PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-8465329-B2
Application Number: US-89571110-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Audio connector having additional detection switch

Abstract:
Circuits, methods, and apparatus for improved audio connectors. One example provides an audio connector, that, for purposes of activating circuitry to receive signals from a microphone, does not detect the presence of an audio jack until the audio jack is inserted far enough into the audio connector that a microphone contact on the audio jack comes into contact with a microphone signal pin on the audio connector. To prevent the redirection of audio signals away from an audio jack when the audio jack is partially extracted from the audio connector, such partial extractions are not detected by audio signal pins.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An audio connector having a front and a back and comprising:
 a first detection switch located near the back of the audio connector; 
 a second detection switch located between the first detection switch and the front of the audio connector; and 
 a microphone contact located between the second detection switch and the front of the audio connector, 
 wherein the microphone contact is positioned in the audio connector to form an electrical connection with a microphone contact on an audio jack when the first detection switch detects the presence of the audio jack. 
 
     
     
       2. The audio connector of  claim 1  wherein the front of the audio connector comprises an opening for receiving the audio jack. 
     
     
       3. The audio connector of  claim 1  wherein the first detection switch comprises a first finger and a first contact switch. 
     
     
       4. The audio connector of  claim 3  wherein the first finger is displaced when a portion of the audio jack is inserted into the audio connector such that a microphone contact on the audio connector comes into contact with the microphone contact on the audio jack. 
     
     
       5. The audio connector of  claim 3  wherein the first finger is displaced when the audio jack is inserted into the audio connector and returns to its original position when the audio jack is removed from the audio connector. 
     
     
       6. The audio connector of  claim 3  wherein the second detection switch comprises a second finger and a second contact switch. 
     
     
       7. The audio connector of  claim 6  wherein the first detection switch is coupled to first circuitry to receive signals from the microphone contact in the audio connector and the second detection switch is coupled to second circuitry to provide signals to one or more audio contacts in the audio connector. 
     
     
       8. The audio connector of  claim 1  further comprising microphone circuitry coupled to the microphone contact, wherein the microphone circuitry is activated when the first detection switch detects the presence of the audio jack. 
     
     
       9. The audio connector of  claim 8  further comprising:
 a right signal contact; and 
 a left signal contact. 
 
     
     
       10. The audio connector of  claim 9  further comprising headphone circuitry coupled to the right signal contact and the left signal contact, wherein the headphone circuitry is activated when the second detection switch detects the presence of the audio jack. 
     
     
       11. An electronic device comprising:
 an audio connector having a front and a back and comprising:
 a first detection switch located near the back of the audio connector; and 
 a second detection switch located between the first detection switch and the front of the audio connector; 
 
 a microphone circuit coupled to the first detection switch, wherein the microphone circuit is activated when the first detection switch detects the presence of an audio jack in the audio connector; and 
 a headphone circuit coupled to the second detection switch, wherein the headphone circuit is activated when the second detection switch detects the presence of the audio jack in the audio connector. 
 
     
     
       12. The electronic device of  claim 11  wherein the electronic device is a tablet computer. 
     
     
       13. The electronic device of  claim 11  wherein the electronic device is a computer. 
     
     
       14. The electronic device of  claim 11  wherein the electronic device is a portable media player. 
     
     
       15. The electronic device of  claim 11  wherein the audio connector further comprises a microphone contact coupled to the microphone circuit. 
     
     
       16. The electronic device of  claim 15  wherein the microphone contact is positioned in the audio connector to form an electrical connection with a microphone contact on the audio jack when the first detection switch detects the presence of the audio jack. 
     
     
       17. The electronic device of  claim 16  wherein the audio connector further comprises a right signal contact and a left signal contact coupled to the headphone circuit. 
     
     
       18. An audio connector having a front and a back and comprising:
 a first detection switch located near the back of the audio connector; 
 a second detection switch located between the first detection switch and the front of the audio connector; 
 a microphone contact located between the second detection switch and the front of the audio connector, 
 a left signal contact located between the second detection switch and the microphone contact; 
 a right signal contact located between the left signal contact and the microphone contact; 
 a microphone circuit coupled to the first detection switch and the microphone contact, wherein the microphone circuit is activated when the first detection switch detects the presence of an audio jack in the audio connector; and 
 a headphone circuit coupled to the second detection switch, the left signal contact, and the right signal contact, wherein the headphone circuit is activated when the second detection switch detects the presence of the audio jack in the audio connector, 
 wherein the left signal contact is positioned in the audio connector to form an electrical connection with a left signal contact on the audio jack when the second detection switch detects the presence of the audio jack. 
 
