Method and apparatus for recovering data that was transported utilizing multiple data transport protocols

• US 6,819,677 B1
• Filed: 02/08/1999
• Issued: 11/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: North Star Innovations Inc. (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SigmaTel Incorporated (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Nouzovsky, Libor, Zudock, Thomas A
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, Dang
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, PHUC H
• Application Number:
  US09/246,653
• Time in Patent Office: 2,108 Days
• Field of Search: 370/351, 370/352, 370/360, 370/363, 370/389, 370/395.1, 370/395.31, 370/395.5, 370/395.71, 370/427, 370/464, 370/466, 370/470, 370/471, 370/473, 370/474, 370/476, 370/489, 370/493, 370/503, 370/902, 370/912, 709/230, 709/236, 709/237, 709/238
• US Class Current: 370/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols

Abstract

A method and apparatus that includes processing for recovering data that was transported utilizing multiple data transport protocols, where such processing begins by receiving formatted data and decoding the formatted data in accordance with a second data transport protocol. The decoding recaptures a first formatted data and a first data transport identifier. The processing then continues by decoding the first formatted data in accordance with a first data transport protocol based on the first data transport identifier. For example, if the first data transport protocol is one of the IrDA data transport protocols and the second data transport protocol is the USB data transport protocol, the decoding of the formatted data is to recapture the data that is formatted in accordance with the IrDA protocol, where the first transport identifier includes information that identifies the start of IrDA formatted data and its length. It turn, by decoding the IrDA formatted data, the original data is recaptured.

Claims

1. A method for recovering data that was transported utilizing multiple data transport protocols, the method comprises the steps of:

receiving infrared (IR) encoded and IR formatted data via an IR transmission path;

IR decoding the IR encoded and IR formatted data to recapture IR formatted data, wherein the IR formatted data includes IR transport identifying information;

packetizing the IR formatted data in accordance with universal serial bus (USB) data transport protocol to produce USB packets;

transporting the USB packets via a USB port to produce transported USB packets;

depacketizing the transported USB packets to recapture the IR formatted data; and

decoding the IR formatted data in accordance with an IR data transport protocol based on the IR identifying information to recover data, wherein

the IR data transport protocol including slow IR in accordance with an IrDA specified infrared data transport protocol, medium IR in accordance with the IrDA specified infrared data transport protocol, fast IR in accordance with the IrDA specified infrared data transport protocol, and amplitude shift keying (ASK); and

the USB data transport protocol including a slow speed USB data transport protocol and a fast speed USB data transport protocol.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the IR decoding of the IR formatted data further comprises decoding an IR frame delineation information as the IR identifying information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the IR frame delineation information includes an identifying header and IR frame length information.

4. A data communication device comprises:

a processing module; and

memory operably coupled to the processing module, wherein the memory store operational instructions that, when processed by the processing module, cause the processing module to

receive infrared (IR) encoded and IR formatted data via an IR transmission path;

IR decode the IR encoded and IR formatted data to recapture IR formatted data, wherein the IR formatted data includes IR transport identifying information;

packetize the IR formatted data in accordance with universal serial bus (USB) data transport protocol to produce USB packets;

transport the USB packets via a USB port to produce transported USB packets;

depacketize the transported USB packets to recapture the IR formatted data; and

decode the IR formatted data in accordance with an IR data transport protocol based on the IR identifying information to recover data, wherein

the IR data transport protocol including slow IR in accordance with an IrDA specified infrared data transport protocol, medium IR in accordance with the IrDA specified infrared data transport protocol, fast IR in accordance with the IrDA specified infrared data transport protocol, and amplitude shift keying (ASK); and

the USB data transport protocol including a slow speed USB data transport protocol and a fast speed USB data transport protocol.

5. The data communication device of claim 4, wherein the IR decoding of the IR formatted data further comprises decoding an IR frame delineation information as the IR identifying information.

6. The data communication device of claim 5, wherein the IR frame delineation information includes an identifying header and IR frame length information.