# US 8,465,329 B2 · Audio connector having additional detection switch > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,465,329 B2 - Document ID: US8465329B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/895,711 - Filed: 2010-09-30 - Published: 2011-09-29 - Granted: 2013-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2009-09-30 - Assignees: Apple Inc. - Applicants: Stewart Shannon Fields; Joshua Funamura - Inventors: Stewart Shannon Fields; Joshua Funamura - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8465329B2 ## CPC - H01R 24/58: Contacts spaced along longitudinal axis of engagement - H01R 13/7039: {the coupling part with coding means activating the switch to establish different circuits} - H01R 2105/00: Three poles - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The audio connector of claim 1 wherein the front of the audio connector comprises an opening for receiving the audio jack. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The audio connector of claim 1 wherein the first detection switch comprises a first finger and a first contact switch. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The audio connector of claim 3 wherein the first finger is displaced when a portion of the audio jack is inserted into the audio connector such that a microphone contact on the audio connector comes into contact with the microphone contact on the audio jack. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The audio connector of claim 3 wherein the first finger is displaced when the audio jack is inserted into the audio connector and returns to its original position when the audio jack is removed from the audio connector. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The audio connector of claim 3 wherein the second detection switch comprises a second finger and a second contact switch. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The audio connector of claim 6 wherein the first detection switch is coupled to first circuitry to receive signals from the microphone contact in the audio connector and the second detection switch is coupled to second circuitry to provide signals to one or more audio contacts in the audio connector. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The audio connector of claim 1 further comprising microphone circuitry coupled to the microphone contact, wherein the microphone circuitry is activated when the first detection switch detects the presence of the audio jack. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The audio connector of claim 8 further comprising: a right signal contact; and a left signal contact. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The audio connector of claim 9 further comprising headphone circuitry coupled to the right signal contact and the left signal contact, wherein the headphone circuitry is activated when the second detection switch detects the presence of the audio jack. ### Claim 11 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. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The electronic device of claim 11 wherein the electronic device is a tablet computer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The electronic device of claim 11 wherein the electronic device is a computer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The electronic device of claim 11 wherein the electronic device is a portable media player. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The electronic device of claim 11 wherein the audio connector further comprises a microphone contact coupled to the microphone circuit. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The electronic device of claim 15 wherein the microphone contact is positioned in the audio connector to form an electrical connection with a microphone contact on the audio jack when the first detection switch detects the presence of the audio jack. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The electronic device of claim 16 wherein the audio connector further comprises a right signal contact and a left signal contact coupled to the headphone circuit. ### Claim 18 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. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The audio connector of claim 18 wherein the right signal contact is positioned in the audio connector to form an electrical connection with a right signal contact on the audio jack when the second detection switch detects the presence of the audio jack. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The audio connector of claim 19 wherein the microphone contact is positioned in the audio connector to form an electrical connection with a microphone contact on the audio jack when the first detection switch detects the presence of the audio jack.