USB and ethernet controller combination device
View Patent ↗A USB-to-Ethernet controller with a USB hub may be integrated into a single integrated circuit (IC) USB-Ethernet Combination (UEC) device. The UEC may provide the end user with an Ethernet port, multiple downstream USB ports, and an upstream USB port for connecting to a USB host controller. One or more of the USB hub ports may be brought off the IC, enabling an end user to connect them to any arbitrary USB device(s). The third hub port may be an internal downstream port without a physical layer, and may be configured to connect to an Ethernet controller, which may comprise a USB device controller. The Ethernet controller may connect to the internal downstream port via a digital interface such as UTMI. The UEC device may appear to the host computer as two separate devices, an Ethernet controller and a USB hub. The Ethernet controller may appear as a permanently attached device on the internal downstream port.
1. A system comprising:
a USB (Universal Serial Bus) hub;
an Ethernet controller;
a digital interface coupling the USB hub to the Ethernet controller to manage data traffic between the USB hub and the Ethernet controller;
a crystal configured to generate a periodic signal; and
control circuitry configured to generate, based on the periodic signal, a first clock signal and a second clock signal;
wherein the Ethernet controller is configured to be clocked by the first clock signal, and the USB hub is configured to be clocked by the second clock signal.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the USB hub comprises an internal downstream port without a physical layer (PHY), the Ethernet controller comprises a MAC (Media Access Control) module, and wherein the digital interface is configured to couple the internal downstream port of the USB hub to the MAC module of the Ethernet controller.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the digital interface comprises one or more of:
a USB device controller configured to manage data traffic between the USB hub and the Ethernet controller; or
a USB Transceiver Macrocell Interface (UTMI) configured to provide a digital bus connection between the Ethernet controller and the USB hub.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the USB hub comprises at least one upstream port comprising a physical layer (PHY) configured to couple to a host.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the Ethernet controller comprises at least one physical layer (PHY) configured to couple to a network.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the USB hub comprises at least one downstream port with a physical layer (PHY).
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is configured on a single integrated circuit (IC).
8. A system comprising:
a USB (Universal Serial Bus) hub comprising an internal downstream port without a physical layer (PHY);
an Ethernet controller comprising a MAC (Media Access Control) module, and configured to transmit/receive Ethernet packets to/from a network;
a digital interface configured to connect the MAC module of the Ethernet controller to the internal downstream port of the USB hub, and configured to transmit/receive first data corresponding to the Ethernet packets to/from the USB hub;
wherein the USB hub is configured to transmit/receive the first data to/from a host.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the USB hub further comprises at least one external downstream port having a PHY configured to couple to a device, wherein the USB hub is further configured to transmit/receive the first data to/from the device via the at least one external downstream port.
10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the USB hub comprises an upstream port with a PHY configured to couple to the host, wherein the USB hub is configured to transmit/receive the first data to/from the host via the upstream port.
11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the USB hub comprises a plurality of downstream ports, wherein at least a subset of the plurality of downstream ports have respective PHYs configured to couple to respective devices.
12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the Ethernet controller appears to the host as a permanently attached device on the internal downstream port of the USB hub.
13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the Ethernet controller comprises a PHY configured to couple to the network.
14. The system of claim 8 , further comprising one or more phase locked loops (PLLs) configured to provide respective clock signals to the USB hub and to the Ethernet controller.
15. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a first PLL configured to provide a respective clock signal to the USB hub, and a second PLL configured to provide a respective clock signal to the Ethernet controller.
16. The system of claim 15 , further comprising a crystal oscillator, wherein the first PLL and the second PLL share the crystal oscillator.
17. An integrated circuit (IC) comprising:
an Ethernet controller circuit configured to transmit/receive data to/from a network;
a USB (Universal Serial Bus) hub circuit configured to transmit/receive the data to/from a host, and comprising an internal downstream port; and
a digital interface configured to couple the USB hub circuit to the Ethernet controller circuit through the internal downstream port, and configured to manage data exchange between the USB hub and the Ethernet controller;
wherein the USB hub circuit and the Ethernet controller circuit appear to the host as two separate devices.
18. The IC of claim 17 , wherein the Ethernet controller appears to the host as a permanently attached device on the internal downstream port.
19. The IC of claim 17 , wherein the Ethernet controller circuit comprises a MAC (Media Access Control) module, wherein the digital interface is configured to couple the USB hub circuit to the MAC module of the Ethernet controller.
20. The IC of claim 17 , wherein the digital interface comprises a USB transceiver Macrocell Interface (UTMI).
21. The IC of claim 17 , wherein the Ethernet controller circuit comprises a USB device controller, wherein the digital interface is configured to couple the USB device controller to the USB hub circuit.
