Patent Application
20110250786
The present disclosure relates generally to ports and port adapters and the methods of their operation, and more particularly relates to a memory card-compatible receptacle engageable with a port expansion device for providing extensible connectivity for a processor-based system.
Many processor-based systems, such as mobile phones, cameras, desktops, laptops, digital music players, and the like, have multiple input/output ports for interfacing various devices with the processing system. input/output ports which are commonly found include one or more of Universal Serial Bus (USB), Firewire400 & 800, Ethernet (e.g., RJ-45), Serial ports, Parallel ports, Personal System/2 (PS/2), Video Graphics Array (VGA), Digital Visual Interface (DVI), DisplayPort and Mini—Display Port, as well as others. One class of “memory card reader” ports is used to read and write to media cards, such as CompactFlash (CF), MemoryStick, Secure Digital (SD), and Multi-Media Card (MMC).
Some ports, such as USB or FireWire, are often in use for extended periods of time. While the card reader class of ports is often used momentarily to transfer information to or from the processing system and, when not in use, often remains idle. With many processor-based systems becoming ever smaller and thinner relative to prior counterpart devices, inclusion of a memory card reader port can often limit space for more consistently used ports.
The disclosure describes a memory card receptacle configured to engage a port expansion device, to provide expanded connectivity to a host system; and further discloses a port expansion device suitable for use with such a receptacle. The port expansion device is capable of engaging the memory card-compatible receptacle, and is configured to engage one or more connectors of devices; which in many embodiments, will include one or more connectors where at least one will be of a different type than the memory card that the receptacle is configured to engage. In some embodiments, the connectors may include one or more of an Ethernet connector, a Universal Serial Bus (USB), an audio connector, or any of a wide variety of connectors for ports, examples of which are described later herein. In some examples, the memory card-compatible receptacle includes two sets of contacts, where one set is configured to engage a memory card or a similar structure with similar contacts, and the other set is configured to engage electrical contact surfaces the port expansion device.
The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings that depict various details of examples selected to show how particular embodiments may be implemented. The discussion herein addresses various examples of the inventive subject matter at least partially in reference to these drawings and describes the depicted embodiments in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. Many other embodiments may be utilized for practicing the inventive subject matter than the illustrative examples discussed herein, and many structural and operational changes in addition to the alternatives specifically discussed herein may be made without departing from the scope of the inventive subject matter.
In this description, references to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment,” or to “one example” or “an example” mean that the feature being referred to is, or may be, included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. Separate references to “an embodiment” or “one embodiment” or to “one example” or “an example” in this description are not intended to necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example; however, neither are such embodiments mutually exclusive, unless so stated or as will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure includes a variety of combinations and/or integrations of the embodiments and examples described herein, as well as further embodiments and examples as defined within the scope of all claims based on this disclosure, as well as all legal equivalents of such claims.
For the purposes of this specification, “computing device,” “computing system,” “processor-based system” or “processing system” includes a system that uses one or more processors, microcontrollers and/or digital signal processors and that has the capability of running a “program.” As used herein, the term “program” refers to a set of executable machine code instructions, and as used herein, includes user-level applications as well as system-directed applications or daemons, including operating system and driver applications. Processing systems can include communication and electronic devices, such as mobile phones (cellular or digital), music and multi-media players, electronic reading device, and Personal Digital Assistants (PDA); as well as computers, or “computing devices” of all forms (desktops, laptops, servers, palmtops, workstations, tablet devices, notebooks, netbooks, etc.).
Processing system 102 can include a display device 106, which in some cases can be used to display information received from the components connected to the I/O ports of the system. During operation, when a component is connected to the system 102 via the I/O ports, the display device can display information related to components connected to the I/O ports (e.g., a navigational object, files stored on a memory card, connectivity of devices, etc.). In the example form of processing system 102 in the form of a notebook computer, one common configuration for the display device would be a TFT or LED display. However, other types of processing devices may use different display types. Accordingly, as used herein, the term “display device” can include any type of device adapted to display information, including without limitation, cathode ray tube displays (CRTs), liquid crystal displays (LCDs), thin film transistor displays (TFTs), digital light processor displays (DLPs), plasma displays, light emitting diodes (LEDs) or diode arrays, incandescent devices, and fluorescent devices. Display devices may also include less dynamic display devices, including electronic ink displays and similar devices.
Physical dimensions of the I/O port connectors 110 can determine the physical dimensions of the processing system 102, such as a height dimension 120. As an example, the Ethernet port connector 162 has a greater height dimension than other port connectors such as those of the USB ports 168 and 170 and the memory card-compatible receptacle 172. Thus, integrating an Ethernet port connector 162, such as a standard 8P8C (RJ45) can determine the height dimension 120 of the processing system 102, or at least of a pertinent component of the system. Ethernet port connector 162 may have a height in the range of about 20 mm to about 25 mm, whereas, by comparison, the height of a memory-card port can be in the range of about 1.2 mm to about 3 mm. Thus, a system 102, or system component, without an integrated Ethernet port 162 can have a smaller height dimension 120 than a system 102 or component with an integrated Ethernet port 162. Thus, even though it may be desirable to occasionally use a certain port, such as a Ethernet port (with a relatively larger connector) with a device, inclusion of such a port may be an unacceptable trade-off, particularly if it requires an undesirable change in the form factor of the host processing system.
