SPE Connector Layout With Grounded Outer Contacts for Noise Isolation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Single pair Ethernet (SPE) connectors are prone to electrical interference from nearby cables or sources, leading to transmission errors due to lack of effective noise isolation, unless shielded, which can be cumbersome and inefficient.

Innovation Solution

The SPE connector system grounds the two outermost contacts, acting as a shield to absorb or suppress noise, and optimizes contact spacing for impedance matching, reducing alien crosstalk and improving signal integrity without overall shielding.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If shield is positioned between connectors or full shield is added to connector perimeter, then electrical interference is reduced, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical interferenceVSAvoidconnector structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The connector is segmented into functional contact zones where outer contacts are dedicated to grounding and inner contacts are dedicated to signaling. This segmentation allows the grounding contacts to act as localized shields without requiring a complete shield around the connector, reducing overall complexity while maintaining interference protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The outer ground contacts serve as intermediary elements between the signal contacts and the external environment. These ground contacts intercept electromagnetic interference before it reaches the signal contacts, acting as a localized shield without requiring a full connector shield.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If outermost contacts are used as signal pair in conventional 4P4C connectors, then contact utilization is maximized, but susceptibility to alien crosstalk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact utilizationVSAvoidalien crosstalk

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The conventional arrangement is inverted: instead of placing signal contacts on the outer positions and ground contacts on the inner positions (or using all contacts for signaling), the invention places ground contacts on the outer positions and signal contacts on the inner positions. This inversion allows the outer ground contacts to shield the inner signal contacts from alien crosstalk while still utilizing all four contacts effectively.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

Different contacts are assigned different functional qualities: outer contacts are dedicated to grounding (shielding function) while inner contacts are dedicated to signaling (data transmission function). This local differentiation of contact quality optimizes both interference protection and signal transmission without requiring additional contacts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Area of stationary object

If contact spacing is reduced to improve connector compactness, then connector size is reduced, but impedance matching deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnector sizeVSAvoidimpedance matching

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The contact spacing parameters are specifically optimized to maintain proper impedance matching (typically 50 ohms) while keeping the connector compact. The distance between ground contacts and signal contacts is carefully controlled to achieve the desired characteristic impedance, and the overall contact pitch is minimized within the constraints of maintaining proper impedance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This configuration effectively reduces electrical interference, enhancing signal integrity and power transfer by grounding the outermost contacts and optimizing contact spacing, thereby improving the performance of SPE connectors compared to conventional designs.

Implementation Method 1

Connecting the two outermost contacts to system ground in this manner causes these contacts to absorb or suppress at least a portion of energy that radiates from the signal contacts within the connector itself

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic radiation absorption: Absorption (EM radiation)

Implementation Method 2

a shield may be strategically positioned between the connectors or between a connector and any noise source to mitigate the effects of the external noise

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic shielding: Faraday Cage

Data Source

PatentUS20240079826A1Single pair ethernet connector system with integrated external noise isolation

Publication Date: 2024.03.07 LEVITON MFG CO INC

AI summary

A cable connector is designed to suppress at least a portion of energy that radiates from the signal contacts within the connector itself, and also reduces the effects of electrical interference from either other pairs in nearby connectors or other electrical sources. This is accomplished by grounding the connector's two outermost electrical contacts, thereby providing a path to ground between the signal contacts within the connector itself and any outside elements, including other signal pairs within other nearby connectors. To further improve signal integrity, the spacing between the connector's contacts can be selected such that the impedance of the connector substantially matches that of the cable terminated by the connector, thereby reducing return loss.