Dual connector coupling for accessory device and electronic device using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9781237-B2
Application number	US-201414147032-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 3, 2014
Priority date	Nov 27, 2013
Publication date	Oct 3, 2017
Grant date	Oct 3, 2017

Abstract

An electronic device includes an analog connector and a digital connector. The analog connector has one or more analog signal contacts and at least one other contact. A signal detector detects signals at the other contact. A switch is coupled to the other contact to, where analog signals are at the other contact, to cause the switch to transition a connection to other contact from a common node of the device to a signal node of the device, thereby allowing a user to use either a four-wire accessory device or five-wire accessory device with a four-wire analog connector.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device, comprising:
an analog connector comprising one or more analog signal contacts and at least one dual contact;
a signal detector coupled to the at least one dual contact;
a switch coupled to the at least one dual contact; and
a control circuit operable with the signal detector and the switch to, based on the signal detector detecting analog signals from an accessory device at the at least one dual contact, cause the switch to transition a connection to the at least one dual contact from a ground node of the device to a signal node of the device.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to cause the switch to connect the at least one dual contact to the ground node whenever analog signals are not at the at least one dual contact.

3. The device of claim 2 , the at least one dual contact comprising a single contact.

4. The device of claim 3 , the one or more analog signal contacts comprising three analog signal contacts.

5. The device of claim 4 , the analog connector comprising a 3.5-millimeter jack.

6. The device of claim 1 , the signal node comprising an audio input node.

7. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a digital connector, separate from the analog connector, the digital connector comprising a micro-USB connector.

8. A system, comprising:
a device, comprising:
a switch;
an analog connector comprising a switchable contact coupled to the switch;
a digital connector, separate from the analog connector; and
one or more circuits to:
cause the switch to transition a connection of the switchable contact from a ground node to a signal node based on the analog connector coupling to a plurality of analog contacts; and
send or receive:
analog signals through the analog connector; and
digital signals through the digital connector; and

an accessory device comprising an analog audio connector comprising the plurality of analog contacts and a ground contact, the accessory device to couple to the device with:
the plurality of analog contacts coupled to one or more contacts of the analog connector; and
the ground contact coupled to another ground contact of the digital connector.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein:
the analog connector comprises five contacts,
and the plurality of analog contacts comprises four of the five contacts of the analog connector and the ground contact comprises a fifth of the five contacts of the analog connector.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the four of the five contacts comprise two loudspeaker contacts and two microphone contacts.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the analog connector comprises a first connector and a second connector separable from the first connector.

12. The system of claim 8 , further comprising an adapter, the adapter comprising:
a first connector to couple to the analog connector;
a second connector to couple to the digital connector; and
a third connector to couple to the analog audio connector.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the adapter is coupled between the accessory device and the device.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more circuits are configured to cause the switch to transition the connection when the plurality of analog contacts is coupled to the analog connector.

15. A system, comprising:
a device, comprising:
a switch;
an analog connector comprising a switchable contact coupled to the switch;
a digital connector, separate from the analog connector;
a detector operable to detect an accessory device; and
one or more circuits to:
cause the switch to transition a connection of the switchable contact from a common node to a signal node based on the detector detecting the accessory device; and
send or receive:
analog signals through the analog connector; and
digital signals through the digital connector; and

the accessory device comprising an analog audio connector comprising a plurality of analog contacts and a common contact, the accessory device to couple to the device with:
the plurality of analog contacts coupled to one or more contacts of the analog connector; and
the common contact coupled to another common contact of the digital connector.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the detector comprises a near field communication circuit.

17. An accessory device comprising:
a case to at least partially surround another device;
a first connector to couple to an analog connector of the another device, the first connector comprising only audio signal contacts, with each audio signal contact being coupled to a corresponding audio signal contact of a third connector on a one-to-one basis;
a second connector, separate from the first connector, the second connector being configured to couple to a digital connector of the another device, the second connector comprising only common contacts, the only common contacts being coupled to a ground contact of the third connector; and
a third connector comprising a plurality of contacts coupled to the first connector and a ground contact coupled to another ground contact of the digital connector.

Assignees

• Google Technology Holdings LLC

Inventors

• Mclaughlin Michael David

Classifications

• H01R2201/16

  for telephony · CPC title

• H04M1/05

  specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast · CPC title

• H01R24/58

  Contacts spaced along longitudinal axis of engagement · CPC title

• H04M1/0274 Primary

  for an electrical connector module · CPC title