Patent ID: 7104848

Claim:
A host computer, comprising: a host processor; a set of protocol processors having at least a first protocol processor, said set of protocol processors being operatively coupled to communicate with said host processor, said first protocol processor being configured to process a first protocol; and an extended Universal-Serial-Bus (USB) socket configured to facilitate communication between said host processor and an external device configured to be detachably coupled with said extended USB socket, including an extended cavity having an extended cavity length longer than a length of a cavity of an industry-standard Series A USB socket, said length of said cavity of said industry-standard Series A USB socket being about 9 mm; a plurality of USB socket contacts arranged in a first socket-pin row in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said extended USB socket, said plurality of USB socket contacts being disposed in said cavity and configured to carry USB signals; and a plurality of non-USB socket contacts arranged in a second socket-pin row parallel to said first socket-pin row, said plurality of non-USB socket contacts being configured to carry non-USB signals; wherein said extended USB socket is configured to be mechanically and electrically compatible with both an industry-standard Series A USB connector and an extended USB connector, said extended USB connector including an extended pin substrate having an extended substrate length longer than a length of a pin substrate of said industry-standard Series A USB connector, said length of said pin substrate of said industry-standard Series A USB connector being about 12 mm, and a plurality of USB connector contacts supported by said extended pin substrate and arranged in a first connector-pin row in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said extended USB connector, said plurality of USB connector contacts being configured to carry said USB signals, and a plurality of non-USB connector contacts supported by said extended pin substrate and arranged in a second connector-pin row parallel to said first connector-pin row, said plurality of non-USB connector contacts being configured to carry said non-USB signals, and wherein when said extended USB socket couples with said industry-standard Series A USB connector, said plurality of non-USB socket contacts are configured such that said plurality of non-USB socket contacts do not electrically contact either USB pins in said industry-standard Series A USB connector or a metal cover of said industry-standard Series A USB connector, and wherein said plurality of non-USB socket contacts being disposed in a longitudinally separate position relative to said plurality of USB socket contacts, thereby preventing said plurality of non-USB socket contacts from electrically coupling with said plurality of USB connector contacts configured to carry said USB signals in said industry-standard Series A USB connector when said industry-standard Series A USB connector is fully inserted into said extended USB socket.