Patent Publication Number: US-8976510-B2

Title: Cable assembly and electronic device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the priority benefits of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/322,307, filed on Apr. 9, 2010. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent applications is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to an electronic device. Particularly, the invention relates to an electronic device having a detachable cable assembly. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Universal serial bus 3.0 (USB 3.0) is a signal transmission specification developed from a conventional USB 2.0, and a transmission rate thereof may reach 5G bps, while a transmission rate of the conventional USB 2.0 is only 480M bps. Presently, a USB 3.0 connector is compatible to a USB 2.0 connector, i.e. the USB 3.0 connector includes a structure the same as that of the USB 2.0 connector, and a plurality of pins are added to provide the USB 3.0 function. In a system using the USB 2.0 chip, signal transmission can be performed through a cable assembly having the USB 2.0 connector. However, the structure of the USB 3.0 connector is more complicate than that of the USB 2.0 connector, so that fabrication cost of the cable assembly is relatively high. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is directed to a cable assembly, which has detachable connectors. 
     The invention is directed to an electronic device, which has a relatively low fabrication cost by using detachable connectors. 
     The invention provides a cable assembly including a first connector module, a second connector module and a cable. The cable is connected between the first and the second connector modules. The first connector module includes a serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) connector and a connector with at least four terminals. 
     The invention provides an electronic device including an electronic unit and a cable assembly. The cable assembly includes a first connector module, a second connector module and a cable. The cable is connected between the first and the second connector modules. The first connector module is connected to the electronic unit. The first connector module includes a serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) connector and a connector with at least four terminals. 
     According to the above descriptions, the cable assembly divides the original USB 3.0 connector into a SATA connector and a connector with at least four terminals according to signal transmission characteristics thereof through the detachable connectors. In this way, the cable assembly may have relatively low fabrication cost under a premise of maintaining the USB 3.0 transmission performance. 
     In order to make the aforementioned and other features and advantages of the invention comprehensible, several exemplary embodiments accompanied with figures are described in detail below. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a cable assembly according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 1A  is a schematic diagram of a first connector of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram illustrating electrical connection of the cable assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of an electronic device according to another embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of a second electronic unit in the electronic device of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram of a third electronic unit in the electronic device of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram of an electronic device according to another embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a cable assembly according to an embodiment of the invention.  FIG. 1A  is a schematic diagram of a first connector  114  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram illustrating electrical connection of the cable assembly of  FIG. 1 . Referring to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 2 , in the present embodiment, the cable assembly  100  includes a first connector module  110 , a second connector module  120  and a cable  130  connected between the first connector module  110  and the second connector module  120 . The first connector module  110  is, for example, a module having detachable connectors, and includes a first serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) connector  112  and a first connector  114  with at least four terminals. 
     In the present embodiment, the first connector  114  with at least four terminals can be a header connector (shown in  FIG. 1A ), which is adapted to data transmission of a universal serial bus 2.0 (USB 2.0) or former USB architectures. The second connector module  120  includes a connector having a plurality of pins, and such connector is, for example, a USB 3.0 connector. The cable  130  is a USB 3.0 cable, where the second connector module  120  and the cable  130  are all complied with standards customized by USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF). Moreover, the USB 3.0 connector in the second connector module  120  can be a plug connector or a receptacle connector, which is determined according to a type of another connector connected to the USB 3.0 connector. The second connector module  120  includes a pair of transmitting differential signal pins T x   +  and T x   − , a pair of receiving differential signal pins R x   +  and R x   − , a first ground pin GND 1 , a pair of transmitting/receiving differential signal pins D +  and D − , a power pin PWR 1  and a second ground pin GND 2 . In detail, the transmitting differential signal pins T x   +  and T x   − , the receiving differential signal pins R x   +  and R x   − , the first ground pin GND 1  serve as pins of a super-speed data transmission structure in the USB 3.0 architecture, and the transmitting/receiving differential signal pins D +  and D − , the power pin PWR 1  and the second ground pin GND 2  in the USB 3.0 architecture serve as pins compatible to the pins of the USB 2.0 or former USB architectures. 
     It should be noticed that the transmitting differential signal pins T x   +  and T x   − , the receiving differential signal pins R x   +  and R x   − , and the first ground pin GND 1  are electrically connected to the SATA connector  112  through the cable  130 , and the transmitting/receiving differential signal pins D +  and D − , the power pin PWR 1  and the second ground pin GND 2  are electrically connected to the first connector  114  with at least four terminals through the cable  130 . 
