Wireless Universal Serial Bus link for a computer system

• US 7,167,975 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2004
• Issued: 01/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Hamdi, Rabah S., Olkkola, Edward E.
• Primary Examiner(s): ELAMIN, ABDELMONIEM I
• Application Number:
  US11/008,896
• Publication Number:
  US 20050144334A1
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 710/12, 710/104, 710/106, 710/313, 709/253, 455/6.3, 345/163, 345/158, 713/1
• US Class Current: 713/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/3814 Wireless link with a computer system port
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/066 Telephone sets adapted for data transmision
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A computer system having transceivers coupled to USB ports so as to provide a wireless USB bus between a computer and one or more peripheral devices is disclosed. The transceivers allows the computer to be remotely located from the peripheral devices (e.g., USB devices) by distances substantially greater than five (5) meters, and thus overcomes the five (5) meter limitation on cable length for a USB bus that burdened the conventional wired USB buses. The power utilization of the transceiver is also managed so as to comply with the USB specifications. In one embodiment, the transceivers are radio frequency (RF) transceivers.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a computer having a USB port;

a first apparatus having a first transceiver directly connected to the USB port of the computer;

a peripheral device; and

a wireless USB bus link, the first transceiver to communicate wireless signaling over the wireless USB bus link to enable communication between the computer and peripheral device.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second apparatus having a second transceiver to exchange wireless signaling with the first transceiver over the wireless USB bus link.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the second apparatus further comprises a hub directly connected to the second transceiver, the hub further connected to the peripheral device.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the hub is connected to the peripheral device over a USB bus link.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second transceiver to exchange wireless signaling with the first transceiver over the wireless USB bus link, the second transceiver directly connected to the peripheral device.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second transceiver to exchange wireless signaling with the first transceiver over the wireless USB bus link, the second transceiver being part of the peripheral device.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a hub connected to the peripheral device;

a second peripheral device connected to the hub; and

a second transceiver associated with the hub, the second transceiver to communicate wireless signaling over the wireless USB bus link with the first transceiver.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the hub is connected to the peripheral devices over respective wireless USB bus links.

9. An apparatus for communicating with a computer, comprising:

plural peripheral devices;

a hub having ports connected to the plural peripheral devices; and

a transceiver directly connected to the hub to communicate over a wireless USB bus link with the computer.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the hub is connected by USB bus links to the peripheral devices.

11. A method of communicating between a computer and a peripheral device, comprising:

providing at least a first transceiver directly connected to one of the computer and peripheral device; and

transmitting wireless signaling using the first transceiver over a wireless USB bus link to provide communication between the peripheral device and computer.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing a second transceiver coupled to the other one of the computer and peripheral device,

wherein transmitting the wireless signaling over the wireless USB bus link is between the first and second transceivers.

13. A method of communicating between a computer and a peripheral device, comprising:

providing at least a first transceiver directly connected to a hub, the hub connected to the peripheral device; and

transmitting wireless signaling using the first transceiver over a wireless USB bus link to provide communication between the peripheral device and computer.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

connecting a second peripheral device to the hub to enable the second peripheral device to communicate with the computer over the wireless USB bus link.

15. A radio frequency transceiver apparatus for providing a wireless USB bus, comprising:

a USB connector for connecting to a hosting device;

a USB interface electrically connected to the USB connector;

a radio frequency transceiver electrically connected to the USB interface, the transceiver to transmit and receive radio frequency signals; and

an antenna operatively connected to the transceiver,

wherein the transceiver comprises;

a modulator to modulate digital signals to be transmitted to produce analog signals of a first frequency;

an up-converter operatively connected between the modulator and the antenna, the up-converter to convert the analog signals of the first frequency to analog signals of a second frequency that is higher than the first frequency, and to supply the signals of the second frequency to the antenna;

a down-converter to receive incoming analog signals of the second frequency from the antenna and to convert the incoming analog signals to incoming analog signals of the first frequency that is lower than the second frequency; and

a demodulator operatively connected to the down-converter, the demodulator to demodulate the incoming analog signals to obtain incoming digital signals.

16. The radio frequency transceiver apparatus of claim 15, wherein the modulator modulates the digital signals using OPSK modulation.

17. The radio frequency transceiver apparatus of claim 15, wherein the transceiver further comprises:

a phase-lock-loop to synchronize with the incoming analog signals to synchronize with the first frequency.

18. The radio frequency transceiver apparatus of claim 17,

wherein the transceiver apparatus has an active state and a low power state, and

wherein the transceiver apparatus further comprises:

a power management unit to place the transceiver apparatus in one of the low power state and the active state.

19. A computer system comprising:

a USB host controller; and

a first transceiver coupled to the USB host controller to communicate wireless signaling over a wireless USB bus with at least one of;

a second transceiver directly connected to a hub for coupling to plural peripheral devices; and

a third transceiver that is part of a peripheral device.