US 7,293,122 B1Granted

Connector interface system facilitating communication between a media player and accessories

AssigneeApple Inc.

InventorsEmily C. Schubert, Wang Chun Leung, Gregory T. Lydon, Scott Krueger, Paul Holden, John Archibald, Lawrence G. Bolton, Donald J. Novotney, John B. Filson, David Tupman

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

patentgrep

Loading patent…

Abstract

A connector interface system is disclosed. The connector interface system includes an interface and a protocol in communication with which allows a media player to communicate with external devices over a transport link. The protocol includes a core protocol functionality and a plurality of accessory lingoes. The accessory lingoes comprise a microphone lingo, a simple remote lingo, a display remote lingo, a RF transmitter lingo and an extended interface lingo.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A docking connector comprising:

a keying arrangement, wherein one set of keys are spaced apart by one length and another set of keys are spaced apart by another length;
and
a plurality of signal contacts, wherein the ground contacts make contact with a mating connection before a power contact;
wherein the plurality of contacts comprise at least one digital ground contact, a Firewire signal contact, at least one USB signal contact, at least one USB power contact, an accessory identify signal contact, at least one Firewire and charger input power signals contacts, at least one video contact, at least one accessory power contact, at least one accessory protocol contact, an accessory detect signal contact, a remote sense signal contact, at least one line signal, and at least one signal contact, wherein at least one of the contacts is active when a device is coupled to the docking connector.

1 more element

A docking connector comprising:

a keying arrangement, wherein one set of keys are separated by one length and another set of keys are separated by another length;
and
thirty signal contacts, wherein the contacts include first break/last make contact, wherein the ground contacts make contact with a mating connection before the power contacts;
wherein the thirty contacts are in the following configuration:
contact (1) comprises a first Digital ground in MediaPlayer contact;
contact two (2) comprises a second Digital ground in MediaPlayer contact, contact three (3) comprises a FireWire signal contact;
contact four (4) comprises a first USB signal contact;
contact five (5) comprises a second FireWire signal contact;
contact six (6) comprises a second USB signal contact;
contact seven (7) comprises a third FireWire signal contact;
contact eight (8) comprises a USB power in contact;
contact nine (9) comprises a fourth FireWire signal;
contact ten (10) comprises an Accessory Identify contact;
contact eleven (11) comprises a first FireWire and charger input power contact;
contact twelve (12) comprises a second FireWire and charger input power contact;
contact thirteen (13) comprises an Accessory Power contact;
contact fourteen (14) comprises a Reserved contact;
contact fifteen (15) comprises a third Digital ground in MediaPlayer contact;
contact sixteen (16) comprises a fourth Digital ground in MediaPlayer contact;
contact seventeen (17) comprises a second Reserved contact;
contact eighteen (18) comprises a receive MediaPlayer accessory protocol contact;
contact nineteen (19) comprises a transmit MediaPlayer accessory protocol;
contact twenty (20) comprises an Accessory Detect contact;
contact twenty-one (21) comprises a luminance components of S Video contact;
contact twenty-two (22) comprises a Composite Video contact;
contact twenty-four (24) comprises a Remote Sense contact;
contact twenty-five (25) comprises a Line level input to the MediaPlayer for the left channel contact;
contact twenty-six (26) comprises a Line level input to the MediaPlayer for the right channel contact;
contact twenty-seven (27) comprises s Line level output to the MediaPlayer for the left channel contact;
contact twenty-eight (28) comprises a Line level output to the MediaPlayer for the right channel contact;
contact twenty-nine (29) comprises an Audio Return contact;
and contact thirty (30) comprises a fifth Digital ground in MediaPlayer contact, wherein at least one of the contacts is active when a device is coupled to the docking connector.

29 more elements

An accessory comprising;

a device;
and
thirty signal contacts, wherein the contacts include first break/last make contact, wherein the ground contacts make contact with a mating connection before the power contacts;
wherein the thirty contacts are in the following configuration:
contact one (1) comprises a first Digital ground in MediaPlayer contact;
contact two (2) comprises a second Digital ground in MediaPlayer contact;
contact three (3) comprises a FireWire signal contact;
contact four (4) comprises a first USB signal contact;
contact five (5) comprises a second FireWire signal contact;
contact six (6) comprises a second USB signal contact;
contact seven (7) comprises a third FireWire signal contact;
contact eight (8) comprises a USB power in contact;
contact nine (9) comprises a fourth FireWire signal;
contact ten (10) comprises an Accessory Identify contact;
contact eleven (11) comprises a first FireWire and charger input power contact;
contact twelve (12) comprises a second FireWire and charger input power contact;
contact thirteen (13) comprises an Accessory Power contact;
contact fourteen (14) comprises a Reserved contact;
contact fifteen (15) comprises a third Digital ground in MediaPlayer contact;
contact sixteen (16) comprises a fourth Digital ground in MediaPlayer contact;
contact seventeen (17) comprises a second Reserved contact;
contact eighteen (18) comprises a receive MediaPlayer accessory protocol contact;
contact nineteen (19) comprises a transmit MediaPlayer accessory protocol;
contact twenty (20) comprises an Accessory Detect contact;
contact twenty-one (21) comprises a luminance component of S Video contact;
contact twenty-two (22) comprises a chrominance component of S Video contact;
contact twenty-three (23) comprises a Composite Video contact;
contact twenty-four (24) comprises a Remote Sense contact;
contact twenty-five (25) comprises a Line level input to the MediaPlayer for the left channel contact;
contact twenty-six (26) comprises a Line level input to the MediaPlayer for the right channel contact;
contact twenty-seven (27) comprises a Line level output to the MediaPlayer for the left channel contact;
contact twenty-eight (28) comprises a Line level output to the MediaPlayer for the right channel contact;
contact twenty-nine (29) comprises an Audio Return contact;
and contact thirty (30) comprises a fifth Digital ground in MediaPlayer contact, wherein at least one of the contacts is active when the accessory is coupled to a media player.

31 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/479,308Filed 30 Jun 2006 · continuation in part
Priority: 27 Apr 2004
Granted: 6 Nov 2007
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

G06F 13/4068
Device-to-bus coupling: electrical coupling
G06F 1/1632
For portable computers: external expansion units, e.g. docking stations
H01R 13/6456
By exchangeable elements on case or base: comprising keying elements at different positions along the periphery of the connector
H01R 27/00
Coupling parts adapted for co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts

Family

Application10/833,689Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 27 Apr 2004
Application60/784,306Us provisional application · filed 20 Mar 2006
US 2005/0240705 A1Published application
US 7,441,062 B2Related patent
US 7,293,122 B1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.