Apparatus and method for dynamically providing hub or host operations

• US 20080140872A1
• Filed: 11/06/2007
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Monterey Research, LLC (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: David Gordon Wright
• Inventors: WRIGHT, David Gordon
• Granted Patent: US 7,765,344 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4022 using switching circuits, e.g. switching matrix, connection or expansion network G06F13/4009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/0042 Universal serial bus [USB]

Abstract

An apparatus and method for coupling a host computer to one or more peripherals or for coupling peripherals to one another. In one example, the apparatus includes a hub having an upstream port for coupling with the host computer and one or more downstream ports for coupling with the one or more peripherals; and a local host dynamically coupled with the upstream port. In one example, when the host computer is not coupled with the upstream port, the local host communicates with the peripherals; and when the host computer is coupled with the upstream port, the local host disconnects from the upstream port so that the host computer communicates with the peripherals through the hub. In this manner, the apparatus may be used to couple peripherals to a host computer, or when a host computer is not present, the data from the peripherals may be communicated through the local host. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Claims

1. An apparatus for coupling a host to one or more peripherals, comprising:

a hub having an upstream port for coupling with the host and one or more downstream ports for coupling with the one or more peripherals; and

a local host dynamically coupled with said upstream port.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said local host has a detector for determining whether the host is coupled with said upstream port, and when the host is not coupled with the upstream port, the local host communicates with the peripherals.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein when the host is coupled with the upstream port, the local host disconnects from the upstream port so that the host communicates with the peripherals through the hub.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein when the host is coupled with the upstream port, the local host is in a low-power mode.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the upstream port includes a Vbus line, and the detector includes a voltage detector detecting a voltage level on the Vbus line.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the voltage detector detects a high signal voltage level as a condition indicating that the host is coupled with the upstream port.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a microcontroller coupled with the local host and the hub, said microcontroller for controlling the hub when the host is not coupled with the upstream port.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein when the host is not coupled with the upstream port, the microcontroller performs one or more operations to permit data to be transferred from a first of said one or more peripheral devices to a second of said one or more peripheral devices.

9. An apparatus for coupling a host to one or more peripherals, comprising:

a hub having an upstream port for coupling with the host and one or more downstream ports for coupling with the one or more peripherals; and

a local host dynamically coupled with said downstream ports.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the local host disconnects from the downstream ports when the host is coupled with the upstream port.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein when the host is coupled with the upstream port, the local host is in a low-power mode.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

a microcontroller coupled with the local host and the hub, said microcontroller for controlling the hub when the host is not coupled with the upstream port.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein when the host is not coupled with the upstream port, the microcontroller performs one or more operations to permit data to be transferred from a first of said one or more peripheral devices to a second of said one or more peripheral devices through the local host.

10. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the hub determines and indicates whether the host is coupled with said upstream port, and

said local host receives an indication from the hub whether the host is coupled with said upstream port, and when the host is not coupled with the upstream port, the local host communicates with the peripherals.

15. In a USB bus adapted for a host and one or more peripherals, a method comprising:

providing a local host;

providing a hub coupled with the peripherals;

providing for detecting whether the host is present on the bus; and

providing for if the host is present, dynamically configuring the local host so that the host communicates with the peripherals through the hub.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing for if the host is not present, dynamically configuring the local host so that the local host communicates with the peripherals through the hub.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the operation of providing a hub includes providing an upstream port for coupling with the host and one or more downstream ports for coupling with the peripherals, and the operation of providing a local host includes coupling the local host with the upstream port, the method further comprising:

disconnects the local host from the upstream port when the host is present.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the operation of providing a hub includes providing an upstream port for coupling with the host and one or more downstream ports for coupling with the peripherals, and the operation of providing a local host includes coupling the local host with the downstream ports, the method further comprising:

disconnects the local host from the downstream ports when the host is present.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing a microcontroller coupled with the local host and the hub for controlling the hub when the host is not present.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the operation of providing for if the host is not present dynamically configuring the local host so that the local host communicates with the peripherals through the hub, further comprises:

providing for transferring data from a first of said one or more peripheral devices to a second of said one or more peripheral devices through the local host.