Wireless USB hub

• US 7,761,627 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2007
• Issued: 07/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Miller, Tom, Christison, Gregory L., Doherty, Brian R., Nair, Anoop, Schrum, Sidney B. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sorrell; Eron J
• Application Number:
  US11/963,499
• Publication Number:
  US 20080162741A1
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 710/62
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365

Abstract

This invention provides a Wireless USB hub that includes a first port configured to communicate with a wired USB enabled device, a second port configured to communicate with a first wireless USB enabled device, and a controller that detects the wired USB enabled device and presents the wired USB enabled device as a native wireless USB enabled device to the first wireless USB enabled device.

Claims

1. A method for communicating between a wired USB enabled device and a first wireless USB enabled device in a wireless USB system, comprising:

detecting said wired USB enabled device;

presenting said wired USB enabled device as a second wireless USB enabled device to said first wireless USB enabled device;

determining an expected amount of data to be transferred from said wired USB enabled device to said first wireless USB enabled device;

modifying a predetermined wireless USB protocol to include said expected amount of data; and

providing said expected amount of data to said first wireless USB enabled device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

reading a device descriptor from said wired USB enabled device; and

modifying said device descriptor so that it is consistent with a device descriptor for any wireless USB enabled device as specified by a predetermined wireless USB standard.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein,

said device descriptor includes a standard endpoint descriptor, and

said modifying said device descriptor includes setting a maximum packet size field in said standard endpoint descriptor to be consistent with wireless USB packet sizes.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein,

said predetermined wireless USB protocol includes a predetermined wireless USB wire adapter protocol, and

said modifying said predetermined wireless USB protocol includes adding a field in a channel time allocation portion of said predetermined wireless USB wire adapter protocol, said field specifying said expected amount of data.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein,

said predetermined wireless USB protocol includes a predetermined wireless USB wire adapter protocol, and

said modifying said predetermined wireless USB protocol includes setting a maximum packet size field in a channel time allocation portion of said predetermined wireless USB wire adapter protocol, said field specifying said expected amount of data.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

intercepting a read descriptor request from said first wireless USB enabled device; and

providing said first wireless USB enabled device with a response to said read descriptor request after said modifying said device descriptor.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

negotiating and maintaining a wireless USB security connection context for communication with said wireless USB enabled device; and

applying said wireless USB security connection context after detecting said wired USB enabled device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining a unique wireless USB device address for said wired USB enabled device, and wherein presenting said wired USB enabled device includes presenting said wired USB enabled device having said unique wireless USB device address.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

mapping a first endpoint associated with said wired USB enabled device to a second endpoint associated with said first wireless USB enabled device; and

informing said first wireless USB enabled device that a new function needs to be enumerated, wherein said new function is associated with said first wireless USB enabled device.

10. A wireless USB enabled hub that facilitates communication between a wired USB enabled device and a first wireless USB enabled device, comprising:

a first port configured to communicate with said wired USB enabled device;

a second port configured to communicate with said first wireless USB enabled device; and

a controller configured to;

detect said wired USB enabled device;

present said wired USB enabled device as a native wireless USB enabled device to said first wireless USB enabled device;

determine an expected amount of data to be transferred from said wired USB enabled device to said first wireless USB enabled device; and

modify a predetermined wireless USB protocol to include said expected amount of data.

11. The wireless USB enabled hub of claim 10, wherein,

said controller is configured to present said hub as a device wire adapter to said first wireless USB enabled device, and

said first wireless USB enabled device includes a wireless USB enabled host.

12. The wireless USB enabled hub of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to present said wired USB enabled device to said first wireless USB enabled device as a unique wireless USB enabled device having its own address.

13. The wireless USB enabled hub of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to present said wired USB enabled device as a separate function on the wireless USB enabled hub by mapping a wired USB enabled device endpoint to a wireless USB enabled hub endpoint.

14. The wireless USB enabled hub of claim 10, wherein said controller is configured to:

maintain a wireless USB address for each of a plurality of downstream wired USB enabled devices; and

respond to a wireless USB packet directed to one of said plurality of downstream USB enabled devices.

15. The wireless USB enabled hub of claim 10, wherein said controller is configured to:

intercept a device descriptor request from said first wireless USB enabled device;

read a device descriptor from said wired USB enabled device;

modify said device descriptor so that it is consistent with a device descriptor for any wireless USB enabled device as specified by a predetermined wireless USB standard; and

present said wired USB enabled device as said native wireless USB enabled device by providing said modified device descriptor to said first wireless USB enabled device.

16. The wireless USB enabled hub of claim 15, wherein,

said device descriptor includes a standard endpoint descriptor, and

said controller is configured to modify said device descriptor by setting a maximum packet size field in said standard endpoint descriptor to be consistent with wireless USB packet sizes.

17. The wireless USB enabled hub of claim 10, wherein,

said predetermined wireless USB protocol includes a predetermined wireless USB wire adapter protocol, and

said controller is configured to modify said predetermined wireless USB wire adapter protocol by setting a maximum packet size field in a channel time allocation portion, said maximum packet size field specifying said expected amount of data.

18. The wireless USB enabled hub of claim 10, wherein,

said predetermined wireless USB protocol includes a predetermined wireless USB wire adapter protocol, and

said controller is configured to modify said predetermined wireless USB wire adapter protocol by adding a field in a channel time allocation portion of said predetermined wireless USB protocol, said field specifying said expected amount of data.

19. The wireless USB enabled hub of claim 10, wherein said controller is configured to:

negotiate and maintain a wireless USB security connection context for communication with said wireless USB enabled device; and

apply said wireless USB security connection context after said controller detects said wired USB enabled device.

20. An apparatus that facilitates communication between a wired USB enabled device and a first wireless USB enabled device, comprising:

means for communicating with said wired USB enabled device;

means for communicating with said first wireless USB enabled device; and

means for detecting said wired USB enabled device;

means for presenting said wired USB enabled device as a native wireless USB enabled device to said first wireless USB enabled device;

means for determining an expected amount of data to be transferred from said wired USB enabled device to said first wireless USB enabled device; and

means for modifying a predetermined wireless USB protocol to include said expected amount of data.

21. A computer-readable medium encoded with computer executable instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform a method for communicating, the method comprising:

detecting a wired USB enabled device;

presenting said wired USB enabled device as a second wireless USB enabled device to a first wireless USB enabled device;

determining an expected amount of data to be transferred from said wired USB enabled device to said first wireless USB enabled device;

modifying a predetermined wireless USB protocol to include said expected amount of data; and

providing said expected amount of data to said first wireless USB enabled device.