Receptacle connector with circuitry for determining the configuration of a corresponding plug connector mated therewith

A method of forming a connection between a plug connector having a first plurality of contacts and a receptacle connector having a second plurality of contacts greater in number than the first plurality, the method comprising:

• in response to the plug connector being physically connected to the receptacle connector, sensing one or more characteristics of the plug connector to determine a predicted mapping of a subset of contacts of the receptacle connector to correspond with the first plurality of contacts of the plug connector, wherein the predicted mapping identifies which contacts in the second plurality of contacts are included in the subset of contacts along with a function of each contact in the subset;
• electrically coupling at least one contact in the subset of contacts in the receptacle connector to a contact in the plug connector to form an electrical connection between the plug connector and receptacle connector;
• using the electrical connection between the plug connector and receptacle connector to verify whether the predicted mapping of the subset of contacts in the receptacle connector correctly matches the first plurality of contacts in the plug connector;
• and
• if the predicted mapping is correct, electrically coupling additional contacts in the subset of contacts in the receptacle connector with corresponding contacts in the receptacle connector according to the predicted mapping.

A method of forming a connection between a plug connector and a receptacle connector capable of being connected with a plurality of different plug connectors having different contact arrangements, the method comprising:

• in response to a plug connector being physically connected to the receptacle connector, sensing one or more characteristics of the plug connector to determine an expected connector type, and an expected physical orientation and position of the plug connector with respect to the receptacle connector;
• electrically coupling a first subset of contacts in the plug connector to a corresponding subset of contacts in the receptacle connector to form an electrical connection between the plug connector and receptacle connector;
• using the electrical connection between the plug connector and receptacle connector to verify whether the expected connector type, expected position and expected physical orientation of the plug connector are correct;
• and
• if the expected connector type, expected position and expected physical orientation are confirmed, electrically coupling additional contacts in the plug connector with corresponding contacts in the receptacle connector.

An electronic device comprising:

• a housing;
• a receptacle connector having a two dimensional array of contacts, the receptacle connector capable of being mated with a plurality of plug connectors having different contact arrangements where each plug connector includes fewer contacts than the receptacle connector;
• circuitry that, in response to a plug connector being physically connected to the receptacle connector:
• senses a characteristic of the plug connector to determine an expected connector type and an expected physical orientation and position of the plug connector with respect to the receptacle connector;
• electrically couples a first subset of contacts in the plug connector to a corresponding subset of contacts in the receptacle connector;
• uses the electrical connection between the at least one contact of the first subset and the corresponding subset to verify whether the expected connector type, expected position and expected physical orientation of the plug connector are correct;
• and
• if the expected connector type, expected position and expected physical orientation are confirmed, electrically coupling additional contacts in the plug connector with corresponding contacts in the receptacle connector.