Providing both wireline and wireless connections to a wireline interface

• US 20050027910A1
• Filed: 10/20/2003
• Published: 02/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CSR Technology Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Microtune, Inc. (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ngai, Wai Lim, Tou, John C., Barrett, Richard M. Jr., Bartek, David J., Burman, Dennis A., Govindarajulu, Sarath Babu
• Granted Patent: US 7,305,511 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/62
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4022 using switching circuits, e.g. switching matrix, connection or expansion network G06F13/4009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation

Abstract

In one embodiment, a system for providing both wireline and wireless connections to a wireline interface includes a first wireline interface, a second wireline interface, a wireless interface, and a switch coupled to the first wireline interface, the second wireline interface, and the wireless interface. The switch can selectively couple the first wireline interface to the second wireline interface to allow communication between the first and second wireline interfaces. The switch can further selectively couple the first wireline interface to the wireless interface to allow communication between the first wireline interface and the wireless interface.

Claims

1. A system for providing both wireline and wireless connections to a wireline interface, the system comprising:

a first wireline interface;

a second wireline interface;

a wireless interface; and

a switch coupled to the first and second wireline and wireless interfaces, the switch being operable to selectively;

couple the first wireline interface to the second wireline interface to allow communication between the first and second wireline interfaces; and

couple the first wireline interface to the wireless interface to allow communication between the first wireline interface and the wireless interface.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the first wireline interface is coupled to a third wireline interface using a first wireline connection;

the second wireline interface is coupled to a fourth wireline interface using a second wireline connection;

the wireless interface comprises a first wireless interface that is operable to communicate with a second wireless interface via a wireless connection;

the coupling of the first wireline interface to the second wireline interface allows communication between the third and fourth wireline interfaces via the first and second wireline connections; and

the coupling of the first wireless interface to the first wireline interface allows communication between the second wireless interface and the third wireline interface via the wireless and first wireline connections.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein:

a peripheral device is associated with the third wireline interface;

a first computer system is associated with the fourth wireline interface;

a second computer system is associated with the second wireless interface;

the coupling of the first wireline interface to the second wireline interface allows communication between the peripheral device and the first computer system via the first and second wireline connections; and

the coupling of the first wireless interface to the first wireline interface allows communication between the peripheral device and the second computer system via the wireless and first wireline connections.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein:

the first wireline interface is a universal serial bus (USB) type A socket;

the second wireline interface is a USB type B socket;

the third wireline interface is a USB port of the peripheral device;

the fourth wireline interface is a USB port of the first computer system;

the first wireless interface is a master adapter; and

the second wireless interface is a slave adapter coupled to the second computer system using a USB socket.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the wireless connection is automatically established when the second wireless interface is coupled to the second computer system.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the peripheral device is a printer, a scanner, digital camera, modem, joystick, webcam, personal digital assistant (PDA), mouse, keyboard, port replicator, fax device, or all-in-one printer device.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein communication between the second wireless interface and the third wireline interface overrides communication between the fourth wireline interface and the third wireline interface.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the override is delayable until a particular communication between the fourth and third wireline interfaces has been completed.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein:

the wireless connection comprises a first wireless connection;

the system further comprises a third wireless interface;

the first wireless interface is further operable to communicate with the third wireless interface via a second wireless connection; and

the coupling of the first wireless interface to the first wireline interface further allows communication between the third wireless interface and the third wireline interface wherein communications between the first wireline interface and the second wireless interface and between the first wireline interface and the third wireless interface are scheduled according to a predetermined schedule.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the predetermined schedule comprises a prioritization among all the second wireless interfaces.

11. The system of claim 2, wherein the wireless connection is automatically established when the first wireless interface is reset.

12. The system of claim 2, wherein the first and second wireline connections each comprise one or more of:

one or more insulated wires;

one or more shielded twisted-pair wires;

one or more coaxial cables;

one or more optical fibers; and

one or more serial buses.

13. The system of claim 2, wherein the first wireless interface is operable to communicate with the second wireless interface using a BLUETOOTH wireless protocol.

14. A method for providing both wireline and wireless connections to a wireline interface, the method comprising selectively:

coupling a first wireline interface to a second wireline interface to allow communication between the first and second wireline interfaces; and

coupling the first wireline interface to a wireless interface to allow communication between the first wireline interface and the wireless interface.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the first wireline interface is coupled to a third wireline interface using a first wireline connection;

the second wireline interface is coupled to a fourth wireline interface using a second wireline connection;

the wireless interface comprises a first wireless interface that is operable to communicate with a second wireless interface via a wireless connection;

coupling the first wireline interface to the second wireline interface allows communication between the third and fourth wireline interfaces via the first and second wireline connections; and

coupling the first wireless interface to the first wireline interface allows communication between the second wireless interface and the third wireline interface via the wireless and first wireline connections.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein:

a peripheral device is associated with the third wireline interface;

a first computer system is associated with the fourth wireline interface;

a second computer system is associated with the second wireless interface;

coupling the first wireline interface to the second wireline interface allows communication between the peripheral device and the first computer system via the first and second wireline connections; and

