Abstract: An accessory device including a foldable cover, a keyboard assembly coupled to the foldable cover and including a plurality of individually depressible keys, an attachment feature connected to the enclosure and configured to magnetically couple the accessory device with the electronic device. The attachment feature includes an exterior surface, a plurality of openings formed through the exterior surface, a plurality of movable contacts corresponding in number to the plurality of openings, each movable contact extending out of one of the plurality of openings, and an alignment feature comprising at least one magnet positioned adjacent to the plurality of openings.

Abstract: Connectors that are able to withstand force and are easy to manufacture. The connectors may include connecting portions that may move relative to other portions of the connectors to absorb force. The connectors may be designed to partially break in order to protect devices that may be connected to. The connectors may be further designed to break in a controlled manner to prevent springs or other components that may be under compression from being dislodged from the connectors.

Abstract: Connector systems may include a connector receptacle and connector plug or insert. The connector receptacle may include a tongue. The tongue may be formed using a printed circuit board. Contacts may be plated on top and bottom surfaces of the tongue. Retention features may also be located on top and bottom surfaces of tongue. These retention features may be speed bumps or other features. The connector insert may include a leading edge portion formed of plastic, a conductive shield around the insert behind the leasing edge portion, a plurality of spring contacts attached to an inside of the conductive shield, a top row of contacts; and a bottom row of contacts. Other connector receptacles may include a tongue having side ground contacts. The side ground contacts may engage an inside of a plug shield and have contacting portion to fit in openings in the plug shield.

Abstract: Connecting structures to mechanically connect to a connector receptacle tongue and a printed circuit board and to electrically connect contacts on the connector receptacle tongue to traces on the printed circuit board. One example may provide an interposer having a housing and a plurality of contacts to connect a vertical tongue to a horizontal printed circuit board. The contacts may have a side or tongue connecting portion extending beyond a side of the housing and a bottom or board contacting portion extending beyond a bottom of the housing. The contacts may form a ninety-degree bend. A shield may at least substantially surround a vertical side of the housing.

Abstract: Combined connector receptacles, examples of which provide an upper housing having openings for tongues on each of two lower housings to simplify alignment of the tongues to a device enclosure, and inner shields around the lower housings and an outer shield around the upper housing and lower housings to provide isolation.

Abstract: Connectors that are able to withstand force and are easy to manufacture. The connectors may include connecting portions that may move relative to other portions of the connectors to absorb force. The connectors may be designed to partially break in order to protect devices that may be connected to. The connectors may be further designed to break in a controlled manner to prevent springs or other components that may be under compression from being dislodged from the connectors.

Abstract: Connector inserts and receptacles that provide signal paths having desired impedance characteristics. One example may provide a connector system having a connector insert and a connector receptacle. Contacts in the connector insert may form signal paths with corresponding contacts in the connector receptacle. Additional traces in the connector insert and receptacle may be part of these signal paths. The signal paths may have a target or a desired impedance along their lengths such that the power paths electrically appear as transmission lines. Constraints on physical dimensions of the connector insert and connector receptacle contacts may result in variations in impedance along the signal paths. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention may provide structures to reduce these variations, to compensate for these variations, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: An accessory device comprising: an enclosure; one or more electrical components positioned within or attached to the enclosure; an attachment feature connected to the enclosure and configured to magnetically couple the accessory device with the electronic device, the attachment feature comprising: an exterior surface; a corresponding plurality of openings formed through the exterior surface; a plurality of movable contacts corresponding in number to the plurality of openings, each movable contact extending out of one of the plurality of openings; one or more biasing members operatively coupled to the plurality of movable contacts to bias the contacts such that a contacting portion of each contact protrudes beyond the exterior surface of the attachment feature through its respective opening; and an alignment feature comprising at least one magnet positioned adjacent to the plurality of openings.

Abstract: Combined connector receptacles, examples of which comprise tongues configured to be aligned to openings in a device enclosure; EMI shield contact rails, a central ground plane, a connector receptacle shield to provide isolation between the individual connector receptacles to reduce signal noise; and organizers and other structures arranged to reduce or eliminate damage to through-hole contact portions during their insertion into corresponding openings in a printed circuit board.

Abstract: Connector systems may include a connector receptacle and connector plug or insert. The connector receptacle may include a tongue. A first plurality of contacts may be formed on a top surface of the tongue. A first ground pad may be located on a top surface of tongue, and a shield may be formed around the tongue. The connector insert may include a housing and a conductive shield around the housing behind a leading edge of the connector insert. A front edge of the shield may be folded into an opening at the leading edge. In other examples, the receptacle shield may include one or more fingers. These fingers may contact the connector insert shield to form a ground path. One or more of these fingers may engage openings in the insert shield to provide a retention force between the connector insert and receptacle.

