facing connector and a distal end portion downstream from its proximal end portion, and
a second downstream-facing connector at the distal end portion of the second cord,

wherein—
the first cable component has—
an operational state in which the first downstream-facing connector is detached from the hub, and
a test state in which the first downstream-facing connector is detachably coupled to the first test port, and

the second cable component has—
an operational state in which the second downstream-facing connector is detached from the hub, and
a test state in which the second downstream-facing connector is detachably coupled to the second test port.

14. The cable system of claim 13 wherein:
the first test port is a mini USB port; and
the second test port is a micro USB port.

15. The cable system of claim 13 wherein:
the hub includes a third downstream-facing port carried by the support structure;
the cable system further comprises a third cable component detachably coupled to the hub, the third cable component including—
a third upstream-facing connector detachably coupled to the third downstream-facing port,
a flexible third cord having a proximal end portion downstream from the third upstream-facing connector and a distal end portion downstream from its proximal end portion, and
a third downstream-facing connector at the distal end portion of the third cord; and

the third cable component has—
an operational state in which the third downstream-facing connector is detached from the hub, and
a test state in which the third downstream-facing connector is detachably coupled to either the first test port or the second test port.

16. The cable system of claim 13 w

Assignees

• Ecoatm Llc

Inventors

• Snook James Andrew
• Segil Rick

Classifications

• G01R31/08 Primary

  Locating faults in cables, transmission lines, or networks · CPC title

• G01R31/58 Primary

  Testing of lines, cables or conductors (testing of electric windings G01R31/72) · CPC title

• G01R31/2844

  using test interfaces, e.g. adapters, test boxes, switches, PIN drivers (G01R31/2889 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01R31/021 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• G07F7/06

  by returnable containers {, i.e. reverse vending systems in which a user is rewarded for returning a container that serves as a token of value}, e.g. bottles · CPC title