Connectors for data transfer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10652662-B2
Application number	US-201816233676-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 27, 2018
Priority date	Jul 25, 2016
Publication date	May 12, 2020
Grant date	May 12, 2020

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods and apparatus for peripheral device discovery, the detection of orientation of a connector having multiple degrees of rotational symmetry, and the provision of appropriate signal paths between a host device and a peripheral device. Some embodiments provide a characteristic impedance within the peripheral device that is coupled between rotationally symmetric contacts of the connector and thus enables detection of the connector orientation. The value of the characteristic impedance may be used in some embodiments to determine the type or model of peripheral device. Some embodiments are concerned with the enablement of appropriate signal paths to a peripheral device having a transducer (e.g. a loudspeaker) coupled only to rotationally symmetric contacts of the connector, such as headphones implemented in a “balanced” configuration.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A data controller for controlling transfer of data between a host device and a peripheral device via a connector of the host device, the connector comprising a plurality of contacts having n-fold rotational symmetry, wherein n is an integer greater than one, the data controller comprising:
a path controller for enabling signal paths between circuitry of the host device and contacts of said connector,
wherein the path controller is operable to enable separate signal paths to each of at least first, second, third and fourth contacts of the connector, wherein the signal paths to said first and second contacts are for the transfer of respective positive and negative audio signals for a first speaker of the peripheral device, and wherein signal paths to said third and fourth contacts are for the transfer of respective positive and negative audio signals for a second speaker of the peripheral device.

2. The data controller according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second contacts are located at a first pair of rotationally symmetric positions on said connector, and wherein the third and fourth contacts are co-located at a second pair of rotationally symmetric positions on said connector.

3. The data controller according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of contacts have n-fold rotational symmetry about an axis that is substantially parallel to the direction of insertion of the connector with a corresponding connector of the peripheral device.

4. The data controller according to claim 1 , wherein the connector is a USB Type C connector.

5. An electronic device comprising:
a connector comprising a plurality of contacts having n-fold rotational symmetry,
wherein n is an integer greater than one; and
a data controller as claimed in claim 1 .

6. An electronic device as claimed in claim 5 wherein the electronic device is at least one of: a portable device; a battery powered device; a communications device; a computing device; a mobile telephone; a laptop, notebook or tablet computer; a personal media player; a gaming device; and a wearable device.

7. The data controller according to claim 1 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth contacts of the connector are closest to an axis of rotational symmetry of the connector.

8. The data controller according to claim 1 , wherein the path controller is operable in a first mode for the transfer of digital data, and one or more second modes for the transfer of analogue data.

9. The data controller according to claim 8 , wherein the path controller is operable in at least one of the one or more second modes to enable said signal paths to said first and second contacts for the transfer of respective positive and negative audio signals for the first speaker of the peripheral device, and to enable said signal paths to said third and fourth contacts for the transfer of respective positive and negative audio signals for the second speaker of the peripheral device.

10. The data controller according to claim 8 , further comprising a discovery module operable to detect the presence of one or more characteristic impedances on contacts of said connector, and to select between said first mode and said one or more second modes in dependence on the detection of said characteristic impedances.

11. The data controller according to claim 10 , wherein the path controller is operable in a plurality of second modes, wherein the path controller is configured to select either said first mode or said plurality of second modes in dependence on the detection of a first characteristic impedance, and wherein the path controller is configured to select, further to the selection of said plurality of second modes, one of said plurality of second modes in dependence on the value of said second characteristic impedance.

12. An electronic accessory device for connection to a host electronic device via a connector of the electronic accessory device, the connector comprising a plurality of contacts having n-fold rotational symmetry, wherein n is an integer greater than one, the electronic accessory device comprising:
a transducer coupled only to first and second contacts of said connector,

wherein the first and second contacts are located at rotationally symmetric positions on the connector.

13. The electronic accessory device according to claim 12 , wherein the transducer is a loudspeaker, and wherein the loudspeaker is configured to receive respective first and second audio signals over the first and second contacts, wherein the first and second audio signals have an equal magnitude and an opposite polarity to each other.

14. The electronic accessory device according to claim 12 , wherein the transducer is a first transducer, and further comprising a second transducer coupled only to third and fourth contacts of said connector.

15. The electronic accessory device according to claim 14 , wherein the third and fourth contacts are located at rotationally symmetric positions on the connector.

16. The electronic accessory device according to claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of user-operable switches coupled to respective resistors, wherein the plurality of resistors are coupled between fifth and sixth contacts of said connector.

17. The electronic accessory device according to claim 16 , wherein the fifth and sixth contacts are located at rotationally symmetric positions on the connector.

18. The electronic accessory device according to claim 12 , further comprising a characteristic impedance, separate from said first and second transducers, coupled directly to one of a pair of rotationally symmetric contacts of said connector, enabling the host device to determine an orientation of the connector.

19. The electronic accessory device according to claim 12 , wherein the connector is a USB Type C connector.

20. The electronic accessory device according to claim 14 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth contacts are closest to an axis of rotational symmetry of the connector.

Assignees

• Cirrus Logic Int Semiconductor Ltd
• Cirrus Logic Inc

Inventors

• Rand Robert David
• Pennock John Laurance

Classifications

• H01R13/66

  Structural association with built-in electrical component (coupling devices having concentrically or coaxially-arranged contacts H01R24/38) · CPC title

• G06F13/387 Primary

  for adaptation of different data processing systems to different peripheral devices, e.g. protocol converters for incompatible systems, open system · CPC title

• H04R2420/01

  Input selection or mixing for amplifiers or loudspeakers · CPC title

• H04R2420/09

  Applications of special connectors, e.g. USB, XLR, in loudspeakers, microphones or headphones · CPC title

• H01R29/00

  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 title