Protection of cables and connectors
AssigneeNokia Technologies Oy
InventorsPekka E. Leinonen, Kai Inha, Timo T. Toivola, Pekka Talmola, Timo J. Toivanen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and apparatuses, including computer program code are disclosed herein that provide damage protection to cables and connectors. In one aspect, there is provided an apparatus. The apparatus may include an electrical connector comprising a power supply pin and at least one control pin. The apparatus may further include a protective element configured to change a state of the at least one control pin to cause the power supply pin to become inactive. The protective element may be integrated with the electrical connector and/or integrated at one or more locations along the length of a cable.
Claims19
An apparatus comprising:
- an electrical connector comprising a power supply pin and at least two control pins, the power supply pin configured to carry power and the at least two control pins configured to carry at least control signals;
- logic circuitry coupled to the at least two control pins, the logic circuitry configured to determine, based on detection of a voltage at a first control pin of the at least two control pins, an orientation of another connector coupled with the electrical connector;
- and
- a protective element coupled to the at least two control pins, the protective element being configured to change a second control pin of the at least two control pins from a first state to a second state, wherein the change of the second control pin from the first state to the second state causes the power supply pin to become inactive.
A method comprising:
- determining, by logic circuitry coupled to at least two control pins, based on detection of a voltage at a first control pin of the at least two control pins, an orientation of another connector coupled with an electrical connector, the electrical connector including a power supply pin and the at least two control pins;
- and
- changing, by a protective element coupled to the at least two control pins, a second control pin of the at least two control pins from a first state to a second state, wherein the change of the second control pin from the first state to the second state causes the power supply pin to become inactive.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, perform at least the following:
- determining, by logic circuitry coupled to at least two control pins, based on detection of a voltage at a first control pin of the at least two control pins, an orientation of another connector coupled with an electrical connector, the electrical connector including a power supply pin and the at least two control pins;
- and
- changing, by a protective element coupled to the at least two control pins, a second control pin of the at least two control pins from a first state to a second state, wherein the change of the second control pin from the first state to the second state causes the power supply pin to become inactive.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.