CONTACTLESS AUDIO ADAPTER, AND METHODS
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A contactless, electromagnetic (EM) replacement for cabled Standards-based interfaces (such as USB, I2S) which handles data transfer requirements associated with the Standard, and capable of measuring and replicating relevant physical conditions on data lines so as to function compatibly and transparently with the Standard. A contactless link between devices having transceivers. A non-conducting housing enclosing the devices. A dielectric coupler facilitating communication between communications chips. Conductive paths or an inductive link providing power between devices. An audio adapter communicates over a contactless link with a source device, and via a physical link with a destination device such as a conventional headset. Power may be provided to the adapter from the source device, and by the adapter to the destination device.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1-17. -17. (canceled)
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18. A first device for establishing contactless USB communications with a second device, the first device comprising:
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a USB controller; and a contactless communications unit (CCU) comprising; a plurality of contacts coupled to the USB controller; a transducer; and circuitry coupled to the contacts and the transducer and operative to; determine a USB electrical condition existing on at least one of the contacts; and contactlessly transmit a contactless signal indicative of the determined USB electrical condition via the transducer to a recipient CCU in the second device, wherein the contactless signal indicative of the determined USB electrical condition enables the recipient CCU to replicate the same USB electrical condition on at least one of its contacts. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A first device for establishing contactless USB communications with a second device, the first device comprising:
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a first USB controller; and a contactless communication unit (CCU) comprising; a plurality of contacts coupled to the USB controller; a transducer; and circuitry coupled to the contacts and the transducer and operative to; receive a contactless signal indicative of USB electrical signaling conditions provided by a second USB controller in the second device for establishing the physical communications link; replicate the USB electrical signaling conditions based on the received contactless signal indicative of USB electrical signaling conditions provided by the second USB controller; and provide the replicated signaling conditions on at least one of the contacts so that the first USB controller is provided with the USB electrical signaling conditions provided by the second USB controller such that the requirements for establishing a physical communications link between the first and second USB controllers are satisfied even though they are not connected by a physical interface. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method for emulating a physical USB 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 USB controller, the method comprising:
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determining an electrical condition of the USB controller, which expects the electrical condition of at least one signal line to comply with parameters specified for a USB 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 itself to comply with parameters specified for the USB protocol. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35)
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Specification