The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 05, 1996
Filed:
Apr. 04, 1994
Robert A Boie, Westfield, NJ (US);
Lucent Technologies Inc., Murray Hill, NJ (US);
Abstract
Portable computing and communications devices are connected with other, typically fixed devices via the use of a capacitive data connector. Each of the two mating sections of the connector includes a set of coupling plates. When the two sections are brought into contact, the coupling plates form capacitors across which data signals can be passed. Circuitry driving each section of the data connector is such as to create a bidirectional signaling path, thereby providing a connection which is functionally equivalent to an ohmic connection. Signals that are typically passed across data connectors on individual parallel leads are, in the present data connector, serialized, passed across the connector in that form and connected back to parallel form on the other side of the connection. Each section of the connector illustrately includes a permanent magnet to draw and hold the two sections in alignment, thereby providing a connector which is self-aligning.