Abstract:
Embodiments of the present invention are generally related to communication connectors, and more specifically, to communication connectors such as jacks which are compatible with more than one style of a plug. In one embodiment, the electrical and mechanical design of a jack in accordance with the present invention may extend the usable bandwidth beyond the IEC 60603-7-71 requirement of 1000 MHz to support potential future applications such as, but not limited to, 40GBASE-T. In addition, the jack may be backwards compatible with lower speed BASE-T applications (e.g., 10GBASE-T and/or below) when an RJ45 plug is mated to the jack.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/867,827, filed on Aug. 20, 2013; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/869,886, filed on Aug. 26, 2013; and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/870,470, filed on Aug. 27, 2013, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    Embodiments of the present invention are generally related to communication connectors, and more specifically, to communication connectors such as jacks which are compatible with more than one style of a plug. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    The fastest communication data rate currently specified by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) over structured copper cabling is 10 gigabit/second (Gbps) per the IEEE802.3ba standard. The structured cabling infrastructure called out in this standard is based on twisted pair cabling and RJ45 connectivity which calls for plugs and jacks having four pairs of corresponding contacts arranged in a generally parallel 1-8 in-line fashion with one of the pairs split around the center pair. This type of structured copper cabling specified by the IEEE includes four balanced differential pairs over which Ethernet communication takes place. Compliant channels will also meet the TIA568 Category 6A (CAT6A) specifications for cable, connectors, and channels. These CAT6A components and channels provide 500 MHz of bandwidth for data communication across 100 meter links. 
         [0004]    In 2010, the IEEE ratified a new standard, IEEE802.3an, for high speed Ethernet communication at speeds of 40 Gbps and 100 Gbps. While this new standard called for both fiber and copper media, the only supported copper media was a short (7m) twin-ax based copper cable assembly. No provisions were made for twisted pair structured copper links. Additionally, the proposed standard includes a specification that has Medium Dependent Interface (MDI) components such as magnetics and printed circuit board (PCB) traces. This PHY (Physical Layer Transceiver) to PHY specification creates a challenging task for designers. 
         [0005]    Traditionally, copper connectivity has been associated with a number of benefits including lower cost, ease of field terminability, and ease of mateability between corresponding connectors. This has prompted the investigation of the feasibility of transmitting 40 Gbps over a structured copper channel. One approach to this is detailed in the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 60603-7-71 standard, which incorporates two “modes” of operation to allow for backward compatibility with RJ45 style plugs and a higher bandwidth style plug, sometimes referred to as “ARJ45”, with 4 pairs of contacts isolated in “quadrants.” When mated with an RJ45 plug, the connector must provide the necessary electrical crosstalk compensation to comply with the RJ45 rated standard such as CAT6A. When mated with an IEC 60603-7-71 plug, the connector must provide the corresponding isolated contact locations. 
         [0006]    This dual-mode functionality is achieved by sharing the two outermost pairs of RJ45 contacts, while also grounding the middle two pairs of RJ45 contacts and providing two new pairs of isolated contacts in case of mating with an IEC 60603-7-71 plug. In total there are six pairs of contacts in the connector, of which only four are used depending on which style plug the connector is mated with. 
         [0007]    The presence of the extra pairs and the mechanical operation of the connector results in a challenging electrical design due to the potential parasitic coupling between unused contacts and/or unwanted compensation circuitry. Thus, there exists a continued need for further development and advancement of communication connectors, including PCB-mounted versions, which may allow for increased transfer rates while retaining backward compatibility with the RJ45 standard. Furthermore, since communication connectors are often used in systems which incorporate adjacent connector configurations, there is a continuing need for improved system designs which improve system performance, increase the ease of manufacturability, and provide robust electrical mating points. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    Accordingly, at least some embodiments of the present invention are directed towards communication jacks which are compatible with more than one type of a plug. 
         [0009]    Furthermore, at least some other embodiments of the present invention are directed towards communication systems which incorporate multiple communication jacks, methods of use of said systems, and components thereof. 
         [0010]    In an embodiment, a jack according to the present invention is a PCB-mounted jack. 
         [0011]    In another embodiment, the electrical and mechanical design of a jack in accordance with the present invention may extend the usable bandwidth beyond the IEC 60603-7-71 requirement of 1000 MHz to support potential future applications such as, but not limited to, 40GBASE-T. In addition, the jack may be backwards compatible with lower speed BASE-T applications (e.g., 10GBASE-T and/or below) when an RJ45 plug is mated to the jack. 
         [0012]    In yet another embodiment, the present invention is a communication jack capable of mating with either one of a first type of a communication plug and a second type of a communication plug, the first type and second type of a communication plug being different. The communication jack includes a housing having a front portion, the front portion including an aperture for receiving the either one of the first type of a communication plug and the second type of a communication plug. The communication jack also includes a first set of plug interface contacts (PICs) configured to interface the first type of a communication plug, and a second set of PICs configured to interface the second type of a communication plug. The communication jack also includes jack contacts, the jack contacts being one of insulation displacement contacts (IDCs) and connector pin contacts. And the communication jack also includes a printed circuit board (PCB), the PCB being movable between a first position and a second position along a longitudinal plane relative to the communication jack, the first position providing a first electrical path from the first set of PICs to the jack contacts, and the second position providing a second electrical path from the second set of PICs to the jack contacts, the PCB being positioned at the first position when mated with the first type of a communication plug, and the PCB being positioned at the second position when mated with the second type of a communication plug. 
         [0013]    In still yet another embodiment, the present invention is a communication jack capable of mating with either one of a first type of a communication plug and a second type of a communication plug, the first type and second type of a communication plug being different. The communication jack includes a housing having a front portion, the front portion including an aperture for receiving the either one of the first type of a communication plug and the second type of a communication plug. The communication jack also includes a first set of PICs configured to interface the first type of a communication plug, and a second set of PICs configured to interface the second type of a communication plug. The communication jack also includes IDCs. And the communication jack also includes a PCB having a top surface and a bottom surface, some of the IDCs interfacing the PCB on the top surface and some of the IDCs interfacing the PCB on the bottom surface, the PCB being movable between a first position and a second position, the first position providing a first electrical path from the first set of PICs to the IDCs, and the second position providing a second electrical path from the second set of PICs to the IDCs. 
         [0014]    In still yet another embodiment, the present invention is a duplex communication jack having a housing with a first and a second aperture. The first aperture is made to receive multiple styles of plugs and includes an associated set of first jack components, and the second aperture is made to receive multiple styles of plugs and includes an associated set of second jack components. The first jack components include a first set of lower PICs, a first set of upper PICs, a first PCB, and a first set of connector pins. The second jack components include a second set of lower PICs, a second set of upper PICs, a second PCB, and a second set of connector pins. Each of the first and second PCBs have a first and second circuit, wherein the each of the circuits can be positioned between respective PICs and connector pins depending on the style of plug received within a respective aperture. 
         [0015]    In still yet another embodiment, the present invention is a duplex communication jack having a housing with a first and a second aperture. The first aperture is made to receive multiple styles of plugs and includes an associated set of first jack components, and the second aperture is made to receive multiple styles of plugs and includes an associated set of second jack components. The first jack components include a first set of lower PICs, a first set of upper PICs, a first PCB, and a first set of connector pins. The second jack components include a second set of lower PICs, a second set of upper PICs, a second PCB, and a second set of connector pins. The first PCB is positioned over the second PCB where the first PCB is longer than the second PCB such that the first set of connector pins is positioned behind the second set of connector pins. 
         [0016]    In still yet another embodiment, the present invention is a duplex communication jack having a housing with a first and a second aperture. The first aperture is made to receive multiple styles of plugs and includes an associated set of first jack components, and the second aperture is made to receive multiple styles of plugs and includes an associated set of second jack components. The first jack components include a first set of lower PICs, a first set of upper PICs, a first PCB, and a first set of connector pins being positioned normally with respect to the first PCB for at least a portion thereof. The second jack components include a second set of lower PICs, a second set of upper PICs, a second PCB positioned at least partially under the first PCB, and a second set of connector pins being positioned normally with respect to the second PCB for at least a portion thereof. 
         [0017]    These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better-understood with reference to the following drawings, description, and any claims that may follow. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0018]      FIG. 1  illustrates a system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  illustrates an isometric view of a jack and corresponding plugs according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  illustrates an exploded isometric view of a jack according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  illustrates the movement of the PCB of the jack of  FIG. 3  in response to the jack being mated to an RJ45 plug. 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  illustrates the movement of the PCB of the jack of  FIG. 3  in response to the jack being mated to an ARJ45 plug. 
           [0023]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  illustrate the interaction of the switching components with some other components of the jack of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 7  illustrates a rear isometric view of the front housing of the jack of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0025]      FIG. 8  illustrates the interaction of the PCB and the PCB stops of the jack of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0026]      FIG. 9A  illustrates a schematic representation of the circuit, according to an embodiment, on the PCB of the jack of  FIG. 3  used in RJ45 mode. 
           [0027]      FIG. 9B  illustrates a schematic representation of the circuit, according to an embodiment, on the PCB of the jack of  FIG. 3  used in ARJ45 mode. 
           [0028]      FIG. 10A  illustrates a top view of one embodiment of the PCB used in the jack of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0029]      FIG. 10B  illustrates a bottom view of the PCB of  FIG. 10A . 
