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US7018242B2 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Serial-to-ethernet conversion port

Assignee: Lantronix Inc
•
Filing: 2005-02-17
•
Granted: 2006-03-28
•
Expires: 2025-02-17
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Abstract

Abstract The present invention relates to a serial-to-Ethernet modular converter jack and a method of fabricating of the same. The serial-to-Ethernet converter electronic components, including the control software stored in on-board memory, are miniaturized and housed entirely in an RJ-45 jack. The present invention is constructed of a shielded housing that defines an open front portion for a connector port. The housing of the present invention also includes a segregated interior chamber, which encases all of the electrical components necessary to complete a serial-to-Ethernet conversion of data. Lead pins electrically connected to the circuitry within the interior chamber, protrude from the based of the connector jack providing for a means to mate the jack to a circuit board. First, second and third circuit boards collectively incorporate the serial-to-Ethernet circuitry components. Both the first circuit board incorporating magnetic circuitry and the second circuit board incorporating control circuitry are positioned in generally horizontal parallel relation within the interior chamber. The second circuit board which defines opposed sides includes electronic components disposed upon the upper and lower of both sides of the second circuit board. The third circuit board, incorporating connections to the LEDs, is positioned generally perpendicular in relation to the first and second circuit boards and is structurally connected to the first and second circuit boards, additionally providing an electrical connection between the first and second boards. Alternative embodiments of the invention are disclosed and include various arrangement of the serial-to-Ethernet circuitry within the interior chamber of the housing.

Inventors

  • 👤 Curtis D. Brown
  • 👤 Charles J. Brower

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-03 00:54
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R31/00; H01R31/06; H01R13/00; H01R13/66; H01R13/665; H01R13/6658; H01R13/6691; H01R2201/00; H01R2201/04; H01R24/00; H01R24/60; H01R24/62; H01R24/64; H05; H05K; H05K1/00; H05K1/02; H05K1/14; H05K1/144

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim 48 words
A module for mounting on an electronic component board, comprising: a connector for connection to the board; a logic circuit electronically coupled to the connector within a housing that translates between a serial protocol and an Ethernet protocol; and an Ethernet output electronically coupled to the logic circuit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 48 words
A module for mounting on an electronic component board, comprising: a connector for connection to the board; a logic circuit electronically coupled to the connector within a housing that translates between a serial protocol and an Ethernet protocol; and an Ethernet output electronically coupled to the logic circuit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 18 words
The module of claim 1 wherein the Ethernet output provides a facility for wiring to an external component.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 12 words
The module of claim 2 wherein the Ethernet output comprises a jack.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 13 words
The module of claim 3 wherein the jack comprises an RJ 45 jack.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 14 words
The module of claim 1 wherein the circuit is embodied in a logic chip.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 16 words
The module of claim 5 wherein the chip is dispersed on a first miniature circuit board.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 20 words
The module of claim 1 wherein connector and the logic circuit are disposed in the housing having a status light.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 13 words
The module of claim 7 further comprising an isolation transformer within the housing.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 17 words
The module of claim 8 wherein the isolation transformer is disposed on a second miniature circuit board.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 13 words
The module of claim 1 wherein the connector comprises a plurality of pins.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 14 words
The module of claim 1 wherein the connector comprises a plurality of connector elements.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 36 words
The module of claim 1 wherein the serial protocol is selected from the group consisting of inter-IC control (I2C), controller area network (CAN), process field bus (ProfiBus), serial peripheral interface (SPI), and universal serial bus (USB).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 18 words
A serial-to-Ethernet converter housed completely within a modular Ethernet jack housing for mounting on an electronic component board.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 18 words
A serial-to-Ethernet converter housed completely within a modular Ethernet jack housing for mounting on an electronic component board.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 19 words
The converter of claim 13 further comprising a plurality of general purpose programmable input/output pins (PIO) within the housing.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 17 words
The convener of claim 13 further comprising a memory, voltage regulators and supervisory circuits within the housing.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 39 words
An improved device having a microprocessor with a serial I/O interface, the improvement comprising: a modular Ethernet interface electrically coupled to the microprocessor in a housing through the serial I/O interface, and including an isolation transformer within the housing.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 39 words
An improved device having a microprocessor with a serial I/O interface, the improvement comprising: a modular Ethernet interface electrically coupled to the microprocessor in a housing through the serial I/O interface, and including an isolation transformer within the housing.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 19 words
The device of claim 16 further comprising a plurality of general purpose programmable input/output pins (PIO) within the housing.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 17 words
The converter of claim 17 further comprising a memory, voltage regulators and supervisory circuits within the housing.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4978317A Cited
US5415556A Cited
US5587884A Cited
US5647767A Cited
US6203334B1 Cited
US6697892B1 Cited
US6364535B1 Cited
US20020119702A1 Cited
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2009-03-27 2009-09-26 2010-03-28 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2013-03-27 2013-09-26 2014-03-28 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2017-03-27 2017-09-26 2018-03-28 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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