External display peripheral for coupling to a universal serial bus port or hub on a computer

• US 6,738,856 B1
• Filed: 07/19/2000
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: X-Rite Switzerland GmbH (Danaher Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sequel Imaging, Inc.
• Inventors: Lutz, Carl David, Lianza, Thomas, Milley, Nicholas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ray, Gopal C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): King, Justin
• Application Number:
  US09/618,680
• Time in Patent Office: 1,399 Days
• Field of Search: 710/105, 710/1, 710/11, 710/106, 710/300, 710/313-315, 315/219, 345/163, 345/165, 345/166, 345/156, 356/6, 356/243, 713/300, 713/320, 307/31
• US Class Current: 710/315
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0264 Electrical interface; User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0272 Handheld
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0291 Housings; Spectrometer accessories; Spatial arrangement of elements, e.g. folded path arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/463 Colour matching
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/51 using colour filters
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

A cable, adapter, or converter device is disclosed that enables a peripheral device (e.g., external display) normally connected only through a non-USB port to communicate with a host computer via a USB port in addition to its non-USB port. DDC-formatted signals from the peripheral device are converted to the appropriate format for input through the USB port, and signals transmitted to the peripheral device from the USB port are converted to the format recognizable by the external peripheral, allowing access to peripheral features via the host system.

Claims

1. A signal converter for converting Universal Serial Bus (USB) communication and display peripheral communication between a host and a display peripheral, comprising:

a power management section for providing power to said signal converter, wherein said power management section employs power scavenging capability to extract power from multiple signal lines as well as standard sources of power;

a switching section for maintaining standard communications between said display peripheral and said host, wherein said switching section is adapted to switch to a USB interface allowing communication between said host and said display peripheral through said USB interface; and

a controller for managing said switching section and translating said USB communication to said display peripheral communication and translating display peripheral communication to said USB communication.

2. A signal converter according to claim 1, wherein said display peripheral communication complies with Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) Display Data Channel (DDC) communications protocol.

3. A signal converter according to claim 1, wherein said switching section is in a default position for maintaining said standard communications.

4. A signal converter according to claim 1, wherein said signal converter is integrated into a cable connecting said display peripheral and said host.

5. A signal converter according to claim 1, wherein said signal converter is an adapter adapted for coupling with a cable for connecting said display peripheral and said host.

6. A signal converter according to claim 1, further comprising a colorimeter, wherein said colorimeter communicates with said host and is used to establish colorimetry of said display peripheral.

7. A signal converter according to claim 1, further comprising a connection adapted for coupling said display peripheral and said host, wherein said connection is further adapted to couple with said USB interface.

8. A converter for enabling a computer display peripheral to connect through a USB interface to a host computer, comprising:

a cable with non-USB connections adapted for coupling to said computer display peripheral and said host computer;

a power management section adapted with power scavenging capability;

a USB connection interconnected to said cable; and

a controller embedded in said cable, and adapted for managing an exchange of data between said computer display peripheral and said host computer, and translating communication between said computer display peripheral and said host computer.

9. A converter according to claim 8, wherein said converter operates under program control.

10. A method for communicating with a display peripheral through a USB interface, wherein said USB interface is linked to a connection between said display peripheral and a computer, and a converter included in the connection carries out the method, the method comprising:

scavenging power from signal lines as well as standard sources of power to power said converter;

processing bi-directional communications between said display peripheral and said computer in a normal fashion;

switching to a master mode when said converter receives USB commands from said computer;

translating USB communications from said computer to said display peripheral when in said master mode; and

translating display peripheral communications from said display peripheral to said computer when in said master mode.

11. A method according to claim 10, further comprising changing display peripheral settings based upon status and commands from said USB and display peripheral communications.