Extended USB protocol plug and receptacle

An extended Universal-Serial-Bus (USB) plug, comprising:

• an extended pin substrate having an extended substrate length longer than a length of a pin substrate of an industry-standard Series A USB connector, said length of said pin substrate of said industry-standard Series A USB connector being about 12 mm;
• a plurality of USB connector contacts arranged in a first row in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said extended USB plug, said plurality of USB connector contacts being disposed on said pin substrate of said industry-standard Series A USB connector and configured to carry USB signals;
• a plurality of non-USB connector contacts arranged in a second row parallel to said first row, said plurality of non-USB connector contacts being configured to carry non-USB signals;
• and
• wherein said extended USB plug is configured to be mechanically and electrically compatible with both an industry-standard Series A USB socket and an extended USB socket, said extended USB socket including an extended cavity having an extended cavity length longer than a length of a cavity of said industry-standard Series A USB socket, said length of said cavity of said industry-standard Series A USB socket being about 9 mm, and wherein said plurality of non-USB connector contacts being disposed in a first position relative to said plurality of USB connector contacts, said first position representing a longitudinally separate position relative to said plurality of USB connector contacts, thereby preventing said non-USB connector contacts from electrically coupling with USB socket contacts configured to carry said USB signals in said industry-standard Series A USB socket when said extended USB plug is fully inserted into said industry-standard Series A USB socket, said first row being positioned on said extended pin substrate so as to enable said plurality of USB connector contacts to electrically couple with respective ones of said USB socket contacts when said extended USB plug is fully inserted into said industry-standard Series A USB socket.

An extended Universal-Serial-Bus (USB) socket, comprising:

• an extended cavity having an extended cavity length longer than a length of a cavity of an industry-standard Series A USB socket, said length of said cavity of said industry-standard Series A USB socket being about 9 mm;
• a plurality of USB socket contacts arranged in a first row in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said extended USB socket, said plurality of USB socket contacts being disposed in said cavity of said industry-standard Series A USB socket and configured to carry USB signals;
• a plurality of non-USB socket contacts arranged in a second row parallel to said first row, said plurality of non-USB socket contacts being configured to carry non-USB signals;
• and
• wherein said extended USB socket is configured to be mechanically and electrically compatible with both an industry-standard Series A USB connector and an extended USB plug, said extended USB plug including an extended pin substrate having an extended substrate length longer than a length of a pin substrate of said industry-standard Series A USB connector, said length of said pin substrate of said industry-standard Series A USB connector being about 12 mm, and wherein said plurality of non-USB socket contacts being disposed in a first position relative to said plurality of USB socket contacts, said first position representing a longitudinally separate position relative to said plurality of USB socket contacts, thereby said non-USB socket contacts in said second row are positioned such that no portion of said industry-standard Series A USB connector would physically contact said second row when said industry-standard Series A USB connector is fully inserted into said extended USB socket, said first row being positioned in said extended cavity so as to enable a plurality of USB connector contacts of said industry-standard Series A USB connector to electrically couple with respective ones of said USB socket contacts when said industry-standard Series A USB connector is fully inserted into said extended USB socket.

An extended Universal-Serial-Bus (USB) socket, comprising:

• an extended cavity having an extended cavity length longer than a length of a cavity of an industry-standard Series A USB socket, said length of said cavity of said industry-standard Series A USB socket being about 9 mm;
• a plurality of USB socket contacts arranged in a first row in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said extended USB socket, said plurality of USB socket contacts being disposed in said cavity of said industry-standard Series A USB socket and configured to carry USB signals;
• a plurality of non-USB socket contacts arranged in a second row parallel to said first row, said plurality of non-USB socket contacts being configured to carry non-USB signals;
• and
• wherein said extended USB socket is configured to be mechanically and electrically compatible with both an industry-standard Series A USB connector and an extended USB plug, said extended USB plug including an extended pin substrate having an extended substrate length longer than a length of a pin substrate of said industry-standard Series A USB connector, said length of said pin substrate of said industry-standard Series A USB connector being about 12 mm, and wherein said plurality of non-USB socket contacts being disposed in a first position relative to said plurality of USB socket contacts, said first position representing a longitudinally separate position relative to said plurality of USB socket contacts, thereby said non-USB socket contacts in said second row are positioned such that no portion of said industry-standard Series A USB connector would physically contact said second row when said industry-standard Series A USB connector is fully inserted into said extended USB socket, said first row being positioned in said extended cavity so as to enable a plurality of USB connector contacts of said industry-standard Series A USB connector to electrically couple with respective ones of said USB socket contacts when said industry-standard Series A USB connector is fully inserted into said extended USB socket.