Integrated radio frequency interface

• US 6,973,133 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Issued: 12/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Terrestrial Comms LLC (IPValuation Partners, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Green, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): Bocure, Tesfaldet
• Application Number:
  US10/326,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20030099301A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,082 Days
• Field of Search: 375/103, 375/132, 375/133, 375/135, 375/354, 375/257, 375/259, 375/130, 455/53.1, 455/54.1, 455/54.2, 455/56.1, 455/434, 455/437, 455/438, 370/431, 710 8- 12
• US Class Current: 375/259
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/22 with access to wired networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/10 between terminal device and access point, i.e. wireless air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

An apparatus that may be configured to generate a wireless radio signal in response to one or more first data signals. The wireless radio signal may comprise a single frequency hopping sequence configured to support one or more peripheral wireless network devices. The apparatus may also be configured to generate the one or more first data signals in response to the wireless radio signal.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a circuit configured to (i) communicate one or more Universal Serial Bus (USB) data signals via a wireless radio signal comprising a single frequency hopping sequence configured to support one or more USB devices and (ii) enumerate said one or more USB devices.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus is configured to either (i) present said first data signal to or (ii) receive said first data signal from a host.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said host communicates with said circuit by implementing one or more endpoints to send and receive data and/or commands to a selected peripheral.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said USB data signals are n-bits wide, where n is an integer.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said single frequency hopping sequence and said one or more USB devices comprise a piconet.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said circuit is further configured to support a plurality of piconets each operating on a unique frequency hopping sequence.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said piconet is formed with said circuit as a master and said USB devices as one or more slaves.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said circuit comprises a Universal Serial Bus hub.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said Universal Serial Bus hub implements a tiered star topology with a hub at the center of every star.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said circuit comprises a Bluetooth wireless network device.

11. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said apparatus maps one or more Bluetooth proximity connections to generate connect/disconnect functions in said Universal Serial Bus hub.

12. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein mapping one or more Bluetooth proximity connections allows each of said USB devices that come into range to join said piconet and enumerate.

13. An apparatus comprising:

means for enumerating and communicating with one or more USB devices via a wireless radio signal comprising a single frequency hopping sequence configured to support said one or more USB devices; and

means for converting between one or more USB data signals and said wireless radio signal.

14. A method for connecting one or more peripheral wireless network devices with a host comprising the steps of:

(A) enumerating and communicating with one or more USB devices via a wireless radio signal comprising a single frequency hopping sequence configured to support said one or more USB devices; and

(B) converting between one or more USB data signals and said wireless radio signal.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of:

presenting said data signals to or receiving said data signals from said host.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein said host communicates by implementing one or more endpoints to send and receive data and/or commands to a selected peripheral.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of:

supporting a plurality of piconets wherein each piconet operates on a unique frequency hopping sequence.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of:

forming a single piconet while supporting said one or more USB peripheral wireless network devices.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the step of:

mapping one or more Bluetooth proximity connections to generate a connect/disconnect function in a Universal Serial Bus hub.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising the step of:

mapping said USB peripheral wireless network devices that come into range to join said piconet and enumerate.