Referring now to
Port expansion device 410 includes a connector portion 470, which engages the memory card receptacle 202, and a receptacle portion 450 that engages connectors for other devices (again, directly or through a cable, dongle, etc.). The receptacle portion 450 is operably coupled to the connector portion 470. Addressing first the connector portion 470, it is configured to physically engage the memory card receptacle 202, and to electrically engage the contacts therein. As noted previously, memory card-compatible receptacle 202 includes a first set of contacts 206 and a second set of contacts 216 within the space 204, with the second set of contacts 216 at a location different from the first set of contacts 206. In the depicted example, the first set of contacts 206 is located proximate the bottom surface 210, and the second set of contacts 216 is located proximate the top surface 212, in generally opposing relation to the bottom surface 210; each to engage a card-sized device that is inserted. While this is one desirable configuration, it would also be possible to place all contacts on the same side of card-receiving space 204. Also as noted previously, the first set of contacts 206 is configured to engage a set of contact surfaces of a memory card. The memory card-compatible receptacle 202 is in communication with a communication portion 208, to permit electrical communication between at least some of the contacts of the first and second sets of contacts 206 and 216 of memory card-compatible receptacle 202 and other components of the processing system 230, such as a processor. The various options for facilitating such communication should be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of this disclosure. For example, a port connector will typically communicate signals to other system, implemented in hardware, software or a combination of the two, to control communication to and from the connector, and thus to the device(s) coupled to the connector. One suitable configuration is for communication portion 208 to establish communication with such conventional hardware and/or software that would provide such functionality in the same manner as if the connectors of the receptacle portion of port extension device 410 were integral to the host system.
In this example, the connector portion 470 includes a first set of contact surfaces 472 configured to respectively engage the first set of contacts 206 of the memory card-compatible receptacle 202. In this example embodiment, the configuration of the first set of contact surfaces 472 is of the same configuration as a memory card (such as one of the memory cards 302 and 312 described with reference to
The connector portion 470 also includes a second set of contact surfaces 474 configured to engage the second set of contacts 216 of receptacle 202. The second set of contacts 216 may be arranged in virtually any desired pattern, whereas the first set of contacts 206 must conform to the pre-established pattern of the memory card. Thus, the arrangement of the second set of contacts 216 and of contact surfaces 474 can be in any desired complimentary pattern. Additionally, in some configurations, there may be a greater number of contacts in the second set 216 than are present in the contact surfaces 474 of a particular expansion device 410. For example, such a configuration may be used to accommodate different configurations of expansion devices configured to engage the single receptacle 202, and such different configurations might engage different groups of contacts in second set of contacts 216. For example, expansion devices might have different numbers or combinations of port connectors, and the different ports may be configured to communicate with different sets of contacts, where the contacts are either of completely different sets, or where some contacts of the sets are shared. As another example, either set of contacts may include a greater number of contacts than the contacts of a memory card, and the connection portion can include contact surfaces arranged to engage the additional contacts.
The receptacle portion 450 of the port expansion device 410 is operably coupled (electrically, in the depicted example) to the connector portion 470 through one or more bus lines 460 and 462. The receptacle portion 450 is configured to receive one or more connectors or other electronic devices that are different than the memory card configuration that the memory card-compatible receptacle 202 is configured to receive. The receptacle portion 450 extends outward from the system 230 when the connector portion 470 is engaged within the memory card-compatible receptacle 202. In the depicted example, the connector portion 450 of the port expansion device 410 has a rigid external body structure; in other configurations, port expansion device 410 may include a flexible component such as a cable extending between the connector portion 470 and the receptacle portion 450.
In the depicted example, receptacle portion 450 of port expansion device includes four port connectors to engage external devices. These port connectors include a MMC card port connector 454 (the same card that receptacle 202 is configured to receive); an Ethernet port connector 456, and two additional port connectors, depicted in block representation, which, if present at all, may be of any desired configuration, such as for any of the ports discussed earlier herein. For example, one useful configuration might be for one connector to be for a USB port and the other to be for a Firewire (400 or 800) port.
In this example, MMC card port connector 454 has a configuration and contacts 453 configured to engage a memory card (as previously described). Ethernet port connector 456 has a configuration and shape to engage an Ethernet connector. In the depicted example, the receptacle portion 250 includes two additional port connectors, 257, 259, depicted in block representation. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure, the two additional port connectors 457 and 459 will have a configuration and contact arrangement compatible with the connectors for that port type.