     
     
       19. The audio connector of  claim 18  wherein the right signal contact is positioned in the audio connector to form an electrical connection with a right signal contact on the audio jack when the second detection switch detects the presence of the audio jack. 
     
     
       20. The audio connector of  claim 19  wherein the microphone contact is positioned in the audio connector to form an electrical connection with a microphone contact on the audio jack when the first detection switch detects the presence of the audio jack.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 61/275,692, filed Sep. 30, 2009, which is incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Audio connectors have become ubiquitous the last several years, finding their way into computers, media players, and other electronic devices. These connectors accept audio jacks that may come in at least two types, 3-pole and 4-pole jacks. A 3-pole jack may have two contacts for audio signals, left and right, and an additional contact for ground. A 4-pole jack may add a contact for a microphone. 
     Audio signals generated by circuitry associated with an audio connector may be provided to the audio connector and passed to an audio jack. The audio signals may then be passed to speakers, headphones, or other devices via the audio jack. The circuitry associated with an audio connector may be encompassed in a device enclosure along with the audio connector. 
     Audio signals generated by a microphone or other audio equipment external to the device enclosure may be provided to a microphone contact on an audio jack. These signals may then be passed to the audio connector and then to circuitry inside the device enclosure associated with the audio connector. 
     As an audio jack is inserted into an audio connector, the microphone contact in the audio connector may come into contact with other contacts on the audio jack before the microphone contact on the audio jack reaches the microphone contact on the audio connector. This may cause a clicking noise that appears to be generated by the microphone and is passed to circuitry associated with the audio connector. This noise may be misinterpreted by this circuitry in undesirable ways. For example, a headset may interpret the clicks as an incoming phone call. Thus, it may be desirable to not activate such circuitry until the audio jack is completely (or nearly completely) inserted into the audio connector. 
     Also, if an audio jack is partially pulled out of an audio connector, the audio signals may be redirected away from the audio jack. For example, a user listening to music on her headphones may find the sound redirected to speakers when she accidentally partially pulls the audio jack out of the audio connector. Thus, it is desirable to prevent this redirection when an audio jack is partially removed from an audio connector. 
     SUMMARY 
     Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention provide circuits, methods, and apparatus for improved audio connectors. An illustrative embodiment of the present invention may provide an audio connector, that, for purposes of activating circuitry to receive signals from a microphone, does not detect the presence of an audio jack until the audio jack is inserted far enough into the audio connector that a microphone contact on the audio jack comes into contact with a microphone contact on the audio connector. This may prevent undesirable clicking noises from confusing circuits that receive signals from an external microphone. 
     This illustrative embodiment of the present invention may also prevent a redirect of audio signals from the audio jack when the audio jack is partially extracted from the audio connector. With this, a user who is quietly listening to his headphones won&#39;t have his music issuing from speakers if he accidently pulls the audio jack partially from the audio connector. 
     A specific embodiment of the present invention may achieve these goals by employing multiple detection switches. One such detection switch may be a microphone detection switch that may be active when an audio jack is at least nearly completely inserted in the audio connector. Specifically, the detection switch may be active when an audio jack is inserted far enough into the audio connector such that a microphone contact on an audio jack comes into contact with a microphone contact on an audio connector. At this time, a left audio contact, a right audio contact, and a ground contact on the audio jack may come into contact with corresponding left audio, right audio, and ground contacts on the audio connector. 
     This specific embodiment may also include a headphone detection switch. This headphone detection switch may be placed closer to the opening of an audio connector than the microphone switch. This may allow the headphone detection switch to remain active when an audio jack is partially extracted from an audio connector. 
     Various embodiments of the present invention may include other switches, contacts, and circuits. For example, right audio, left audio, ground, and microphone contacts or signal pins may be included. Also, in other embodiments of the present invention, other types of contacts may be provided. One or more contacts may be provided to determine whether an audio jack is metallic, and is hence analog in nature, or plastic, and is hence compliant with digital signaling. Retention clips may be used to provide a desirable touch or feel to the user during insertion of an audio jack. 
