Bus connection system

• US 20060059289A1
• Filed: 05/22/2003
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ST-Ericcson SA (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Ng, Chee Yu, Sharma, Kawshol, Chang, Yeow Khai, Tjia, Jerome
• Granted Patent: US 7,640,385 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/305
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices

Abstract

A bus station in the form of a hardware dongle, operates in conjunction with a USB Device running suitable software. When the bus station determines that a bus host is connected to a first bus communication port thereof, it acts as a transceiver to allow conventional bus communications between said bus host and a bus device connected to a second bus communication port thereof. When the bus station determines that a bus device running suitable software is connected to the first bus communication port thereof, it acts as an alternate host to allow bus communications between said bus device connected to the first bus communication port and a bus device connected to a second bus communication port.

Claims

1. A bus station for use in a bus communication system, comprising a first communication port and a second communication port, being arranged to operate in a first mode upon detection of the presence of a host station coupled to said second port and to operate in a second mode upon detection of the absence of a host station coupled to said second port, said bus station being arranged in said first mode of operation to pass communication between said host station coupled to said second port and a device station coupled to said first port, said bus station further being arranged to operate as an alternate host station in said second mode of operation, by communicating with said device station coupled to said first port according to a communication protocol whereby said bus station initiates communications.

2. A bus station according to claim 1 wherein said bus station is arranged to operate as a USB transceiver in said first mode of operation and to operate as a USB host in said second mode of operation.

3. A bus station according to claim 1 wherein said bus station further comprises transceiver circuitry coupled to said first and second port for passing communication between said host station coupled to said second port and said device station in said first mode of operation.

4. A bus station for use in a bus system, comprising a device controller coupled to a communication port, being arranged to operate as a device station, said bus station further being arranged to operate under control of system software, comprising an operating system and host station deriver software being arranged to communicate with a host controller and to pass information to and from the operating system, wherein said system software further comprises host emulation software being arranged to emulate the presence o:

a host controller towards the host station driver software and the presence of device station driver software towards the device controller, further being arranged to translate communications from the host station driver software to the device controller and vice versa

5. A bus communication system comprising a first bus station comprising a device communication port on a second bus station, said second bus station further comprising a second communication port, said second bus station being arranged to operate in a first mode upon detection of the presence of a host station coupled to said second port and to operate in a second mode upon detection of the absence of a host station coupled to said second port.

6. A bus communication system according to claim 5, wherein said first station comprises a device controller coupled to said device communication port and being arranged to operate under control of system software, comprising an operating system and host station driver software being arranged to communicate with a host controller and to pass information to and from the operating system, wherein said system software further comprises host emulation software being arranged to emulate the presence of a host controller towards the host station driver software and the presence of device station driver software towards the device controller, further being arrange to translate communications from the host station driver software to the device controller and vice versa.