           [0030]      FIGS. 11 and 12  illustrate the interaction of the plug interface contacts (PICs) and the insulation displacement contacts (IDCs) with the PCB of  FIG. 10A  when mated to an RJ45 plug. 
           [0031]      FIGS. 13 and 14  illustrate the interaction of the PICs and the IDCs with the PCB of  FIG. 10A  when mated to an ARJ45 plug. 
           [0032]      FIGS. 15 and 16  illustrate another embodiment of the PICs and the PCB which may be used in the jack of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0033]      FIG. 17A  illustrates an exploded isometric view of the wire manager assembly of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0034]      FIG. 17B  illustrates an isometric view of an assembled wire manager assembly of  FIG. 17A . 
           [0035]      FIG. 18  illustrates an embodiment of a process of assembly of the jack of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0036]      FIG. 19  illustrates a communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0037]      FIG. 20  illustrates an exploded view of a jack according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0038]      FIG. 21A  illustrates the jack of  FIG. 20  mated with an RJ45 plug. 
           [0039]      FIG. 21B  illustrates the jack of  FIG. 21A  mated with an ARJ45 plug. 
           [0040]      FIG. 22  illustrates a simplified schematic representation of a plug/jack/PHY combination according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0041]      FIG. 23  illustrates internal positioning of the PCB and dividers within the jack of  FIG. 20  according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0042]      FIG. 24  illustrates the means for restraining the forwards/backwards movement of the PCB within the jack of  FIG. 20  according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0043]      FIG. 25A  illustrates a simplified schematic representation of an RJ45 plug mated to a first circuit of the jack of  FIG. 20  according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0044]      FIG. 25B  illustrates a simplified schematic representation of an ARJ45 plug mated to a second circuit of the jack of  FIG. 20  according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0045]      FIG. 26A  illustrates a top view of a PCB, which may be used within the jack of  FIG. 20 , according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0046]      FIG. 26B  illustrates a bottom view of the PCB of  FIG. 26A   
           [0047]      FIG. 27A  illustrates an isometric view of the jack of  FIG. 20  with a PCB of  FIG. 26A  mated with an RJ45 plug. 
           [0048]      FIG. 27B  illustrates a bottom isometric view of the jack/plug combination of  FIG. 27A . 
           [0049]      FIG. 27C  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the jack/plug combination of  FIG. 27A . 
           [0050]      FIG. 28A  illustrates an isometric view of the jack of  FIG. 27A  mated with an ARJ45 plug. 
           [0051]      FIG. 28B  illustrates a bottom isometric view of the jack/plug combination of  FIG. 28A . 
           [0052]      FIG. 28C  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the jack/plug combination of  FIG. 28A . 
           [0053]      FIG. 29  illustrates a simplified schematic representation of a plug/jack/PHY combination according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0054]      FIG. 30  illustrates a simplified schematic representation of a plug/jack/PHY combination according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0055]      FIG. 31A  illustrates an isometric view of another embodiment of a jack having another embodiment of the PCB therein mated with an ARJ45 plug. 
           [0056]      FIG. 31B  illustrates the jack of  FIG. 31A  mated with an RJ45 plug. 
           [0057]      FIG. 32  illustrates an embodiment of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0058]      FIG. 33  illustrates a bottom view of a PCB and connector pin layout according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0059]      FIG. 34  illustrates a bottom view of a PCB and connector pin layout according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0060]      FIG. 35  illustrates a communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0061]      FIG. 36  illustrates an exploded view of a communication jack according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0062]      FIG. 37  illustrates some internal components of the jack of  FIG. 36 . 
           [0063]      FIG. 38A  illustrates a first side of a first PCB of the jack of  FIG. 36 . 
           [0064]      FIG. 38B  illustrates a second side of a first PCB of the jack of  FIG. 36 . 
           [0065]      FIG. 39  illustrates a first side of a second PCB of the jack of  FIG. 36 . 
           [0066]      FIG. 40  illustrates an isometric view of the two PCBs, PICs, and connector pins of the jack of  FIG. 36 . 
           [0067]      FIG. 41  illustrates a bottom-side view of the interaction of the connector pins with the PCBs within the jack of  FIG. 36 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0068]    In an embodiment, the present invention is a network jack capable of supporting two different modes of operation depending on the type of a plug that is inserted. In this embodiment, the jack can be mated with an RJ45 plug to operate at some network speeds (e.g., up to 10GBASE-T); and the same jack can be mated with an IEC 60603-7-71 style plug (hereinafter referred to as an “ARJ45 plug”) for higher speed applications (e.g., 40GBASE-T). Note that while references are made to an IEC 60603-7-71 plug, jacks according to the present invention are not limited to use with only those plugs, and instead may be used with other plugs which are commonly referred to in the telecommunication art as ARJ45 plugs or GG45 plugs. 
         [0069]    An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in  FIG. 1 , which shows a copper structured cabling communication system  40 , which includes a patch panel  42  with jacks  44  and corresponding RJ45 plugs  46 . Respective cables  48  are terminated to jacks  44 , and respective cables  50  are terminated to plugs  46 . Although only RJ45 plugs  46  are illustrated, system  40  can also be used with ARJ45 plugs with associated cables. Once a plug  46  mates with a jack  44  data can flow in both directions through these connectors. Although the communication system  40  is illustrated in  FIG. 1  as having a patch panel, alternative embodiments can include other active or passive equipment. Examples of passive equipment can be, but are not limited to, modular patch panels, punch-down patch panels, coupler patch panels, wall jacks, etc. Examples of active equipment can be, but are not limited to, Ethernet switches, routers, servers, physical layer management systems, and power-over-Ethernet equipment as can be found in data centers and or telecommunications rooms; security devices (cameras and other sensors, etc.) and door access equipment; and telephones, computers, fax machines, printers, and other peripherals as can be found in workstation areas. Communication system  40  can further include cabinets, racks, cable management and overhead routing systems, and other such equipment. 
         [0070]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , in one embodiment, jack  44  complies with Mini-Com® geometry as employed by Panduit Corp., and installs to Mini-Com® patch panels and faceplates. Examples of a compatible RJ45 plug  46  and a compatible ARJ45 plug  90  are also shown.  FIG. 3  shows an exploded view of an embodiment of jack  44 . In this embodiment, jack  44  includes a front housing  52 , lower plug interface contacts (PICs)  54  ( 54   1-8 ), upper PICs  56  ( 56   3-6 ), dielectric structures  55  and  57 , a PCB  60  connected to a switching plate  70  and dividers  58  (collectively referred to as “the switching components”), a spring  66  positioned between a retention wall  52   a  of the front housing  52  (see  FIG. 7 ) and the switching components, insulation displacement contacts (IDCs)  72  ( 72   1 - 72   8 ), a wire manager assembly  78 , a rear housing  84 , and a rear cap  88 . The front housing  52  may be made of metal (or any other conductive material) and can include plug grounding tabs which can be used to electrically bond a shielded plug to jack  44 . Depending on the embodiment, the front housing  52  may be made entirely of metal or may have only some of its parts (e.g., the plug-receiving portion) made out of metal. Similarly, the rear housing  84  and the rear cap  88  may also be metal or may otherwise be made from a conductive material. Alternatively, the housing components may be formed from a non-conductive material such as, for example, plastic. 
         [0071]    Based on the type of a plug that is inserted into the jack  44 , the PCB  60  is located at one of two possible locations. This enables the switching of the signal paths between PICs  54 ,  56  and one of two independent circuits on PCB  60 . 
         [0072]    As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the jack  44  is provided with twelve plug interface contacts (PICs  54   1-8  and PICs  56   3-6 ) which are at least partially held in place with dielectric structures  55 ,  57 . The PICs  54  and  56  are positioned such that their proximal ends contact the plug contacts of a plug, and their distal ends make contact with contact pads on the PCB  60 . PICs  54   1  through  54   8  are arranged in a fashion to mate with a traditional RJ45 plug, and each subscript number corresponds to the plug contact number of a plug having its plug contacts laid out in accordance with ANSI/TIA-568-C.2. PICs  54   1 ,  54   2 ,  54   7 , and  54   8  are also arranged to mate with four of the eight plug contacts of an ARJ45 plug. The remaining four plug contacts of an ARJ45 plug mate with PICs  56   3 ,  56   4 ,  56   5 , and  56   6 . 
         [0073]    The switching between the RJ45 and ARJ45 functionality states of the jack  44  is achieved primarily by incorporating independent circuits on the PCB  60  and switching between those circuits by moving the PCB  60  in a generally horizontal direction along the x-axis, as shown by an arrow in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . Each circuit provides an electrical path from appropriate PICs to respective IDCs. 
         [0074]    To achieve the necessary switching, PCB  60  incorporates a switching plate  70  (preferably made from a dielectric material such as, but not limited to, plastic) and dividers  58  which allow the PCB to be pushed and guided along an appropriate path. These elements are illustrated in  FIGS. 6A and 6B . Dividers  58  are comprised of a top vertical divider  62 , a bottom vertical divider  68 , and a horizontal divider  64 . Preferably, dividers  58  are made from a material which has electromagnetic shielding properties, and in some embodiments dividers  58  are metal. When the jack  44  is assembled, the top vertical divider  62  is partially positioned within guide path  80   a  of the wire manager  80  and partially within guide path guide path  52   b  of the front housing  52  (see  FIG. 7 ), the bottom vertical divider  68  is partially positioned within guide path  80   b  of the wire manager  80  and partially within guide path guide path  52   c  of the front housing  52 , and the horizontal divider  64  is partially positioned within guide path  80   c  of the wire manager  80 . The top vertical divider  62  includes a protrusion  62   a  which acts as a post for the spring  66 . When the top vertical divider  62  is positioned within the guide path  52   b , the spring  66  becomes trapped between the retention wall  52   a  and the divider  62 , and biases the divider  62  along with the PCB  60  towards the front of the jack  44 . This retains the PCB  60  in a forward position at all times except for when an ARJ45 plug is inserted. 