In this example, because MMC card port connector 454 is, in effect, an extension of the receptacle 202, one convenient arrangement is for the contacts 455 of that port connector to be connected in the port expansion device, such as being hardwired, to the respective contact surfaces 472 that will engage the corresponding contacts in the first set 206. In that way, signals will be communicated, in effect, as if a MMC card engaging port 454 were directly engaging receptacle 202. In that configuration, it will be desirable in many examples for the Ethernet port connector 456, as well as the connectors for the additional ports 457, 459, to be coupled to communicate with the host system through contact surfaces 474 and the second set of contacts 216. In some configurations, the contacts of the Ethernet port 456, as well as ports 457 and 459 can have one or more direct and dedicated connections to an appropriate contact surface 474; while in other configurations, shared bus lines may be used for two or more of the ports. Additionally, in other examples, two or more of the ports in the port expansion device can share communication with contacts in either set, or both, sets of contacts 206 and 216 in receptacle 202. For example, for some compatible port configurations sharing of (at least) power and ground contacts may be appropriate and useful.
In various configurations, the port expansion device 410 and/or the system 230 (e.g., memory card-compatible receptacle 202) can include additional circuitry to provide additional functionality for the ports 454, 456, 457 and 459 in receptacle portion 450. For example, some configurations can include a detect circuit for determining what type of electrical devices are connected to and/or connectable with the port expansion device 410. Additionally, the expansion system 400 may include a reconfiguration circuit for reconfiguring the first and second port 454 and 456 to the specifications of a device connected to that port. One such example is determining the voltage requirement for a device operably engaged with the port. In other embodiments, the memory card-compatible receptacle 202 can include any combination of the detect circuit and one or more other types of configuration circuits, as would be known to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the present disclosure.
It should be clearly understood that the described port expansion device is not in any way limited to the number or configuration of ports depicted herein. Port extension devices that provide just a single alternative port connection are very useful. For example, such a device can be used to add the ability to connect the much bulkier Ethernet port connector to a device that has a dimension that can accommodate only the much thinner card receptacle. Additionally, even in the depicted configuration, the unspecified ports 457 and 459 can be configured to receive any combination of the following connectors: Ethernet, FireWire, USB, MMC, SD, VGA, PS/2, Mini DisplayPort, Gigabit Ethernet, audio (input or output) or the like. Additionally the port expansion device could be configured to provide and/or communicate with an optical connector. In other examples, the port expansion device can be configured with greater or lesser number of ports than that depicted in
The port expansion module 510 can include port expansion logic such as for determining whether the port expansion module 510 is connected to the memory card-compatible receptacle module 520. Similarly the memory card-compatible receptacle module 520 can include receptacle logic for determining whether a port expansion device is connected and engaged within the receptacle of the memory card-compatible receptacle. The modules can further include a detection module such as for determining whether an electrical device is connected to one or more receptacles of the receptacle portion of the port expansion portion of the apparatus 502 and/or which electrical device is connected with the one or more receptacles of the apparatus 502. Additionally, the port expansion module 510 and/or the memory card-compatible receptacle module 520 can include an engaged contacts module such as for determining which contacts of the memory card receptacle are coupled to a connector of an electrical device (e.g., memory card, Ethernet connector, etc.). As just one example, if a port expansion device was coupled to the apparatus, but only had a device coupled to an Ethernet port, but not to other ports, then systems associated with the powering or operation of those other ports could be disabled to conserve battery life. The port expansion module 510 and/or the memory card-compatible receptacle module 520 can include a communication module for communicating with other components of the apparatus 502 including a processor.
It should be appreciated that in other embodiments, the apparatus 502 may include fewer or more modules from those shown in
Additionally, as with modules depicted in
In an example embodiment, determining the status at block 604 can include determining which electrical device or devices are connected to the receptacle portion of the port expansion device, whether connected electrical devices require voltage adjustment for functionality of the electrical devices, and/or distribution of contacts within the memory card-compatible receptacle to accommodate the electrical devices. In an example embodiment, determining the status at block 604 can include determining an identification value from an electrical device connected with the receptacle portion of the port expansion device.
In some embodiments, the status determination of block 604 can be determined by the memory card-compatible receptacle portion or the processing system operably coupled to the memory card-compatible receptacle portion. In other embodiments, some of that functionality can be placed win the expansion device, with the device having a controller operable to perform the status determination (or other desired operations). In other embodiments, the status determination functionality may be a shared operation distributed between the device and the host system.
Various embodiments or combination of embodiments for apparatus and methods, as described herein, can be realized in hardware implementations, software implementations, and combinations of hardware and software implementations. Implementations including software will include a machine-readable medium having machine-executable instructions, such as a computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions, for performing the described operations. The machine-readable medium is not limited to any one type of medium.
Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangement that is calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive, and that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Combinations of the above embodiments and other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon studying the above description.
This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 61/321,735, filed Apr. 7, 2010, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61321735 | Apr 2010 | US |
