Connection detection system and detection method thereof

A connection detection system and a connection detection method are provided. The connection detection system includes a connector, an expansion dock and a signal transmitter. The connector has a first detecting pin and a second detecting pin. The second detecting pin receives a first signal or a second signal from the first detecting pin when the expansion dock is connected to the connector. The signal transmitter is coupled to the connector. The signal transmitter is configured to receive a detection signal through the second detecting pin and determine whether the connector is connected to the expansion dock according to the sensing signal. The signal transmitter provides the first signal to the first detecting pin when the connector is not connected to the expansion dock. The signal transmitter provides the second signal to the second detecting pin when the connector is connected to the expansion dock.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan application serial no. 107107776, filed on Mar. 7, 2018. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification.

BACKGROUND

Technology Field

The present disclosure relates to a connection detection system and a detection method thereof.

Description of Related Art

Today's electronic system generally has a mechanism for detecting whether a connector of the electronic system is connected to an external system. The above detection mechanism generally provides a direct current (DC) voltage on pins of the connector, such that the pins exposed in the air may have a non-zero voltage level. In this way, the pins of the connector tend to adsorb foreign matters from the air due to static electricity caused by the non-zero voltage level, which causes contamination of the pins of the connector to result in a poor contact between the electronic system and an external system.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure is directed to a connection detection system and a detection method thereof, which are adapted to reduce contamination of pins of a connector.

The present disclosure provides a connection detection system including a connector, an expansion dock and a signal transmitter. The connector is detachably connected to the expansion dock. The connector has a first detecting pin and a second detecting pin. When the expansion dock is connected to the connector, the second detecting pin receives a first signal or a second signal from the first detecting pin. The signal transmitter is coupled to the connector. The signal transmitter is configured to receive a detecting signal through the second detecting pin and determine whether the connector is connected to the expansion dock according to the detecting signal. When the connector is not connected to the expansion dock, the signal transmitter provides the first signal to the first detecting pin. When the connector is connected to the expansion dock, the signal transmitter provides the second signal to the first detecting pin.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the expansion dock has a first pin and a second pin, the first pin and the second pin are coupled to each other. When the connector is connected to the expansion dock through a contact of the first detecting pin and the first pin and a contact of the second detecting pin and the second pin, the signal transmitter provides the second signal to the first detecting pin.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first signal is a pulse width modulation signal, and a duty cycle of the first signal is lower than 10%.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the second signal is a DC voltage signal of a high voltage level.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, when the signal transmitter detects a high detecting voltage level of the detecting signal through the second detecting pin, the signal transmitter provides the second signal to the first detecting pin.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, when the signal transmitter does not detect the high detecting voltage level through the second detecting pin, the signal transmitter provides the first signal to the first detecting pin.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the connection detection system further includes a resistor. A first end of the resistor is coupled to the second detecting pin and the signal transmitter, and a second end of the resistor is coupled to a reference ground potential.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a corresponding surface of the connector has a first short side and a second short side that is not adjacent to the first short side, the first detecting pin is a pin closest to the first short side. The second detecting pin is a pin closest to the second short side.

The present disclosure provides a connection detection method configured to detect connection between a connector and an expansion dock, wherein the connector has a first detecting pin and a second detecting pin. The connection detection method includes: receiving a detecting signal through the second detecting pin; determining whether the connector is connected to the expansion dock according to the detecting signal; applying a first signal to the first detecting pin when the connector is not connected to the expansion dock; and applying a second signal to the first detecting pin when the connector is connected to the expansion dock.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the expansion dock has a first pin and a second pin, the first pin and the second pin are coupled to each other. When the connector is connected to the expansion dock, the first detecting pin is connected to the first pin and the second detecting pin is connected to the second pin.

Based on the above description, the present disclosure determines whether the connector is connected to the expansion dock according to the detecting signal received through the second detecting pin. The first signal is provided to the first detecting pin when the connector is not connected to the expansion dock, and the second signal is provided to the first detecting pin when the connector is connected to the expansion dock. In this way, contamination of the pins exposed in the air is mitigated, so as to maintain good contact between the electronic system and an external system.

