# US 2013/0157477 A1 · Connectors providing haptic feedback > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0157477 A1 - Document ID: US20130157477A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/713,564 - Filed: 2012-12-13 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-14 - Assignees: Waveconnex, Inc. - Inventors: Gary D. McCormack - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130157477A1 ## CPC - H01R 13/6205: {Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet} - H10W 72/884: {Die-attach connectors and bond wires} - H10W 74/00: Encapsulations, e.g. protective coatings - H10W 90/734: {between a chip and a stacked insulating package substrate, interposer or RDL} - H10W 90/754: {between a chip and a stacked insulating package substrate, interposer or RDL} - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A first connector may include a housing defining a first connector face to be positioned in a first position or a second position proximate to a second connector face of a second connector. A first extremely high frequency (EHF) communication unit may be disposed in the housing for communicating with a second EHF communication unit of the second connector when the first connector face is positioned in first or second position relative to the second connector face. A first magnet may be disposed in the housing. The first magnet may align with and repel a second magnet disposed relative to the second connector face when the first connector face is positioned in the second position. The first magnet may be configured not to align with and not to repel the second magnet when first connector face is positioned in the first position relative to the second connector face. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A first connector comprising: a housing defining a first connector face configured to be positioned in at least one of a first position and a second position proximate to a second connector face of a second connector; a first extremely high frequency (EHF) communication unit disposed in the housing relative to the first connector face for communicating with a second EHF communication unit of the second connector when the first connector face is positioned in at least one of the first position and the second position relative to the second connector face; and a first magnet disposed in the housing relative to the first connector face, the first magnet configured to align with and repel a second magnet disposed relative to the second connector face when the first connector face is positioned in the second position relative to the second connector face, and the first magnet is configured not to align with and not to repel the second magnet when the first connector face is positioned in the first position relative to the second connector face. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The first connector of claim 1 further comprising a first magnetic element disposed in the housing relative to the first connector face and spaced from the first magnet, wherein the first magnetic element is configured to align with and attract the second magnet when the first connector face is positioned in the first position relative to the second connector face. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The first connector of claim 2, wherein the first magnetic element is at least one of a permanent magnet, an electromagnet, and a ferromagnetic element. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The first connector of claim 2, wherein the first magnetic element is a third magnet, further wherein the first magnet and the third magnet have opposite magnetic polarities at the first connector face. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The first connector of claim 1, further comprising a third EHF communication unit configured to communicate with a fourth EHF communication unit of the second connector when the first connector face is positioned in the at least one of the first position and the second position relative to the second connector face. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The first connector of claim 1, further comprising: a connector printed circuit board (PCB) supported in the housing; a first connector alignment element configured to mate with a complementary second connector alignment element of the second connector, wherein the first connector alignment element matingly receives the second connector alignment element when the first connector face is positioned in the first position and in the second position relative to the second connector face for providing physical alignment feedback to a user; a signal indication circuit having one or more light emitting diode (LED) indicators responsive to an electrical signal transmitted between the first and second EHF communications units; and a connector body disposed in the housing and configured to encapsulate the connector PCB and the first EHF communication unit. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The first connector of claim 1, wherein the first EHF communication unit is electrically and physically connected to a cable configured to receive at least one of power and one or more informational signals from an external source. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The first connector of claim 1, wherein the first magnet has a magnet face that is aligned with the first connector face. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The first connector of claim 1 further comprising an electromagnet controller, wherein the first magnet is an electromagnet configured to be selectively activated by the electromagnet controller, the electromagnet controller is configured to alternatingly activate and either deactivate or reverse activate the electromagnet thereby producing vibration of the first connector. ### Claim 10 A connector system comprising: a first connector comprising: a first housing defining a first connector face; a first extremely high frequency (EHF) communication unit disposed in the first housing relative to the first connector face; and a first magnet disposed in the first housing relative to the first connector face; and a second connector comprising: a second housing defining a second connector face configured to be positioned in at least one of a first position and a second position proximate to the first connector face; a second EHF communication unit configured to communicate with the first EHF communication unit over a first channel when the first connector face is positioned in at least one of the first position and the second position relative to the second connector face; and a second magnet disposed in the second housing relative to the second connector face, the second magnet being configured not to align with and not to repel the second magnet when the first connector face is positioned in the first position relative to the second connector face, and the second magnet is configured to align with and repel the first magnet when the first connector face is positioned in the second position relative to the second connector face. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The connector system of claim 10, wherein the first connector comprises a first magnetic element disposed in the first housing relative to the first connector face and spaced from the first magnet, the first magnetic element is configured to align with and attract the second magnet when the first connector face is positioned in the first position relative to the second connector face. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The connector system of claim 11, wherein the first magnetic element is at least one of a permanent magnet, an electromagnet, and a ferromagnetic element. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The connector system of claim 11, wherein the first magnetic element is a third magnet, further wherein the first magnet and the third magnet have opposite magnetic polarities at the first connector face. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The connector system of claim 13, wherein the second connector comprises a fourth magnet disposed in the second housing relative to the second connector face, the fourth magnet is configured to: align with and to attract the first magnet when the first connector face is positioned in the first position relative to the second connector face; and align with and repel the third magnet when the first connector face is positioned in the second position relative to the second connector face. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The connector system of claim 10, wherein the second connector comprises a second magnetic element disposed in the second housing relative to the second connector face, wherein the second magnetic element is configured to align with and be attracted to the first magnet when the first connector face is positioned in the first position relative to the second connector face. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The connector system of claim 15, wherein the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element comprises respective ferromagnetic elements. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The connector system of claim 10, wherein the first connector further comprises a third EHF communication unit disposed in the first housing relative to the first connector face, and the second connector further comprises a fourth EHF communication unit disposed in the second housing relative to the second connector face, the third EHF communication unit is configured to communicate with the fourth EHF communication unit when the first connector face is positioned in the at least one of the first position and the second position relative to the second connector face. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The connector system of claim 10, wherein the first connector further comprises: a connector printed circuit board (PCB) supported in the first housing; a first connector alignment element configured to mate with a complementary second connector alignment element of the second connector, wherein the first connector alignment element matingly receives the second connector alignment element when the first connector face is positioned in at least one of the first position and the second position relative to the second connector face for providing physical alignment feedback to a user; a signal indication circuit having one or more light emitting diode (LED) indicators responsive to an electrical signal transmitted between the first and second EHF communications units; and a connector body disposed in the first housing and configured to encapsulate the connector PCB and the first EHF communication unit. ### Claim 19 (depends on 10) The connector system of claim 10, wherein the first EHF communication unit is electrically and physically connected to a cable configured to receive at least one of power and one or more informational signals from a source external of the first connector. ### Claim 20 (depends on 10) The connector system of claim 10, wherein the first magnet has a magnet face that is aligned with the first connector face. ### Claim 21 (depends on 10) The connector system of claim 10, wherein the first connector further comprises an electromagnet controller, wherein the first magnet is an electromagnet configured to be selectively activated by the electromagnet controller, the electromagnet controller is configured to alternatingly activate and deactivate or reverse activate the electromagnet, thereby producing vibration of the first connector. ### Claim 22 A connector system comprising: a first connector including: a first housing; a first EHF communication unit supported in the first housing; a third EHF communication unit supported in the second housing; and at least two first connector magnets supported in the first housing; and a second connector configured to couple with the first connector, the second connector comprising: a second housing defining a second connector face configured to be positioned in at least one of a first position and a second position proximate to the first connector face; a second EHF communication unit supported in the second housing and configured to communicate with the first EHF communication unit over a first channel; a fourth EHF communication unit supported in the second housing and configured to communicate with the third EHF communication unit on a second channel; and at least two second connector magnets supported in the second housing, wherein polarities of the at least two first connector magnets, and the at least two second connector magnets are oriented such that, the first connector couples with the second connector in a desired connector orientation and is held in a coupled state by attraction of the first magnet of the at least two first connector magnets to the first magnet of the at least two second connect magnets and attraction of the second magnet of the first connector magnets to the second magnet of the second connector magnets. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The connector system of claim 22, wherein the first EHF communication unit comprises at least one of an insulating material, a chip having an integrated circuit (IC), and an antenna capable of communicating with the IC, further wherein the antenna is fixed at a location by the insulating material. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The connector system of claim 22, wherein the first magnet of the at least two first connector magnets and the at least two second connector magnets are electrically conductive, and are in electrical contact when the first connector couples with the second connector in the desired connector orientation, and the first magnet of the at least two first connector magnets and the at least two second connector magnets form a first path of electrical current in an electrical circuit in the first and second connectors. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The connector system of claim 24, wherein the second magnet of the at least two first connector magnets and second magnet of the at least two second connector magnets are electrically conductive, and are in electrical contact when the first connector couples with the second connector in the desired connector orientation, and the second magnet of the at least two first connector magnets and second magnet of the at least two second connector magnets form a second path of electrical current in the electrical circuit in the first connector and the second connector. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The connector system of claim 25, wherein the at least two first connector magnets are configured to provide a ground connection in the electrical circuit and are configured to form in combination an electromagnetic shield around the first EHF communication unit and the third EHF communication unit. ### Claim 27 (depends on 22) The connector system of claim 22, wherein the first connector is electrically and physically connected to a cable to obtain at least one of power and one or more informational signals from an external source. ### Claim 28 (depends on 22) The connector system of claim 22, wherein each of the at least two first connector magnets has a first pole of a first polarity and a second pole of a second polarity opposite of the first polarity, and the respective first poles of the at least two first connector magnets are oriented in the same direction. ### Claim 29 (depends on 22) The connector system of claim 22, wherein each of the at least two second connector magnets has a first pole of a first polarity and a second pole of a second polarity opposite of the first polarity, and the respective first poles of the at least two second connector magnets are oriented in the same direction. ### Claim 30 (depends on 22) The connector system of claim 22 further comprising an electromagnet controller, wherein the first magnet is an electromagnet configured to be selectively activated by the electromagnet controller, the electromagnet controller is configured to alternatingly activate and either deactivate or reverse activate the electromagnet, thereby producing vibration of the first connector ### Claim 31 (depends on 22) The connector system of claim 22, wherein the first housing has a first connector face that faces the second connector when the first connector couples with the second connector in the desired connector orientation, and each of the first magnet and second magnet comprises a magnet face that is aligned with the first connector face.