         [0075]    In addition to guiding the PCB  60 , dividers  58  help with crosstalk reduction. In order to maintain some level of isolation between the four signal pairs and reduce unwanted crosstalk therebetween in the IDC region, horizontal divider  64  and vertical dividers  62  and  68  are assembled and positioned between the four pairs of IDCs  72 . This arrangement of dividers  58  enables the formation of a quadrant for each pair of wires. Grounding the dividers  58  (when the dividers are metal) may help maintain the continuity of a shield from the plug cable to the jack and therethrough, and reduce undesired crosstalk. 
         [0076]    Note that some embodiments of the present invention may omit the horizontal divider  64  and may instead only use the vertical dividers  62  and  68 . In these embodiments, the PCB  60  itself may provide shielding properties and act as the necessary divider. Alternatively, the PCB  60  may be extended to replace the horizontal divider  64  so long as it does not interfere with the wire manager assembly  78 . 
         [0077]    To retain the PCB  60  within certain bounds along the x-axis, front stops  52   d  and rear stops  84   a  are positioned on the inside of the front housing  52  and the rear housing  84 , respectively, as shown in  FIG. 8 . The stops  52   d  and  84   a  are positioned approximately on the same plane as the PCB  60  and are designed to come in contact with the corners  96  of the PCB  60  (see  FIG. 10A ). The front stops  52   d  limit the amount of forward displacement that the PCB  60  may undergo. Thus, when the PCB  60  is biased forward via the spring  66 , it rests against the front stops  52   d  in a forward position. The rear stops  84   a  limit the amount of rearward displacement that the PCB  60  may undergo when the PCB  60  is moved back. Thus, when an appropriate plug (e.g., an ARJ45 plug) is inserted into the jack  44  and that plug displaces the PCB  60  into its second position, the rear stops  84   a  prevent the PCB  60  from moving too far by having the rear corners  96  rest against the stops  84   a . When that plug is removed, the spring  66  causes the PCB  60  to again move into its forward position and once again engage the front stops  52   d . Stops  52   d  and  84   a  may help ensure that the PICs and ICDs contact the appropriate contact pads on the PCB  60 . 
         [0078]    One embodiment of the PCB  60  together with a corresponding arrangement of the PICs is shown in  FIGS. 9A-14 . In this embodiment, the PCB  60  is provided with two separate circuits; the first circuit is used for RJ45 connectivity and the second circuit is used for ARJ45 connectivity.  FIGS. 9A and 9B  illustrate schematic representations of these circuits, respectively. Note that not all circuit elements are shown, and instead only active signal paths between the PICs and the IDCs are generally represented. As shown in  FIGS. 10A and 10B , the first circuit comprises contact pads  92   1 - 92   8 ,  93   3 - 93   6 , and  94   1 - 94   8 . Contact pads  92   1 - 92   8  are designed to contact the distal ends of the PICs  54   1 - 54   8 , respectively, and provide an electrical path to pads  94   1 - 94   8  which are designed to contact IDCs  72   1 - 72   8 . Contact pads  93   3 - 93   6  are designed to contact the distal ends of PICs  56   3 - 56   4 , respectively, and are grounded through the PCB  60 . The interaction between the contacts and the PCB is illustrated in  FIG. 11 . 
         [0079]    As shown in  FIG. 12 , the first circuit is activated when there is no plug inserted into jack  44  or when an RJ45 plug is inserted. In this state, spring  66  forces PCB  60  forward where contact pads  92   1 - 92   8  on the top side of the PCB  60  are in alignment with the distal ends of the PICs  54   1-8 . The same positioning of the PCB  60  also causes the IDC contact pads  94   1-8  to also align with the distal ends of the IDCs  72   1-8 , respectively. 
         [0080]    When an RJ45 plug  46  is inserted into jack  44 , the plug contacts engage the PICs  54   1-8  in the jack  44  and thereby establish continuity between the plug  46  and the cable terminated at the IDCs  72   1-8  near the far end of the jack  44 . As is typical in RJ45 jacks (e.g., CAT6A), various crosstalk compensation techniques may be used to counteract the inherent crosstalk that exists in an RJ45 plug. This compensation circuitry, which may include discrete and/or distributed capacitive and/or inductive elements between conductors (e.g., C13, C35, C46 and C68 shown schematically in  FIG. 9A ) may be realized on internal and/or external layers of the PCB  60 . Other compensation elements which help optimize return loss, far-end crosstalk, balance, and etc. can also be included. In some instances, while the jack  44  is engaged with an RJ45 plug  46 , the unused PICs  56   3 ,  56   4 ,  56   5 , and  56   6  can introduce unintended coupling and crosstalk between signal pairs in the jack  44 . To help reduce or prevent this unintended coupling and crosstalk from occurring, PICs  56   3-6  are grounded by way of contact pads  93   3 - 93   6  on the PCB  60 , which are connected to a grounding source. 
         [0081]    The second circuit on the PCB  60  comprises contact pads  92 ′ 1 - 92 ′ 8 ,  93 ′ 3 - 93 ′ 6 , and  94 ′ 1 - 94 ′ 8 . Referring to  FIG. 13 , as in the first circuit, contact pads  92 ′ 1 - 92 ′ 8  contact the distal ends of the PICs  54   1 - 54   8 , respectively. However, of those, only contact pads  92 ′ 1 ,  92 ′ 2 ,  92 ′ 7 , and  92 ′ 8  provide an electrical path to contact pads  94 ′ 1 ,  94 ′ 2 ,  94 ′ 7 , and  94 ′ 8 . The remaining contact pads  92 ′ 3 ,  92 ′ 4 ,  92 ′ 5 , and  92 ′ 6  can be grounded through the PCB  60 . As for contact pads  93 ′ 3 - 93 ′ 6 , these pads contact the distal ends of PICs  56   3 - 56   6 , respectively, and in this case provide an electrical path to contact pads  94 ′ 3 ,  94 ′ 4 ,  94 ′ 5 , and  94 ′ 6 . 
         [0082]    With reference to  FIG. 14 , when an ARJ45 style plug  90  is inserted into the jack  44  the nose feature  91  on the front of the plug engages the switching plate  70  mounted to the PCB  60 . As plug  90  is inserted further into the jack  44 , the nose feature  91  applies force against the switching plate  70 , and displaces the plate  70  and the PCB  60  horizontally in a rearward direction. 
         [0083]    As the PCB  60  travels into its rearward position, the PICs  54   1-8  and  56   3-6 , and IDCs  72   1-8  lose contact with contact pads  92   1 - 92   8 ,  93   3 - 93   6 , and  94   1 - 94   8 , and instead come into contact with contact pads  92 ′ 1 - 92 ′ 8 ,  93 ′ 3 - 93 ′ 6 , and  94 ′ 1 - 94 ′ 8 , respectively. Once the ARJ45 jack is fully inserted into the jack  44 , contact pads  92 ′ 1 - 92 ′ 8 ,  93 ′ 3 - 93 ′ 6 , and  94 ′ 1 - 94 ′ 8  on the PCB  60  should align with the distal ends of the PICs and the distal ends of the IDCs. Stops  84   a  prevent the PCB  60  from traveling beyond its intended position. At this point, plug contacts of the ARJ45 plug engage the PICs  54   k ,  54   2 ,  56   3 ,  56   4 ,  56   5 ,  56   6 ,  54   7 , and  54   8  in the jack  44  and thereby establish continuity between the plug  90  and the cable terminated at the IDCs  72  near the far end of the jack  44 . 
         [0084]    By switching to a second circuit, the compensation circuitry that is used in the RJ45 operation mode is disconnected from the signal path under ARJ45 operation. As such, separate independent circuitry may be employed on the second circuit if so desired. By having separate circuits, the compensation circuitry required during the RJ45 mode of operation has little to no impact on the jack&#39;s  44  electrical performance while operating in the ARJ45 mode. This isolation may be advantageous when meeting the high bandwidth performance targets of jack  44 . Furthermore, to reduce unintentional coupling and achieve improved return loss, insertion loss, and electrical balance performance at higher frequencies, contact pads  92 ′ 3 ,  92 ′ 4 ,  92 ′ 5 , and  92 ′ 6 , and thus PICs  54   3 ,  54   4 ,  54   5 , and  54   6 , are preferably grounded via the PCB  60 . 
         [0085]    Preferably, PICs  54  and  56 , and IDCs  72  are designed to be or resilient nature, causing the distal ends thereof to springingly press against the contact pads on the PCB  60 . To help ensure a smooth transition between the contact pads, the distal ends of the PICs  54  and  56 , and IDCs  72  are provided with curved feet  100  (see  FIG. 13 ) which may act as ramps. This design may help ensure a constant force on the contact pads and it may also help ensure that in the process of sliding on and off the contact pads of the PCB  60 , contaminants or oxidation that may be present on the surface of the PCB  60  contact pads will be wiped away; thereby, providing a robust connection between the PICs, the IDCs, and the circuitry in between. 
