CONTACTLESS REPLACEMENT FOR CABLED STANDARDS-BASED INTERFACES
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A contactless, electromagnetic (EM) replacement (substitute, alternative) for cabled (electric) Standards-based interfaces (such as, but not limited to USB) which effectively handles the data transfer requirements (such as bandwidth, speed, latency) associated with the Standard, and which is also capable of measuring and replicating relevant physical conditions (such as voltage levels) on data lines so as to function compatibly and transparently with the Standard. A contactless link may be provided between devices having transceivers. A non-conducting housing may enclose the devices. Some applications for the contactless (EM) interface are disclosed. A dielectric coupler facilitating communication between communications chips which are several meters apart. Conductive paths may provide power and ground for bus-powered devices.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1-19. -19. (canceled)
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20. A method comprising:
establishing an emulated communications link between first and second devices, the establishing comprising; receiving a sequence of electrical signaling conditions from first circuitry associated with the first device, wherein the first circuitry is designed to communicate with second circuitry associated with the second device over a physical interface coupling the first and second devices, wherein the first and second circuitry operate within fixed timing constraints that govern a negotiation of the sequence of electrical signaling conditions between the first and second circuitry to establish a physical communications link; converting the received sequence of electrical signals into electromagnetic signals; and contactlessly transmitting the electromagnetic signals to the second device to enable the second circuitry to receive a replication of the received sequence of electrical signaling conditions and establish the emulated communications link even though the physical communications link does not exist between the first and second devices, wherein establishment of the emulated communications link enables the first and second circuitry to operate as if they established the physical communications link. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A contactless communication unit (CCU), comprising:
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a plurality of contacts; a transducer; and circuitry coupled to the contacts and the transducer and operative to; determine an electrical condition existing on at least one of the contacts; and contactlessly transmit a contactless signal indicative of the determined electrical condition via the transducer to a recipient CCU, wherein the contactless signal indicative of the determined electrical condition enables the recipient CCU to replicate the same electrical condition on at least one of its contacts. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A contactless communication unit (CCU) for use in establishing a contactless communications link between first and second circuitry, wherein the first and second circuitry are designed to establish a physical communications link by communicating a sequence of electrical signal conditions within fixed timing constraints that govern the establishment of the physical communications link, the CCU comprising:
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a plurality of contacts; a transducer; and circuitry coupled to the contacts and the transducer and operative to; receive a contactless signal indicative of electrical signaling conditions provided by the second circuitry for establishing the physical communications link; replicating the electrical signaling conditions based on the received contactless signal indicative of electrical signaling conditions provided by the second circuitry; and providing the replicated signaling conditions on at least one of the contacts so that the first circuitry is provided with the electrical signaling conditions provided by the second circuitry such the requirements for establishing the physical communications link between the first and second circuitry are satisfied even though they are not connected by a physical interface. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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34. A method for emulating a physical connection between first and second devices that communicate data via a contactless communications coupling, the method implemented in the first device comprising a transceiver and a controller, the method comprising:
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determining an electrical condition of at least one signal line, wherein data carried on the at least one signal line is data that will be contactlessly transmitted, and wherein the at least one signal line is coupled to the controller, which expects the electrical condition of at least one signal line to comply with parameters specified for a Standards-based protocol designed for communicating data over a physical link; and contactlessly transmitting an electromagnetic (EM) signal indicative of the determined electrical condition, wherein the EM signal indicative of the determined electrical condition enables the second device to modify at least one of its signal lines to comply with parameters specified for the Standards-based protocol. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37)
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Specification