SERIAL PASS-THROUGH DEVICE
First Claim
1. A serial pass-through device comprising:
- an accessory interface configured to connect with an accessory, wherein the accessory and the serial pass-through device communicate using a serial communication protocol through the accessory interface;
a host interface configured to connect with a host, wherein the host and the serial pass-through device communicate using a host communication protocol through the host interface;
an authentication controller configured to authenticate the serial pass-through device with the host; and
a controller configured to receive serial data from the accessory through the accessory interface, packetize the data according to the host communication protocol, and send the packetized data to the host through the host interface, and wherein the controller is configured to control serial communication parameters associated with the serial communication protocol between the accessory and the serial pass-through device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A host device and an accessory exchange information (e.g., commands and data) via an intermediate device. The host device and accessory can each connect to the intermediate device. The host device can exchange commands and data with the intermediate device, while the accessory device can serially exchange data with the intermediate device. The host device and the accessory can also “tunnel” information to each other through the intermediate device, by packaging the tunneled information as a payload of a command recognizable by the intermediate device; the intermediate device can repackage and forward the payload. In some embodiments, the intermediate device can control serial communication parameters between the intermediate device and the accessory in response to commands received from the host.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A serial pass-through device comprising:
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an accessory interface configured to connect with an accessory, wherein the accessory and the serial pass-through device communicate using a serial communication protocol through the accessory interface; a host interface configured to connect with a host, wherein the host and the serial pass-through device communicate using a host communication protocol through the host interface; an authentication controller configured to authenticate the serial pass-through device with the host; and a controller configured to receive serial data from the accessory through the accessory interface, packetize the data according to the host communication protocol, and send the packetized data to the host through the host interface, and wherein the controller is configured to control serial communication parameters associated with the serial communication protocol between the accessory and the serial pass-through device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of processing at an intermediate device coupled with an accessory and a host, the method comprising:
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participating in authentication with the host, wherein the result of the authentication determines whether the intermediate device is authorized to communicate with the host; receiving data from the accessory in a serial data stream; packetizing the data according to a host communication protocol; and transmitting the packetized data to the host. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method processing at an intermediate device coupled with an accessory and a host, the method comprising:
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participating in authentication with the host, wherein the result of the authentication determines whether the intermediate device is authorized to communicate with the host; receiving packetized data from the host, wherein the packetized data is packetized according to a host communication protocol; extracting data from the packetized data; and sending the data to the accessory in a serial data stream. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A serial pass-through device comprising:
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an accessory interface configured to connect with an accessory such that the serial pass-through device communicates with the accessory using a serial communication protocol; a host interface configured to connect with a host, wherein the host and the serial pass-through device communicate using a host communication protocol; an authentication controller configured to authenticate the serial pass-through device with the host; and a controller configured to; receive data from the accessory through the accessory interface using the serial communication protocol the data according to a host communication protocol, and send the formatted data to the host through the host interface, and receive formatted data from the host through the host interface using a host communication protocol, extract the data from the formatted data, and send the extracted data to the accessory using the serial communication protocol; and control serial communication parameters associated with serial communication between the accessory and the serial pass-through device using serial communication parameters. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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Specification