Patent ID: 8262416
Filing Date: 2012-09-11
Classification: H01R

Abstract:
1. An extended universal serial bus (USB) plug connector, comprising: a connector substrate including a frontend having a first set of a plurality of electrical contact pins disposed thereon and a backend having a second set of a plurality of electrical contact pins disposed thereon, wherein the first set includes a first row of electrical contact pins disposed on a top surface of the connector substrate and a second row of electrical contact pins disposed on the top surface of the connector substrate, the second row of electrical contact pins being disposed near and in parallel with the first row of electrical contact pins and interior to the first row of electrical contact pins, wherein the second row includes more electrical contact pins than the first row, wherein the second set forms a third row of electrical contact pins disposed on the backend of the connector substrate, wherein the second set of electrical contact pins are electrically coupled to counterpart pins of the first row and second row of electrical contact pins respectively, wherein the second set of electrical contact pins includes a number of electrical contact pins equal to the first row and second row of electrical contact pins in total, wherein the second set of electrical contact pins are used to connect to corresponding electrical contact pads disposed on an edge of a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) having a USB controller and one or more flash memory devices disposed thereon, wherein each of the electrical contact pins of the second row further includes a spring disposed thereon to provide pressure between the second row and corresponding counterpart pins of the external device for better electrical conductance, wherein the electrical contact pins of the first row are compatible with standard USB specification, and wherein the electrical contact pins of the first row and second row in combination are arranged in compatible with a second communications interface compatible with PCI Express specification, wherein the first row of the first set comprises four electrical contact pins comprises and the second row of the first set comprises five electrical contact pins, wherein the second set of electrical contact pins comprises nine electrical contact pins, wherein the second set of electrical contact pins are arranged in a single row that can be surface mounted on the corresponding electrical pads of the PCBA, and wherein at any given time, only one of the first set and second set of electrical contact pins is utilized in either a standard USB mode or a PCI-Express mode, respectively; and a housing for covering the connector substrate, wherein the first row and second row of electrical contact pins are used to provide an electrical interface compatible with a USB specification to an external device to access the flash memory devices using a USB compatible communications protocol.