     Audio connectors according to embodiments of the present invention may be employed in computers, laptops, netbooks, tablet computers, media players, portable media players, home theater systems, amplifiers, cell phones, and other devices. 
     Various embodiments of the present invention may incorporate one or more of these and the other features described herein. A better understanding of the nature and advantages of the present invention may be gained by reference to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates front and side views of an audio connector according to an embodiment of the present invention along with an audio jack; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates the positions of an audio jack and an audio connector when the audio jack is initially being inserted into the audio connector according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates the position of an audio jack as it reaches a headphone switch contact in an audio connector according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates the position of an audio jack in an audio connector according to an embodiment of the present invention when a microphone switch contact is reached; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates the position of an audio jack when it is slightly extracted from an audio connector according to an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 6  illustrates the position of an audio jack when it is more fully extracted from an audio connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a side view of an audio connector  110  according to an embodiment of the present invention. Audio connector  110  may be employed in computers, laptops, netbooks, tablet computers, media players, portable media players, home theater systems, amplifiers, cell phones, or other devices. Also shown is an audio jack  170  that may be inserted into audio connector  110 . This figure, as with the other included figures, is shown for illustrative purposes only and does not limit either the possible embodiments of the present invention or the claims. 
     Audio connector  110  may include opening  115  for accepting audio jack  170 . A back of audio connector  110  may be positioned at the far end of the audio connector away from opening  115 . Audio connector  110  may include retention clips (not shown), headphone switch contact  130 , headphone switch  140 , microphone switch contact  150 , and microphone switch  160 . Headphone switch contact  130  and microphone switch contact  150  may be formed as fingers or other protrusions that are displaced as audio jack  170  is inserted into audio connector  110 . Microphone  182 , left  178 , right  176 , and ground  174  signal pins may also be included. These signal pins may be positioned such that they come into contact with corresponding microphone  172 , left audio  176 , right audio  178 , and ground contacts  174  on audio jack  170  when audio jack  170  is fully inserted or engaged with audio connector  110 . In various embodiments of the present invention, headphone switch contact  130  and microphone switch contact  150  may be incorporated with one of more of the left audio, right audio, or microphone contacts on audio connector  110 . Additional circuitry, such as photo-diode detectors, may be included for digital audio jack compatibility. 
     Microphone switch contact  150  may be placed near the back of audio connector  110 , such that microphone switch contact  150  does not detect the presence of audio jack  170  until audio jack  170  is nearly completely inserted into audio connector  110 . In a specific embodiment of the present invention, microphone switch contact  150  may not detect the presence of audio jack  170  until microphone signal pin  182  in audio connector  110  is in contact with microphone contact  172  on audio jack  170 . By having microphone switch  160  remain closed until this point is reached, a clicking noise, which might otherwise result as right  178 , left  176 , and ground  174  contacts on audio jack  170  slide past the microphone contact  182  on audio connector  110 , may not occur. 
     When audio jack  170  is sufficiently inserted into audio connector  110 , audio jack  170  may displace microphone switch contact  150  upwards. This action opens microphone switch  160 . The opening of microphone switch  160  may be used to activate circuitry that receives signals from the microphone contact in audio connector  110 . 
     In this example, headphone switch contact  130  may be placed between microphone switch contact  150  and audio connector opening  115 . In this way, the presence of audio jack  170  remains detected by headphone switch contact  130  when audio jack  170  is partially removed from audio connector  110 . By having headphone switch contact  130  so positioned, the redirection of the audio signals being provided to the left  188  and right  186  signal pins in audio connector  110  may not occur. 
     As with microphone switch contact  150 , when audio jack  170  is sufficiently inserted into audio connector  110 , audio jack  170  may displace headphone switch contact  130  downwards. This opens headphone switch  140 . The opening of headphone switch  140  may be used to activate circuitry that provides signals to the left  178  and right  176  signal pins in audio connector  110 . 
     Audio connector  110  may be enclosed in a housing that may be formed of plastic, ceramic, or other material or combination of materials. Headphone switch contact  130  and microphone switch contact  150  may be made of plastic, metal, or other material having a spring-like quality, such that they may be displaced when audio jack  170  is inserted into audio connector  110  and returned to their original position when audio jack  170  is removed. In this example, headphone switch  140  and microphone switch  160  are active-open mechanical switches, though in other embodiments they may be active-closed or other types of switches. 