     In detail, a transmission structure of the SATA connector is matched to a transmission structure of the USB 3.0 connector, and impedances thereof are similar. For example, a characteristic impedance of the SATA connector is about 100 ohm (Ω), and a characteristic impedance of the USB 3.0 connector is about 90 ohm (Ω). Therefore, the pins in the second connector module  120  serving as the super-speed data transmission structure that requires better transmission quality can be connected to the first SATA connector  112  through the cable  130 . Namely, the transmitting differential signal pins T x   +  and T x   −  are electrically connected to receiving differential signal pins DP 1   +  and DP 1   − , the receiving differential signal pins R x   +  and R x   −  are electrically connected to transmitting differential signal pins DP 2   +  and DP 2   − , and the first ground pin GND 1  is electrically connected to a third ground pin GND 3 . Moreover, in another embodiment that is not illustrated, the first ground pin GND 1  can be electrically connected to the third ground pin GND 3 , a fourth ground pin GND 4  and a fifth ground pin GND 5  through a multi-core signal line, where the multi-core signal line is divided into three parts (three strands) to electrically connect to three ground pins GND 3 , GND 4 , and GND 5  separately. Alternatively, the first ground pin GND 1  is electrically connected to at least one of the third ground pin GND 3 , the fourth ground pin GND 4  and the fifth ground pin GND 5 . 
     On the other hand, in the USB 3.0 architecture, impedance requirement of the pins compatible to the USB 2.0 or former USB architectures is lower than that of the pins serving for super-speed data transmission, so that the related pins not used for super-speed data transmission in the second connector module  120  are matched to the first connector  114  with at least four terminals. Namely, the transmitting/receiving differential signal pins D +  and a compatible to the USB 2.0 or former USB architectures are electrically connected to transmitting/receiving differential signal pins H 1  and H 2 , the power pin PWR 1  is electrically connected to a power pin PWR 2 , and the second ground pin GND 2  is electrically connected to a sixth ground pin GND 6 . In the present embodiment, the first connector  114  is implemented by a header connector with four terminals, though the invention is not limited thereto. The header connector may be a plug-type header connector or a receptacle-type header connector. 
     According to the above descriptions, the second connector module  120  having the USB 3.0 connector is connected to the first SATA connector  112  and the first connector  114  with at least four terminals, and the costs of the first SATA connector  112  and the first connector  114  with at least four terminals are lower than that of the single USB 3.0 connector. Therefore, not only the transmission performance of the USB 3.0 architecture is maintained, but also the fabrication cost of the whole cable assembly  100  compared with that of another cable assembly with two second connector modules  120  (having one USB 3.0 connector for each second connector modules  120 ) and the cable  130  is reduced. In other words, one end of the cable  130  connects with the second connector module  120 , for example, a USB 3.0 connector; while the other end of the cable  130  connects with the first connector module  110  having detachable two connectors, for example, a SATA connector  112  and a first connector  114  with at least four terminals. 
     Further, since a part of the pins in the USB 3.0 architecture relates to the super-speed data transmission, signal quality requirement of the USB 3.0 architecture is stricter than that of the USB 2.0 architecture, so that the general USB 2.0 connector module having the header connector cannot be directly applied to the USB 3.0 connector module due to poor electrical match and lack of super-speed data transmission pins. Moreover, since pins of a single USB 3.0 connector are relatively more than the single USB 2.0 connector, and some of the pins relates to the super-speed data transmission, the single USB 3.0 connector has a higher fabrication cost compared to that of a single USB 2.0 header connector (for example, the first connector of the present embodiment), that of a single USB 2.0 connector or that of a single SATA connector. Moreover, since the SATA connector is widely used in electronic devices, electrical quality thereof is stable and cost thereof is relatively low. Therefore, in the invention, since the SATA connector has a transmission structure matched to the super-speed data transmission of the USB 3.0 connector, and has impedance similar to that of the USB 3.0 connector, the SATA connector is used for the super-speed data transmission in the USB 3.0 architecture. In the other hand, the USB 2.0 or former USB connector module having the header connector is used for data transmission pins compatible to the USB 2.0 or former USB architectures in the USB 3.0 architecture. In this way, not only the signal quality required by the USB 3.0 architecture is satisfied, but also the fabrication cost is reduced. Particularly, the header connector used for the USB 2.0 or former USB architectures has a low cost compared to the connectors complied with the USB specifications, such as A-type, B-type, and mini-type connectors, etc. 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the invention. Referring to  FIG. 3 , the electronic device  10  is, for example, a computer host, which includes a casing  200 , and a first electronic unit  300  and a cable assembly  100  disposed in the casing  200 , where the first electronic unit  300  is, for example, a motherboard, and is configured with a control chip  310  of the USB 3.0 architecture, a south bridge chip or a chip set (not shown) integrated south and north bridge chips containing the USB 3.0 function for controlling signal transmission under the USB 3.0 specification. Related components of the cable assembly  100  are already described in the above embodiment, so that detailed descriptions thereof are not repeated herein. 
