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Apple's Rumored Reversible USB Connector Supported by Patent Filing, but Likely to Face Challenge

cdmoore74 said:
If you people have problems plugging in cables how does one wash up, cook dinner, wipe rear end or eat with a fork and spoon? :D
I hate to be a passenger in your car.:eek: Surprised that some of you can put the car in the proper gear or turn the wheel. Even checking the oil level must be rocket science for some of you.
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Yes, because these things have so much to do with guessing what orientation a connector has. Maybe I should read a book about engines, so someday I can finally plug in a cable.
 
mw360 said:
What? The non-novel parts of Apple's claim will be discarded. Anything that remains will go forward and possibly be granted as a patent improving reversible USB plugs. The UltraTek patent will still stand, and Apple may have to pay royalties if that patent is broad enough, and UltraTek would have to pay Apple royalties if they wanted to use Apple's modifications.
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I see what you're saying. My question is, why would Apple try to patent something that has already been patented? Is it just because "everyone else does it, why not Apple?" I just don't see why they would spend the time and money to try to patent something that clearly has been awarded to someone else.

Apple has the ability, power, and money to pay patent professionals to patent the novel ideas from the start.
 
Flipper spared no expense in their marketing! I thought that YouTube clip was just some random kid, but it's actually embedded on Flipper's home page!

Here's an interview with Joe, the inventor who will have to defend his patent against Apple's IP lawyers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KY5wUjq3uXM
 
Given that the single-sidedness of the USB connector has been pet peeve of millions of people the world over, how has it taken 15 years for a double sided solution to hit the market??????? And isn't it a bit late? Isn't USB 3.1 with a new double sided connector coming in 2015?
 
JAT said:
This really shouldn't be affected by the dynamic nature of Lightning. USB was always one-sided, so it just takes a straight pin-to-pin wiring plan, as your 2nd pic shows.

It really does seem like Apple might be years too late in this case. But then, I haven't read either patent.
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Well, there are at least a few ways to do it. One is to have 8 separate pins and wire them together within the cable. Another is to have the pins weave around each other to create the necessary rotational symmetry around the center post (as in the second image). A third would be to just have 4 pins wrap around to both sides of the post, laterally symmetric (first image). But then the device on the other end would need to adjust for the reversed voltages and data pins, which is what Lightning enables.
 
Dilster3k said:
1st World Problems: Can't put the effort to see if you're plugging in the USB correctly... :rolleyes:
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It's so self-serving and idiotic when people write this here -- yes, it's a tired, trite cliche & not original. This entire board is of First World concerns. If you are not interested in them try the Doctors w/o Borders or something, but why waste your time here? But First World issues are not deminimus.
 
theheadguy said:
I see what you're saying. My question is, why would Apple try to patent something that has already been patented? Is it just because "everyone else does it, why not Apple?" I just don't see why they would spend the time and money to try to patent something that clearly has been awarded to someone else.

Apple has the ability, power, and money to pay patent professionals to patent the novel ideas from the start.
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I think you're still misunderstanding. Apple's goal is not to patent the exact same thing. Apple's design is significantly different to the one already patented. This is apparent even if you only skim the text and look at the diagrams. Apple's goal is to patent all the details where their design improves on the existing design. (The unfortunate thing here, is that you can't see the improvements in a photograph, so forum posters assume they aren't there.)

This is how the patent system really works. You don't just patent unique standalone products, you patent extensions to existing ideas. It's possible to apply for a patent on a wheel, provided that eventually your application describes some innovation that is being brought to the existing invention. That doesn't mean you get awarded the patent for wheels (as many forum dopes will no doubt protest) it just means you get the patent for 'a better wheel' in a very specific sense.
 
xero9 said:
Am I the only one who can plug a USB cable in on the first try? In my experience, the side of the cable with the USB symbol (which you can physically feel with your finger) always goes in the upward direction of the computer.

This isn't rocket science people!
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Except that doesn't work in Apple products. iMac and Mac Mini have the USB connectors vertical instead of horizontal, and on the iMac, they changed which directiion "Up" is from Left to Right at some point.
You usually can't turn the whole computer around to see the USB connector, so it has always been more difficult than usual to plug USB cables into Mac computers.
And, Apple printed the USB logo on the "bottom" of the cable in some instances as well, against USB specs, so they could put the Apple logo on top.

