Method and system for using a universal serial bus (USB) as a peer-to-peer network

• US 6,839,771 B1
• Filed: 04/13/2000
• Issued: 01/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Koerber, Christine, Bouchier, Paul H., Gilbert, Ronald E. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cardone, Jason D.
• Application Number:
  US09/549,124
• Time in Patent Office: 1,727 Days
• Field of Search: 709/238, 709/253, 709/212, 710/313, 710/314, 710/308, 710/311, 710/316
• US Class Current: 709/253
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

In one embodiment, the system includes a host processor and a plurality of devices connected to the host processor via a USB interface. Each of the devices includes at least a processor and USB controller hardware. The host processor includes message handling logic and each of the devices also include message handling logic that is configured to cooperate with the device to prepend a communication protocol header to a message that one of the devices desires to send to the host or to another of the devices. The host processor and each of the devices are peers with respect to each other. A router located in the host processor analyzes the communication protocol header to determine whether the message is destined for the host processor or for one of the other devices.

Claims

1. A method for using a universal serial bus (USB) as a peer-to-peer network, the method comprising the steps of:

connecting a host processor to a USB, said host processor including a router;

connecting a plurality of devices to said USB, each of said devices being peers with respect to each other and with respect to said host processor;

forming a message in one of said plurality of devices or said host processor;

prepending a header to said message; and

transporting said message from one of said devices directly to any other of said devices or said host processor through said router and over said USB.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said header further comprises a plurality of fields uniquely identifying each of said devices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each of said devices further includes logic configured to recognize said plurality of fields.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said host processor further includes a first device driver associated with said router and each of said devices further includes a second device driver corresponding to said first device driver in said router, said first device driver and second device driver configured to establish a logical connection between said router and each of said devices.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said logical connection includes an interrupt-in pipe, a bulk-in pipe and a bulk-out pipe.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of using a host controller in said host device to poll said interrupt-in pipe to determine whether any of said devices has any information to transfer to said router.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of transferring said information from said additional device to said router using said bulk-in pipe.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of analyzing said header associated with said information to determine whether said information is destined for said host device or another of said plurality of devices.

9. A system for using a universal serial bus (USB) as a peer-to-peer network, comprising:

a host processor including a host message handler, said host processor configured to prepend a header to a message, said host message handler configured to recognize said header;

a plurality of devices associated with said host processor, each of said devices including a device message handler, each of said plurality of devices configured to prepend said header to said message, said device message handler also configured to recognize said header; and

a router associated with said host processor, said router configured to route said message over a universal serial bus (USB) directly between any of a plurality of said devices associated with said host processor and said host processor.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said header further comprises a plurality of fields uniquely identifying each of said devices.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said host processor further includes a first device driver associated with said router and each of said devices further includes a second device driver corresponding to said first device driver in said router, said first device driver and second device driver configured to establish a logical connection between said router and each of said devices.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said logical connection includes an interrupt-in pipe, a bulk-in pipe and a bulk-out pipe.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said device message handler further includes:

an incoming message handler configured to receive said message from said bulk-out pipe; and

an outgoing message handler configured to place said header in said interrupt-in pipe and place data associated with said message in said bulk-in pipe.

14. A computer readable medium having a program for using a universal serial bus (USB) as a peer-to-peer network, the program including logic configured to perform the steps of:

connecting a host processor to a USB, said host processor including a router;

connecting a plurality of devices to said USB, each of said additional devices being peers with respect to each other and with respect to said host processor;

forming a message in one of said plurality of devices;

prepending a header to said message; and

transporting said message from one of said devices directly to any other of said devices or said host processor through said router and over said USB.

15. The program of claim 14, wherein said header further comprises a plurality of fields uniquely identifying each of said devices.

16. The program of claim 14, wherein each of said devices further includes logic configured to recognize said plurality of fields.

17. The program of claim 14, wherein said host processor further includes a first device driver associated with said router and each of said devices further includes a second device driver corresponding to said first device driver in said router, said first device driver and second device driver configured to establish a logical connection between said router and each of said devices.

18. The program of claim 17, wherein said logical connection includes an interrupt-in pipe, a bulk-in pipe and a bulk-out pipe.

19. The program of claim 18, further comprising logic configured to perform the step of using a host controller in said host device to poll said interrupt-in pipe to determine whether any of said devices has any information to transfer to said router.

20. The program of claim 19, further comprising logic configured to perform the step of transferring said information from said additional device to said router using said bulk-in pipe.

21. The program of claim 20, further comprising logic configured to perform the step of analyzing said header associated with said information to determine whether said information is destined for said host device or another of said plurality of devices.