Integrated virtual hub chip

• US 6,903,727 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2002
• Issued: 06/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: MCM Portfolio LLC
• Original Assignee: OnSpec Electronic Incorporated
• Inventors: Jones, Larry Lawson, Venkidu, Arockiyaswamy, Mambakkam, Sreenath
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Application Number:
  US10/065,333
• Publication Number:
  US 20050083305A1
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-168, 710/8, 710/15, 710/62, 710/63, 710/100, 710/129
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• 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 13/4027 using bus bridges G06F13/4022 takes precedence

Abstract

An apparatus that includes a serial port configured to interface with a separate host, one serial interface engine (SIE) connected to the serial port, and at least a first interface unit and a second interface unit connected to the one serial interface engine. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a virtual hub comprising a firmware unit configured to emulate a hub having multiple ports. In an alternative embodiment, the first interface unit is a keyboard interface, and the second interface unit is a flash media drive interface. In another alternative embodiment, is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) peripheral and the serial port is a Universal Serial Bus port. In another alternative embodiment, apparatus is housed within a keyboard.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a serial port configured to interface with a separate host;

one serial interface engine (SIE) connected to the serial port;

at least a first interface unit is a keyboard and a second interface unit is a flash media drive connected to the serial interface engine; and

a virtual hub comprising a firmware unit configured to emulate a hub having multiple ports.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first interface unit is a keyboard interface.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the second interface unit is a flash media drive interface.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is housed within a keyboard.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the apparatus is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) peripheral and the serial port is a Universal Serial Bus port.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the serial interface engine is connected to a controller, and the first interface unit and the second interface unit are connected to the controller.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a third interface unit is connected to the serial interface unit.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the serial port, the serial interface engine (SIE), and the first interface unit and a second interface unit are integrated on a single device.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a third interface is connected to the serial port, the third interface having a second serial interface engine.