Patent ID: 7065470

Claim:
A plug and socket device comprising: a housing; at least one first connector mounted to said housing and structured as one of an insulation piercing connector, a screw terminal, and a spring terminal, said first connector for connection of at least one cable; at least one second connector mounted to said housing for connection to an electronic component; a circuit board disposed in said housing, said circuit board having a diagnostic and evaluation circuit and at least one switchable terminating resistor; a controller communicating with said diagnostic and evaluation circuit; and a display means mounted on said housing and connected to said diagnostic and evaluation device for displaying evaluation results, wherein said terminating resistor can be switched and/or adjusted using one of a sliding switch and said diagnostic and evaluation circuit, wherein said second connector comprises encoding elements which are connected to said diagnostic and evaluation circuit which are self-encoding in accordance with specifications of a type-specific of the electronic component and/or In dependence on an application, said encoding elements having mechanical plug encoding elements.