In order to make the aforementioned and other features and advantages of the present disclosure comprehensible, several exemplary embodiments accompanied with figures are described in detail below.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Referring toFIG. 1,FIG. 1is a schematic diagram of a connection detection system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In the embodiment ofFIG. 1, the connection detection system100includes a connector110, an expansion dock120and a signal transmitter130. The connector110has a plurality of pins. In the embodiment, the pins of the connector110may be various types of metal pins such as pogo pins, etc., or connection terminals corresponding to the various types of metal pins. One of the plurality of pins of the connector110may be selected as a first detecting pin TS1, and another one of the pins of the connector110may be selected as a second detecting pin TS2. When the expansion dock120is connected to the connector110, the second detecting pin TS2may receive a signal transmitted by the first detecting pin TS1. The signal transmitter130may be coupled to the connector110through the first detecting pin TS1and the second detecting pin TS2. The signal transmitter130may receive a detecting signal SDET through the second detecting pin TS2, and determine whether the connector110is connected to the expansion dock120according to the detecting signal SDET. The signal transmitter130provides a first signal S1to the first detecting pin TS1when the connector110is not connected to the expansion dock120. Moreover, the signal transmitter130provides a second signal S2to the first detecting pin TS1when the connector110is connected to the expansion dock120. In the embodiment, the number of pins of the connector110and the number of pins of the expansion dock120may be the same, though the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

In the connection detection system100of the embodiment, the connector110and the signal transmitter130may be disposed in a same or different electronic devices (not shown), though the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

In the embodiment, the connection detection system100includes resistors R1, R2. A first end of the resistor R1is coupled to the second detecting pin TS2and the signal transmitter130, and a second end of the resistor R1is coupled to a reference ground potential GND. The resistor R2may be coupled between the signal transmitter130and the first detecting pin TS1. In some embodiments, the resistor R2may be coupled between a first pin DS1and a second pin DS2. In some embodiments, the resistor R2may be a parasitic resistance between the signal transmitter130and the first detecting pin TS1.

A connection manner of the connector110and the expansion dock120of the embodiment is further described below. The expansion dock120has a plurality of pins. The pins of the expansion dock120are metal probes or connection terminals adapted to connect to the pins of the connector110. One of the pins of the expansion dock120may be selected as the first pin DS1, and another one of the pins of the expansion dock120may be selected as the second pin DS2. The first pin DS1and the second pin DS2of the expansion dock120are coupled to each other. When the connector110and the expansion dock120are connected, the first detecting pin TS1of the connector110is connected to the first pin DS1of the expansion dock120, and the second detecting pin TS2is connected to the second pin DS2of the expansion dock120. Since the first pin DS1and the second pin DS2of the expansion dock120are coupled to each other, the connector110may transmit a signal received by the first detecting pin TS1to the second detecting pin TS2. On the contrary, in case that the connector110and the expansion dock120are not connected, the connector110may not transmit the signal received by the first detecting pin TS1to the second detecting pin TS2via the expansion dock120.

Referring toFIG. 1andFIG. 2,FIG. 2is a schematic diagram of signal waveforms according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In a period P1, the connector110is not connected to the expansion dock120, and the signal transmitter130continues to provide the first signal S1to the first detecting pin TS1. In the embodiment, the first signal S1is a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) signal, and a duty cycle of the first signal S1is lower than 10%. For example, in the period P1, the signal transmitter130provides the first signal S1, such that a voltage waveform VN at a node N is a signal output with a high voltage level and a low voltage level along with time. A pulse width of the high voltage level of the voltage waveform VN is 5 ms, and a pulse width of the low voltage level of the voltage waveform VN is 2 s. In a preferred embodiment, the pulse width of the high voltage level of the voltage waveform VN may be 1 ms, and the pulse width of the low voltage level of the voltage waveform VN is 2 s. A pulse width of the high voltage level of the first signal S1may be determined by a signal detecting capability of the signal transmitter130.

