Wireless device attachment and detachment system, apparatus and method

• US 20030086388A1
• Filed: 08/09/2002
• Published: 05/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Atomics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: General Atomics, Inc.
• Inventors: Gehring, Stephan Walter, Ananthakrishnan, Satish, Peters, Daniel Paul, Ellis, Jason Lee
• Granted Patent: US 6,898,652 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/387 for adaptation of different data processing systems to different peripheral devices, e.g. protocol converters for incompatible systems, open system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/3814 Wireless link with a computer system port

Abstract

A polling method, apparatus, and system capable to detect the attachment and detachment of Universal Serial Bus (USB) devices in a wireless USB system. A USB hub provides a wired connection to the host, while providing wireless attachment points for its devices. The USB host periodically queries the hub looking for changes in the hub'"'"'s status register. During each period, the hub sends a polling message through each of its wireless ports, and awaits a response. A peripheral device that wishes to attach to the system responds to the message by sending its unique peripheral address. If a device currently occupies the port, the hub sends out the device'"'"'s unique assigned address as part of the polling message. If the device is still present, it responds by sending its unique peripheral address. If the host does not receive a response after multiple retries, the device is considered detached. The hub thus determines the status of the ports and updates the appropriate bits in the status register, which is then queried by the host.

Claims

1. A host apparatus comprising:

a downstream port configured to receive a response from a wireless peripheral device; and

a control layer configured to poll the downstream port, to determine the state of the downstream port;

a computer readable memory configured to store updated port information with the state of the downstream port from the control layer.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a status register configured to store a state of the downstream port.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the control layer is further configured to poll the downstream port by sending a polling message, the polling message comprising a message header identifier.

4. The Apparatus of claim 3, wherein the control layer is further configured to re-poll the downstream port when a response is not received from the wireless peripheral device on the downstream port.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the control layer is further configured to poll the downstream port until a retry count is exhausted or a response is received.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the control layer is further configured to signal detachment of the wireless peripheral on the downstream port when the retry count is exhausted.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the control layer is further configured to mark the status register to indicate if any new wireless peripheral devices have attached.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, the control layer further comprising:

a protocol management interface configured to interface using Universal Serial Bus protocol.

9. A method of attaching wireless peripheral devices to a wireless host device, the method comprising:

sending a polling message to the downstream port;

receiving a response from the wireless peripheral device on the downstream port;

determining the state of the downstream port based on the response;

updating port information with the state of the downstream port; and

updating a status register regarding the state of the downstream port.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the polling message comprises a message header identifier.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

re-polling the downstream port when a response is not received from the wireless peripheral device on the downstream port.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the re-polling is done until a retry count is exhausted.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

signaling detachment of the wireless peripheral on the downstream port when the retry count is exhausted.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

marking the status register to indicate if any new wireless peripheral devices have attached.

15. A computer-readable medium encoded with data and instructions, the data and instructions causing an apparatus executing the instructions to:

poll a downstream port;

receive a response from the wireless peripheral device on the downstream port;

determine the state of the downstream port based on the response;

update port information with the state of the downstream port; and

update a status register regarding the state of the downstream port.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the polling of the downstream port is accomplished by sending a polling message, the polling message comprising a message header identifier.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, the instructions further causing an apparatus executing the instructions to:

re-poll the downstream port when a response is not received from the wireless peripheral devise on the downstream port.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 wherein the re-polling is done until a retry count is exhausted.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, the instructions further causing an apparatus executing the instructions to:

signal detachment of the wireless peripheral on the downstream port when the retry count is exhausted.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, the instructions further causing an apparatus executing the instructions to:

mark the status register to indicate if any new wireless peripheral devices have attached.

21. An apparatus comprising:

means for polling a downstream port;

means for receiving a response from the wireless peripheral device on the downstream port;

means for determining the state of the downstream port based on the response;

means for updating port information with the state of the downstream port; and

means for updating a status register regarding the state of the downstream port.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the means for polling of the downstream port is configured to send a polling message, the polling message comprising a message header identifier.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising:

means for re-polling the downstream port when a response is not received from the wireless peripheral device on the downstream port.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the downstream port is re-polled until a retry count is exhausted.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 further comprising:

means for signaling detachment of the wireless peripheral on the downstream port when the retry count is exhausted.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 further comprising:

means for marking a status register to indicate if any new wireless peripheral devices have attached.