US 12,681,879 B2 · Combination connector

Abstract

A combination connector for receiving DisplayPort and Universal Serial Bus (USB) Type-C type connectors. The combination connector includes a PCB with a first row of DisplayPort pins and a second row of USB pins on either side of the PCB. The second row of USB pins are provided on a projection along one edge of the PCB such that the projection can interface physically and electrically with a USB Type-C connector. A removable I/O baffle matching the profile of a DisplayPort connector can support the USB Type-C connector and provide electrical grounding. When the I/O baffle is removed, a DisplayPort connector can be inserted into the combination connector to interface with the first row of DisplayPort pins. A pair of detection pins within the connector allow the electronic device to identify a type of a connected connector and selectively enable power delivery and data transfer for an appropriate operating mode.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An electronic device comprising:

a device housing;
and
a combination connector resided in the device housing, the combination connector including:
a substrate defining a first set of pins to electrically connect with a first type of connector and a second set of pins to electrically connect with a second type of connector;
a connector housing defining an outward opening to accept the first type of connector or the second type of connector;
and
a pair of detection pins disposed on a surface of the substrate, the detection pins projecting outward from the connector housing into the opening;
wherein a first detection pin of the pair of detection pins is triggered by the first type of connector;
and
wherein a second detection pin of the pair of detection pins is triggered by the second type of connector.

7 more elements

An electronic device comprising:

a combination connector comprising a first set of pins for electrically connecting to a first type of connector, and a second set of pins for electrically connecting to a second type of connector wherein the first type of connector is a Display Port (DP) connector and wherein the second type of connector is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) Type-C connector;
a multiplexer;
and
a controller to:
identify, via a first detection pin and a second detection pin of the combination connector, whether the first type of connector or the second type of connector is electrically connected to the combination connector;
select an operating mode of the combination connector corresponding to the identified type of connector electrically connected to the combination connector;
and
connect, by the multiplexer, one or more data channels of the electronic device to the combination connector according to the selected operating mode.

5 more elements

An electronic device comprising:

a DisplayPort source device and a Universal Serial Bus (USB) host device;
a combination connector comprising a digital display interface (DDI), a serial interface, a first detection pin, and a second detection pin;
a multiplexer to selectively connect the DDI to the DisplayPort source device or selectively connect the serial interface to the USB host device corresponding to an operating mode of the combination connector;
a power delivery controller to enable power delivery to the combination connector corresponding to the operating mode;
and
a controller to:
identify, by the first and second detection pins, a connection state of the combination connector;
and
select a video operating mode or a serial operating mode of the combination connector according to the connection state;
wherein the DisplayPort source device is a dual-mode device supporting a first video transmission protocol and a second video transmission protocol in the video operating mode;
and
wherein the USB host device supports a Super Speed USB protocol in the serial operating mode.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Combination connector

Life of this patent

Combination connector

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20