Extended UBS protocol connector and socket

Claim 2

An extended Universal-Serial-Bus (USB) plug, comprising: an extended pin substrate having an extended substrate length longer than a length of a pin substrate of an industry-standard Series A USB connector, said length of said pin substrate of said industry-standard Series A USB connector being about 12 mm; a plurality of USB connector contacts arranged in a first row in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said extended USB plug, said plurality of USB connector contacts being disposed on said pin substrate of said industry-standard Series A USB connector and configured to carry USB signals; a plurality of non-USB connector contacts arranged in a second row parallel to said first row, said plurality of non-USB connector contacts being configured to carry non-USB signals; and wherein said extended USB plug is configured to be mechanically and electrically compatible with both an industry-standard Series A USB socket and an extended USB socket, said extended USB socket including an extended cavity having an extended cavity length longer than a length of a cavity of said industry-standard Series A USB socket, said length of said cavity of said industry-standard Series A USB socket being about 9 mm, and wherein said plurality of non-USB connector contacts being disposed in a first position relative to said plurality of USB connector contacts, said first position representing a position that is on the opposite substrate side relative to said plurality of USB connector contacts, thereby preventing said plurality of non-USB connector contacts from electrically coupling with said plurality of USB socket contacts configured to carry said USB signals in said industry-standard Series A USB socket when said extended USB plug is fully inserted into said industry-standard Series A USB socket, said first row being positioned on said extended pin substrate so as to enable said plurality of USB connector contacts to electrically couple with respective ones of said plurality of USB socket contacts when said extended USB plug is fully inserted into said industry-standard Series A USB socket.

Claim 3

The extended USB plug of claim 1 wherein said first row is disposed on a first side of said extended pin substrate.

Claim 4

The extended USB plug of claim 2 wherein said plurality of non-USB connector contacts in said second row are recessed below a surface of a second side, said second side being opposite of said first side, said second row is disposed further toward a distal end of said extended pin substrate than said first row, and said plurality of non-USB connector contacts include at least one of 8 contacts and 6 contacts.

Claim 5

The extended USB plug of claim 1 wherein said plurality of non-USB connector contacts are configured to be electrically coupled to a first socket-residing row of non-USB socket contacts in said extended USB socket having two socket-residing rows of contacts when said extended USB plug is fully inserted into said extended USB socket, said first socket-residing row of said non-USB socket contacts being configured to carry said non-USB signals, said non-USB signals represent one of a set of PCI-EX signals, a set of SATA signals, a set of SAS signals, and a set of 1394 signals, a second socket-residing row of said two socket-residing rows of contacts represent said plurality of USB socket contacts configured to carry said USB signals, said plurality of USB connector contacts being configured to be electrically coupled with said plurality of USB socket contacts when said extended USB plug is fully inserted into said extended USB socket.

Claim 6

The extended USB plug of claim 4 wherein said plurality of non-USB connector contacts in said second row are recessed below a surface of a first side, said second row being disposed further toward a distal end of said extended pin substrate than said first row, wherein said plurality of non-USB connector contacts include at least one of 8 contacts and 6 contacts.

Claim 7

An extended Universal-Serial-Bus (USB) plug, comprising: an extended pin substrate made from an insulated material, said extended pin substrate having an extended substrate length longer than a length of a pin substrate of an industry-standard Series A USB connector, said length of said pin substrate of said industry-standard Series A USB connector being about 12 mm; a plurality of USB connector contacts arranged in a first row in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said extended USB plug, said plurality of USB connector contacts being disposed on said pin substrate of said industry-standard Series A USB connector and configured to carry USB signals; a plurality of non-USB connector contacts arranged in a second row parallel to said first row, said plurality of non-USB connector contacts being configured to carry non-USB signals; and wherein said extended USB plug is configured to be mechanically and electrically compatible with both an industry-standard Series A USB socket and an extended USB socket, said extended USB socket including an extended cavity having an extended cavity length longer than a length of a cavity of said industry-standard Series A USB socket, said length of said cavity of said industry-standard Series A USB socket being about 9 mm, and wherein said plurality of non-USB connector contacts being disposed in a first position relative to said plurality of USB connector contacts, said first position representing a position that is on the opposite substrate side relative to said plurality of USB connector contacts, thereby preventing said plurality of non-USB connector contacts from electrically coupling with a plurality of USB socket contacts configured to carry said USB signals in said industry-standard Series A USB socket when said extended USB plug is fully inserted into said industry-standard Series A USB socket, said first row being positioned on said extended pin substrate so as to enable said plurality of USB connector contacts to electrically couple with respective ones of said plurality of USB socket contacts when said extended USB plug is fully inserted into said industry-standard Series A USB socket.