         [0086]    Another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in  FIGS. 15-16  where a PCB  61  together with a corresponding arrangement of the PICs, including two additional contacts  59 , is shown. While the entire jack  44  is not illustrated, one of ordinary skill in the art will understand that PCB  61  can substitute for the PCB  60  in the jack  44  and the additional contacts  59  may be implemented in a manner that is similar to the PICs  54  of the previously described embodiment. 
         [0087]    The PCB  61  retains some features of the PCB  60 , including contact pads  92   1 - 92   8 ,  93   3 - 93   6 , and  94   1 - 94   8  which contact respective PICs and IDCs in the RJ45 mode of operation, contact pads  92 ′ 1 - 92 ′ 8 ,  93 ′ 3 - 93 ′ 6 , and  94 ′ 1 - 94 ′ 8  which contact respective PICs and IDCs in the ARJ45 mode of operation, and any potential interconnecting circuitry. However, PCB  61  includes additional contact pads  95   0 ,  95   9 ,  95 ′ 0 , and  95 ′ 9  which are designed to contact the two additional contacts  59   0  and  59   9 . 
         [0088]    When operating PCB  60  in ARJ45 mode, PICs  54   1  and  54   2  are mated with their corresponding plug contacts of the ARJ45 plug and PIC  54   3  is connected to ground. With the position of PIC  54   3  being adjacent to PIC  54   2 , an impedance discontinuity may occur. Even and odd mode impedance of PIC  54   1  will be inherently higher than PIC  54   2 . This impedance discontinuity can results in an increase in electrical reflections at the plug/jack interface and an increase in mode conversion. The differential return loss, insertion loss, and crosstalk performance of signal-pair 1:2 may be degraded due to this inherent condition of the jack. Thus, to avoid these performance degradations, even and odd mode impedances of PICs  54   1  and  54   2  should be equal and matched to the characteristic impedance of the cable. By introducing contact  59   0 , which is grounded in the ARJ45 mode of operation, adjacent to PIC  54   1  in the PCB  61  the impedances discontinuity may be reduced or otherwise eliminated. This can help provide a balanced configuration of ground conductors and signal conductors (Ground-Signal-Signal-Ground), which can become increasingly advantageous relative to signal integrity as the bandwidth increases. 
         [0089]    A similar concern exists with PICs  54   7  and  54   8  in the ARJ45 mode of operation. PICs  54   7  and  54   8  are mated with their corresponding plug contacts of the ARJ45 plug and PIC  54   6  is grounded. With PIC  54   6  being adjacent to PIC  54   7 , even and odd mode impedance of PIC  54   8  will be inherently higher than PIC  54   7 . By adding an additional grounded contact  59   9  adjacent to PIC  54   8 , a more balanced (Ground-Signal-Signal-Ground) configuration is created and performance degradations may be reduced or otherwise eliminated. 
         [0090]    To achieve the necessary grounding, the side contacts  59   0  and  59   9  are grounded through PCB contact pads  95 ′ 0  and  95 ′ 9  (which themselves are grounded through the PCB), respectively, which are engaged by the by the contacts  59   0  and  59   9  when the jack  44  is operating in the ARJ45 operating mode. Furthermore, the side contacts  59   0  and  59   9  are slightly offset relative to PICs  54   1-8  to allow the plug body to be fully inserted without interfering with or plastically deforming contacts  59   0  and  59   9 . The plug body can also be beneficially modified to shield the side contacts  59   0  and  59   9 . 
         [0091]    Another possible use of contacts  59   0  and  59   9  is to incorporate them into the crosstalk compensation circuitry that is likely to be implemented when jack  44  is operating in the RJ45 mode, as shown in  FIG. 16 . By grounding contacts  59   0  and  59   9  via contacts pads  95   0  and  95   9  (which are grounded via the PCB  61 ), those contacts may provide an additional way of reducing or minimizing the imbalance effect caused by the split pair 3:6 coupling to the signal pair 1:2 and the signal pair 7:8. Thus, balancing on the 1:2 and 7:8 signal pairs may be improved. Furthermore, since  95   0 ,  95   9 ,  95 ′ 0 , and  95 ′ 9  are grounded, pads  95   0  and  95 ′ 0  may be combined into a single contact pad which will be in contact with the contact  59   0  regardless of the mode of operation, and pads  95   9  and  95 ′ 9  may also be combined into a single contact pad which will also be in contact with the contact  59   9  regardless of the mode of operation. 
         [0092]    The jack  44  may be terminated to any number of communication cables  48  including shielded cables. Since the jack  44  may be employed in environments where operational speeds exceed 10GBASE-T, the jack may be terminated to braid shield cables and foil/braid shield cables. Those skilled in the art will be succulently familiar with these cables, and thus no further description is necessary regarding structure thereof. To help terminate the cable  48  to the jack  44 , a wire manager assembly  78  shown in  FIGS. 17A and 17B  is used. 
         [0093]    The wire manager assembly  78  includes a wire manager  80 , foil terminators  76 , a ferrule  86 , and IDC inserts  82 . Four IDC inserts  82  are positioned at the front end of the wire manager  80  such that the wires  103  inserted into the wire manager are laid over the inserts  82 . The IDC inserts  82  include recessed portions designed to support and retain the cable wires  103  in place when the insulation of those wires is displaced during the IDC termination process. Prior to termination of the wires  103 , the ferrule  86 , and the rear cap  88  (see  FIG. 3 ) are slipped over the cable  48 . Thereafter, wire pairs  110  are separated and are inserted into the wire manager  80  with the braids of the cable being positioned over the ferrule. The wire pairs  110  are positioned over the IDC inserts  82  and the foil terminators  76  are placed over the foil of the wire pairs  110  and the cable braids. The foil terminators can be either pushed to fit in the wire manager  80 , crimped over the wire pairs  110 , or otherwise secured such that an electrical path is formed from the foil of the wire pairs to the foil terminators. The back end of foil terminators  76  can be crimped, or otherwise secured, over the braids of the cable  48  and the ferrule  86 , thereby completing the electrical path from the foil of the wire pairs to the braids. 
         [0094]    To complete the cable termination process, the wire manager assembly is attached to the rear housing  84 . Thereafter, together with the wire manager assembly  78 , the rear housing  84  is pushed up into the front housing  52 , as shown in  FIG. 18 , causing the IDCs  72  (which are held rigedly in place within the front housing  52 ) to engage and terminate wires  103 . Note that depending on the embodiment of the jack  44 , the horizontal divider  64  may be short enough not to interfere with the upward movement of the wire manager  80 . This configuration may allow the jack  44  to be assembled such that the switching components are installed in the front housing  52  prior to the wire termination step. In alternate embodiments where the horizontal divider  64  would interfere with the upward movement of the wire manager  80 , the jack  44  may be assembled by first terminating the jack to the cable, and then positioning the switching components internally. However, these two methods should not be considered limiting in any way, and other assembly methods are fall within the scope of the present invention. Once the rear housing  84  has been joined to the front housing  52 , the rear cap  88  is positioned over the rear end of the jack  44 . 
         [0095]    Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in  FIG. 19 , which shows a copper structured cabling communication system  240  with jacks  244 , an RJ45 plug  46 , an ARJ45 plug  90 , and an equipment/NIC card PCB  243 . The RJ45 plug and the ARJ45 plug each have a respective communication cable  50  terminated thereto, and each of the jacks  244  is connected to the equipment PCB  243  via connector pins (see  FIG. 20 ). When either of the plugs  46  or  90  is mated to any of the jacks  244 , bi-directional data flow can be established through the plug/jack combination, and between the equipment and the communication cable  50 . 
         [0096]    Although the present embodiment can be used in communication system  240  as shown in  FIG. 19 , other communication systems according to the present invention can include equipment other than shown here. The equipment of the present invention can be passive equipment or active equipment. Examples of passive equipment can be, but are not limited to, modular patch panels, angled patch panels, wall jacks, etc. Examples of active equipment can be, but are not limited to, Ethernet switches, routers, servers, physical layer management systems, and Power-Over-Ethernet equipment as can be found in data centers/telecommunications rooms; security devices (cameras and other sensors, etc.) and door access equipment; and telephones, computers, fax machines, printers and other peripherals as can be found in workstation areas. Communication systems according to the present invention can further include cabinets, racks, cable management and overhead routing systems, and other such equipment. 
         [0097]    One embodiment of the jack  244  is shown in  FIG. 20  which shows an exploded view of said jack. In this embodiment, jack  244  includes a front housing  252 , a rear housing  253 , PICs  254  ( 254   1-8 ), upper PICs  256  ( 256   3-6 ), dielectric structures  255  and  257 , a PCB  260  connected to a switching plate  270  and dividers  262 , 268  (collectively referred to as “the switching components”), a spring  266  positioned between a retention wall  252   a  (see  FIGS. 23 and 27C ) and the switching components, connector pins  276 , and a rear cap  288 . The front housing  252  may be made of metal (or any other conductive material) and can include plug grounding tabs which can be used to electrically bond a shielded plug to jack  244 . Alternatively, the housing may be made of plastic. Depending on the embodiment, the front housing  252  may be made entirely of metal or may have only some of its parts (e.g., the plug-receiving portion) made out of metal. Similarly, the rear housing  253  and the rear cap  288  may also be metal or may otherwise be made from a conductive material. 
