Integrated Virtual Hub Chip
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 another alternative embodiment, the apparatus 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.
1 - 20 . (canceled)
21 . A method of emulating a hub having multiple ports, the method comprising:
transferring data with a separate host;
transferring data between one serial interface engine (SIE) and a first interface; and
transferring data between the one serial interface engine and a second interface.
22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the first interface unit is a keyboard interface.
23 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the second interface unit is a flash media drive interface.
24 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the one serial interface engine, the first interface, and the second interface is housed within a keyboard.
25 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the method is performed by a Universal Serial Bus (USB) peripheral.
26 . The method of claim 21 , 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.
27 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the method further comprises transferring data between the serial interface unit and a third interface unit.
28 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the serial interface engine (SIE), the first interface unit, and the second interface unit are integrated on a single device.
29 . A method of interconnecting a plurality of ports to a host USB interface, comprising:
providing a firmware unit connected to a plurality of ports and to a host USB interface; and
emulating in said firmware unit a hub having a plurality of ports.
30 . The method of claim 29 wherein the emulating step comprises representing the ports as USB entities.
31 . The method of claim 29 wherein at least one of the ports comprises a serial interface.
32 . The method of claim 29 further comprising providing one serial interface engine connected between said firmware unit and at least two of said ports.
33 . The method of claim 29 wherein said ports are selected from a group comprising: a human interface device, a secure channel device, a video capture device, a printer device, a scanner device, and a wireless class device.
34 . The method of claim 33 wherein a secure channel device comprises hash algorithms.
35 . The method of claim 34 wherein the hash algorithms are selected from a group consisting of MD5, SHA-1, SHB-256, SHA-384, SHA-512, HMAC-MD5, HMAC-SHA1.
36 . The method of claim 33 wherein the wireless class device supports a wireless protocol selected from a group consisting of a 802 standard, Bluetooth and wireless USB.
37 . The method of claim 36 wherein the 802 standard wireless protocol is selected from a group consisting of 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11e, 802.11g.
38 . A method emulating a USB hub, comprising:
providing a controller connected to a plurality of interface units and to a host USB interface; and
emulating in said controller that said interface units are a plurality of ports.
39 . The method of claim 38 wherein the emulating step comprises representing interfaces units as USB entities.
40 . The method of claim 38 wherein at least one of the interface units comprises a serial interface.
41 . The method of claim 38 further comprising providing one serial interface engine connected between said controller and at least two of said interface units.
42 . The method of claim 38 wherein interface units are selected from a group comprising: a human interface device, a secure channel device, a video capture device, a printer device, a scanner device, and a wireless class device.
43 . The method of claim 42 wherein a secure channel device comprises hash algorithms.
44 . The method of claim 43 wherein the hash algorithms are selected from a group consisting of MD5, SHA-1, SHB-256, SHA-384, SHA-512, HMAC-MD5, HMAC-SHA1.
45 . The method of claim 42 wherein the wireless class device supports a wireless protocol selected from a group consisting of a 802 standard, Bluetooth and wireless USB.
46 . The method of claim 45 wherein the 802 standard wireless protocol is selected from a group consisting of 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11e, 802.11g.
47 . A method emulating a USB hub, comprising:
providing a controller connected to a plurality of serial interface units and to a host USB interface; and
emulating in said controller that said interface units are a plurality of USB entities.
48 . A method emulating a USB hub, comprising:
providing a controller connected to a plurality of interface units and to a host USB interface; and
emulating in said controller that said interface units are USB entities.