Granted Patent B2

US 7,305,511 · App. 10/689,295 · Granted Dec 4, 2007

Abstract

Claims (121)

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;

wherein communication between the first wireline interface and the wireless interface is operable to override communication between the first wireline interface and the second wireline interface, and the override is delayable until a particular communication between the first wireline interface and the second wireline interface has been completed.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

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

the second wireline interface is adapted to be communicatively 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 communicative 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 communicative 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 communicative 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 communicative 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:

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.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the predetermined schedule comprises a prioritization among a plurality of wireless interfaces.

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

10. 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.

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

12. 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;

wherein communication between the first wireline interface and the wireless interface is operable to override communication between the first wireline interface and the second wireline interface, and the override is delayable until a particular communication between the first wireline interface and the second wireline interface has been completed.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein:

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

the second wireline interface is adapted to be communicatively 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;

communicatively 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

communicatively 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.

14. The method of claim 13 , 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;

communicatively 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

communicatively 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.

15. The method of claim 14 , 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.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the wireless connection is automatically established when the second wireless interface is coupled to the second computer system.

17. The method of claim 14 , 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.

18. The method of claim 13 , 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.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the predetermined schedule comprises a prioritization among a plurality of wireless interfaces.

20. The method of claim 13 , wherein the wireless connection is automatically established when the first wireless interface is reset.

21. The method of claim 13 , 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.

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

23. Logic for providing both wireline and wireless connections to a wireline interface, the logic encoded in recordable media and when executed, selectively performing steps comprising:

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

causing a switch to communicatively couple the first wireline interface to a wireless interface to allow communication between the first wireline interface and the wireless interface;

wherein communication between the first wireline interface and the wireless interface is operable to override communication between the first wireline interface and the second wireline interface, and the override is delayable until a particular communication between the first wireline interface and the second wireline interface has been completed.

24. The logic of claim 23 , wherein:

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

the second wireline interface is adapted to be communicatively 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;

communicatively 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

communicatively 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.

25. The logic of claim 24 , 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;

communicatively 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

communicatively 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.

26. The logic of claim 25 , 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.

27. The logic of claim 25 , wherein the wireless connection is automatically established when the second wireless interface is coupled to the second computer system.

28. The logic of claim 25 , 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.

29. The logic of claim 24 , 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.

30. The logic of claim 29 , wherein the predetermined schedule comprises a prioritization among a plurality of wireless interfaces.

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

32. The logic of claim 24 , 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.

33. The logic of claim 24 , wherein the first wireless interface is operable to communicate with the second wireless interface using a BLUETOOTH wireless protocol.

Assignments (8)