(12) United States Patent
`Kuo
`
`US006902427B2
`(10) Patent No.:
`US 6,902,427 B2
`(45) Date of Patent:
`Jun. 7, 2005
`
`(54) INTEGRATED S-VIDEO AND COMPOSITE
`VIDEO PORT
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`(75) Inventor; Yi-Lung Kuo, Keelung (TW)
`(73) Assignee: Shuttle Inc. (TW)
`(*) Notice:
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 10/783,997
`(22) Filed:
`Feb. 20, 2004
`(65)
`Prior Publication Data
`US 2004/0229514 A1 Nov. 18, 2004
`Related U.S. Application Data
`(60) Provisional application No. 60/456,639, filed on Mar. 20,
`2003.
`(51) Int. Cl." ................................................ H01R 11/00
`(52) U.S. Cl. ........................ 439/502; 439/638; 439/623
`(58) Field of Search ................................. 439/502, 505,
`439/623, 638
`
`. 38.5/56
`- - -
`4,902,092 A * 2/1990 Grandy ......
`... 439/502
`6,280,243 B1 * 8/2001 Liu et al. ...
`... 439/79
`6,514,092 B1 * 2/2003 Chiu ......
`6,672,896 B1 * 1/2004 Li .............................. 439/502
`* cited by examiner
`Primary Examiner—Truc Nguyen
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Fenwick & West LLP
`(57)
`ABSTRACT
`A terminal assembly for a personal computer integrates an
`S-video and a composite video terminal into a single socket
`on an electronic device. The socket includes inlets for
`separately carrying S-video and composite video signals.
`The socket can be connected to provide an S-video signal to
`another device using a standard S-video cable. Alternatively,
`the socket can be connected to provide a composite video
`signal using an adaptor that has two terminals: one for
`mating with the socket and coupling with the composite
`video inlets thereon, and the other for providing a standard
`composite video connection.
`7 Claims, 1 Drawing Sheet
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`P
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`3.
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`13
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`Ground
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`12.
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`i 3
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`13
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`Ground
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`Composite
`Video Output
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`HTC EXHIBIT 1008
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`Page 1 of 4
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 7, 2005
`
`US 6,902,427 B2
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`/
`P
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`3
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`13
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`Ground
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`Composite
`Video Output
`Fig. 1
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`12
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`13
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`13
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`Ground
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`Page 2 of 4
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`US 6,902,427 B2
`
`1
`INTEGRATED S-VIDEO AND COMPOSITE
`VIDEO PORT
`
`CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
`Application No. 60/456,639, filed Mar. 20, 2003, which is
`hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference.
`
`BACKGROUND
`
`2
`composite video terminal. Meanwhile, the computer can be
`connected to electronic devices that have a four-pin S-video
`terminal using a standard S-video cable.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1 shows a video terminal socket in accordance with
`an embodiment of the invention.
`FIG. 2 shows an adaptor in accordance with an embodi
`ment of the invention.
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`1. Field of the Invention
`The invention relates to connecting video signals between
`electronic devices, and in particular to connecting a personal
`computer to display devices using S-video and/or composite
`video terminals.
`2. Background of the Invention
`Personal computers commonly offer video and audio
`output terminals or ports to facilitate multimedia processing.
`Some of these terminals are integrated on interface cards,
`while others are integrated on the motherboard of the
`computer. As integrated circuit technology develops, inte
`grated circuits offer more powerful performance in smaller
`chips. Accordingly, more integrated circuits, such as
`networking, modem, graphic processing, and Sound chips,
`can be integrated onto the motherboard. It is, however, a
`challenge to integrate these devices on the motherboards
`without increasing the size of the motherboard. For this
`reason, some personal computer manufacturers add com
`30
`posite video terminals on their motherboards. But such
`terminals allow connections only to electronic devices that
`also have composite video terminals, while other computers
`may allow connections only for standard four-pin S-video
`terminals. Therefore, adaptors are required to connect these
`terminals to electronic devices with only composite video
`terminals. However, adapters for converting video signals
`between composite video and S-video are large in size and
`complicated to use.
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`35
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`Accordingly, a terminal assembly for an electronic device
`integrates an S-video and a composite video terminal into a
`single socket on a personal computer. The socket, combined
`with an adapter, allows the computer to be connected to
`electronic devices that have either an S-video or a composite
`video terminal. Integrating the S-video and composite video
`terminals saves space on the motherboard of the computer
`while allowing flexibility in connecting the computer to
`input or output video signals to or from external video
`devices.
