Signal Converter for an All-In-One USB Connector

• US 20100174835A1
• Filed: 03/03/2009
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASolid Technology Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Innostor Technology Corp.
• Inventors: Chung, Chen-Yao
• Granted Patent: US 7,921,233 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/15
• 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 2213/0026 PCI express
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/0032 Serial ATA [SATA]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/0042 Universal serial bus [USB]

Abstract

A signal converter is used to connect between an all-in-one USB connector and a PCB and has outer communication interfaces, an inner communication interface and a processing unit. The processing unit has an identifying and converting procedure. The identifying and converting procedure is periodically executed to detect the outer communication interfaces in sequence and determine whether a response signal is sent back from one of the outer communication interfaces. If a determined result is positive, the processing unit bi-directionally converts two different standard signals of the inner communication interface and the outer communication interface that transmit the response signal. Therefore, the PCB successfully communicates with the external electronic device through the correct port of the all-in-one USB connector.

Claims

1. A signal converter for an all-in-one USB connector comprising:

multiple outer communication interfaces having a USB 3.0 interface and an eSATA interface respectively adapted to connect to a USB 3.0 port and an eSATA port of the all-in-one USB connector;

an inner communication interface adapted to connect to an data bus of a PCB; and

a processing unit connected between the outer communication interfaces and the inner communication interface and having an identifying and converting procedure, wherein the identifying and converting procedure is periodically executed to detect the outer communication interfaces in sequence and determine whether a response signal is sent back from one of the outer communication interfaces,

if a determined result is positive, the processing unit bi-directionally converts two different standard signals of the inner communication interface and the outer communication interface that transmit the response signal.

2. The signal converter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the identifying and converting procedure has a first sub-procedure and a second sub-procedure and the processing unit periodically executes the first and second sub-procedures after the processing unit is actuated.

3. The signal converter as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first sub-procedure comprising acts of:

executing an initial step;

outputting a detecting signal to one of the outer communication interfaces;

determining whether the response signal is received, wherein if a determined result is negative, the second sub-procedure will be executed, but if the determined result is positive, the processing unit bi-directionally converts two different standard signals of the inner communication interface and the present outer communication interface that transmit the response signal; and

executing the second sub-procedure after an external electric device connected to all-in-one USB connector is removed.

4. The signal converter as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second sub-procedure comprising acts of:

executing an initial step;

outputting a detecting signal to the other of the outer communication interfaces;

determining whether the response signal is received, wherein if a determined result is negative, the first sub-procedure will be executed, but if the determined result is positive, the processing unit bi-directionally converts two different standard signals of the inner communication interface and the present outer communication interface that transmit the response signal; and

executing the first sub-procedure after an external electric device connected to all-in-one USB connector is removed.

5. The signal converter as claimed in claim 4, wherein the present outer communication interface in the first sub-procedure is a USB 3.0 interface and the present outer communication interface in the second sub-procedure is an eSATA interface.

6. The signal converter as claimed in claim 5, wherein the act of determining whether the response signal is received in the first sub-procedure further comprises steps of:

determining whether the response signal complies with USB 3.0 standard, wherein if a determined result is positive, the processing unit bi-directionally converts two different standard signals of the inner communication interface and the USB 3.0 outer communication interface;

determining whether the response signal complies with USB 2.0 standard, if a determined result is positive, the processing unit bi-directionally converts two different standard signals of the inner communication interface and the USB 2.0 outer communication interface; and

determining whether the response signal complies with the USB 1.X standard, wherein if a determined result is positive, the processing unit bi-directionally converts two different standard signals of the inner communication interface and the USB 1.X outer communication interface, but if the determined result is negative, the act of executing the second sub-procedure is executed after an external electric device connected to all-in-one USB connector is removed.

7. The signal converter as claimed in claim 4, wherein the present outer communication interface in the second sub-procedure is USB 3.0 interface and the present outer communication interface in the first sub-procedure is eSATA interface.

8. The signal converter as claimed in claim 7, wherein the act of determining whether the response signal is received of the second sub-procedure further comprises steps of:

determining whether the response signal complies with the USB 3.0 standard;

wherein if a determined result is positive, the processing unit bi-directionally converts two different standard signals of the inner communication interface and the USB 3.0 outer communication interface;

determining whether the response signal complies with the USB 2.0 standard, if a determined result is positive, the processing unit bi-directionally converts two different standard signals of the inner communication interface and the USB 2.0 outer communication interface;

determining whether the response signal is fulfilled with the USB 1.X standard, wherein if a determined result is positive, the processing unit bi-directionally converts two different standard signals of the inner communication interface and the USB 1.X outer communication interface, but if the determined result is negative, the act of executing the first sub-procedure is executed after an external electric device connected to the all-in-one USB connector.

9. The signal converter as claimed in claim 6, wherein the outer communication interface complies with the PCI-E standard.

10. The signal converter as claimed in claim 8, wherein the outer communication interface complies with the PCI-E standard.