Host-Peripheral Adaptor Resilient Interface Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Public kiosks and hosts interfacing with peripheral devices face issues of port damage and incompatibility due to the variety of storage media formats, leading to downtime and revenue loss, as existing ports are sensitive and require separate sockets for each type, consuming space and increasing susceptibility to damage.
Innovation Solution
A peripheral device adaptor system with a host adaptor and portable peripheral adaptor, featuring a resilient interface that is less susceptible to damage, compatible with different standards, and includes circuitry for recognizing peripheral devices and selecting appropriate data lines for transfer, using mechanisms like electrical bridges, RFID, or touch screens.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate sockets are provided for each storage media format, then compatibility with different peripheral devices is improved, but device complexity and space consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal adaptor interface that can accommodate multiple storage media formats (SD cards, USB devices, memory sticks, etc.) through a single standardized connector. The adaptor includes a host adaptor with a standardized interface and portable peripheral adaptors that convert this universal interface to support various storage media types, eliminating the need for separate sockets for each format.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces portable peripheral adaptors as intermediary devices between the host adaptor and various storage media formats. These adaptors serve as translators that convert the universal host adaptor interface into compatible interfaces for different storage media types, enabling compatibility without requiring the host to have multiple specialized sockets.
2Reliability
If deep and delicate sockets are used for storage media, then connection reliability is improved, but susceptibility to damage and tampering increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the connection interface into two parts: a fixed host adaptor that remains in the kiosk and a portable peripheral adaptor that the user holds. This segmentation means the delicate connection points are not permanently exposed in the kiosk, reducing their vulnerability to tampering while maintaining connection reliability during use.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of having the kiosk provide direct sockets for storage media, the patent inverts the approach by having the user's portable adaptor connect to the kiosk's host adaptor. This reverses the traditional role where the kiosk's sockets would be the primary interface, thereby protecting them from damage while still enabling storage media connections.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate ports are provided for different storage media, then adaptability is improved, but loss of time for maintenance and downtime increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a universal host adaptor interface that can work with multiple storage media formats through portable peripheral adaptors. This universality means the kiosk maintains a single standardized interface that never needs maintenance, while still supporting various storage media types, thereby eliminating downtime associated with maintaining multiple specialized ports.
Data Source
AI summary
A host-peripheral adaptor includes a host adaptor and a portable peripheral adaptor. The host adaptor includes a substantially flat peripheral-adaptor-side interface. The peripheral-adaptor-side interface is designed in a way that it is not easy to tamper with. The portable peripheral adaptor includes a host-adaptor-side interface that is designed to operatively connect to the peripheral-adaptor-side interface of the host adaptor. The portable peripheral adaptor also includes one or more peripheral-side interfaces for accommodating one or more peripheral devices such as a storage media. The portable peripheral adaptor and the host adaptor include a set of data lines and the host adaptor also includes circuitry for recognizing the specific type of a peripheral device and, based on its specific type, for setting a suitable communication path to transfer data between a host and the peripheral device.