`In one embodiment, a terminal assembly includes a socket
`in an electronic device that combines an S-video terminal
`and a composite video terminal in a single structure. The
`socket includes at least six inlets, four of which implement
`a standard four-pin S-video terminal with respect to pin
`definition and position, and two or more of which carry the
`signals for a standard composite video signal. To allow for
`connection to a composite video device, the assembly
`includes an adaptor that has a terminal for mating with the
`S-video-shaped socket. Although this terminal can mate
`with the S-video socket, it has electrical conductors therein
`for carrying the composite video signal from the socket to a
`composite video terminal of the adapter (e.g., at the opposite
`end of a cable). Accordingly, when the adaptor is plugged
`into the socket, the computer can be connected via the
`composite video terminal to electronic devices that have a
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`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
`
`One embodiment of a video terminal socket 1 in accor
`dance with the invention is shown in FIG. 1. The socket 1
`is formed on a personal computer 3 (or other electrical
`device) to allow the computer 3 to be connected to receive
`or provide a video signal to an external device (not shown).
`In a typical implementation, the socket 1 is located on an
`outside panel of the computer 3 and electrically coupled to
`exchange video signals with the motherboard of the com
`puter 3. The personal computer 3 may provide a video
`signal, for example, to a display device, such as a television.
`Alternatively, the socket 1 may allow the computer 3 to
`receive a video signal, for example, from a DVD player for
`display on the computer’s display.
`The terminal socket 1 includes a base 11 that offers the
`socket 1 a fixture and shields external electromagnetic
`interference. The socket 1 also includes two sets of inlets 12
`and 13. A first set of four inlets 12 are compatible with a
`standard four-pin S-video terminal in terms of position and
`electrical connectivity. These inlets 12 allow the computer to
`be connected to another electronic device using a standard
`S-video cable. A second set of inlets 13 include ground and
`composite video output conductors. This set of inlets 13
`allow for connection of the personal computer 3 via the
`socket 1 to electronic devices that have only standard
`composite video terminals. As shown in FIG. 1, the second
`set of inlets 13 include at least a ground and a composite
`video output conductors; however, additional conductors for
`ground may be used. In this way, a single socket 1 can
`provide an S-video signal and/or a composite video signal.
`FIG. 2 shows an adaptor 2 for coupling the computer via
`the socket 1 to an external device that has only a composite
`video terminal, in accordance with an embodiment of the
`invention. The adaptor 2 includes a terminal 21 that is
`shaped to mate with the socket 1, e.g., like a standard
`S-video terminal. However, the terminal 21 has conductors
`for coupling to the composite inlets 13 of the socket 1 so the
`adapter 2 can carry the composite video signal. The adapter
`2 also includes a composite video terminal 23 and a cable 22
`that couples the two terminals 21 and 23. In this way, when
`the terminal 21 is attached to the socket 1, the cable 22
`electrically connects the ground and composite video con
`ductors of the second set of inlets 13 to the appropriate
`ground and video conductors of the composite video termi
`nal 23.
`In operation, to connect the personal computer 3 with the
`socket 1 to a video device having only an S-video terminal,
`a user would connect the S-video terminal of the device to
`the socket 1 using a standard S-video cable. This has the
`effect of coupling an S-video signal processed by the per
`sonal computer 3 to the device.
`Alternatively, to connect the personal computer 3 with the
`socket 1 to an electronic device having only a composite
`video terminal, a user would connect the terminal 23 of the
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`3
`adaptor 2 to the socket 1. Then, the user would connect the
`composite video terminal 21 of the adapter 2 to the device
`so that video signals processed by the personal computer 3
`would be provided to the device.
`Combining the S-video and composite video terminals in
`a single socket 1 of a computer achieves several advantages.
`For example, integrating the terminals in this way saves
`space because it only requires a single port on the mother
`board of the computer 3 or other electrical device. In
`addition, using the adaptor 2 allows the personal computer
`3 to be connected to other electronic devices that have only
`an S-video terminal and/or to other electronic devices that
`have only composite video terminals. Moreover, the adaptor
`2 is easy to use and is not bulky, complicated, or expensive
`because it need not actually convert an S-video signal to a
`composite video signal.
`The foregoing description of the 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 forms disclosed. Persons skilled
`in the relevant art can appreciate that many modifications
`and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. It
`is therefore intended that the scope of the invention be
`limited not by this detailed description, but rather by the
`claims appended hereto.
`I claim:
`1. An integrated S-Video and composite video terminal
`assembly for an electronic device, comprising:
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`US 6,902,427 B2
`
`4
`a socket having first and second sets of inlets, the first set
`of inlets compatible with a standard S-video terminal
`and the second set of inlets for carrying a composite
`video signal, and
`an adaptor having first and second terminals, the first
`terminal configured to mate with the socket and couple
`to the second set of inlets, the second terminal coupled
`to the first terminal and compatible with a standard
`composite video terminal.
`2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the second set of
`inlets include a ground conductor and a composite video
`output conductor.
`3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second
`terminals of the adaptor are connected by a cable.
`4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first set of inlets
`of the socket are coupled to a video processor for receiving
`an S-video signal.
`5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the second set of
`inlets of the socket are coupled to a video processor for
`receiving a composite video signal.
`6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first terminal of
`the adaptor is a male connector.
`7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the second terminal
`of the adaptor is a male connector.
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