Patent Application
20070059975
Communications interfaces often require LED status indicators that report the current condition of a connection, i.e. the presence or absence of a signal, a signal defect, a frame sync, an optical or electrical signal level and/or a bit error rate above an applicable standard's specifications or a set threshold.
The LED status connectors are often placed locally on a front panel of a host device so that a user may visually determine the condition of a connection and quickly resolve problems in the communications interface.
However, with the constant push toward higher density interface connectors on instrument front panel space, the convenience of LED status indicators on the front panel is outweighed by the cost of space requirements.
Therefore, there is a need for a device that can show the status of a connection without devoting front panel space to status indicators.
Aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:
Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.
The first electronic device 12 includes a light emitting device (not shown in
In an embodiment of the present invention, the connector 10 forms a light pipe to guide light from the light emitting device so that the guided light can be viewed outside of the connector 10 to thereby determine the status.
The connector 10 is made, for example, of a suitable material for forming a light pipe. The connector 10 might be made, for example, of plastic. However, embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the connector 10 being made of plastic, and other suitable materials can be used. Moreover, the connector 10 might be made of a clear material, such as a clear plastic, to thereby allow the light inside the light pipe to be viewed from outside of the connector 10. However, the present invention is not limited to the connector 10 being made of a clear material.
The first electronic device 12 may be, for example, a protocol analyzer. However, embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the first electronic device being a protocol analyzer. Instead of a protocol analyzer, any electronic device having a light emitting device to indicate a status may be used with the present invention. However, as protocol analyzers typically use an LED to emit light indicating a status, a connector according to embodiments of the present invention would be particularly useful when used with a protocol analyzer.
The second electronic device 14 may be connected to a communication link that is directly connected to the connector body, to thereby connect the first and second electronic devices 12, 14 together through the connector. However, embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the second electronic device 14 being connected to a communication link.
The connector 10 may, for example, be an LC or SC connector. However, embodiments of the present invention are not limited to an LC or SC connector.
As indicated above, the connector body 15 might be made, for example, of plastic. However, the present invention is not limited to the connector body 15 being made of plastic, and other suitable materials can be used. Moreover, as indicated above, the connector 10 might be, for example, an LC or SC connector. However, the present invention is not limited to the connector 10 being an LC or SC connector.
In
For example,
In the embodiment in
The nose 30 is made, for example, of clear plastic adapted to protrude from the host device 26. However, embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the nose being made of clear plastic, and other suitable materials can be used.
The nose includes, for example, a receptacle 32 formed at the front of the nose 30. The receptacle is adapted, for example, for insertion of a plug 34 attached to the electronic device 22 through a cable 36.
The rear portion 38 of the connector 20 is connected to the nose 30. The rear portion 38 is adapted to be inserted into the host device 26. The rear portion 38 also includes connector electronics such as, for example, a magnetic circuit 46. However, the present invention is not limited to the rear portion 38 including connector electronics, or to the connector electronics being any particular type of electronics.
The connector 20 includes a pin connector 40 protruding from the rear portion 38. The pin connector 40 is adapted to connect to the printed circuit board 24 contained within the host device 26.
The nose 30 is formed as a light pipe to guide light from the light emitting diode 28 to outside of the connector 20.
An internal surface of the nose 30 is faceted, for example, to form a reflective surface 48 positioned opposite to the light emitting diode 28 to reflect light from the light emitting diode 28, whereby light is reflected by the reflective surface 48, and further illuminates the nose 30 of the connector 20.
As shown in
As shown in
In an embodiment of the present invention, the light emitting diode 28 might be, for example, capable of emitting multiple colors, such as a Red Green Blue (RGB) light emitting diode. By using a multi-color light emitting diode, several combinations of colors and flash rates could define and indicate a wide variety of conditions unique to the task of protocol analysis and communication integrity. However, embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the light emitting diode being capable of multiple colors, and other types of light emitting diodes may be used with embodiments of the present invention.
Some examples of light emitting diode colors and flash rates/combination for a given level-one link connection could include: steady green=operating normally, no warning or errors; alternating green and yellow=operating, but with cautionary level-one problems; alternating green and red=operating, but has exceeded pre-set or user defined error rate threshold; steady or flashing yellow=operating below standard or signal detected but no frame sync; steady or flashing red=not operating and/or several error conditions. However, embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the flash rates/combinations described above, and other types of flash rates/combinations may be used with embodiments of the present invention.
The present invention relates to the use of light pipes. Light pipes are optical waveguides which guide light. Light pipes are known devices.
Various embodiments of the present invention show a connector as including a nose, rear portion, receptacle and other components. However the present invention is not limited to a connector all of the above listed components. For example, in some embodiments, a connector may be a single piece, the connector body having a light pipe formed therein or the connector body is the light pipe.
The present invention relates to the use of a light emitting device to indicate a status. The use of a light emitting device to indicate a status is known. “Status” is information describing a state of a condition. For example, a light emitting device might emit a light to indicating the presence or absence of a signal, a signal defect, a frame sync, an optical or electrical signal level and/or a bit error rate above an applicable standard's specifications or a set threshold. However, the present invention is not limited to any particular status information.
Although a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.
