Patent ID: 8180397

Claim:
A mobile communications device for use with an accessory having a connection plug which defines a substantially conical tip portion, a distal end portion, and a substantially cylindrical bearing surface extending therebetween, with the connection plug having one or more electrical contact rings, and a tip insulating ring extending about the conical tip portion to define a tip detection contact, the mobile communications device comprising: a) a tip detection pin, b) one or more electrical contact pins, c) a housing, and d) an accessory connection socket extending into the housing; wherein the connection socket includes a substantially barrel-shaped bearing surface which defines one or more apertures formed therein, with each of the contact pins extending from a respective one of the apertures; and wherein the connection socket is adapted to engage the connection plug, with each of the contact pins engaging a respective one of the electrical contact rings, and with the tip detection pin engaging the tip detection contact of the connection plug to enable identification of the accessory by the mobile communications device, wherein the device is for use with a serial number device electrically coupled between the tip detection contact and an operatively grounded one of the electrical contact rings, wherein the device further comprises a serial bus master device for electrical coupling with the tip detection contact, with the serial bus master device comprising a serial number reference database, to enable said identification of the accessory by serial number.