WIRELESS ADAPTER FOR CONNECTING A COMPUTING DEVICE DIRECTLY TO A NON-MASTER PERIPHERAL DEVICE WITH LEGACY INTERFACE AND METHOD OF USE

• US 20130282928A1
• Filed: 04/19/2013
• Published: 10/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Healthmob, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Healthmob, Inc.
• Inventors: Winestein, Leonid, Bark, Boris, Williams, Emelio, Brateris, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US13/866,585
• Publication Number:
  US 20130282928A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0659 Command handling arrangements, e.g. command buffers, queues, command scheduling

Abstract

A wireless adapter and method of using the adapter for wireless connection via communication protocols, communication and data exchange between non-master peripheral devices that have legacy interface such as legacy wired serial computer interfaces and computing devices. The wireless adapter includes a wireless module such as a radio transmission/reception module that supports one or more wireless interfaces and has embedded software stack with at least one or several communication protocols. The wireless module is connected to a microprocessor emulating role of a master device. The adapter interface connector plugs into the legacy interface connector of the non-master peripheral device. The microprocessor emulates a master device in legacy interface in combination with a voltage regulator/converter so the wireless adapter plays a role of a master device in legacy interface with the non-master peripheral device acting as a non-master device in interface. This establishes a wireless connection between the computing device and the non-master peripheral device across the wireless adapter.

Claims

1. A wireless adapter for wirelessly connecting a computing device directly to a non-master peripheral device, the wireless adapter comprising:

a wireless module configured to support one or more wireless communication protocols for connecting to the computing device;

a microprocessor having a master emulator;

an adapter interface connector configured for electronically coupling the wireless adapter to a legacy interface connector of the non-master peripheral device; and

a voltage regulator/converter controlled by the microprocessor and configured to connect a battery with the adapter interface connector;

wherein when the wireless adapter is coupled with the non-master peripheral device the master emulator of the microprocessor instructs the voltage regulator/converter to provide about a 5 volts signal from the battery to the adapter interface connector, causing the wireless adapter to emulate a master device in legacy interface in communication with the non-master peripheral device acting as a slave device in interface, in such a way that direct wireless connection is established between the computing device and the non-master peripheral device.

2. The wireless adapter of claim 1, wherein the legacy interface connector is selected from the group consisting of a universal serial bus (USB)-type connector, RS232-type connector, and serial type connector.

3. The wireless adapter of claim 1, wherein the adapter interface connector is selected from the group consisting of USB-type connector, RS232-type connector, and serial type connector.

4. The wireless adapter of claim 1, wherein the non-master peripheral device is selected from the group consisting of household appliances, exercise equipment, weight scales, heart-rate monitors, medical equipment, consumer devices, and industrial devices.

5. The wireless adapter of claim 1, wherein the computing device is selected from the group consisting of smart phones, tablets, laptops, and personal computers.

6. The wireless adapter of claim 1, wherein the one or more wireless communication protocols are selected from the group consisting of WiFi—

IEEE 802.11, Bluetooth—

IEEE 802.15.1, ANT, ZigBee—

802.15.4, and Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM).

7. The wireless adapter of claim 1, further comprising a serial interface connecting the microprocessor to the wireless module.

8. The wireless adapter of claim 7, wherein the serial interface is selected from the group consisting of synchronous serial port interface (SPI), universal asynchronous receiver transmitter (UART), RS-232 serial port, I²C, and universal serial bus (USB).

9. The wireless adapter of claim 1, wherein the battery comprises an electro-chemical re-chargeable battery.

10. The wireless adapter of claim 1, further comprising a voltage regulator connected between the battery, the microprocessor, and the wireless module.

11. The wireless adapter of claim 1, further comprising a battery capacity circuitry connected to the microprocessor and configured to measure a power capacity stored in the battery.

12. The wireless adapter of claim 1, further comprising a battery charging circuitry connected to the battery and configured for charging the battery with an external power source.

13. The wireless adapter of claim 1, further comprising a light-emitting diode (LED) for indicating wireless adapter status and functionality.

14. The wireless adapter of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is a microcontroller RISC unit (MCU).

15. A method of using a wireless adapter to wirelessly connect a computing device directly to a non-master peripheral device, the method comprising:

wirelessly connecting the wireless adapter to the computing device;

electronically coupling an adapter interface connector of the wireless adapter to a legacy interface connector of the non-master peripheral device;

instructing, using a microprocessor to emulate master device in legacy interface, a voltage regulator/converter of the wireless adapter to provide about a 5 volts signal from a battery to the adapter interface connector;

causing the wireless adapter to emulate a master device in legacy interface in communication with the non-master peripheral device acting as a slave device in interface; and

establishing direct wireless connection between the computing device and the non-master peripheral device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a packet of information from the non-master peripheral device to the wireless adapter; and

responding to the received packet of information.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein responding to the received packet of information further comprises forwarding the packet of information to a computing device via wireless communication.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising determining a packet type for the packet of information received from the non-master peripheral device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein responding to the received packet of information further comprises executing one or more commands within the received packet of information based on the determination of the packet type.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising generating at least one command based on the determination of the packet type.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising controlling the non-master peripheral device with the computing device via the wireless adapter.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising setting the wireless adapter into sleep mode to reduce power consumption.