Claim 8

An extended Universal-Serial-Bus (USB) plug, comprising: an extended pin substrate made from an insulated material, said extended pin substrate having an extended substrate length longer than a length of a pin substrate of an industry-standard Series A USB connector, said length of said pin substrate of said industry-standard Series A USB connector being about 12 mm; a plurality of USB connector contacts arranged in a first row in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said extended USB plug, said plurality of USB connector contacts being disposed on said pin substrate of said industry-standard Series A USB connector and configured to carry USB signals; a plurality of non-USB connector contacts arranged in a second row parallel to said first row, said plurality of non-USB connector contacts being configured to carry non-USB signals; and wherein said extended USB plug is configured to be mechanically and electrically compatible with both an industry-standard Series A USB socket and an extended USB socket, said extended USB socket including an extended cavity having an extended cavity length longer than a length of a cavity of said industry-standard Series A USB socket, said length of said cavity of said industry-standard Series A USB socket being about 9 mm, and wherein said plurality of non-USB connector contacts being disposed in a first position relative to said plurality of USB connector contacts, said first position representing a position that is on the opposite substrate side relative to said plurality of USB connector contacts, thereby preventing said plurality of non-USB connector contacts from electrically coupling with a plurality of USB socket contacts configured to carry said USB signals in said industry-standard Series A USB socket when said extended USB plug is fully inserted into said industry-standard Series A USB socket, said first row being positioned on said extended pin substrate so as to enable said plurality of USB connector contacts to electrically couple with respective ones of said plurality of USB socket contacts when said extended USB plug is fully inserted into said industry-standard Series A USB socket.

Claim 9

The extended USB plug of claim 6 wherein said first row is disposed on a first side of said extended pin substrate.

Claim 10

The extended USB plug of claim 7 wherein said plurality of non-USB connector contacts in said second row are recessed below a surface of a second side, said second row are disposed on said second side of said extended pin substrate opposite said first side, wherein said second row is disposed further toward a distal end of said extended pin substrate than said first row, and said plurality of non-USB connector contacts include at least one of 8 contacts and 6 contacts.

Claim 11

The extended USB plug of claim 6 wherein said plurality of non-USB connector contacts are configured to be electrically coupled to a first socket-residing row of non-USB socket contacts in an extended USB socket having two socket-residing rows of contacts when said extended USB plug is fully inserted into said extended USB socket, said first socket-residing row of said non-USB socket contacts being configured to carry said non-USB signals, said non-USB signals represent one of a set of PCI-EX signals, a set of SATA signals, a set of SAS signals, and a Set of 1394 signals, a second socket-residing row of said two socket-residing rows of contacts represent said plurality of USB socket contacts configured to carry said USB signals, said plurality of USB connector contacts being configured to be electrically coupled with said plurality of USB socket contacts when said extended USB plug is fully inserted into said extended USB socket.

Claim 12

The extended USB plug of claim 9 wherein said second row being disposed further toward a distal end of said extended pin substrate than said first row.

Claim 13

The extended USB plug of claim 10 wherein said plurality of non-USB connector contacts includes at least one of 8 contacts and 6 contacts.

Claim 14

An extended Universal-Serial-Bus (USB) socket, comprising: 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 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 of said industry-standard Series A USB socket and configured to carry USB signals; a plurality of non-USB socket contacts arranged in a second row parallel to said first row, said plurality of non-USB socket contacts being configured to carry non-USB signals; and 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 plug, said extended USB plug 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 wherein said plurality of non-USB socket contacts being disposed in a first position relative to said plurality of USB socket contacts, said first position representing a position that is on the opposite substrate side relative to said plurality of USB socket contacts, thereby said plurality of non-USB socket contacts in said second row are positioned such that no portion of said industry-standard Series A USB connector would physically contact said second row when said industry-standard Series A USB connector is fully inserted into said extended USB socket, said first row being positioned in said extended cavity so as to enable a plurality of USB connector contacts of said industry-standard Series A USB connector to electrically couple with respective ones of said plurality of USB socket contacts when said industry-standard Series A USB connector is fully inserted into said extended USB socket.

Claim 15

An extended Universal-Serial-Bus (USB) socket, comprising: 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 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 of said industry-standard Series A USB socket and configured to carry USB signals; a plurality of non-USB socket contacts arranged in a second row parallel to said first row, said plurality of non-USB socket contacts being configured to carry non-USB signals; and 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 plug, said extended USB plug 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 wherein said plurality of non-USB socket contacts being disposed in a first position relative to said plurality of USB socket contacts, said first position representing a position that is on the opposite substrate side relative to said plurality of USB socket contacts, thereby said plurality of non-USB socket contacts in said second row are positioned such that no portion of said industry-standard Series A USB connector would physically contact said second row when said industry-standard Series A USB connector is fully inserted into said extended USB socket, said first row being positioned in said extended cavity so as to enable a plurality of USB connector contacts of said industry-standard Series A USB connector to electrically couple with respective ones of said plurality of USB socket contacts when said industry-standard Series A USB connector is fully inserted into said extended USB socket.

Claim 16

The extended USB socket of claim 12 wherein said first row is disposed on a first interior wall of said extended cavity and said second row being disposed on a second interior wall, said second interior being located opposite of said first interior wall, said plurality of non-USB socket contacts in said second row are configured to electrically couple with recessed contacts in a connector when said connector is fully inserted into said extended USB socket, said recessed contact being recessed below a surface of a pin substrate of said connector, said second row is disposed further away from an opening of said extended cavity than said first row, said plurality of non-USB socket contacts include at least one of 8 contacts and 6 contacts.

