Patent ID: 8688876

Claim:
An adapter for providing connectivity between a first connector of a host device and a second connector of an accessory, wherein the first connector is incompatible with the second connector, the adapter comprising: a host interface connector compatible with the first connector, wherein the host interface connector includes a first set of contacts comprising at least a first power contact and a second power contact; an accessory interface connector compatible with the second connector, wherein the accessory interface connector includes a second set of contacts comprising at least a third power contact and a fourth power contact; data conversion circuitry coupled to the host interface connector and the accessory interface connector, the conversion circuitry configured to: receive host data having a first format from the host device; convert the host data into accessory data having a second format; and transmit the accessory data to the accessory using the accessory interface connector; power conversion circuitry coupled between the first power contact of the host interface connector and the third power contact of the accessory interface connector to convert a host power signal from the host device to an accessory power signal for the accessory device; an authentication module coupled to the accessory interface connector for receiving accessory identification information from the accessory; an identification module coupled to the host interface connector for providing adapter identification information to the host device to authenticate the adapter to the host device; and a power control module coupled between the second power contact of the host interface connector and the fourth power contact of the accessory interface connector, wherein the power control module includes a first power path having a first resistance between the second power contact of the host interface connector and the fourth power contact of the accessory interface connector, and a second power path connected in parallel to the first power path and having a second resistance lower than the first resistance between the second power contact of the host interface connector and the fourth power contact of the accessory interface connector, and wherein the power control module is configured to enable the first power path before the adapter is authenticated to the host device, and to enable the second power path after the adapter has been authenticated to the host device.