Apple is just getting round to fixing a problem they created and ballooned.
 
umm.. a challenge


(Now, where have i heard that before). Makes things a bit clear-er


Just think. Now we have a cable that's acts the same way a MegaSafe connector does :)
 
The contacts on a standard USB socket are on a surface on the midline of the socket. Therefore a reversible USB has to flex or shift. Therefore there are various ways to do this which could be patented without claiming to have invented reversibility itself. There is also a unique electronic situation for the lighting cable because the lighting end itself is electronically active and can reverse the connections.
 
coldsweat said:
Someone's gonna say 'Apple should just buy the company' in 3... 2... 1...
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If it makes sense and is a superior alternative to existing cables, then why not? A small company is pocket change for Apple. And buying it outright is probably less expensive than a 2-year patent court battle, not to mention the cost to Apple's brand image when the Apple-hating media bashes Apple saying things like "Here we go again, Apple is the big bully again! Apple is a hypocrite claiming it innovates, but in this case it's trying to squash (in court) a small company that already owned the patent years ago!"

Really, sometimes just buying the IP outright (along with the company that owns it) is the cleanest solution.
 
newdeal said:
I find it especially difficult on the xbox 360 where I am plugging it into a USB slot that is recessed and partially covered by a little flap. You can't see in there and all I can do is poke my USB stick around until it finally goes into something
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Does your XBOX360 ever scream "No! Not in my Aux Port!!!"?
 
USB plug-ins are so difficult that a reversible cable isn't going to solve it.

Many people have pointed out how difficult it is to get it right, even when the orientation is correct.

It's the sharp corners.

Curved corners like the Lightning connector is the only way to avoid this.

Even if the USB plug becomes reversible, it will still be frustrating.

Lightning connectors on everything, please.
 
Apple cable fail

Maybe rather than constantly coming out with new proprietary adapters that force customers to buy new cables or costly adapters, apple should focus their legendary design genius on making cords that don't fall apart after 6 months of moderate use.

I've never in my life used cords that fall apart faster than iphone (at $20 each) and macbook pro cables (at $75+ each). The only way these cables could be as bad as they are is if Apple is purposely making them weak to juice their high margin accessories profit.
 
What's the point?

Can someone explain to me the actual reason for this new plug? I mean, what's the point? What's wrong with the current USB plugs?

The new plug looks less durable.... there aren't any speed benefits... so why bother? :eek:

I'm not one of those monkeys who desperately tried to plug the current version forcefully into an USB port or worse, an HDMI port – yes, some monkeys do that. :rolleyes:
 
thekeyring said:
Most people get it right on the third attempt.
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Indeed, three times is about the average.

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MaulRx said:
Haha, right? Classic apple thinking. Spoon feed the customer base mindless "upgrades" in between each "next big thing"

I was wirelessly charging my palm pre over 5 years ago. Want to improve the usb cord? Get rid of it.
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way too slow to transfer all my gigabytes of content over. especially five years ago...
 
Dilster3k said:
1st World Problems: Can't put the effort to see if you're plugging in the USB correctly... :rolleyes:
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Well, rather than thinking from 1 perspective, image other perspectives.

Here's 1 (I'm sure there are plenty more) to start:

Imagine you are an IT professional and you need to plug a USB cable into a rack mounted system inside a closet where you may not have clear visible access to. You may have to reach your hand into the back (if all the front usb are taken or non-existence), feel around for an available USB port, then attempt to blindly plug it in.

Having something reversible makes it much more easier to for professional administrators or architects to work in tight spaces.
 
I would of actually thought reverse-able cables would have been a good idea.

I'm always attempting to plug in my external USB the wrong way up.. One day, i know i'll get a short.

But till that day comes. Even with the icon on the cable donating this fact which is right, and which is wrong, i never look, i just want to plug it in.


So, ya reverse-ables, sound like a god-send...

Most people may look first, but most probably don't, particularly if ports are in hard to reach places, rather than to put the blame on the user as a "well, if only the arrangement is different"

Except its not.

I also have the same thing all the time with flash drives

* seem the "Super-position" will actually mean its harder, than easier, since you only have a thin strip vs enough space if u get it off-center.
 
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I feel changing the plug on the cord is looking at it backwards... The port on the computer should be the universal part. This way it doesn't matter what legacy device is used?
Or am I wrong?
 
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