Processing device peripheral with integral network interface circuitry
View Patent ↗A peripheral connectable to a processing device includes a housing and network interface circuitry at least partially enclosed within the housing, the network interface circuitry being utilizable by the processing device to establish a connection between the processing device and a network. The peripheral further includes peripheral circuitry disposed within the housing and adapted to perform at least a portion of at least one of an input function and an output function for the processing device in a manner unrelated to utilization of the network interface circuitry by the processing device. In an illustrative embodiment, the network interface circuitry comprises a wireless local area network (LAN) interface card, module or access point, the processing device comprises a computer, and the peripheral comprises a keyboard, monitor, speaker, docking station or other peripheral connectable to the computer.
1. A peripheral connectable to a processing device, the peripheral comprising:
a housing;
wireless network interface circuitry at least partially enclosed within the housing, the network interface circuitry being utilizable by the processing device to establish a wireless connection between the processing device and a network; and
peripheral circuitry disposed within the housing and adapted to perform at least a portion of at least one of an input function and an output function for the processing device in a manner unrelated to utilization of the network interface circuitry by the processing device;
wherein the function comprises transferring information between the processing device and an element external to the peripheral without requiring a network connection between the peripheral and the element external to the peripheral.
2. The peripheral of claim 1 wherein the processing device comprises a computer.
3. The peripheral of claim 2 wherein the peripheral comprises a keyboard connectable to the computer.
4. The peripheral of claim 2 wherein the peripheral comprises a monitor connectable to the computer.
5. The peripheral of claim 2 wherein the peripheral comprises a speaker connectable to the computer.
6. The peripheral of claim 2 wherein the computer comprises a portable computer and the peripheral comprises a docking station connectable to the portable computer.
7. The peripheral of claim 1 wherein the wireless network interface circuitry comprises a wireless network interface card.
8. The peripheral of claim 7 wherein the wireless network interface card comprises an IEEE 802.11 wireless network interface card.
9. The peripheral of claim 1 wherein the wireless network interface circuitry comprises a wireless network interface module.
10. The peripheral of claim 9 wherein the wireless network interface module comprises an IEEE 802.11 wireless network interface module.
11. The peripheral of claim 1 wherein the wireless network interface circuitry comprises a wireless network access point.
12. The peripheral of claim 11 wherein the wireless network access point comprises an IEEE 802.11 wireless network access point.
13. The peripheral of claim 1 wherein the wireless network interface circuitry is arranged in an upper portion of the housing of the peripheral so as to minimize interference between the wireless network interface circuitry and one or more potentially interfering elements of an associated system.
14. The peripheral of claim 1 wherein the peripheral is connectable to the processing device via a single cable that is at least partially shared by the wireless network interface circuitry and the peripheral circuitry.
15. The peripheral of claim 14 wherein the single cable comprises at least one wired connection associated with the wireless network interface circuitry and at least one additional wired connection associated with the peripheral circuitry.
16. The peripheral of claim 14 wherein the single cable comprises a Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable.
17. The peripheral of claim 1 wherein the peripheral is connectable to the processing device via a common interconnection interface that is at least partially shared by the wireless network interface circuitry and the peripheral circuitry.
18. The peripheral of claim 17 wherein the common interconnection interface comprises a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface.
19. A processing system comprising:
a processing device; and
a peripheral connectable to the processing device, the peripheral comprising a housing, wireless network interface circuitry at least partially enclosed within the housing, and peripheral circuitry disposed within the housing, the wireless network interface circuitry being utilizable by the processing device to establish a wireless connection between the processing device and a network, the peripheral circuitry being adapted to perform at least a portion of at least one of an input function and an output function for the processing device in a manner unrelated to utilization of the network interface circuitry by the processing device;
wherein the function comprises transferring information between the processing device and an element external to the peripheral without requiring a network connection between the peripheral and the element external to the peripheral.
20. A method for use in a processing system comprising a processing device and a peripheral connectable to the processing device, the method comprising the steps of:
at least partially enclosing wireless network interface circuitry within a housing of the peripheral; and
utilizing the wireless network interface circuitry to establish a connection between the processing device and a network;
the peripheral further comprising peripheral circuitry being disposed within the housing and adapted to perform at least a portion of at least one of an input function and an output function for the processing device in a manner unrelated to utilization of the network interface circuitry by the processing device;
wherein the function comprises transferring information between the processing device and an element external to the peripheral without requiring a network connection between the peripheral and the element external to the peripheral.