In the period P1, since the connector110is not connected to the expansion dock120, the first detection pin TS1of the connector110may not transmit the signal to the second detecting pin TS1. In this way, since the second detecting pin TS2is grounded, and the second detecting pin TS2cannot receive the signal transmitted by the first detecting pin TS1, the signal transmitter130may only receive the detecting signal SDET maintained the low voltage level. Since the signal transmitter130does not detect a high detecting voltage level of the detecting signal SDET through the second detecting pin TS2, the signal transmitter130provides the first signal S1to the first detecting pin TS1.

It should be noted that in case that the connector110is not connected to the expansion dock120, the signal transmitter130provides the first signal S1with a low duty cycle to the first detecting pin TS1, so that the pin may be maintained a voltage level close to zero volt, so as to reduce contamination of the pin exposed in the air.

In the embodiment, the high detecting voltage level is a voltage dividing result on the first signal S1or the second signal S2according to the resistors R1, R2, so that the high detecting voltage level of the detecting signal SDET may be determined by the resistances of the resistors R1, R2. Namely, a voltage value of the high detecting voltage level may be equal to or lower than a voltage value of the high voltage level of the first signal S1or the second signal S2. Moreover, the signal transmitter130may further include a comparator, which determines a connection status of the connector110and the expansion dock120according to whether the detecting signal SDET has a voltage level greater than a predetermined reference voltage level. The predetermined reference voltage level may be set according to a design requirement of the system.

In the embodiment, when the connector110starts to be connected to the expansion dock120, the first detecting pin TS1of the connector110may be connected to the second detecting pin TS2of the connector110through the first pin DS1and the second pin DS2of the expansion dock120, such that the second pin DS2receives the first signal S1and transmits the detecting signal SDET corresponding to the first signal S1to the signal transmitter130, in which the detecting signal SDET substantially has the same duty cycle with the first signal S1at this time, i.e. the detecting signal SDET has the high detecting voltage level. The signal transmitter130may detect the high detecting voltage level of the detecting signal SDET through the second detecting pin TS2, so as to determine that the connector110is connected to the expansion dock120. The signal transmitter130then provides the second signal S2to the first detecting pin TS1to enter a period P2. In the embodiment, the second signal S2may be a DC voltage signal of a high voltage level, such that the voltage waveform VN of the node N is maintained the high voltage level in the period P2.

In the period P2, since the signal transmitter130continuously provides the second signal S2to the first detecting pin TS1in case that the connector110is connected to the expansion dock120, the signal transmitter130may continuously detect the continuous high detecting voltage level of the detecting signal SDET, and determine that the connector is continuously connected to the expansion dock120according to the continuous high detecting voltage level.

When the connector110starts to be separated from the expansion dock120, the first detecting pin TS1of the connector110does not transmit signal to the second detecting pin TS2, and the signal transmitter130enters a period P3in case that the high detecting voltage level of the detecting signal SDET is not detected, and provides the first signal S1to the first detecting pin TS1.

Based on the above description, in the connection detection system100, in case that the connector110is not connected to the expansion dock120, the signal transmitter130provides the first signal S1with the low duty cycle to the first detecting pin TS1, and in case that the connector110is connected to the expansion dock120, the signal transmitter130provides the DC voltage signal to the second detecting pin TS2. In this way, in case that the connector110is not connected to the expansion dock120, surfaces of the first detecting pin TS1and the second detecting pin TS2exposed in the air may be maintained the voltage level close to zero volt, so as to detect whether the connector110and the expansion dock120are connected, and reduce the contamination on the surfaces of the first detecting pin TS1and the second detecting pin TS2.

In the embodiment ofFIG. 1, the first detecting pin TS1and the second detecting pin TS2may be any two pins of the connector110. In a preferred embodiment, the first detecting pin TS1is not adjacent to the second detecting pint TS2. Namely, the first detecting pin TS1and the second detecting pin TS2are spaced by one or more pins.

