Difference between revisions of "UltraPort"

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{| width="100%"
|style="vertical-align:top;padding-right:20px;width:10px;" | [[Image:ultraport.jpg|IBM Embedded Security Subsystem]] __NOTOC__
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|style="vertical-align:top;padding-right:20px;width:10px;" | [[Image:ultraport.jpg|256px]] __NOTOC__
 
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<div style="margin: 0; margin-right:10px; border: 1px solid #dfdfdf; padding: 0em 1em 1em 1em; background-color:#F8F8FF; align:right;">
===IBM UltraPort===
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===UltraPort===
The UltraPort is a tiny connector sitting at the top edge of the display. It was introduced by IBM with the T20 series and other models of that time, but only continued onto some models from the time of the A31p. With the T30 type models it has vanished completely again.
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First introduced in the {{T20}}, the UltraPort is a proprietary USB 1.1 port found installed in-between the display latches on the models featuring it. It was a very short-lived gimmick as it disappeared after the introduction of the {{T30}}, which was expected as the UltraPort's accessories were not as popular or useful as the UltraBay's accessories.
 
 
On the controller side the UltraPort is nothing but a USB 1.1 port, so all UltraPort devices are usable on other computers as USB devices as well.
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
 
|}
 
|}
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==Overview==
 +
Due to being a proprietary port, the UltraPort is not as versatile as a regular USB port. Fortunately, as the UltraPort is nothing more than a USB port with a custom connector, it can be modified to accept USB devices by soldering a USB connector to it. It is advised to be extremely careful while doing so however, as the UltraPort connector is directly integrated into the video cable.
  
==Devices==
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===Accessories===
There were 5 devices produced by IBM for this port:
 
 
*[[UltraPort Bluetooth Adapter]]
 
*[[UltraPort Bluetooth Adapter]]
 
*[[UltraPort Camera & UltraPort Camera II]]
 
*[[UltraPort Camera & UltraPort Camera II]]
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*[[UltraPort Infrared Adapter]]
 
*[[UltraPort Infrared Adapter]]
  
==Pin assignment==
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===Pin-out===
The following pin layout has been discovered through measuring the UltraPort of a ThinkPad {{X21}}. It is not very well tested, but worked well for the author of this information.
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By measuring the UltraPort's pins of an {{X21}}, this was the result. It is not very rigorously tested and may be incorrect; proceed with caution if you are performing modifications to the connector.
 
{| border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
 
{| border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
 
|
 
|
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|- style="font-size:smaller;padding:0px;"
 
|- style="font-size:smaller;padding:0px;"
 
| style="width:30px;" | GND
 
| style="width:30px;" | GND
| style="width:30px;" | 0
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| style="width:30px;" | ?
 
| style="width:30px;" | VCC
 
| style="width:30px;" | VCC
 
| style="width:30px;" | VCC
 
| style="width:30px;" | VCC
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| style="width:30px;" | D-
 
| style="width:30px;" | D-
 
| style="width:30px;" | GND
 
| style="width:30px;" | GND
| style="width:30px;" | .
+
| style="width:30px;" | =
 +
| style="width:30px;" | ?
 
| style="width:30px;" | ?  
 
| style="width:30px;" | ?  
 
| style="width:30px;" | ?  
 
| style="width:30px;" | ?  
 
| style="width:30px;" | ?  
 
| style="width:30px;" | ?  
| style="width:30px;" | 0
 
 
| style="width:30px;" | GND  
 
| style="width:30px;" | GND  
 
|}
 
|}
 
|}<br />
 
|}<br />
 
 
{| border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2"
 
{| border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2"
 
! Pin      !! Name !! Description   
 
! Pin      !! Name !! Description   
 
|-
 
|-
 
||1,5,8,13 ||GND  || Ground         
 
||1,5,8,13 ||GND  || Ground         
|-
 
||2,12    ||0    || probably not connected
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
||3,4      ||VCC  || +5 V DC         
 
||3,4      ||VCC  || +5 V DC         
 
|-
 
|-
||6        ||D+    || Data +         
+
||6        ||D+    || Data+         
 
|-
 
|-
||7        ||D-    || Data -       
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||7        ||D-    || Data-       
 
|-
 
|-
||9,10,11 ||?    || unidentified 
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||2,9,10,11,12||?    || Unknown
 
|-
 
|-
||        ||.     || it is fastener not a pin
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||        ||=     || Not a pin, fastener
 
|}
 
|}
  
==Modifying the UltraPort==
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===Linux support===
As signal levels and protocol are the same as USB, it's possible to solder a USB connector to the UltraPort or directly connect a USB device to it (e.g. a Bluetooth stick, whose PCB fits perfectly behind the Thinkpad's LCD).
+
The UltraPort is automatically detected and utilized by the kernel's USB subsystem. See the accessories' own pages for more information regarding the status of their Linux support.
 
 
==Linux Support==
 
The UltraPort is recognised and driven by the kernels USB subsystem.
 
 
 
See the individual devices pages above for information on linux support for them.
 
  
==Models featuring the UltraPort==
+
==Models featuring this technology==
* {{A20p}}, {{A21p}}, {{A22p}}, {{A30p}}, {{A31p}}
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*{{A20p}}, {{A21p}}, {{A22p}}, {{A30p}}, {{A31p}}
* {{T20}}, {{T21}}, {{T22}}, {{T23}}
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*{{T20}}, {{T21}}, {{T22}}, {{T23}}
* {{X20}}, {{X21}}, {{X22}}, {{X23}}, {{X24}}
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*{{X20}}, {{X21}}, {{X22}}, {{X23}}, {{X24}}
  
[[Category:Glossary]]
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[[Category:Glossary]] [[Category:ThinkPad Technologies]]

Latest revision as of 16:06, 22 January 2021

Ultraport.jpg

UltraPort

First introduced in the T20, the UltraPort is a proprietary USB 1.1 port found installed in-between the display latches on the models featuring it. It was a very short-lived gimmick as it disappeared after the introduction of the T30, which was expected as the UltraPort's accessories were not as popular or useful as the UltraBay's accessories.

Overview

Due to being a proprietary port, the UltraPort is not as versatile as a regular USB port. Fortunately, as the UltraPort is nothing more than a USB port with a custom connector, it can be modified to accept USB devices by soldering a USB connector to it. It is advised to be extremely careful while doing so however, as the UltraPort connector is directly integrated into the video cable.

Accessories

Pin-out

By measuring the UltraPort's pins of an X21, this was the result. It is not very rigorously tested and may be incorrect; proceed with caution if you are performing modifications to the connector.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
GND ? VCC VCC GND D+ D- GND = ? ? ? ? GND


Pin Name Description
1,5,8,13 GND Ground
3,4 VCC +5 V DC
6 D+ Data+
7 D- Data-
2,9,10,11,12 ? Unknown
= Not a pin, fastener

Linux support

The UltraPort is automatically detected and utilized by the kernel's USB subsystem. See the accessories' own pages for more information regarding the status of their Linux support.

Models featuring this technology