Dual orientation electronic connector

A dual orientation plug connector comprising:

• a body;
• a 180 degree symmetrical connector tab coupled to and extending longitudinally away from the body, the connector tab having width, height and length dimensions and comprising a metal frame that defines a shape of the connector tab, the metal frame having first and second opposing sides extending in the width and length dimensions, and third and fourth opposing sides extending between the first and second sides in the height and length dimensions, the first side including a first opening and the second side including a second opening directly opposite the first opening;
• a first contact region formed in the first opening of the metal frame, the first contact region including a first plurality of external contacts spaced apart along a first row with dielectric material between each adjacent contact and between the contacts and the metal frame;
• a second contact region formed in the second opening of the metal frame, the second contact region including a second plurality of external contacts spaced apart along a second row that mirrors the first row with dielectric material between each adjacent contact and between the contacts and the metal frame, wherein each individual contact in the second plurality of contacts is electrically connected within the metal frame to a corresponding contact in the first plurality of contacts.

A plug connector comprising:

• a body;
• a plurality of contacts including first and second data contacts configured to enable communication using a first communication protocol and an ID contact configured to carry information that identifies the communication protocol associated with the first and second data contacts;
• and
• circuitry configured to participate in a handshaking algorithm to communicate the communication protocol used by the first and second data contacts over the ID contact.

An electronic device comprising:

• a body;
• a plug connector coupled to the body, the plug connector having a plurality of contacts including first and second data contacts configured to enable communication using a first communication protocol and an ID contact configured to carry information that identifies the communication protocol associated with the first and second data contacts;
• and
• circuitry configured to participate in a handshaking algorithm to communicate the communication protocol used by the first and second data contacts over the ID contact.

A method of manufacturing a plug connector having a body and a connector tab that is adapted to be inserted into a corresponding receptacle connector;

• the method comprising:
• providing a conductive frame having a base portion, an insertion end coupled to and extending away from the base portion, and a cavity that extends from an opening at an end of the base portion into the insertion end, the insertion end having first and second opposing sides that partially surround the cavity, the first side first side including a first opening that opens into the cavity;
• inserting a printed circuit board into the cavity through the opening at the end of the base portion such that a plurality of contact bonding pads formed on the printed circuit board are exposed within the first opening;
• applying solder to the plurality of contact bonding pads;
• positioning a plurality of contacts over the plurality of contact pads;
• and
• soldering the plurality of contacts to the plurality of bonding pads using a hot bar registered against the conductive frame.

A plug connector comprising:

• a body;
• a tab connected to and extending away from the body, the tab including first and second opposing surfaces along with third and fourth opposing surfaces that extend between the first and second surfaces;
• a first contact region formed at the first surface of the tab, the first contact region including eight sequentially numbered external contacts spaced apart along a first row, the sequentially numbered contacts including a first pair of data contacts at locations 2 and 3, a second pair of data contacts at locations 6 and 7 and a power contact positioned between the first and second pairs of data contacts;
• and
• wherein the sequentially numbered contacts further includes an ID contact designated for an ID signal and an accessory power contact designated for a power signal that operates at a lower voltage than a power signal carried by the power contact.

A plug connector comprising:

• a body;
• a tab connected to and extending away from the body, the tab including first and second opposing surfaces along with third and fourth opposing surfaces that extend between the first and second surfaces;
• a first contact region formed at the first surface of the tab, the first contact region including eight sequentially numbered external contacts spaced apart along a first row, the sequentially numbered contacts including a first pair of data contacts at locations 2 and 3, a second pair of data contacts at locations 6 and 7 and a power contact positioned between the first and second pairs of data contacts;
• a second contact region formed at the second major surface of the tab, the second contact region including eight sequentially numbered external contacts spaced apart along a second row that mirrors the first row, wherein each individual contact in the second first row is electrically connected to a corresponding contact in the second row, wherein the first pair of data contacts in the first row is positioned in a mirrored relationship and electrically coupled with a pair of data contacts in the second row and the second pair of data contacts in the first row is positioned in a mirrored relationship and electrically coupled with a pair of data contacts in the second row and wherein each of the first and second pairs of data contacts is a pair of high speed data contacts that is positioned between a pair of contacts designated to carry either DC signals or signals that operate at a rate that is at least two orders of magnitude slower than that of the high speed data contacts.

A plug connector comprising:

• a body;
• a tab connected to and extending away from the body, the tab including first and second opposing surfaces along with third and fourth opposing surfaces that extend between the first and second surfaces;
• a first contact region formed at the first surface of the tab, the first contact region including eight sequentially numbered external contacts spaced apart along a first row, the sequentially numbered contacts including a first pair of data contacts at locations 2 and 3, a second pair of data contacts at locations 6 and 7 and a power contact positioned between the first and second pairs of data contacts;
• a second contact region formed at the second major surface of the tab, the second contact region including eight sequentially numbered external contacts spaced apart along a second row that mirrors the first row, wherein each individual contact in the second first row is electrically connected to a corresponding contact in the second row, wherein the first pair of data contacts in the first row is positioned in a mirrored relationship and electrically coupled with a pair of data contacts in the second row and the second pair of data contacts in the first row is positioned in a mirrored relationship and electrically coupled with a pair of data contacts in the second row;
• and
• a first recessed region formed in the third side and a second recessed region formed in the fourth side opposite the first recessed region, the first and second recessed regions adapted to engage with retention features on a corresponding receptacle connector.

A reversible plug connector comprising:

• a body;
• a 180 degree symmetrical connector tab coupled to and extending away from the body, the tab including first and second opposing surfaces along with third and fourth opposing surfaces that extend between the first and second surfaces;
• a first contact region formed at the first surface of the tab, the first contact region including eight sequentially numbered external contacts spaced apart along a first row;
• a second contact region formed at the second surface of the tab, the second contact region including eight sequentially numbered external contacts spaced apart along a second row in contact locations that mirror contact locations in the first row;
• wherein each of the first and second rows include a single ground contact designated for ground, a first pair of data contacts configured to enable communication using a first communication protocol, a second pair of data contacts configured to enable communication using a second communication protocol different than the first protocol, a power in contact designated to carry a first power signal at a first voltage, a power out contact capable of carrying a second power signal at a second voltage lower than the first voltage, and an ID contact capable of carrying a configuration signal that identifies the communication protocols used by the first and second pairs of data contacts.

A reversible plug connector comprising:

• a body;
• a 180 degree symmetrical connector tab coupled to and extending away from the body, the tab including first and second opposing surfaces along with third and fourth opposing surfaces that extend between the first and second surfaces;
• a first contact region formed at the first surface of the tab, the first contact region including eight sequentially numbered external contacts spaced apart along a first row;
• a second contact region formed at the second surface of the tab, the second contact region including eight sequentially numbered external contacts spaced apart along a second row in contact locations that mirror contact locations in the first row;
• wherein the sequentially numbered contacts include:
• (i) a first pair of data contacts at locations 2 and 3 in the first row that are electrically coupled to a pair of data in the second row that are positioned directly opposite the first pair;
• (ii) a second pair of data contacts at locations 6 and 7 in the first row that are electrically coupled to a pair of data contacts in the second row that are positioned directly opposite the second pair;
• and (iii) a ground contact at location 1 in the first row that is electrically coupled to a ground contact at location 8 in the second row.