Adapter to convert USB device into WUSB device

• US 20080005395A1
• Filed: 05/05/2006
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
• Original Assignee: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
• Inventors: Ong, Ping-Wen, Aytur, Turgut, Rajendran, Venkatesh
• Application Number:
  US11/429,019
• Publication Number:
  US 20080005395A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/36
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/3814 Wireless link with a computer system port

Abstract

An adapter for coupling a wired device to either a wired host or a wireless host. The wired device may be a USB device, the wired host may be a USB host, and the wireless host may be a WUSB host. The adapter may optionally include a battery.

Claims

1. An adapter for data coupling a Universal Serial Bus (USB) device to a USB host or a wireless USB (WUSB) host, comprising:

an upstream port configured for electrical coupling to a USB host;

a downstream port configured for electrical coupling to a USB device;

a WUSB device; and

a switching unit configured to switchably data couple the upstream port and the downstream port or the WUSB device and the downstream port.

2. The adapter of claim 1 further comprising control circuitry configured to determine if power is received by the upstream port.

3. The adapter of claim 2 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to command the switching unit to data couple the downstream port and the WUSB device if power is received by the upstream port.

4. The adapter of claim 3 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to determine if a USB device is coupled to the downstream port.

5. The adapter of claim 1 further comprising mapping circuitry configured to map endpoints of the USB device to endpoints of the WUSB device.

6. The adapter of claim 5 wherein the mapping circuitry is part of the WUSB device.

7. The adapter of claim 5 wherein the mapping circuitry is part of the control circuitry.

8. The adapter of claim 5 wherein the mapping circuitry is part of a mapping block disposed on a data path between the switching unit and the WUSB device.

9. The adapter of claim 1 further comprising:

a plurality of downstream ports each configured for electrical coupling to a corresponding USB device, with the downstream port being one of the plurality of downstream ports; and

a USB hub interposed between the upstream port and the plurality of downstream ports.

10. The adapter of claim 9 further comprising a plurality of switching units each configured to switchably data couple a corresponding downstream port and the upstream port or the corresponding downstream port and the WUSB device.

11. The adapter of claim 1 further comprising a battery configured to provide power to the adapter.

12. A method using of data coupling a USB device to either a Universal Serial Bus (USB) host or a wireless USB (WUSB) host, comprising:

determining if a unit is coupled to a USB host;

data coupling a USB device and the USB host if the unit is coupled to the USB host; and

data coupling the USB device and a wireless device if the unit is not coupled to the USB host.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising data coupling the wireless device to a WUSB host.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising mapping endpoints of the USB device and the wireless device.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein determining if a unit is coupled to a USB host comprises determining if the unit is receiving power on a port configured for electrically coupling with the USB host.

16. The method of claim 12 further comprising receiving power on a port configured for coupling the unit with a USB host.

17. The method of claim 12 further comprising determining if power is provided to a port of the unit configured for coupling with the USB host.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising drawing power from a battery of the unit if power is not provided to the port of the unit configured for coupling with the USB host.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising drawing power from a circuit board associated with the unit if power is not provided the port of the unit configured for coupling with the USB host.

20. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

data coupling a plurality of USB devices and the USB host if the unit is coupled to the USB host, the USB device being one of the USB devices; and

data coupling the plurality of USB devices and at least one wireless device if the unit is not coupled to the USB host.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising data coupling the wireless device and a WUSB host.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising identifying the wireless device as a plurality of WUSB devices to the WUSB host.