Extender for universal serial bus

• US 6,584,519 B1
• Filed: 12/22/1998
• Issued: 06/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Russell, William C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): ELAMIN, ABDELMONIEM I
• Application Number:
  US09/218,424
• Time in Patent Office: 1,645 Days
• Field of Search: 710/62, 710/104, 710/129, 713/310
• US Class Current: 710/62
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4045 where the bus bridge performs an extender function

Abstract

Cable length extension of universal serial bus (USB), through the provision of a transmitter hub coupled to a receiver hub over a non-USB data transport connection.

Claims

1. A USB transmitter hub comprising:

a USB “

B”

connector for downstream connection to a USB cable;

a USB-to-non-USB translator which translates USB communications into a non-USB digital data transport format; and

a non-USB interface connector for connection over a non-USB data transport connection to a receiver hub.

2. A USB transmitter hub according to claim 1, further comprising plural USB “

A”

connectors for receiving connection from a downstream USB device.

3. A USB transmitter hub according to claim 1, further comprising electronic circuitry for preventing damage otherwise caused by connection to interfaces other than the non-USB data transport connection.

4. A USB transmitter hub according to claim 1, further comprising a receiver hub including a complementary non-USB connector and a complementary non-USB-to-USB translator for converting non-USB data transport from the transmitter hub into standard USB protocol, for cascade connection of transmitter hubs.

5. A USB receiver hub comprising:

a non-USB interface connector for connection over a non-USB data transport connection to a transmitter hub;

a non-USB-to-USB translator which translates communications in non-USB digital data transport format into USB format; and

at least one USB “

A”

connector for receiving connections from downstream peripherals.

6. A USB receiver hub according to claim 5, further comprising plural USB “

A”

connectors for receiving connections from downstream USB devices.

7. A USB receiver hub according to claim 5, further comprising electronic circuitry for preventing damage otherwise caused by connection by interfaces other than the non-USB data transport connection.

8. A USB receiver hub according to claim 5, further comprising a USB transmitter hub including a USB “

B”

connector for downstream connection to a USB cable, a USB-to-non-USB translator which translates USB communications into a non-USB digital data transport format and a non-USB interface connector for connection over a non-USB data transport connection to a receiver hub, for cascade connection of receiver hubs.

9. A USB receiver hub according to claim 5, wherein said receiver hub is self-powered, receiving connections from downstream USB devices.