Systems and methods for determining the configuration of electronic connections

A method of determining the physical orientation of two connectors with respect to each other comprising:

• connecting a first device to a second device by physically coupling a first connector to a second connector, wherein the connectors are capable of being coupled together in more than one physical orientation;
• measuring a characteristic of at least one line in the connection between the first connector and the second connector;
• and
• determining the physical orientation of the first connector with respect to the second connector based on the measured characteristic.

A method of determining the physical orientation of two connectors with respect to each other and selecting a communication interface comprising:

• connecting a first device to a second device by physically coupling a first connector to a second connector, wherein the connectors are capable of being coupled together in more than one physical orientation;
• measuring a characteristic of at least one line in the connection between the first connector and the second connector;
• determining the physical orientation of the first connector with respect to the second connector based on the measured characteristic;
• and
• selecting an appropriate communication interface based on the measured characteristic.

An apparatus for selecting a communication interface comprising:

• a connector for coupling the apparatus with another device;
• one or more contacts for physically connecting lines between the apparatus and the other device;
• detector circuitry for measuring an electrical characteristic of one or more of the contacts;
• switch circuitry operable to connect the contacts to other circuitry in one or more configurations;
• and
• control circuitry operable to interface the detector circuitry with the switch circuitry, wherein the detector circuitry selects a communication interface based on the measured characteristic and the control circuitry instructs the switch circuitry to configure itself accordingly.

An apparatus for determining the physical orientation of a connector comprising:

• a connector for coupling the apparatus with another device;
• one or more contacts for physically connecting lines between the apparatus and the other device;
• detector circuitry for measuring an electrical characteristic of one or more of the contacts;
• switch circuitry operable to connect the contacts to other circuitry in one or more configurations;
• and
• control circuitry operable to interface the detector circuitry with the switch circuitry, wherein the detector circuitry determines the physical orientation of the connector based on the measured characteristic and the control circuitry instructs the switch circuitry to configure itself accordingly.

An apparatus for determining the physical orientation of a connector and selecting a communication interface comprising:

• a connector for coupling the apparatus with another device;
• one or more contacts for physically connecting lines between the apparatus and the other device;
• detector circuitry for measuring an electrical characteristic of one or more of the contacts;
• switch circuitry operable to connect the contacts to other circuitry in one or more configurations;
• and
• control circuitry operable to interface the detector circuitry with the switch circuitry, wherein the detector circuitry determines the physical orientation of the connector and selects a communication interface based on the measured characteristic and the control circuitry instructs the switch circuitry to configure itself accordingly.