Wireless peripheral interface with universal serial bus port

1. A data communication bus system comprising:

a wired communication bus;

a host designed to manage connection and disconnection of devices to and from the wired communication bus, the host being arranged for detection of a presence of an active device from an electrical connection to the bus made by an active device,

a hub connected to the host via the bus, the hub comprising a first wireless transceiver;

a wirelessly coupled device with a second wireless transceiver for communication with the first transceiver, the hub being arranged to simulate the electrical connection in response to reception of a wireless signal from the wirelessly coupled device;

wherein the hub is configured for switching on the first wireless transceiver intermittently; and

wherein the second wireless transceiver repeatedly transmits pulses for establishing said communication with the first transceiver, the first wireless transceiver being activated to simulate the electrical connection to the host when one of said pulses occurs when the first wireless transceiver is switched on by the hub.

2. The data communication bus system according to claim 1 , wherein the host has an output for power supply current coupled to the bus, the host being arranged to supply up to an average maximum current via the output, the maximum current being dependent on a first count of active devices that the host detects to be coupled to the output, the output being coupled to a power supply input of the first transceiver via the bus, the hub comprising a power management circuit arranged for the switching on the first transceiver intermittently, with a duty cycle adapted to a second count of active devices for which the hub simulates the electrical connections, so that an average current drawn by the first transceiver does not exceed the average maximum supply current corresponding to the second count.

3. The data communication bus system according to claim 2 , wherein the hub is arranged to raise the duty cycle up to maximally 100% when it simulates the electrical connection to the host.

4. The data communication system according to claim 2 , wherein the host communicates with the hub according to the USB protocol, the hub communicating with the wirelessly coupled device according to a wireless bus protocol, the hub translating messages to and from the wirelessly coupled device so as to simulate to the host that the messages come from and go to a USB device.

5. A hub for use in a data communication bus system with a wired communication bus and a host designed to manage connection and disconnection of devices to and from the wired communication bus, the host being arranged for detection of a presence of an active device from an electrical connection to the bus made by an active device, the hub comprising a first wireless transceiver, the hub being arranged to simulate the electrical connection in response to reception of a wireless signal at the first wireless transceiver from a second wireless transceiver for establishing communication with the first transceiver,

wherein the hub is configured for switching on the first wireless transceiver intermittently; and

wherein the second wireless transceiver repeatedly transmits pulses for establishing said communication with the first transceiver, the first wireless transceiver being activated to simulate the electrical connection to the host when one of said pulses occurs when the first wireless transceiver is switched on by the hub.

6. The hub according to claim 5 , comprising a power management circuit arranged to switch on the first transceiver intermittently, with a duty cycle adapted to a count of active devices for which the hub simulates the electrical connections, so that an average current drawn by the transceiver does not exceed an average maximum supply current corresponding to the count.

7. The hub according to claim 6 , arranged to raise the duty cycle up to maximally 100% when it simulates the electrical connection to the host.

8. The hub according to claim 6 , arranged to communicate with the host according to the USB protocol, the hub communicating with the wirelessly coupled device according to a wireless bus protocol, the hub translating messages to and from the wirelessly coupled device so as to simulate to the host that the messages come from and go to a USB device.

9. A method of communicating between a wired and a wireless communication bus, the method comprising the acts of:

simulating electrical connection of a wired device in response to reception by a first transceiver of a wireless signal from a wirelessly coupled device having a second wireless transceiver for establishing communication with the first transceiver;

switching on the first wireless transceiver intermittently;

repeatedly transmitting pulses by the second wireless transceiver for establishing said communication with the first transceiver; and

activating the first wireless transceiver to simulate the electrical connection when one of said pulses occurs when the first wireless transceiver is switched on.

10. The method according to claim 7 , comprising:

supplying up to an average maximum current via the wired bus, the maximum current being dependent on a first count of active devices detected to be electrically coupled to the bus;

switching on a transceiver for communication between the wired bus and the wireless bus intermittently, with a duty cycle adapted to a second count of active devices for which active electrical connections are simulated, so that an average current drawn by the first transceiver does not exceed the average maximum supply current corresponding to the second count.