Referring toFIG. 3A,FIG. 3Ais a schematic diagram of a connector according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. InFIG. 3A, a plurality of pins of the connector310_1are arranged in a rectangular array. A corresponding surface311_1of the connector310_1has short sides E1_1, E2_1and long sides E3_1, E4_1. The short sides E1_1, E2_1are not adjacent to each other. The first detecting pin TS1of the connector310_1is one of the pins adjacent to the short side E1_1, and the second detecting pin TS2of the connector310_1is one of the pins adjacent to the short side E2_1. Certainly, in the embodiment, the first pin of the expansion dock adapted to the connector310_1is required to have a configuration corresponding to the first detecting pin TS1, and the second pin is required to have a configuration corresponding to the second detecting pin TS2. It should be noted that in the embodiment, since the first detecting pin TS1and the second detecting pin TS2of the connector310_1are respectively adjacent to the short sides E1_1, E2_1, the connection detecting system may detect whether the connector310_1and the expansion dock are connected through a connection status of the pins located adjacent to the short sides E1_1, E2_1of the connector310_1, and further eliminate misjudgement caused by incomplete connection between the connector310_1and the expansion dock.

For example, the incomplete connection is, for example, a situation that only a small amount of pins adjacent to the short side E1_1is connected to the expansion dock, and the pins adjacent to the short side E2_1are not connected to the expansion dock. The connection detection system may determine that the connector310_1is not connected to the expansion dock when the connection detection system is unable to detect the high detecting voltage level of the detecting signal SDET due to the pins of the short side E2_1not connected to the expansion dock.

Referring toFIG. 3B,FIG. 3Bis a schematic diagram of a connector according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Different to the embodiment ofFIG. 3A, the short sides E1_2, E2_2of the corresponding surface311_2of the connector310_2are curved short sides with non-linear lines, and the plurality of pins of the connector310_2are arranged in a non-rectangular array. The first detecting pin TS1of the connector310_2is the pin closest to the short side E1_2, and the second detecting pin TS2of the connector310_2is the pin closest to the short side E2_2. Similar to the embodiment ofFIG. 3A, the first detecting pin TS1and the second detecting pin TS2of the connector310_2are respectively adjacent to the short sides E1_2and E2_2, and the connection detection system may further eliminate misjudgement caused by incomplete connection between the connector310_2and the expansion dock.

Referring toFIG. 1andFIG. 4,FIG. 4is a flowchart illustrating a connection detection method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In step S410, the signal transmitter130receives the detecting signal SDET through the second detecting pin TS2. In step S420, the signal transmitter130determines whether the connector110is connected to the expansion dock120according to the detecting signal SDET. When the signal transmitter130determines that the connector110is not connected to the expansion dock120according to the detecting signal SDET, a step S430is executed. In the step S430, the signal transmitter130provides the first signal S1to the first detecting pin TS1. When the signal transmitter130determines that the connector110is connected to the expansion dock120according to the detecting signal SDET in the step S420, a step S440is executed. In the step S440, the signal transmitter130provides the second signal S2to the first detecting pin TS1. Implementation detail of the connection detection method ofFIG. 4has been introduced in the embodiments ofFIG. 1andFIG. 2, and detail thereof is not repeated.

In summary, the detecting signal is received through the second detecting pin, and whether the connector is connected to the expansion dock is determined according to the detecting signal. The first signal is provided to the first detecting pin when the connector is not connected to the expansion dock, and the second signal is provided to the first detecting pin when the connector is connected to the expansion dock. In the present disclosure, different signals corresponding to different connection statuses are provided to the detecting pin, for example, the PWM signal with the low duty cycle is provided to the detecting pin when the connector is not connected to the expansion dock. In this way, contamination of the pins exposed in the air is effectively mitigated, so as to maintain good contact between the electronic system and the external system. Moreover, in the present disclosure, the pin closest to the first short side is set as the first detecting pin, and the pin closest to the second short side is set as the second detecting pin. In this way, misjudgement caused by incomplete connection between the connector and the expansion dock is eliminated.