Extensible WSE Hub to Support a Multi-Hop Tree of USB Hubs or Peripherals over a Wireless Link

• US 20130282938A1
• Filed: 11/29/2012
• Published: 10/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: HUANG, Xiaolong, RAVEENDRAN, Vijayalakshmi R., WANG, Xiaodong
• Granted Patent: US 9,201,826 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/106
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor

Abstract

An extensible hub is disclosed for providing multi-hop wireless communication among universal serial bus (USB) devices, for example, utilizing a WiGig Serial Extension (WSE) air interface. The extensible hub may include a device protocol adaptation layer (PAL), as well as a host PAL, and further a bridge for providing a data flow path between the device and host PALs. The bridge may be configured to distinguish between request messages and response messages in accordance with a header on those messages. Further, the extensible hub may include virtual ports and may map device handles and endpoint handles to provide for routing of messages to the correct downstream devices in a multi-hop network tree.

Claims

1. An extensible hub configured for wireless communication between USB devices, comprising:

a wireless communication interface;

a first protocol adaptation layer for processing a USB message received at the wireless communication interface from a host device;

a second protocol adaptation layer for processing a USB message received at the wireless communication interface from a hub or peripheral device; and

a bridge for providing a data flow path between the first and second protocol adaptation layers,

wherein the USB messages comprise a handle adapted to identify a destination of the USB messages, and wherein the bridge is configured to map between a first handle corresponding to the USB message received from the host device and a second handle corresponding to the hub or peripheral device.

2. The extensible hub of claim 1, wherein the bridge is further configured to map between a third handle corresponding to the USB message received from the hub or peripheral device and a fourth handle corresponding to the host device.

3. The extensible hub of claim 1, wherein the bridge comprises a handle mapping table for storing handles utilized for the mapping between handles.

4. The extensible hub of claim 1, further comprising a USB hub emulator for communicating with a local USB device.

5. The extensible hub of claim 1, further comprising at least one virtual port assigned to the hub or peripheral device.

6. A method of communicating with a USB device over a wireless air interface utilizing an extensible hub, comprising:

receiving a packet comprising a header, the header comprising a packet type field;

processing the packet by utilizing a first protocol adaptation layer when the packet type field indicates that the packet comprises a response message; and

processing the packet by utilizing a second protocol adaptation layer when the packet type field indicates that the packet comprises a request message.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the header further comprises a handle, and wherein the packet type field indicates that the packet comprises a request message, the method further comprising:

passing the packet to a USB hub emulator when the handle corresponds to a locally connected USB device; and

passing the packet to a bridge when the handle corresponds to a downstream device communicatively coupled over the wireless air interface, wherein the bridge is configured for mapping the handle to a second handle corresponding to the USB device over the wireless air interface.

8. A method of wireless communication operable at a hub, comprising:

receiving a request message from a host device, the request message comprising a handle;

if the handle corresponds to a downstream hub or peripheral,

replacing the handle with a replacement handle corresponding to the downstream hub or peripheral; and

transmitting the request message comprising the replacement handle to the downstream hub or peripheral; and

if the handle corresponds to a device directly attached to the hub, transmitting the request message comprising the handle to the device directly attached to the hub.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the downstream hub or peripheral is wirelessly coupled to the hub utilizing a WSE air interface.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a response message from the downstream hub or peripheral, the response message comprising a second handle;

replacing the second handle with a second replacement handle corresponding to the host; and

transmitting the response message comprising the second replacement handle to the host.

11. An extensible hub configured for wireless communication between USB devices, comprising:

means for wirelessly receiving a first USB message from a host device;

means for wirelessly receiving a second USB message from a hub or peripheral device;

means for processing the first USB message from the host device;

means for processing the second USB message from the hub or peripheral device; and

means for providing a data flow path between the means for processing the first USB message and the means for processing the second USB message,

wherein the first USB message and the second USB message each comprise a handle adapted to identify a destination of the respective first and second USB messages, and wherein the means for providing a data flow path is configured to map between a first handle corresponding to the first USB message received from the host device and a second handle corresponding to the hub or peripheral device.

12. The extensible hub of claim 11, wherein the means for providing a data flow path is further configured to map between a third handle corresponding to the second USB message received from the hub or peripheral device and a fourth handle corresponding to the host device.

13. The extensible hub of claim 11, wherein the means for providing a data flow path is configured to store a handle mapping table for storing handles utilized for the mapping between handles.

14. The extensible hub of claim 11, further comprising means for communicating with a local USB device.

15. The extensible hub of claim 11, further comprising at least one virtual port assigned to the hub or peripheral device.

16. An extensible hub configured for wireless communication between USB devices, comprising:

means for receiving a packet comprising a header, the header comprising a packet type field;

first protocol adaptation means for processing the packet when the packet type field indicates that the packet comprises a response message; and

second protocol adaptation means for processing the packet when the packet type field indicates that the packet comprises a request message.

