Wireless device attachment and detachment system, apparatus and method

• US 6,898,652 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2002
• Issued: 05/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Atomics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: General Atomics, Inc.
• Inventors: Gehring, Stephan Walter, Ananthakrishnan, Satish, Peters, Daniel Paul, Ellis, Jason Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Ray, Gopal C.
• Application Number:
  US10/216,671
• Publication Number:
  US 20030086388A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 710300-302, 710/15, 710/19, 710/46, 710/105, 370/310, 370/346, 370/449, 370/420, 455/73, 455/560, 340/10.2, 340/3.51, 709/200
• US Class Current: 710/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/387 for adaptation of different data processing systems to different peripheral devices, e.g. protocol converters for incompatible systems, open system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/3814 Wireless link with a computer system port

Abstract

A polling method, apparatus, and system to detect the attachment and detachment of Universal Serial Bus devices in a wireless system. A hub provides a wired connection to the host and wireless attachment points for its devices. The host periodically queries the hub for changes in the hub'"'"'s status register by sending a polling message through each of its wireless ports, and awaits a response. A peripheral device that wishes to attach to the system responds by sending its unique peripheral address. If a device currently occupies the port, the hub sends out the device'"'"'s unique address in the polling message. If the device is still present, it responds by sending its unique peripheral address. If a response is not received after multiple retries, the device is considered detached. The hub thus determines the status of the ports and updates the status register, which is queried by the host.

Claims

1. A host apparatus comprising:

a downstream port configured to receive a response from a wireless peripheral device;

a control layer configured to poll the downstream port, to determine the state of the downstream port;

a computer readable memory configured to store updated port information with the state of the downstream port from the control layer; and

a status register configured to store a state of the downstream port;

wherein the control layer is further configured to poll the downstream port by sending a polling message, the polling message comprising a message header identifier; and

wherein the control layer is further configured to re-poll the downstream port when a response is not received from the wireless peripheral device on the downstream port.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control layer is further configured to poll the downstream port until a retry count is exhausted or a response is received.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the control layer is further configured to signal detachment of the wireless peripheral on the downstream port when the retry count is exhausted.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the control layer is further configured to mark the status register to indicate if any new wireless peripheral devices have attached.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 the control layer further comprising:

a protocol management interface configured to interface using Universal Serial Bus protocol.

6. A method of attaching wireless peripheral devices to a wireless host device, the method comprising:

sending a polling message to the downstream port;

receiving a response from the wireless peripheral device on the downstream pot;

determining the state of the downstream port based on the response;

updating port information with the state of the downstream port; and

updating a status register regarding the state of the downstream port;

wherein the polling message comprises message header identifier; and

wherein the method further comprises;

re-polling the downstream port when a response is not received from the wireless peripheral device on the downstream port.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the re-polling is done until a retry count is exhausted.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

signaling detachment of the wireless peripheral on the downstream port when the retry count is exhausted.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

marking the status register to indicate if any new wireless peripheral devices have attached.

10. A computer-readable medium encoded with data and instruction, the data and instructions causing an apparatus excepting the instructions to:

poll a downstream port;

receive a response from the wireless peripheral device on the downstream port;

determine the state of the downstream port based on the response;

update port information with the state of the downstream port; and

update a status register regarding the state of the downstream port;

wherein the polling of the downstream port is accomplished by sending a polling message, the polling message comprising a message header identifier;

wherein the instructions further causing the apparatus executing the instruction to;

re-poll the downstream port when a response is not received from the wireless peripheral device on the downstream port.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 wherein the re-polling is done until a retry count is exhausted.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, the instructions further causing an apparatus executing the instructions to:

signal detachment of the wireless peripheral on the downstream port when the retry count is exhausted.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, the instructions further causing an apparatus executing the instructions to:

mark the status register to indicate if any new wireless peripheral devices have attached.

14. An apparatus comprising:

means for polling a downstream port;

means for receiving a response from the wireless peripheral device on the downstream port;

means for determining the state of the downstream port based on the downstream port;

means for updating port information with the state of the downstream port; and

means for updating a status register regarding the state of the downstream port;

wherein the means for polling of the downstream port is configured to send a polling message, the polling message comprising a message header identifier; and

the apparatus further comprising;

means for re-polling the downstream port when a response is not received from the wireless peripheral device on the downstream port.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the downstream port is re-polled until a retry count is exhausted.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising:

means for signaling detachment of the wireless peripheral on the downstream port when the retry count is exhausted.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising:

means for marking a status register to indicate if any new wireless peripheral devices have attached.