         [0098]    Based on the type of a plug that is inserted into the jack  244 , the PCB  260  is located at one of two possible locations. This enables the switching of the signal paths between PICs  254 ,  256  and one of two independent circuits on PCB  260 . 
         [0099]    As shown in  FIGS. 21A and 21B , the jack  244  is provided with twelve plug interface contacts (PICs  254   1-8  and PICs  256   3-6 ) which are at least partially held in place with dielectric structures  255 ,  257 . The PICs  254  and  256  are positioned such that their proximal ends contact the plug contacts of a plug, and their distal ends make contact with contact pads on the PCB  260 . PICs  254   1  through  254   8  are arranged in a fashion to mate with a traditional RJ45 plug, and each subscript number corresponds to the plug contact number of a plug having its plug contacts laid out in accordance with ANSI/TIA-568-C.2. PICs  254   1 ,  254   2 ,  254   7 , and  254   8  are also arranged to mate with four of the eight plug contacts of an ARJ45 plug. The remaining four plug contacts of an ARJ45 plug mate with PICs  256   3 ,  256   4 ,  256   5 , and  256   6 . 
         [0100]    The switching between the RJ45 and ARJ45 functionality states of the jack  244  is achieved primarily by incorporating independent circuits on the PCB  260  and switching between those circuits by moving the PCB  260  in a generally horizontal (longitudinal) direction along the x-axis, as shown in  FIGS. 21A and 21B . Each circuit provides an electrical path from appropriate PICs to respective connector pins. A simplified exemplary schematic representation of the separation of the two circuits is shown in  FIG. 22 . 
         [0101]    To achieve the necessary switching, PCB  260  incorporates a switching plate  270  (preferably made from a dielectric material such as, but not limited to, plastic) and dividers  262 , 268  which allow the PCB to be pushed and guided along an appropriate path. Dividers  262 , 268  are comprised of a top divider  268  and a bottom divider  262 . Preferably, the dividers are made from a material which has electromagnetic shielding properties, and in some embodiments the dividers are metal. As shown in  FIG. 23 , when the jack  244  is assembled, the top divider  268  is partially positioned within guide path  280   a  and the bottom divider  262  is partially positioned in within guide path  280   b . The top divider  268  includes a protrusion  268   a  which acts as a post for the spring  266 . When the top divider  268  is positioned within the guide path  280   a , the spring  266  becomes trapped between the retention wall  252   a  and the divider  268 , and biases the divider  268  along with the PCB  260  towards the front of the jack  244 . This retains the PCB  260  in a forward position at all times except for when an ARJ45 plug is inserted. 
         [0102]    In addition to guiding the PCB  260 , dividers  262 , 268  help with crosstalk reduction. In order to maintain some level of isolation between the four signal pairs and reduce unwanted crosstalk therebetween in the middle and rear sections of the jack  244 , dividers  262  and  268  are assembled and positioned between some of the four signal pairs. Grounding the dividers (when the dividers are metal) may help maintain the continuity of a shield from the plug cable to the jack and therethrough, and reduce undesired crosstalk. Note that selection of the materials for the PCB  260  may also factor into the amount of crosstalk which exists within the jack since various dielectric materials may reduce some levels of undesired crosstalk. 
         [0103]    To retain the PCB  260  within certain bounds along the x-axis, front stops  252   b  and rear stops  252   c  are positioned on the inside of the jack  244 . Referring to  FIG. 24 , the stops  252   b  and  252   c  are positioned approximately on the same plane as the PCB  260  and are designed to come in contact with the corners  296  of the PCB  260 . The front stops  252   b  limit the amount of forward displacement that the PCB  260  may undergo. Thus, when the PCB  260  is biased forward via the spring  266 , it rests against the front stops  252   b  in a forward position. The rear stops  252   c  limit the amount of rearward displacement that the PCB  260  may undergo when the PCB  260  is moved back. Thus, when an appropriate plug (e.g., an ARJ45 plug) is inserted into the jack  244  and that plug pushes the PCB  260  into its second position, the rear stops  252   c  prevent the PCB  260  from moving too far by having the rear corners  296  rest against the stops  252   c . When that plug is removed, the spring  266  causes the PCB  260  to again move into its forward position and once again engage the front stops  252   b . Stops  252   b  and  252   c  may help ensure that the PICs and connector pins contact the appropriate contact pads on the PCB  260 . 
         [0104]    One embodiment of the PCB  260  together with a corresponding arrangement of the PICs is shown in  FIGS. 25A-28C . In this embodiment, the PCB  260  is provided with two separate circuits; the first circuit is used for RJ45 connectivity and the second circuit is used for ARJ45 connectivity.  FIGS. 25A and 25B  illustrate schematic representations of these circuits, respectively. Note that not all circuit elements are shown, and instead only active signal paths between the PICs and the connector pins are represented. As shown in the top and bottom views of the PCB  260  shown in  FIGS. 26A and 26B , the first circuit comprises contact pads  292   1 - 292   8 ,  293   3 - 293   6 , and  294   1 - 294   8 . Contact pads  292   1 - 292   8  are designed to contact the distal ends of the PICs  254   1 - 254   8 , respectively, and provide an electrical path to contact pads  294   1 - 294   8  which are designed to contact connector pins  276   1 - 276   8 . Contact pads  293   3 - 293   6  are designed to contact the distal ends of PICs  256   3 - 256   6 , respectively, and are grounded through the PCB  260 . 
         [0105]    Referring to  FIGS. 27A-27C , the first circuit is activated when there is no plug inserted into jack  244  or when an RJ45 plug is inserted. In this state, spring  266  forces PCB  260  forward where contact pads  292   1 - 292   8  on the top side of the PCB  260  are in alignment with the distal ends of the PICs  254   1-8 . The same positioning of the PCB  260  also causes the connector pin contact pads  294   1-8  to also align with the distal ends of the connector pins  276   A1-A8 , respectively. 
         [0106]    When an RJ45 plug  46  is inserted into jack  244 , the plug contacts engage the PICs  254   1-8  in the jack  244  and thereby establish continuity between the plug  46  and the equipment on which the jack  244  is mounted on. As is typical in RJ45 jacks (e.g., CAT6A), various crosstalk compensation techniques may be used to counteract the inherent crosstalk that exists in an RJ45 plug. This compensation circuitry, which may include discrete and/or distributed capacitive and/or inductive elements between conductors (e.g., C13, C35, C46 and C68 shown schematically in  FIG. 25A ), may be realized on internal and/or external layers of the PCB  260 . Other compensation elements which help optimize return loss, far-end crosstalk, balance, and etc. can also be included. In some instances, while the jack  244  is engaged with an RJ45 plug  46 , the unused PICs  256   3 ,  256   4 ,  256   5 , and  256   6  can introduce unintended coupling and crosstalk between signal pairs in the jack  244 . To help reduce or prevent this unintended coupling and crosstalk from occurring, PICs  256   3-6  are grounded by way of contact pads  293   3 - 293   6  on the PCB  260 , which are connected to a grounding source. 
         [0107]    In addition to the aforementioned compensation components, the first circuit used for the RJ45 mode of operation can include one or more various magnetics modules  272  (e.g., transformers, inductors, or the like). Those skilled in the art will recognize the need for the magnetics elements when using the jack on various kinds equipment. A V cc  or a center tap signal can be added to convene the PHY&#39;s need for DC Biasing of the data signals. Biasing is typically needed for driving differential pairs in the PHY. It is used as a method of establishing predetermined voltages and/or currents to set an appropriate operating point. The DC Biasing signal can be inserted into the circuit using center taps on the magnetic modules in the RJ45 operation mode. Furthermore, an On/Off switch comprised of the contact pad  297  and connector pins  276   B1  and  276   B2  is included in the currently described embodiment to indicate to the PHY the type of the plug inserted to the jack. When in the RJ45 mode of operation, the connector pins  276   B1  and  276   B2  are in contact with the contact pad  297 ; when not in the RJ45 mode of operation, the connector pins  276   B1  and  276   B2  lose contact with the contact pad  297 . In other words, the On/Off switch acts as an operation mode indicator for the PHY. This may allow the PHY to detect the mode of operation to utilize the correct compensation/correction or data processing schemes. 
         [0108]    The second circuit on the PCB  260  comprises contact pads  292   1 - 292 ′ 8 ,  293 ′ 3 - 293 ′ 6 , and  294 ′ 1 - 294 ′ 8 . As in the first circuit, contact pads  292 ′ 1 - 292 ′ 8  contact the distal ends of the PICs  254   1 - 254   8 , respectively. However, of those, only contact pads  292 ′ 1 ,  292 ′ 2 ,  292 ′ 7 , and  292 ′ 8  provide an electrical path to pads  294 ′ 1 ,  294 ′ 2 ,  294 ′ 7 , and  294 ′ 8 . The remaining contact pads  292 ′ 3 ,  292 ′ 4 ,  292 ′ 5 , and  292 ′ 6  can be grounded through the PCB  260 . As for contact pads  293 ′ 3 - 293 ′ 6 , these pads contact the distal ends of PICs  256   3 - 256   6 , respectively, and in this case provide an electrical path to pads  294 ′ 3 ,  294 ′ 4 ,  294 ′ 5 , and  294 ′ 6 . 