17. The extensible hub of claim 16, wherein the header further comprises a handle, and wherein the packet type field indicates that the packet comprises a request message,

wherein the second protocol adaptation means is configured to:

pass the packet to a USB hub emulator when the handle corresponds to a locally connected USB device; and

pass the packet to a bridge when the handle corresponds to a downstream device communicatively coupled over the wireless air interface, wherein the bridge is configured for mapping the handle to a second handle corresponding to the USB device over the wireless air interface.

18. An extensible hub configured for wireless communication between USB devices, comprising:

means for receiving a request message from a host device, the request message comprising a handle;

means for replacing the handle with a replacement handle corresponding to the downstream hub or peripheral if the handle corresponds to a downstream hub or peripheral;

means for transmitting the request message comprising the replacement handle to the downstream hub or peripheral if the handle corresponds to a downstream hub or peripheral; and

means for transmitting the request message comprising the handle to the device directly attached to the hub if the handle corresponds to a device directly attached to the hub.

19. The extensible hub of claim 18, wherein the downstream hub or peripheral is wirelessly coupled to the hub utilizing a WSE air interface.

20. The extensible hub of claim 18, further comprising:

means for receiving a response message from the downstream hub or peripheral, the response message comprising a second handle;

means for replacing the second handle with a second replacement handle corresponding to the host; and

means for transmitting the response message comprising the second replacement handle to the host.

21. An extensible hub configured for wireless communication between USB devices, comprising:

at least one processor;

a communications interface coupled to the at least one processor; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor,

wherein the at least one processor is configured to;

receive a packet comprising a header, the header comprising a packet type field;

process the packet by utilizing a first protocol adaptation layer when the packet type field indicates that the packet comprises a response message; and

process the packet by utilizing a second protocol adaptation layer when the packet type field indicates that the packet comprises a request message.

22. The extensible hub of claim 21, wherein the header further comprises a handle, and wherein the packet type field indicates that the packet comprises a request message, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

pass the packet to a USB hub emulator when the handle corresponds to a locally connected USB device; and

pass the packet to a bridge when the handle corresponds to a downstream device communicatively coupled over the wireless air interface, wherein the bridge is configured for mapping the handle to a second handle corresponding to the USB device over the wireless air interface.

23. An extensible hub configured for wireless communication between USB devices, comprising:

at least one processor;

a communications interface coupled to the at least one processor; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor,

wherein the at least one processor is configured to;

receive a request message from a host device, the request message comprising a handle;

if the handle corresponds to a downstream hub or peripheral,

replace the handle with a replacement handle corresponding to the downstream hub or peripheral; and

transmit the request message comprising the replacement handle to the downstream hub or peripheral; and

if the handle corresponds to a device directly attached to the hub, to transmit the request message comprising the handle to the device directly attached to the hub.

24. The extensible hub of claim 23, wherein the downstream hub or peripheral is wirelessly coupled to the hub utilizing a WSE air interface.

25. The extensible hub of claim 23, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive a response message from the downstream hub or peripheral, the response message comprising a second handle;

replace the second handle with a second replacement handle corresponding to the host; and

transmit the response message comprising the second replacement handle to the host.

26. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium operable at an extensible hub configured for wireless communication between USB devices, comprising instructions for causing a computer to;

receive a packet comprising a header, the header comprising a packet type field;

process the packet by utilizing a first protocol adaptation layer when the packet type field indicates that the packet comprises a response message; and

process the packet by utilizing a second protocol adaptation layer when the packet type field indicates that the packet comprises a request message.

27. The computer program product of claim 26, wherein the header further comprises a handle, and wherein the packet type field indicates that the packet comprises a request message, wherein the computer-readable storage medium further comprises instructions for causing a computer to:

pass the packet to a USB hub emulator when the handle corresponds to a locally connected USB device; and

pass the packet to a bridge when the handle corresponds to a downstream device communicatively coupled over the wireless air interface, wherein the bridge is configured for mapping the handle to a second handle corresponding to the USB device over the wireless air interface.

28. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium operable at an extensible hub configured for wireless communication between USB devices, comprising instructions for causing a computer to;

receive a request message from a host device, the request message comprising a handle;

if the handle corresponds to a downstream hub or peripheral,

replace the handle with a replacement handle corresponding to the downstream hub or peripheral; and

transmit the request message comprising the replacement handle to the downstream hub or peripheral; and

if the handle corresponds to a device directly attached to the hub, to transmit the request message comprising the handle to the device directly attached to the hub.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the downstream hub or peripheral is wirelessly coupled to the hub utilizing a WSE air interface.

30. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises instructions for causing a computer to:

receive a response message from the downstream hub or peripheral, the response message comprising a second handle;

replace the second handle with a second replacement handle corresponding to the host; and

transmit the response message comprising the second replacement handle to the host.