Abstract: Connector inserts and receptacles that provide signal paths having desired impedance characteristics. One example may provide a connector system having a connector insert and a connector receptacle. Contacts in the connector insert may form signal paths with corresponding contacts in the connector receptacle. Additional traces in the connector insert and receptacle may be part of these signal paths. The signal paths may have a target or a desired impedance along their lengths such that the power paths electrically appear as transmission lines. Constraints on physical dimensions of the connector insert and connector receptacle contacts may result in variations in impedance along the signal paths. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention may provide structures to reduce these variations, to compensate for these variations, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: Connector inserts having a high signal integrity and low insertion loss by shielding signal contacts. One example may provide one or more ground contacts between a front opening and signal pins of a connector insert. These ground contacts may have sufficient lever arm to provide a good contact to a corresponding contact in a connector receptacle. To avoid excessive length in the connector insert, embodiments of the present invention may stack a portion of the ground contact above the signal contacts in the connector insert. To reduce excessive capacitance that would otherwise reduce signal impedance, one or more openings may be formed in the ground contacts. To prevent signal contacts from shorting to a shield through this opening, the opening may be covered by tape. The ground contacts may be positioned to avoid encountering power contacts in the receptacle when the insert is inserted into the receptacle.

Abstract: Connector inserts having retention features with good reliability and holding force. These connector inserts may include ground contacts that provide an insertion portion having a reduced length. These connector inserts may be reliable, have an attractive appearance, and be readily manufactured.

Abstract: Connectors that are able to withstand force and are easy to manufacture. The connectors may include connecting portions that may move relative to other portions of the connectors to absorb force. The connectors may be designed to partially break in order to protect devices that may be connected to. The connectors may be further designed to break in a controlled manner to prevent springs or other components that may be under compression from being dislodged from the connectors.

Abstract: Connector systems may include a connector receptacle and connector plug or insert. The connector receptacle may include a tongue. The tongue may be formed using a printed circuit board. Contacts may be plated on top and bottom surfaces of the tongue. Retention features may also be located on top and bottom surfaces of tongue. These retention features may be speed bumps or other features. The connector insert may include a leading edge portion formed of plastic, a conductive shield around the insert behind the leasing edge portion, a plurality of spring contacts attached to an inside of the conductive shield, a top row of contacts; and a bottom row of contacts. Other connector receptacles may include a tongue having side ground contacts. The side ground contacts may engage an inside of a plug shield and have contacting portion to fit in openings in the plug shield.

Abstract: Interconnect devices are described. In some examples, an interconnect device can be aligned in a first plane and can include a printed circuit board having a tongue portion and a pin portion. The pin portion can include a plurality of pins extending away from the printed circuit board. The interconnect device can be configured to electrically couple with a main logic board aligned in a second plane. In particular, the plurality of pins can be inserted into corresponding electrical contact locations within the main logic board to form a biplanar connection. The biplanar connection can be made in way that minimizes signal loss for high speed data transfers.

Abstract: This application relates to magnetically actuated electrical connectors. The electrical connectors includes movable magnetic elements that move in response to an externally applied magnetic field. In some embodiments, the electrical connectors includes recessed contacts that move from a recessed position to an engaged position in response to an externally applied magnetic field associated with an electronic device to which the connector is designed to be coupled. In some embodiments, the external magnetic field has a particular polarity pattern configured to draw contacts associated with a matching polarity pattern out of the recessed position.

Abstract: Combined connector receptacles that provide isolation between individual connector receptacles and have structures arranged to reduce or eliminate damage to through-hole contact portions during insertion of the combined connector into a board.

Abstract: An accessory device comprising: an enclosure; one or more electrical components positioned within or attached to the enclosure; an attachment feature connected to the enclosure and configured to magnetically couple the accessory device with the electronic device, the attachment feature comprising: an exterior surface; a corresponding plurality of openings formed through the exterior surface; a plurality of movable contacts corresponding in number to the plurality of openings, each movable contact extending out of one of the plurality of openings; one or more biasing members operatively coupled to the plurality of movable contacts to bias the contacts such that a contacting portion of each contact protrudes beyond the exterior surface of the attachment feature through its respective opening; and an alignment feature comprising at least one magnet positioned adjacent to the plurality of openings.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for selectively communicating data and audio over a limited-size audio plug. A host device determines whether an audio accessory or a data communicating accessory is plugged therein via a signal, or lack thereof, communicated to the host device via the audio plug of the accessory. The host device then either communicates audio or data over the audio plug contacts that are typically used only for audio communication based on whether its connected to an audio accessory or data communicating accessory. An audio plug may also include a split-ring contact where multiple, independent contacts are formed in place of a single tip, ring, or sleeve contact. The split-ring contact may be used for communicating audio and/or data.