     Audio jack  170  may be connected to headphones, speakers, amplifiers, or other devices. Audio jack  170  includes conductive contacts for microphone  172 , ground  174 , left audio  178 , and right audio  176 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates the positions of audio jack  170  and audio connector  110  when audio jack  170  is initially inserted into audio connector  110  according to an embodiment of the present invention. The leading portion of audio jack  170  may push against retention clips (not shown) as it is inserted into audio connector  110 . This may provide a desired feel or touch to a user as audio jack  170  is inserted into audio connector  110 . Various embodiments of the present invention may employ one or more than one retention clips. These retention clips may be aligned with each other, that is, they may be equidistant from opening  115  of audio connector  110 . These retention clips may be offset from each other, or a combination of equidistant and offset retention clips may be used. In this configuration, the microphone switch  160  and headphone switch  140  are closed, and signal pins for microphone  182 , right  186 , and left  188  are disabled. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates the positions of audio jack  170  and audio connector  110  as audio jack  170  is further inserted into audio connector  110  according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this figure, the leading edge of audio jack  170  has passed beyond the retention clips and has reached headphone switch contact  130  in audio connector  110 . At this point, audio jack  170  may push the headphone switch contact  130  downward, opening headphone switch  140 . The opening of headphone switch  140  may be used to route audio signals to and from right  186  and left  188  signal pins on audio connector  110  from to contacts  176  and  78  on audio jack  170 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates the position of audio jack  170  in audio connector  110  when microphone switch contact  150  is reached. At this point, headphone switch contact  130  may remain displaced, such that headphone switch  140  is open. Microphone switch contact  150  may similarly be displaced upward, thereby opening microphone switch  160 . Microphone switch  160  may be used to route signals on microphone contact  172  on audio jack  170  to circuitry associated with audio connector  110  via microphone signal pin  182 . In this configuration, microphone  182 , right  186 , and left  188  signal pins may all be enabled. 
     At this point, audio jack  170  may be at least nearly completely inserted into audio connector  110 . Again, in a specific embodiment of the present invention, microphone switch contact  150  may be displaced when audio jack  170  is inserted far enough into audio connector  110  such that microphone contact  172  on audio jack  174  comes into contact with a microphone signal pin  182  in audio connector  110 . 
     Again, it is desirable that audio signals not be routed away from audio jack  170  when audio jack  170  is slightly pulled out of audio connector  110 . For this reason, in this example, headphone switch contact  130  may be placed closer to opening  115  in audio connector  110 . In that way, when audio jack  170  is slightly pulled out of audio connector  110 , headphone switch  140  may remain open. An example of this is shown in the following figure. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates the position of audio jack  170  when it is slightly extracted from audio connector  110 . In this example, microphone switch contact  150  has been allowed to return to its original position, closing microphone switch  160 . Headphone switch contact  130  may remain displaced downward, thereby keeping headphone switch  140  open and preventing the audio signals from being routed away from audio jack  170 . In this configuration, right  186  and left  188  signal pins may be enabled, while microphone signal pin  182  may be disabled. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates the position of audio jack  170  when it is more fully extracted from audio connector  110 . In this configuration, the headphone switch  140  and microphone switch  160  may both be closed, and all signal pins, microphone  182 , right  186 , and left  188  may be disabled. 
     The above description of embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form described, and many modifications and variations are possible in light of the teaching above. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Thus, it will be appreciated that the invention is intended to cover all modifications and equivalents within the scope of the following claims.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20100930
Publication Date: 20130618
Grant Date: 20130618
Priority Date: 20090930
Inventors: FIELDS STEWART SHANNON
FUNAMURA JOSHUA
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H01R2105/00", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R24/58", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/7039", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/7039", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R24/58", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R2105/00", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 44656991