Techniques for configuring contacts of a connector
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsJeffrey J. Terlizzi, Scott Mullins, Alexei Kosut, Jahan Minoo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods for configuring contacts of a first connector includes detecting mating of a second connector with the first connector and in response to the detection, sending a command over one of the contacts and waiting for a response to the command. If a valid response to the command is received, the system determines the orientation of the second connector. The response also includes configuration information for contacts in the second connector. The system then configures some of the other contacts of the first connector based on the determined orientation and configuration information of the contacts of the second connector.
Claims19
An electronic device comprising:
- a first connector configured to be mated with a second connector in a second electronic device, the first connector comprising a plurality of contacts including first and second data contacts and a third contact;
- an identification module storing contact configuration information comprising a plurality of bits that identifies a first communication protocol used by the electronic device to communicate with the second electronic device over the first and second data contacts, the identification module being configured to:
- (i) receive a request from the second electronic device over the third contact to send contact configuration information identifying the communication protocol used on the first and second data contacts, and (ii) in response to the request, send the contact configuration information to the second electronic device over the third contact;
- and
- first communication circuitry, coupled to the first and second data contacts, that enables the electronic device to communicate with the second electronic device using the first communication protocol over the first and second data contacts.
An electronic device comprising:
- a first connector configured to be mated with a second connector in a second electronic device, the first connector comprising a plurality of contacts including first and second data contacts and a third contact;
- an identification module storing contact configuration information comprising a plurality of bits that identifies a first communication protocol used by the electronic device to communicate with the second electronic device over the first and second data contacts, the identification module being configured to:
- (i) receive a request from the second electronic device over the third contact to send contact configuration information identifying the communication protocol used on the first and second data contacts, and (ii) in response to the request, send the contact configuration information to the second electronic device over the third contact;
- and
- first communication circuitry, coupled to the first and second data contacts, that enables the electronic device to communicate with the second electronic device using the first communication protocol over the first and second data contacts.
- wherein the request received from the second electronic device comprises a break pulse followed by a command field comprising a plurality of bits and the information sent in response to the request comprises a command response field comprising a plurality of bits followed by a payload field comprising a plurality of bits
- authentication—an authentication module configured to provide authentication information to the host device to authenticate the electronic device and wherein the authentication module is configured to authenticate the electronic device to the host device prior to the identification device communicating the contact configuration information
- power control
A method for operating an accessory having a connector including a plurality of contacts including first and second data contacts and a third contact, the method comprising:
- receiving, by the accessory, over the third contact, a first message from a host device coupled to the first connector, the first message requesting information from the accessory;
- and
- in response to the first message, sending, by the accessory, a second message to the host device over the third contact, the second message including contact configuration information including information about a communication protocol used by the first and the second data contacts.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.