Computers having USB buses, methods of operation thereof and programs and information for use therewith

• US 20090049213A1
• Filed: 08/17/2007
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: I O Interconnect Limited
• Original Assignee: I O Interconnect Limited
• Inventors: Chen, Johnny Hsiang-yu
• Granted Patent: US 7,555,588 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices

Abstract

A computer has a USB bus with at least two USB connectors for removable USB devices. When a removable USB device is connected to at least one of the connectors, conventional standard actions are auto-launched. However, when a removable USB device is connected to at least one special USB connector, no action is auto-launched, or some non-standard action is auto-launched. The special USB connector is designated as such by a configuration file stored by the computer, because neither the USB address and port number of the hub for the special connector, nor the USB address allocated to the removable USB device can simply be used for this purpose.

Claims

1. A computer having a USB bus including at least two connectors to each of which removable USB devices can be connected, the computer being programmed such that, after start-up of the computer and upon connection of a removable USB device to such a connector:

a unique USB address is allocated to that removable USB device, the allocated USB address being used by the computer to address data packets on the USB bus to that removable USB device, and the USB address not necessarily being the same each time that removable USB device is connected to the computer; and

at least for some removable USB devices, a software program relevant to that USB device is automatically launched;

characterised in that the computer is programmed to respond differently when a removable USB device is connected to at least one particular one of the USB connectors in that;

the computer is programmed to detect whether that removable USB device has been connected to said one particular USB connector; and

in response to such detection, the computer is programmed to do one of the following;

not to launch or to cancel launching of a software program that would have been launched if that removable USB device had been connected said other USB connector;

to launch a software program that would not have been launched if that removable USB device had been connected said other USB connector; and

to launch a software program that is different to a software program that would have been launched if that removable USB device had been connected said other USB connector.

2. A computer as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the computer stores path information indicative of a path to said one particular connector on the USB bus; and

the computer is programmed to detect connection of a removable USB device to said one particular connector with reference to the stored path information.

3. A computer as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

the USB bus includes a USB hub having a plurality of ports;

said one particular connector is connected to a particular one of the ports of the USB hub;

the computer is programmed to detect connection of a removable USB device to said one particular connector by;

determining the USB address of the USB hub with reference to the stored path information;

determining the identity of said particular port with reference to the stored path information; and

repeatedly requesting the status of the port with the determined identity on the USB hub with the determined USB address.

4. A computer as claimed in claim 1, wherein said one particular USB connector differs in structure from said other USB connector.

5. A computer as claimed in claim 4, in combination with a USB connector adapter having a first portion, similar in structure to said other USB connector, connected to a second portion arranged to connect with said one particular USB connector.

6. A computer as claimed in claim 1, further including a manually operable element associated with said one particular USB connector, wherein the computer is programmed to respond differently when a removable USB device is connected to said one particular USB connector in dependence upon operation of the manually operable element.

7. A method of operation of a computer having a USB bus including at least two connectors to each of which removable USB devices can be connected, the method comprising the steps, after start-up of the computer and upon connection of a removable USB device to such a connector, of:

allocating a unique USB address to that removable USB device, the allocated USB address being usable by the computer to address data packets on the USB bus to that removable USB device, and the USB address not necessarily being the same each time that removable USB device is connected to the computer; and

at least for some removable USB devices, automatically launching a software program relevant to that USB device;

characterised by programming the computer to respond differently when a removable USB device is connected to at least one particular one of the USB connectors by;

detecting whether that removable USB device has been connected to said one particular USB connector; and

in response to such detection, doing one of the following;

not launching or to cancelling launching of a software program that would have been launched if that removable USB device had been connected said other USB connector;

launching a software program that would not have been launched if that removable USB device had been connected said other USB connector; and

launching a software program that is different to a software program that would have been launched if that removable USB device had been connected said other USB connector.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, further including the steps of:

storing path information indicative of a path to said one particular connector on the USB bus; and

detecting connection of a removable USB device to said one particular connector with reference to the stored path information.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8 for operating such a computer in which the USB bus includes a USB hub having a plurality of ports and said one particular connector is connected to a particular one of the ports of the USB hub, the method further including the step of detecting connection of a removable USB device to said one particular connector by:

determining the USB address of the USB hub with reference to the stored path information;

determining the identity of said particular port with reference to the stored path information; and

repeatedly requesting the status of the port with the determined identity on the USB hub with the determined USB address.

10. A method as claimed in claim 7 for operating such a computer including a manually operable element associated with said one particular USB connector, the method including the step of responding differently when a removable USB device is connected to said one particular USB connector in dependence upon operation of the manually operable element.

11. The combination of configuration information and a utility program file for a computer having a USB bus including at least two connectors to each of which removable USB devices can be connected, the configuration information being indicative of a path to at least one particular one of the connectors on the USB bus, and the utility program file being arranged, when run on the computer, to cause the computer to respond differently when a removable USB device is connected to said particular one of the USB connectors by:

detecting with reference to the configuration information whether that removable USB device has been connected to said one particular USB connector; and

in response to such detection, doing one of the following;

not launching or to cancelling launching of a software program that would have been launched if that removable USB device had been connected said other USB connector;

launching a software program that would not have been launched if that removable USB device had been connected said other USB connector; and

launching a software program that is different to a software program that would have been launched if that removable USB device had been connected said other USB connector.