     In the present embodiment, in order to implement the signal transmission of the USB 3.0 architecture of the electronic device  10 , the first connector module  110  of the cable assembly  100  that has detachable connectors (for example, the first SATA connector  112  and the first connector  114  with at least four terminals of the aforementioned embodiment) is detachably connected to the first electronic unit  300 , and the second connector module  120  is disposed on an inner surface of the casing  200 , and an opening  122  of the second connector module  120  is exposed outside the casing  200  for connecting other peripheral devices. In the present embodiment, since the second connector module  120  is exposed to the outside through the opening  122  to provide a connection interface for an external USB connector (not shown), the second connector is a receptacle connector. It should be noticed that in the USB architecture, although the types of the USB connectors are specified (for example, the A-type, the B-type and the mini-type, etc.), the specification of the USB architecture only limits the USB connector which is exposed to outside of the electronic device for the user using, while the USB connector deposited in the electronic device is not limited. In this way, although the first connector module  110  having the detachable connectors of the invention does not follow the specifications of the USB architecture, since it is used in the internal portion of the electronic device  10 , it is fine not to follow the above the specifications of the USB architecture. Therefore, the electronic device  10  of the invention may have the signal transmission function of the USB 3.0 architecture and have a low cost through the detachable cable assembly  100 . 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of an electronic device according to another embodiment of the invention.  FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of a second electronic unit  500  in the electronic device of  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram of a third electronic unit  600  in the electronic device of  FIG. 4 . Referring to  FIG. 4  to  FIG. 6 , different to the above embodiment, the electronic device  20  includes a cable assembly  400 , a second electronic unit  500  and a third electronic unit  600  disposed in a casing  200 , where the second electronic unit  500  is, for example, an add-on card, and a control chip  550  of the USB 3.0 architecture is thereon. When the second electronic unit  500  has the control chip of the USB 3.0 architecture, the first electronic unit  300  can or can not have the other control chip of the USB 3.0 architecture (such as control chip  310  in  FIG. 3 ) depending on the existence of the control chip with the USB 3.0 architecture of the second electronic unit  500 . Moreover, the second electronic unit  500  further has a USB 3.0 connector  510 , a third SATA connector  520  and a third connector  530  with at least four terminals, where the USB 3.0 connector  510  is similar to the second connector  120  of  FIG. 3  used by users. The second electronic unit  500  is electrically connected to the first electronic unit  300  through a peripheral component interconnect express (PCI-E) interface  540 , so that the first electronic unit  300  has the signal transmission function of the USB 3.0 architecture. 
     Moreover, the third electronic unit  600  is, for example, a hub including a plurality of USB 3.0 connectors  610 , a fourth SATA connector  620  and a fourth connector  630  with at least four terminals, where the USB 3.0 connector  610  is similar to the USB 3.0 connector  510  of the second electronic unit  500 , or is similar to the second connector  120  of  FIG. 3  used for users. Furthermore, the USB 3.0 connectors  610  are used to implement signal transmission between the electronic device  20  and other peripheral devices (not shown) outside the electronic device  20  through the USB 3.0 architecture. 
     A second connector module  420  of the cable assembly  400  includes a second SATA connector  422  and a second connector  424  with at least four terminals, where the second connector  424  is, for example, a header connector with at least four terminals, though the invention is not limited thereto. The second SATA connector  422  and the second connector  424  of the cable assembly  400  are detachably connected to the third SATA connector  520  and the third connector  530  of the second electronic unit  500 , respectively, and the first SATA connector  112  and the first connector  114  of the first connector module  110  are detachably connected to the fourth SATA connector  620  and the fourth connector  630  of the third electronic unit  600 . It should be noticed that the connectors in the connector modules  110  and  420  of the cable assembly  400  are respectively connected to the connectors in the electronic units  500  and  600  through a relationship of plug-receptacle connection. In this way, the first electronic unit  300  may have the signal transmission function of the USB 3.0 architecture through the second electronic unit  500 , and can implement connection port expansion through the third electronic unit  600 . Taking the third electronic unit  600  as an example, one connection port can be expanded to four connection ports though the invention is not limited thereto. 
       FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram of an electronic device according to another embodiment of the invention. Different to the above embodiments, the first electronic unit  300  has the control chip  310  of the USB 3.0 architecture, a south bridge chip or a chip set (not shown) integrated south and north bridge chips containing the USB 3.0 function. In this way, the third electronic unit  600  can be electrically connected to the first electronic unit  300  through the cable assembly  400  for expanding the connection ports. 
     According to the above descriptions, the connection type of the cable assembly  100  or  400  is not limited by the invention, which not only serves as a signal transmission structure between the electronic device  10  and the peripheral devices (not shown) outside the electronic device  10 , but also as a signal transmission structure between two electronic units in the casing  200  of the electronic device  20  or  30 , which is determined according to an actual fabrication and utilization requirement of the electronic device  10 ,  20  or  30 . 
     In summary, in the above embodiments of the invention, the detachable cable assembly is used to divide the signal USB 3.0 connector into a SATA connector and a connector with at least four terminals according to signal transmission characteristics thereof, so as to reduce a fabrication cost of the cable assembly. 
     Moreover, in the electronic device, the cable assembly can be connected between various electronic units in the casing to serve as a device of signal transmission, so that the electronic device can has the signal transmission function of the USB 3.0 architecture through the low cost SATA connector and the connector having at least four terminals. 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.