US 2019/0196924 A1 · MULTI-PORT COMMUNICATIONS SWITCH WITH AUTOMATED FLIP EMULATION

Abstract

Embodiments provide multi-port communications switches with automated flip emulation for multi-orientation data connectors, for example, to test data connector system components. One embodiment includes multiple ports, each with pins adapted to electrically couple with corresponding structures of a data connector when the connector is physically coupled with the port in any of multiple connector orientations. A flip controller couples pins of first and second ports in accordance with a selected configuration, such that: in a first mode, the flip controller effectively emulates the coupled ports being in a same connector orientation; and in a second mode, the flip controller effectively emulates the coupled ports being in different orientations (e.g., as if one of the connectors is flipped over). Some implementations include additional features, such as selective switching between multiple ports, interfacing with external computational controllers, keep-alive charging of idle devices, measurement of electrical characteristics, and data channel processing.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A multi-port communications switch comprising:

a first port and a second port, each port having a plurality of pins adapted to electrically couple with corresponding structures of a data connector when the connector is physically coupled with the port in any of a plurality of connector orientations;
a control interface processor having a flip control output to indicate a selected one of a plurality of flip modes;
and
a flip controller coupled with the control interface processor, having a plurality of first-side connections coupled with the plurality of pins of the first port, and having a plurality of second-side connections coupled with the plurality of pins of the second port, such that:
in response to the flip control output indicating a first flip mode, the flip controller couples the first-side connections with the second-side connections to emulate the first port and the second port being oriented according to a same one of the connector orientations;
and
in response to the flip control output indicating a second flip mode, the flip controller couples the first-side connections with the second-side connections to emulate the first port and the second port being oriented according to different ones of the connector orientations.

4 more elements

A method for testing multi-orientation connector system components using a communications switch system, the method comprising:

first electrically coupling, at a first time, each of a plurality of pins of a first multi-orientation port with each of a corresponding plurality of pins of a second multi-orientation port via a flip controller according to a first of a plurality of flip modes of the flip controller, such that the second multi-orientation port manifests a first logical orientation when a device connector is coupled with the first multi-orientation port in a first physical orientation;
receiving a control signal by the flip controller directing the flip controller to switch to a second of the plurality of flip modes;
and
second electrically coupling, at a second time and responsive to the receiving, each of the plurality of pins of the first multi-orientation port with each of the corresponding plurality of pins of the second multi-orientation port via the flip controller according to the second flip mode, such that the second multi-orientation port manifests a second logical orientation when the device connector is coupled with the first multi-orientation port in the first physical orientation.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Multi-port communications switch with automated flip emulation

Life of this patent

Multi-port communications switch with automated flip emulation

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20