System and method for connecting bluetooth-enabled devices to a personal computer
First Claim
1. A Bluetooth-USB dongle, comprising:
- a device communicator that wirelessly communicates with a Bluetooth device in accordance with a Bluetooth protocol;
a system communicator that communicates with a computing device using a Universal Serial Bus (USB) protocol, the system communicator comprising a USB protocol stack and USB multiplexing/demultiplexing circuitry, the USB multiplexing/demultiplexing circuitry being operatively coupled to the USB protocol stack, the USB multiplexing/demultiplexing circuitry being disposed communicatively between the USB protocol stack and a translator; and
the translator that translates information received from the Bluetooth device in accordance with the Bluetooth protocol into translated information for use with the computing device in accordance with the USB protocol, the translator being operatively coupled to the device communicator and to the USB multiplexing/demultiplexing circuitry.
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Abstract
An interface which effects communication between first and second systems and includes a first arrangement for communicating with the first system using a first protocol and a second arrangement for communicating with the second system using a second protocol. At least one of the arrangements includes a mechanism for effecting wireless communication. In accordance with the invention, a third arrangement is included for translating data received from the first system in accordance with the first protocol into data adapted for the second system in accordance with the second protocol. In the illustrative embodiment, the inventive interface further includes an arrangement for translating data received from the second system in accordance with the second protocol into data adapted for the first system in accordance with the first protocol. In the illustrative embodiment, the second system is a Personal Computer, the first system is a peripheral adapted to be connected to the computer, the first protocol is a Bluetooth protocol and the second protocol is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) protocol. In the illustrative embodiment, the inventive interface leverages Universal Serial Bus technology, particularly “plug and play” capability, to simplify the installation and use of Bluetooth-enabled peripherals.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A Bluetooth-USB dongle, comprising:
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a device communicator that wirelessly communicates with a Bluetooth device in accordance with a Bluetooth protocol; a system communicator that communicates with a computing device using a Universal Serial Bus (USB) protocol, the system communicator comprising a USB protocol stack and USB multiplexing/demultiplexing circuitry, the USB multiplexing/demultiplexing circuitry being operatively coupled to the USB protocol stack, the USB multiplexing/demultiplexing circuitry being disposed communicatively between the USB protocol stack and a translator; and the translator that translates information received from the Bluetooth device in accordance with the Bluetooth protocol into translated information for use with the computing device in accordance with the USB protocol, the translator being operatively coupled to the device communicator and to the USB multiplexing/demultiplexing circuitry. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A communication system, comprising:
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a computing device comprising an interface that is compliant with a Universal Serial Bus (USB) protocol; and a Bluetooth-USB dongle that is in communication with the computing device via the interface of the computing device, the Bluetooth-USB dongle comprising; a device communicator that transmits information to, and receives information from, a Bluetooth device in accordance with a Bluetooth protocol; a system communicator that communicates with the computing device using the USB protocol, wherein the system communicator comprises a USB protocol stack and USB multiplexing/demultiplexing circuitry operatively coupled to a translator and the USB protocol stack, wherein the USB multiplexing/demultiplexing circuitry is disposed communicatively between the USB protocol stack and the translator; and the translator that translates the information received from the Bluetooth device in accordance with the Bluetooth protocol into translated information for use with the computing device in accordance with the USB protocol; and wherein the Bluetooth-USB dongle emulates a USB connection, from the perspective of the computing device, as if the Bluetooth device were a USB device directly connected to the interface of the computing device. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method comprising the steps of:
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transmitting information to a Bluetooth device via a Bluetooth-USB dongle in accordance with a Bluetooth protocol wherein the Bluetooth-USB dongle comprises a USB protocol stack and USB multiplexing/demultiplexing circuitry, wherein the USB multiplexing/demultiplexing circuitry is operatively coupled to the USB protocol stack and disposed communicatively between the USB protocol stack and a translator; receiving information from the Bluetooth device via the Bluetooth-USB dongle in accordance with the Bluetooth protocol; communicating with a computing device via the Bluetooth-USB dongle in accordance with a USB protocol; translating, via the Bluetooth-USB dongle, information received from the Bluetooth device in accordance with the Bluetooth protocol into information transmitted to the computing device in accordance with the USB protocol; and translating, via the Bluetooth-USB dongle, information received from the computing device in accordance with the USB protocol into information transmitted to the Bluetooth device in accordance with the Bluetooth protocol. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification