Audio connector having additional detection switch
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsStewart Shannon Fields, Joshua Funamura
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Circuits, methods, and apparatus for improved audio connectors. One example provides an audio connector, that, for purposes of activating circuitry to receive signals from a microphone, does not detect the presence of an audio jack until the audio jack is inserted far enough into the audio connector that a microphone contact on the audio jack comes into contact with a microphone signal pin on the audio connector. To prevent the redirection of audio signals away from an audio jack when the audio jack is partially extracted from the audio connector, such partial extractions are not detected by audio signal pins.
Claims20
An audio connector having a front and a back and comprising:
- a first detection switch located near the back of the audio connector;
- a second detection switch located between the first detection switch and the front of the audio connector;
- and
- a microphone contact located between the second detection switch and the front of the audio connector,
- wherein the microphone contact is positioned in the audio connector to form an electrical connection with a microphone contact on an audio jack when the first detection switch detects the presence of the audio jack.
An electronic device comprising:
- an audio connector having a front and a back and comprising:
- a first detection switch located near the back of the audio connector;
- and
- a second detection switch located between the first detection switch and the front of the audio connector;
- a microphone circuit coupled to the first detection switch, wherein the microphone circuit is activated when the first detection switch detects the presence of an audio jack in the audio connector;
- and
- a headphone circuit coupled to the second detection switch, wherein the headphone circuit is activated when the second detection switch detects the presence of the audio jack in the audio connector.
An audio connector having a front and a back and comprising:
- a first detection switch located near the back of the audio connector;
- a second detection switch located between the first detection switch and the front of the audio connector;
- a microphone contact located between the second detection switch and the front of the audio connector,
- a left signal contact located between the second detection switch and the microphone contact;
- a right signal contact located between the left signal contact and the microphone contact;
- a microphone circuit coupled to the first detection switch and the microphone contact, wherein the microphone circuit is activated when the first detection switch detects the presence of an audio jack in the audio connector;
- and
- a headphone circuit coupled to the second detection switch, the left signal contact, and the right signal contact, wherein the headphone circuit is activated when the second detection switch detects the presence of the audio jack in the audio connector,
- wherein the left signal contact is positioned in the audio connector to form an electrical connection with a left signal contact on the audio jack when the second detection switch detects the presence of the audio jack.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.