coupling the first wireless interface to the first wireline interface allows communication between the peripheral device and the second computer system via the wireless and first wireline connections.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the first wireline interface is a universal serial bus (USB) type A socket;

the second wireline interface is a USB type B socket;

the third wireline interface is a USB port of the peripheral device;

the fourth wireline interface is a USB port of the first computer system;

the first wireless interface is a master adapter; and

the second wireless interface is a slave adapter coupled to the second computer system using a USB socket.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the wireless connection is automatically established when the second wireless interface is coupled to the second computer system.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the peripheral device is a printer, a scanner, digital camera, modem, joystick, webcam, personal digital assistant (PDA), mouse, keyboard, port replicator, fax device, or all-in-one printer device.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein communication between the second wireless interface and the third wireline interface overrides communication between the fourth wireline interface and the third wireline interface.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the override is delayable until a particular communication between the fourth and third wireline interfaces has been completed.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the wireless connection comprises a first wireless connection;

the system further comprises a third wireless interface;

the first wireless interface is further operable to communicate with the third wireless interface via a second wireless connection; and

coupling the first wireless interface to the first wireline interface further allows communication between the third wireless interface and the third wireline interface wherein communications between the first wireline interface and the second wireless interface and between the first wireline interface and the third wireless interface are scheduled according to a predetermined schedule.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the predetermined schedule comprises a prioritization among all the second wireless interfaces.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the wireless connection is automatically established when the first wireless interface is reset.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein the first and second wireline connections each comprise one or more of:

one or more insulated wires;

one or more shielded twisted-pair wires;

one or more coaxial cables;

one or more optical fibers; and

one or more serial buses.

26. The method of claim 15, wherein the first wireless interface is operable to communicate with the second wireless interface using a BLUETOOTH wireless protocol.

27. Logic for providing both wireline and wireless connections to a wireline interface, the logic encoded in media and when executed operable to selectively:

couple a first wireline interface to a second wireline interface to allow communication between the first and second wireline interfaces; and

couple the first wireline interface to a wireless interface to allow communication between the first wireline interface and the wireless interface.

28. The logic of claim 27, wherein:

the first wireline interface is coupled to a third wireline interface using a first wireline connection;

the second wireline interface is coupled to a fourth wireline interface using a second wireline connection;

the wireless interface comprises a first wireless interface that is operable to communicate with a second wireless interface via a wireless connection;

coupling the first wireline interface to the second wireline interface allows communication between the third and fourth wireline interfaces via the first and second wireline connections; and

coupling the first wireless interface to the first wireline interface allows communication between the second wireless interface and the third wireline interface via the wireless and first wireline connections.

29. The logic of claim 28, wherein:

a peripheral device is associated with the third wireline interface;

a first computer system is associated with the fourth wireline interface;

a second computer system is associated with the second wireless interface;

coupling the first wireline interface to the second wireline interface allows communication between the peripheral device and the first computer system via the first and second wireline connections; and

coupling the first wireless interface to the first wireline interface allows communication between the peripheral device and the second computer system via the wireless and first wireline connections.

30. The logic of claim 29, wherein:

the first wireline interface is a universal serial bus (USB) type A socket;

the second wireline interface is a USB type B socket;

the third wireline interface is a USB port of the peripheral device;

the fourth wireline interface is a USB port of the first computer system;

the first wireless interface is a master adapter; and

the second wireless interface is a slave adapter coupled to the second computer system using a USB socket.

31. The logic of claim 29, wherein the wireless connection is automatically established when the second wireless interface is coupled to the second computer system.

32. The logic of claim 29, wherein the peripheral device is a printer, a scanner, digital camera, modem, joystick, webcam, personal digital assistant (PDA), mouse, keyboard, port replicator, fax device, or all-in-one printer device.

33. The logic of claim 28, wherein communication between the second wireless interface and the third wireline interface overrides communication between the fourth wireline interface and the third wireline interface.

34. The logic of claim 33, wherein the override is delayable until a particular communication between the fourth and third wireline interfaces has been completed.

35. The logic of claim 28, wherein:

the wireless connection comprises a first wireless connection;

the system further comprises a third wireless interface;

the first wireless interface is further operable to communicate with the third wireless interface via a second wireless connection; and

coupling the first wireless interface to the first wireline interface further allows communication between the third wireless interface and the third wireline interface wherein communications between the first wireline interface and the second wireless interface and between the first wireline interface and the third wireless interface are scheduled according to a predetermined schedule.

36. The logic of claim 35, wherein the predetermined schedule comprises a prioritization among all the second wireless interfaces.

37. The logic of claim 28, wherein the wireless connection is automatically established when the first wireless interface is reset.

38. The logic of claim 28, wherein the first and second wireline connections each comprise one or more of:

one or more insulated wires;

one or more shielded twisted-pair wires;

one or more coaxial cables;

one or more optical fibers; and

one or more serial buses.

39. The logic of claim 28, wherein the first wireless interface is operable to communicate with the second wireless interface using a BLUETOOTH wireless protocol.