         [0109]    With reference to  FIGS. 28A-28C , when an ARJ45 style plug  90  is inserted into the jack  244  the nose feature  91  on the front of the plug engages the switching plate  270  mounted to the PCB  260 . As plug  90  is inserted further into the jack  244 , the nose feature  91  applies force against the switching plate  270 , and displaces the plate  270  and the PCB  260  horizontally in a rearward direction. 
         [0110]    As the PCB  260  travels into its rearward position, the PICs  254   1-8  and  256   3-6 , and connector pins  276   1-8  lose contact with contact pads  292   1 - 292   8 ,  293   3 - 293   6 , and  294   1 - 294   8 , and instead come into contact with contact pads  292 ′ 1 - 292 ′ 8 ,  293 ′ 3 - 293 ′ 6 , and  294 ′ 1 - 294 ′ 8 , respectively. Once the ARJ45 jack is fully inserted into the jack  244 , contact pads  292 ′ 1 - 292 ′ 8 ,  293 ′ 3 - 293 ′ 6 , and  294 ′ 1 - 294 ′ 8  on the PCB  260  should align with the distal ends of the PICs and the distal ends of the connector pins. Stops  252   c  prevent the PCB  260  from traveling beyond its intended position. At this point, plug contacts of the ARJ45 plug engage the PICs  254   1 ,  254   2 ,  256   3 ,  256   4 ,  256   5 ,  256   6 ,  254   7 , and  254   8  in the jack  244  and thereby establish continuity between the plug  90  and the equipment to which the connector pins  276  are mounted to. 
         [0111]    To reduce unintentional coupling and achieve improved return loss, insertion loss, and electrical balance performance at higher frequencies, contact pads  292 ′ 3 ,  292 ′ 4 ,  292 ′ 5 , and  292 ′ 6 , and thus PICs  254   3 ,  254   4 ,  254   5 , and  254   6 , are preferably grounded via the PCB  260 . 
         [0112]    By switching to a second circuit, the compensation circuitry that is used in the RJ45 operation mode is disconnected from the signal path under ARJ45 operation. Likewise, the magnetics components which can make up a part of the first circuit are also disconnected from the signal path. As such, separate independent circuitry may be employed on the second circuit if so desired. By having separate circuits, the compensation circuitry required during the RJ45 mode of operation and any accompanying magnetics have little to no impact on jack&#39;s  244  electrical performance while operating in the ARJ45 mode. This isolation may be advantageous when meeting the high bandwidth performance targets of jack  244 . It may also be advantageous in providing the user with an ability to utilize the same jack across a wide range of operating frequencies while utilizing two separate circuits where each circuit can be optimized for a targeted frequency range of operation. 
         [0113]    In addition to the elements described above, the second circuit may include a bias-tee component that can be utilized in the ARJ45 mode of operation to insert a DC biasing signals into the data signals. Furthermore, other components may be added to and/or included on the second circuit as deemed necessary by design requirements. For example, the second circuit may include isolation (DC blocking) components and upper band common-mode rejection components/magnetics. These elements would remain separate from the elements implemented on the first circuit. 
         [0114]      FIGS. 29 and 30  illustrate exemplary schematic representations of two embodiments of the present invention. Both figures show the separation of circuits between the RJ45 and the ARJ45 modes of operation. In  FIG. 29 , the first circuit provides a path from the plug to the PHY via the CAT6a compensation circuitry and the one or more magnetic module, with an optional DC biasing component connected to the magnetic module. On the other hand, the second circuit provides a path from the plug to the PHY that bypasses all of the first circuit&#39;s components. In this embodiment, the second circuit includes a DC isolation component and a bias-tee component with an input for DC biasing. Similarly, in  FIG. 30  both of the circuits comprise separate components and establish primarily separate data paths from the plug to the PHY. In the embodiment of  FIG. 30 , the first circuit includes a CAT6a compensation component and at least one magnetic module with a Power over Ethernet (POE) and a DC biasing input, and the second circuit includes a DC isolation component with two bias-tee components with one bias-tee receiving a POE input and the other bias-tee receiving a DC biasing input. Note that separating the circuits does not exclude the sharing of some components such as some of the PICs and the connector pins which may remain operational for both modes of operation. 
         [0115]    In both modes of operation of jack  244 , return loss, insertion loss, electrical balance, and/or other electrical performance characteristic may be further improved by providing grounded connector pins  276   C1-C4 . To achieve this improvement, each of the grounded connector pins can be placed within certain proximity to each pair of the potentially data-carrying connector pins  276   A . Connector pins  276   C1-C4  remain in contact with contact pads G 1-4  regardless of the mode of operation and stay grounded via those contact pads and/or by way of connecting to a ground on the equipment to which the jack  244  is mounded to. Note that the dimensions of the grounded connector pins may vary in any number of ways. For example, the width of the grounded connector pins may be narrower than, equal to, or wide than any of the pairs of the potentially data-carrying connector pins which are positioned adjacent to any one of the grounded connector pins. Similarly, the dimensions of the grounded contact pads G 1-4  can be varied so as to accommodate the size of the grounded contact pins. 
         [0116]    Preferably, PICs  254  and  256 , and connector pins  276  are designed to be or resilient nature, causing the distal ends thereof to springingly press against the contact pads on the PCB  260 . To help ensure a smooth transition between the contact pads, the distal ends of the PICs  254  and  256 , and connector pins  276  are provided with curved feet  300  (see  FIG. 27C ) which may act as ramps. This design may help ensure a constant force on the contact pads and it may also help ensure that in the process of sliding on and off the contact pads of the PCB  260 , contaminants or oxidation that may be present on the surface of the PCB  260  contact pads will be wiped away; thereby, providing a robust connection between the PICs and the contact pins. 
         [0117]    Another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in  FIGS. 31A and 31B  where a PCB  261  together with a corresponding arrangement of the PICs, including two additional contacts  259 , is shown. While the entire jack  244  is not illustrated, one of ordinary skill in the art will understand that PCB  261  can substitute for the PCB  260  in the jack  244  and the additional contacts  259  may be implemented in a manner that is similar to the PICs  254  of the previously described embodiment. 
         [0118]    The PCB  261  retains some features of the PCB  260 , including all the contact pads of the previous embodiment and any potential interconnecting circuitry. Furthermore, the PCB  261  may be implemented with the same or similar magnetics components/configurations as described in the previous embodiments. However, PCB  261  includes additional contact pads  295   0 ,  295   9 ,  295 ′ 0 , and  295 ′ 9  which are designed to contact the two additional contacts  259   0  and  259   9 . 
         [0119]    When operating PCB  260  in ARJ45 mode, PICs  254   1  and  254   2  are mated with their corresponding plug contacts of the ARJ45 plug and PIC  254   3  is connected to ground. With the position of PIC  254   3  being adjacent to PIC  254   2 , an impedance discontinuity may occur. Even and odd mode impedance of PIC  254   1  will be inherently higher than PIC  254   2 . This impedance discontinuity can results in an increase in electrical reflections at the plug/jack interface and an increase in mode conversion. The differential return loss, insertion loss, and crosstalk performance of signal-pair 1:2 may be degraded due to this inherent condition of the jack. Thus, to avoid these performance degradations, even and odd mode impedances of PICs  254   1  and  254   2  should be equal and matched to the characteristic impedance of the cable. By introducing contact  259   0 , which is grounded in the ARJ45 mode of operation, adjacent to PIC  254   1  in the PCB  261  the impedances discontinuity may be reduced or otherwise eliminated. This can help provide a balanced configuration of ground conductors and signal conductors (Ground-Signal-Signal-Ground), which can become increasingly advantageous relative to signal integrity as the bandwidth increases. 
         [0120]    A similar concern exists with PICs  254   7  and  254   8  in the ARJ45 mode of operation. PICs  254   7  and  254   8  are mated with their corresponding plug contacts of the ARJ45 plug and PIC  254   6  is grounded. With PIC  254   6  being adjacent to PIC  254   7 , even and odd mode impedance of PIC  254   8  will be inherently higher than PIC  254   7 . By adding an additional grounded contact  259   9  adjacent to PIC  254   8 , a more balanced (Ground-Signal-Signal-Ground) configuration is created and performance degradations may be reduced or otherwise minimized. 
         [0121]    To achieve the necessary grounding, the side contacts  259   0  and  259   9  are grounded through PCB contact pads  295 ′ 0  and  295 ′ 9  (which themselves are grounded through the PCB), respectively, which are engaged by the by the contacts  259   0  and  259   9  when the jack  244  is operating in the ARJ45 operating mode. Furthermore, the side contacts  259   0  and  259   9  are slightly offset relative to PICs  254   1-8  to allow the plug body to be fully inserted without interfering with or plastically deforming contacts  259   0  and  259   9 . The plug body can also be beneficially modified to shield the side contacts  259   0  and  259   9 . 
         [0122]    Another possible use of contacts  259   0  and  259   9  is to incorporate them into the crosstalk compensation circuitry that is likely to be implemented when jack  244  is operating in the RJ45 mode. By grounding contacts  259   0  and  259   9  via contacts pads  295   0  and  295   9  (which are grounded via the PCB  261 ), those contacts may provide an additional way of reducing or minimizing the imbalance effect caused by the split pair 3:6 coupling to the signal pair 1:2 and the signal pair 7:8. Thus, balancing on the 1:2 and 7:8 signal pairs may be improved. Furthermore, since  295   0 ,  295   9 ,  295 ′ 0 , and  295 ′ 9  are grounded, pads  295   0  and  295 ′ 0  may be combined into a single contact pad which will be in contact with the contact  259   0  regardless of the mode of operation, and pads  295   9  and  295 ′ 9  may also be combined into a single contact pad which will also be in contact with the contact  259   9  regardless of the mode of operation. 
         [0123]    In another embodiment, the PCB which may be used in the jack  244  may have staggered connector pins. This arrangement may be useful when two jacks are positioned on an equipment circuit board opposite of each other as shown in  FIG. 32 . In this configuration, if the equipment circuit board if relatively thin, the contact pin arrangement shown in  FIGS. 27B and 28B  may cause a conflict between the top jack and the bottom jack. To avoid such interference, the contact pins (and accordingly the contact pads on the bottom side of the PCB) can be laid out in a staggered fashion, such that when two opposing jacks are mounted to the same circuit board over the same footprint, their contact pins do not interfere with each other. One embodiment of such a configuration is shown in  FIG. 33 , which shows the bottom view of a PCB  360 . Separation between the connector pins could be increased or decreased depending on performance, space, or other requirements. The layout of the contact pads on the PCB  360  and the corresponding contact pin arrangement may be implemented in conjunction with any other embodiments described herein. 
         [0124]    As noted previously, it is also possible to add POE functionality in certain embodiments of the present invention. When doing so, it may be necessary to provide a POE input/output to the various components of the jack. One example of achieving this is shown in  FIG. 34 . This figure shows an embodiment of a PCB  361  and a corresponding connector pin arrangement for use in the jack. Compared to the previous embodiments, PCB  361  includes four additional contact pads  298  which remain in contact with four connector pins  276   D  regardless of the mode of operation. The additional connector pins  276   D  and corresponding contact pads  298  can be used as a means to transmit/receive POE signals between the various components of the jack and the equipment on which it is mounted on. 
         [0125]    Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in  FIG. 35 , which shows a copper structured cabling communication system  440 . System  440  includes a duplex jack  444  mounted on an equipment/NIC card PCB  446 . The jack  444  includes two plug receiving apertures  445 , where the jack  444  can be mated to two plugs simultaneously. In the currently descried embodiment, the jack  444  can be mated with plugs having different form factors.  FIG. 35  shows the jack  444  mated with an RJ45 plug  46  and an ARJ45 plug  90 . Note that either of the apertures  445  can accept either plug style. Thus, while the ARJ45 plug  90  is illustrated as being mated with the top aperture, the same aperture can accept an RJ45 plug. Likewise, the bottom aperture can accept an ARJ45 plug. The represented communication system  440  is a typical application for this type of connector when used in a structured cabling environment such as a data center. When plugs  46 , 90  are mated with the jack  444 , bidirectional communication can take place between communication cables  50  and the equipment PCB  446 . 
         [0126]    While the present embodiment is shown as used in the communication system  440  of  FIG. 35 , it can also be used in any suitable type of equipment, including passive equipment or active equipment. Examples of passive equipment include, but are not limited to, modular patch panels, angled patch panels, wall jacks, etc. Examples of active equipment include, but are not limited to, Ethernet switches, routers, servers, physical layer management systems, and Power-Over-Ethernet equipment as can be found in data centers/telecommunications rooms; security devices (cameras and other sensors, etc.) and door access equipment; and telephones, computers, fax machines, printers and other peripherals as can be found in workstation areas. Communication systems according to the present invention can further include cabinets, racks, cable management and overhead routing systems, and other such equipment. 
         [0127]      FIG. 36  shows an exploded view of the system  440  including the jack  444  and the equipment PCB  446 . The jack  444  includes a front housing  450  and a rear housing  451 . The housings  450  and/or  451  can be made from any conductive or semi-conductive material, including metal. Alternatively, the housing is made from plastic. The front housing  450  includes a first aperture  445   1  and a second aperture  445   2 . Each aperture  445   1  and  445   2  can include conductive plug tabs to establish an electrical connection between the plug housing of a mated plug and the jack  444 . Furthermore, each aperture  445   1  and  445   2  includes an associated set internal components. In particular, the first aperture  445   1  is associated with a first set of lower PICs  452 , a first set of upper PICs  453 , a first set of support structures  454 , a first jack PCB  455 , and a first set of connector pins  456 . The second aperture  445   2  is associated with a second set of lower PICs  457 , a second set of upper PICs  458 , a second set of support structures  459 , a second jack PCB  460 , and a second set of connector pins  461 . Each of the PCBs  455  and/or  460  can include magnetics components  462  mounted thereon. Those having ordinary skill in the art will be familiar with the use and implementation of such magnetics components. The jack  444  further includes a connector pin assembly  463  and a rear cover  488 . 
         [0128]      FIG. 37  illustrates the internal components of the jack  444  in greater detail. As noted previously, the jack  444  can be mated either with an RJ45 or an ARJ45 plug. This multi-plug compatibility is achieved by way of having switchable PCBs  455  and  460 . 
         [0129]    The switching mechanism for the first PCB  455  includes a switching plate  470 , a first vertical divider  471 , a second vertical divider  472 , and a spring  473 . The spring  473  is positioned between an internal housing wall (not shown) and a part of the first vertical divider  471  such that the PCB  455  is biased in a forward position unless an ARJ45 plug is inserted into the aperture  445   1 . The switching mechanism for the second PCB  460  includes a switching plate  474 , a first vertical divider  475 , a second vertical divider  476 , and a spring  477 . The spring  477  is positioned between an internal housing wall (not shown) and a part of the first vertical divider  475  such that the PCB  460  is biased in a forward position unless an ARJ45 plug is inserted into the aperture  445   2 . The vertical dividers  471 , 472 , 476 , 477  are positioned within appropriate guide paths, such as guide path  500  provided within the connector pin assembly  463  and other potential guide paths within the jack housing(s) (not shown). As a result, the vertical dividers help guide the PCBs  455 , 460  between their possible positions and may provide electromagnetic shielding between internal jack components. This can help reduce crosstalk between respective signal pairs, and improve the jack&#39;s performance and/or its tenability. 
         [0130]    As noted, the PCBs  455 , 460  remain in their forward-biased position when the jack is not mated to any plugs. The switching plates  470 , 474  are positioned sufficiently far back within the jack  444  such that when an RJ45 plug is mated therewith, the plug does not interfere with the switching plates  470 , 474 , and the PCBs  455 , 460  remain in their forward-biased position. This results in the distal ends of the lower PICs  452 , 457  and upper PICs  453 , 458  interfacing with a first set of contact pads on the PCBs  455 , 460 . However, when an ARJ45 plug is mated with the jack, the longer nose of the ARJ45 plug pushes on the switching plates  470 , 474  towards the rear of the jack, causing the PCBs  455 , 460  to also move into their second, rearward position, respectively. When then PCBs  455 , 460  switch into the second position, the distal ends of the lower PICs  452 , 457  and upper PICs  453 , 458  lose contact with the first set of contact pads and come into contact with a second set of contact pads on the PCBs  455 , 460 . In addition to switching between the first and second sets of contact pads which interface the PICs, moving the PCBs  455 , 460  between the available positions causes the connector pins to also interface two separate sets of contact pads. 
         [0131]    Implementing switchable PCBs as described above can allow for separation of circuits for respective plugs. For example, when an RJ45 plug is mated with aperture  445   1 , a first circuit on the PCB  455  may be used to transmit electrical signals between the PICs and the connector pins. This first circuit may include any desired circuitry, including, but not limited to, compensation circuitry typically found in RJ45 jacks (e.g., CAT6a jacks) and/or magnetics modules (e.g., transformers, inductors, or the like). However, when an ARJ45 plug is mated with aperture  445   1 , the PCB&#39;s  455  movement causes a second circuit (that is different from the first circuit) to be positioned between the PICs and the connector pins. This second circuit could also have any desired circuitry components thereon, where such components can be utilized by the telecommunication taking place over the ARJ45 plug. The components on the second circuit can include, but are not limited to, compensation circuitry, magnetics components, current isolation components, and/or current biasing components. Note that the two primary circuits which handle RJ45 and ARJ45 communication can be separate and independent of each other. The same examples are equally applicable to aperture  445   2  and the corresponding internal components. 
         [0132]    Due to the vertical stacking of the apertures  445  and the respective internal components, there is a need to stagger the connector pins of each respective PCB so that said connector pins can interface to the equipment PCB  446 . This can be achieved by implementing different PCB layouts. One example of the first PCB  455  is shown in  FIGS. 38A  (first side) and  38 B (second side). The first side of the PCB  455  includes a first set of PIC contact pads  492   1-8 , 493   3-6  and a second set of PIC contacts pads  492 ′ 1-8 , 493 ′ 3-6 . The second side of the PCB  455  includes a first set of connector pin contact pads  494   1-8  and a second set of connector pin contact pads  494 ′ 1-8 . As noted previously, the PCB  455  includes two separate circuits. The first circuit includes the PIC contact pads  492   1-8  and the connector pin contact pads  494   1-8 , which are linked together, respectively, via first circuit elements (e.g., traces on the PCB  455 ). The second circuit includes PIC contact pads  492 ′ 1-2 ,  493 ′ 3-6 , and  492 ′ 7-8 , and the connector pin contact pads  494 ′ 1-8 , which are linked together, respectively, via the second circuit elements (e.g., traces on the PCB  455 ). In addition, grounding pads G 455   1-4  are also provided on the second side of the PCB  455 . 
