Adapter to convert USB device into WUSB device
An adapter for coupling a wired device to either a wired host or a wireless host. The wired device may be a USB device, the wired host may be a USB host, and the wireless host may be a WUSB host. The adapter may optionally include a battery.
1 . An adapter for data coupling a Universal Serial Bus (USB) device to a USB host or a wireless USB (WUSB) host, comprising:
an upstream port configured for electrical coupling to a USB host;
a downstream port configured for electrical coupling to a USB device;
a WUSB device; and
a switching unit configured to switchably data couple the upstream port and the downstream port or the WUSB device and the downstream port.
2 . The adapter of claim 1 further comprising control circuitry configured to determine if power is received by the upstream port.
3 . The adapter of claim 2 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to command the switching unit to data couple the downstream port and the WUSB device if power is received by the upstream port.
4 . The adapter of claim 3 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to determine if a USB device is coupled to the downstream port.
5 . The adapter of claim 1 further comprising mapping circuitry configured to map endpoints of the USB device to endpoints of the WUSB device.
6 . The adapter of claim 5 wherein the mapping circuitry is part of the WUSB device.
7 . The adapter of claim 5 wherein the mapping circuitry is part of the control circuitry.
8 . The adapter of claim 5 wherein the mapping circuitry is part of a mapping block disposed on a data path between the switching unit and the WUSB device.
9 . The adapter of claim 1 further comprising:
a plurality of downstream ports each configured for electrical coupling to a corresponding USB device, with the downstream port being one of the plurality of downstream ports; and
a USB hub interposed between the upstream port and the plurality of downstream ports.
10 . The adapter of claim 9 further comprising a plurality of switching units each configured to switchably data couple a corresponding downstream port and the upstream port or the corresponding downstream port and the WUSB device.
11 . The adapter of claim 1 further comprising a battery configured to provide power to the adapter.
12 . A method using of data coupling a USB device to either a Universal Serial Bus (USB) host or a wireless USB (WUSB) host, comprising:
determining if a unit is coupled to a USB host;
data coupling a USB device and the USB host if the unit is coupled to the USB host; and
data coupling the USB device and a wireless device if the unit is not coupled to the USB host.
13 . The method of claim 12 further comprising data coupling the wireless device to a WUSB host.
14 . The method of claim 13 further comprising mapping endpoints of the USB device and the wireless device.
15 . The method of claim 12 wherein determining if a unit is coupled to a USB host comprises determining if the unit is receiving power on a port configured for electrically coupling with the USB host.
16 . The method of claim 12 further comprising receiving power on a port configured for coupling the unit with a USB host.
17 . The method of claim 12 further comprising determining if power is provided to a port of the unit configured for coupling with the USB host.
18 . The method of claim 17 further comprising drawing power from a battery of the unit if power is not provided to the port of the unit configured for coupling with the USB host.
19 . The method of claim 17 further comprising drawing power from a circuit board associated with the unit if power is not provided the port of the unit configured for coupling with the USB host.
20 . The method of claim 12 further comprising:
data coupling a plurality of USB devices and the USB host if the unit is coupled to the USB host, the USB device being one of the USB devices; and
data coupling the plurality of USB devices and at least one wireless device if the unit is not coupled to the USB host.
21 . The method of claim 20 further comprising data coupling the wireless device and a WUSB host.
22 . The method of claim 21 further comprising identifying the wireless device as a plurality of WUSB devices to the WUSB host.