Claim 17

The extended USB socket of claim 12 wherein said plurality of non-USB socket contacts are configured to be electrically coupled to a first connector-residing row of non-USB connector contacts on said extended USB plug having two connector-residing rows of contacts when said extended USB plug is fully inserted into said extended USB socket, said first connector-residing row of said non-USB connector contacts being configured to carry said non-USB signals, said non-USB signals represent one of a set of PCI-EX signals, a set of SATA signals, a set of SAS signals, and a set of 1394 signals, a second connector-residing row of said two connector-residing rows of contacts represent USB connector contacts configured to carry said USB signals, said plurality of USB socket contacts being configured to be electrically coupled with said USB connector contacts when said extended USB plug is fully inserted into said extended USB socket.

Claim 18

The extended USB socket of claim 14 wherein said plurality of non-USB socket contacts in said second row are configured to make electrical contact with recessed pins of said first connector-residing row, said second row being disposed further away from an opening of said extended cavity than said first row, said plurality of non-USB socket contacts include at least one of 8 contacts and 6 contacts.

Claim 19

An extended Universal-Serial-Bus (USB) socket, comprising: 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 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 of said industry-standard Series A USB socket and configured to carry USB signals; a plurality of non-USB socket contacts arranged in a second row parallel to said first row, said plurality of non-USB socket contacts being configured to carry non-USB signals; and 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 plug, said extended USB plug including an extended pin substrate made from an insulated material, said 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 wherein said plurality of non-USB socket contacts being disposed in a first position relative to said plurality of USB socket contacts, said first position representing a position that is on the opposite substrate side relative to said plurality of USB socket contacts, thereby said plurality of non-USB socket contacts in said second row are positioned such that no portion of said industry-standard Series A USB connector would physically contact said second row when said industry-standard Series A USB connector is fully inserted into said extended USB socket, said first row being positioned in said extended cavity so as to enable a plurality of USB connector contacts of said industry-standard Series A USB connector to electrically couple with respective ones of said plurality of USB socket contacts when said industry-standard Series A USB connector is fully inserted into said extended USB socket.

Claim 20

An extended Universal-Serial-Bus (USB) socket, comprising: 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 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 of said industry-standard Series A USB socket and configured to carry USB signals; a plurality of non-USB socket contacts arranged in a second row parallel to said first row, said plurality of non-USB socket contacts being configured to carry non-USB signals; and 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 plug, said extended USB plug including an extended pin substrate made from an insulated material, said 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 wherein said plurality of non-USB socket contacts being disposed in a first position relative to said plurality of USB socket contacts, said first position representing a position that is on the opposite substrate side relative to said plurality of USB socket contacts, thereby said plurality of non-USB socket contacts in said second row are positioned such that no portion of said industry-standard Series A USB connector would physically contact said second row when said industry-standard Series A USB connector is fully inserted into said extended USB socket, said first row being positioned in said extended cavity so as to enable a plurality of USB connector contacts of said industry-standard Series A USB connector to electrically couple with respective ones of said plurality of USB socket contacts when said industry-standard Series A USB connector is fully inserted into said extended USB socket.

Claim 21

The extended USB socket of claim 16 wherein said first row is disposed on a first interior wall of said extended cavity, said second row are disposed on a second interior wall of said extended cavity opposite said first interior wall.

Claim 22

The extended USB socket of claim 17 wherein said plurality of non-USB socket contacts in said second row are configured to electrically couple with recessed contacts in a connector when said connector is fully inserted into said extended USB socket, said recessed contact being recessed below a surface of a second side of a pin substrate of said connector, said second row is disposed further away from an opening of said extended cavity than said first row, said plurality of non-USB socket contacts include at least one of 8 contacts and 6 contacts.

Claim 23

The extended USB socket of claim 16 wherein said plurality of non-USB socket contacts are configured to be electrically coupled to a first connector-residing row of non-USB connector contacts on said extended USB plug having two connector-residing rows of contacts when said extended USB plug is fully inserted into said extended USB socket, said first connector-residing row of said non-USB connector contacts being configured to carry said non-USB signals, said non-USB signals represent one of a set of PDI-EX signals, a set of SATA signals, a set of SAS signals, and a set of 1394 signals, a second connector-residing row of said two connector-residing rows of contacts represent USB connector contacts configured to carry said USB signals, said plurality of USB connector contacts being configured to be electrically coupled with said USB socket contacts when said extended USB plug is fully inserted into said extended USB socket.

Claim 24

The extended USB socket of claim 19 wherein said plurality of non-USB socket contacts in said second row are configured to make electrical contact with recessed pins of said first connector-residing row, said second row being disposed further away from an opening of said extended cavity than said first row, said plurality of non-USB socket contacts include at least one of 8 contacts and 6 contacts.