         [0133]    When an RJ45 plug is mated with aperture  445   1 , the distal ends of the PICs contact the first set of PIC contact pads  492   1-8 , 493   3-6  and the distal ends of the potentially data-carrying connector pins  456   DATA  contact the first set of connector pin contact pads  494   1-8 . While the upper PICs  453  are grounded via the contact pads  493   3-6 , the lower PICs  452  act as conduits for signals traveling between the plug contacts and the contact pads  492   1-8 . Since the contact pads  492   1-8  are connected to the first circuit, which is in turn connected to the connector pin contact pads  494   1-8 , signals can travel between the plug  46  and equipment PCB  446  via the connector pins  456   DATA  and the first circuit on the PCB  455 . Grounding the unused upper PICs  453  in the RJ45 mode of operation may help improve the electrical performance of the jack. 
         [0134]    When an ARJ45 plug is mated with aperture  445   1 , the distal ends of the PICs contact the second set of PIC contact pads  492 ′ 1-8 , 493 ′ 3-6  and the distal ends of the potentially data-carrying connector pins  456   DATA  contact the second set of connector pin contact pads  494 ′ 1-8 . In this mode of operation, the PICs which interface with contact pads  492 ′ 1-2 ,  493 ′ 3-6 , and  492 ′ 7-8  act as conduits for signals traveling between the plug contacts and the PCB  455 . Since the contact pads  492 ′ 1-2 ,  493 ′ 3-6 , and  492 ′ 7-8  are connected to the second circuit, which is in turn connected to the connector pin contact pads  494 ′ 1-8 , signals can travel between the plug  90  and equipment PCB  446  via the connector pins  456   DATA  and the second circuit on the PCB  455 . To improve the jack&#39;s performance, the unused PICs can be grounding via PIC contact pads  492 ′ 3-6 . 
         [0135]    To further improve the jack&#39;s electrical performance (e.g., return loss, insertion loss, electrical balance, and/or other electrical performance characteristics), connector pins  456   G  can be positioned within certain proximity to the potentially data-carrying connector pins  456   DATA , and grounded via contact pads G 455   1-4 . Connector pins  456   G  remain in contact with contact pads G 455   1-4  regardless of the mode of operation. 
         [0136]    While the first PCB  455  includes contact pads on both sides thereof, the second PCB  460  has contact pads situated only on a single side. This layout is shown in  FIG. 39 . As shown therein, the PCB  460  includes a first set of PIC contact pads  495   1-8 , 496   3-6 , and a second set of PIC contacts pads  495 ′ 1-8 , 496 ′ 3-6 . The PCB  460  further includes a first set of connector pin contact pads  497   1-8  and a second set of connector pin contact pads  497 ′ 1-8 . Like PCB  455 , PCB  460  includes two separate circuits. 
         [0137]    The first circuit includes the PIC contact pads  495   1-8  and the connector pin contact pads  497   1-8 , which are linked together, respectively, via first circuit elements (e.g., traces on the PCB  460 ). The second circuit includes PIC contact pads  495 ′ 1-2 ,  496 ′ 3-6 , and  495 ′ 7-8 , and the connector pin contact pads  497 ′ 1-8 , which are linked together, respectively, via the second circuit elements (e.g., traces on the PCB  460 ). In addition, the PCB  460  includes grounding pads G 460   1-4 . 
         [0138]    When an RJ45 plug is mated with aperture  445   2 , the distal ends of the PICs contact the first set of PIC contact pads  495   1-8 , 496   3-6  and the distal ends of the potentially data-carrying connector pins  461   DATA  contact the first set of connector pin contact pads  497   1-8 . While the upper PICs  458  are grounded via the contact pads  496   3-6 , the lower PICs  457  act as conduits for signals traveling between the plug contacts and the contact pads  495   1-8 . Since the contact pads  495   1-8  are connected to the first circuit, which is in turn connected to the connector pin contact pads  497   1-8 , signals can travel between the plug  46  and equipment PCB  446  via the connector pins  461   DATA  and the first circuit on the PCB  460 . Grounding the unused upper PICs  458  in the RJ45 mode of operation may help improve the electrical performance of the jack. 
         [0139]    When an ARJ45 plug is mated with aperture  445   2 , the distal ends of the PICs contact the second set of PIC contact pads  495 ′ 1-8 , 496 ′ 3-6  and the distal ends of the potentially data-carrying connector pins  461   DATA  contact the second set of connector pin contact pads  497 ′ 1-8 . In this mode of operation, the PICs which interface with contact pads  495 ′ 1-2 ,  496 ′ 3-6 , and  495 ′ 7-8  act as conduits for signals traveling between the plug contacts and the PCB  460 . Since the contact pads  495 ′ 1-2 ,  496 ′ 3-6 , and  495 ′ 7-8  are connected to the second circuit, which is in turn connected to the connector pin contact pads  497   1-8 , signals can travel between the plug  90  and equipment PCB  446  via the connector pins  461   DATA  and the second circuit on the PCB  460 . To improve the jack&#39;s performance, the unused PICs can be grounding via PIC contact pads  495 ′ 3-6 . 
         [0140]    To further improve the jack&#39;s electrical performance (e.g., return loss, insertion loss, electrical balance, and/or other electrical performance characteristics), connector pins  461   G  can be positioned within certain proximity to the potentially data-carrying connector pins  461   DATA , and grounded via contact pads G 460   1-4 . Connector pins  461   G  remain in contact with contact pads G 460   1-4  regardless of the mode of operation. 
         [0141]    Note that in alternate embodiments the positioning of the PIC contact pads along with the respective PICs may vary. In other words, while the PIC contact pads on the PCB  455  are positioned on one side thereof, in alternate embodiments those PIC contact pads may be positioned on the opposite side. Consequently, the PICs will have to be adjusted to ensure appropriate mating. The positioning of the PIC contact pads on the PCB  460  may also be altered in a similar manner. 
         [0142]    Additionally, PCB  455  and/or  460  can include optional mode indicator contact pads which can interface mode indicator connector pins. These contact pads may be configured to contact the mode indicator connector pins in a particular mode of operation, thereby signaling to the equipment that the jack (or a part thereof) is operating in a particular mode. For example, if the mode indicator contact pads come in contact with the mode indicator connector pins in the RJ45 operating mode but not in the ARJ45 operating mode, this electrical connection can be used as a mode-of-operation signal. 
         [0143]    In additional embodiments, the jack can include additional lower PICs which can be grounded to help improve the jack&#39;s electrical performance even further. For example, lower PICs  452  may include one additional PIC on each side of said set of PICs where the additional PICs interface with additional grounded contact pads on the PCB  455  regardless of operation. This can help provide a balanced configuration of ground conductors and signal conductors (Ground-Signal-Signal-Ground) in an ARJ45 operating mode, and this balanced transmission line configuration may become increasingly advantageous relative to signal integrity as the bandwidth increases. The same configuration may be implemented on the lower PICs  457  and the second PCB  460 . 
         [0144]    Furthermore, PICs  452 , 453 , 457 , 458  and connector pins  456 , 461  are preferably designed to be or resilient nature, causing the distal ends thereof to springingly press against the contact pads on the PCBs  455 , 460 . To help ensure a smooth transition between the contact pads, the distal ends of the PICs  452 , 453 , 457 , 458  and connector pins  456 , 461  are provided with curved feet which may act as ramps. This design may help ensure a constant force on the contact pads and it may also help ensure that in the process of sliding on and off the contact pads, contaminants or oxidation that may be present on the surface of the contact pads will be wiped away; thereby, providing a robust connection between the PICs and the connector pins. 
         [0145]    In order to stager the connector pins  456  and  461  so that they do not interfere with each other, the first PCB  455  is longer than the second PCB  460 . This configuration allows the connector pin contact pads  494  of the PCB  455  to be positioned further back within the jack  444  relative to the connector pin contact pads  497  of the PCB  460 . This provides the space necessary to position the respective connector pins for both PCBs. The relative placement of the connector pin contact pads and the connect pins is shown in  FIGS. 40 and 41 . 
         [0146]    To help reduce the potential crosstalk between connector pins  456  or between the connector pins  456  and connector pins  461 , said connector pins are mounted within the connector pin assembly  463 . The connector pin assembly  463  may provide an electromagnetic shield between the connector pins and may also act as a physical support for said pins. This can be especially helpful in case of the connector pins  456  which are longer than connector pins  461 , and therefore more susceptible to deformation. 
         [0147]    Note that while this invention has been described in terms of several embodiments, these embodiments are non-limiting (regardless of whether they have been labeled as exemplary or not), and there are alterations, permutations, and equivalents, which fall within the scope of this invention. Additionally, the described embodiments should not be interpreted as mutually exclusive, and should instead be understood as potentially combinable if such combinations are permissive. It should also be noted that there are many alternative ways of implementing the methods and apparatuses of the present invention. It is therefore intended that claims that may follow be interpreted as including all such alterations, permutations, and equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.