Method and apparatus for providing USB pass through connectivity

• US 7,945,717 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2008
• Issued: 05/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Rivalsi, Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEN, ALAN S
• Application Number:
  US12/331,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20100146164A1
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 710/62
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices for facilitating pass-through USB connectivity are provided. A computing device engages with an accessory device such that the computing device connects to a corresponding USB engine in the accessory device. A signal corresponding to an engagement of an external device to the accessory device is detected and a determination of whether to disconnect the computing device from the corresponding USB engine is made as a function of a set of logic operations upon detecting the signal. A USB connection between the computing device and the external device is established as a function of the set of logic operations such that the USB connection is only established if the computing device has been disconnected from the accessory device.

Claims

1. A universal serial bus (USB) accessory device, comprising:

at least one USB engine component;

a computing device-USB connector component, the computing device-USB connector component configured to provide USB connectivity between the at least one USB engine component and at least one corresponding computing device;

an external-USB connector component, the external-USB connector component configured to provide USB connectivity between the at least one computing device and an external device;

a detection component, the detection component configured to detect if the external device is engaging with the USB accessory device; and

a processor coupled to the detection component and configured to execute a set of logic operations upon detecting that the external device is engaging with the USB accessory device, the set of logic operations determining whether to provide the USB connectivity between the at least one computing device and the external device, the USB connectivity between the at least one computing device and the external device only established after breaking the USB connectivity between the at least one USB engine component and the at least one corresponding computing device.

2. The device of claim 1, the external-USB connector component further configured to provide USB connectivity between the at least one USB engine component to the external device, the set of logic operations determining whether to establish the USB connectivity between the at least one USB engine component to the external device after breaking the USB connectivity between the at least one USB engine component to the at least one corresponding computing device.

3. The device of claim 1 further comprising a memory component, the memory component configured to store the set of logic operations.

4. The device of claim 1, the set of logic operations received from the at least one computing device.

5. The device of claim 1 further comprising a timing component, the timing component coupled to the processor and configured to determine whether an appropriate time delay has elapsed for establishing the USB connectivity between the at least one computing device and the external device.

6. The device of claim 1, the detection component further configured to detect if the external device is disengaging from the USB accessory device, the processor further configured to re-establish the USB connectivity between the at least one USB engine component and the at least one corresponding computing device upon detecting that the external device is disengaging from the USB accessory device.

7. The device of claim 1, the detection component further configured to detect if the external device is engaged by a subsequent device, the processor further configured to establish USB connectivity between the at least one computing device and the subsequent device.

8. The device of claim 7, the processor further configured to execute instructions for toggling between establishing the USB connectivity between the at least one computing device and the external device and establishing the USB connectivity between the at least one computing device and the subsequent device.

9. A method for facilitating pass-through universal serial bus (USB) connectivity, comprising:

engaging at least one computing device with an accessory device, the at least one computing device connecting to a corresponding USB engine in the accessory device;

detecting a signal corresponding to an engagement of an external device to the accessory device;

determining whether to disconnect the at least one computing device from the corresponding USB engine upon detecting the engagement of the external device to the accessory device, the determining step being a function of a set of logic operations; and

establishing a USB connection between the at least one computing device and the external device as a function of the set of logic operations, the USB connection connecting the at least one computing device and the external device only if the at least one computing device has been disconnected from the accessory device.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising configuring the set of logic operations, the set of logic operations configured by the at least one computing device.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising configuring the set of logic operations, the set of logic operations configured by the accessory device.

12. The method of claim 9, the engaging step comprising engaging at least two computing devices with the accessory device, the determining step comprising determining whether to disconnect any of the at least two computing devices from their respective corresponding USB engines, and the establishing step comprising establishing the USB connection between one of the at least two computing devices and the external device as a function of the set of logic operations, the USB connection connecting the one of the at least two computing devices and the external device only if the one of the at least two computing devices has been disconnected from the accessory device.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising establishing a USB connection between the accessory device and the external device as a function of the set of logic operations, the USB connection between the accessory device and the external device connecting the accessory device and the external device only if the at least one computing device has been disconnected from the accessory device.

14. The method of claim 9, the establishing step further comprising establishing the USB connection after a predetermined time delay.

15. The method of claim 9 further comprising providing at least one software application to the at least one computing device, the at least one software application provided by the accessory device.

16. A system that facilitates pass-through universal serial bus (USB) connectivity, comprising:

means for attaching at least one computing device to an accessory device, the at least one computing device connecting to a corresponding USB engine in the accessory device;

means for detecting a signal corresponding to an engagement of an external device to the accessory device;

means for ascertaining whether to disconnect the at least one computing device from the corresponding USB engine upon detecting the engagement of the external device to the accessory device, the means for ascertaining being a function of a set of logic operations; and

means for providing a USB connection between the at least one computing device and the external device as a function of the set of logic operations, the USB connection connecting the at least one computing device and the external device only if the at least one computing device has been disconnected from the accessory device.

17. The system of claim 16, the means for attaching comprising means for attaching at least two computing devices to the accessory device, the means for ascertaining comprising means for ascertaining whether to disconnect any of the at least two computing devices from their respective corresponding USB engines, and the means for providing comprising means for providing the USB connection between one of the at least two computing devices and the external device as a function of the set of logic operations, the USB connection connecting the one of the at least two computing devices and the external device only if the one of the at least two computing devices has been disconnected from the accessory device.

18. A system of claim 16, the means for providing further comprising means for providing the USB connection after a time delay.

19. The system of claim 16, the means for detecting further comprising means for detecting a signal corresponding to an engagement of a subsequent device to the external device, and further comprising means for providing a USB connection between the at least one computing device and the subsequent device.

20. The system of claim 16, the means for detecting further comprising means for detecting a signal corresponding to a disengagement of the external device from the accessory device, and further comprising means for reconnecting the at least one computing device to the corresponding USB engine upon detecting that the external device is disengaging from the USB accessory device.