22. The IC of claim 17 , wherein the USB hub comprises at least one upstream physical layer (PHY), at least one downstream PHY, and at least one Ethernet PHY.
23. The IC of claim 17 , further comprising one or more of:
one or more voltage regulators configured to provide power to the USB hub circuit, the Ethernet Controller circuit, and the digital interface;
one or more phase locked loops (PLL) configured to provide respective clock signals to the USB hub circuit, the Ethernet Controller circuit, and the digital interface.
24. The IC of claim 17 , further comprising:
a crystal configured to generate a periodic signal; and
a PLL configured to generate respective clock signals for the USB hub circuit and the Ethernet controller circuit based on the periodic signal.
25. An integrated circuit (IC) comprising:
an Ethernet controller circuit configured to transmit/receive data to/from a network;
a USB (Universal Serial Bus) hub circuit configured to transmit/receive the data to/from a host, and comprising an internal downstream port; and
a digital interface configured to couple the USB hub circuit to the Ethernet controller circuit through the internal downstream port, and configured to manage data exchange between the USB hub and the Ethernet controller;
wherein the Ethernet controller appears to the host as a permanently attached device on the internal downstream port.
26. The IC of claim 25 , wherein the Ethernet controller circuit comprises a MAC (Media Access Control) module, wherein the digital interface is configured to couple the USB hub circuit to the MAC module of the Ethernet controller.
27. The IC of claim 25 , wherein the digital interface comprises a USB transceiver Macrocell Interface (UTMI).
28. The IC of claim 25 , wherein the Ethernet controller circuit comprises a USB device controller, wherein the digital interface is configured to couple the USB device controller to the USB hub circuit.
29. The IC of claim 25 , wherein the USB hub comprises at least one upstream physical layer (PHY), at least one downstream PHY, and at least one Ethernet PHY.
30. The IC of claim 25 , further comprising one or more of:
one or more voltage regulators configured to provide power to the USB hub circuit, the Ethernet Controller circuit, and the digital interface;
one or more phase locked loops (PLL) configured to provide respective clock signals to the USB hub circuit, the Ethernet Controller circuit, and the digital interface.
31. The IC of claim 25 , further comprising:
a crystal configured to generate a periodic signal; and
a PLL configured to generate respective clock signals for the USB hub circuit and the Ethernet controller circuit based on the periodic signal.
32. The IC of claim 25 , wherein the USB hub circuit and the Ethernet controller circuit appear to the host as two separate devices.
33. An integrated circuit (IC) comprising:
an Ethernet controller circuit configured to transmit/receive data to/from a network;
a USB (Universal Serial Bus) hub circuit configured to transmit/receive the data to/from a host, and comprising an internal downstream port; and
a digital interface configured to couple the USB hub circuit to the Ethernet controller circuit through the internal downstream port, and configured to manage data exchange between the USB hub and the Ethernet controller;
wherein the digital interface comprises a USB transceiver Macrocell Interface (UTMI).
34. The IC of claim 33 , wherein the Ethernet controller circuit comprises a MAC (Media Access Control) module, wherein the digital interface is configured to couple the USB hub circuit to the MAC module of the Ethernet controller.
35. The IC of claim 33 , wherein the Ethernet controller circuit comprises a USB device controller, wherein the digital interface is configured to couple the USB device controller to the USB hub circuit.
36. The IC of claim 33 , wherein the USB hub comprises at least one upstream physical layer (PHY), at least one downstream PHY, and at least one Ethernet PHY.
37. The IC of claim 33 , further comprising one or more of:
one or more voltage regulators configured to provide power to the USB hub circuit, the Ethernet Controller circuit, and the digital interface;
one or more phase locked loops (PLL) configured to provide respective clock signals to the USB hub circuit, the Ethernet Controller circuit, and the digital interface.
38. The IC of claim 33 , further comprising:
a crystal configured to generate a periodic signal; and
a PLL configured to generate respective clock signals for the USB hub circuit and the Ethernet controller circuit based on the periodic signal.
39. An integrated circuit (IC) comprising:
an Ethernet controller circuit configured to transmit/receive data to/from a network;
a USB (Universal Serial Bus) hub circuit configured to transmit/receive the data to/from a host, and comprising an internal downstream port; and
a digital interface configured to couple the USB hub circuit to the Ethernet controller circuit through the internal downstream port, and configured to manage data exchange between the USB hub and the Ethernet controller;
wherein the Ethernet controller circuit comprises a USB device controller, wherein the digital interface is configured to couple the USB device controller to the USB hub circuit.
40. The IC of claim 39 , wherein the USB hub comprises at least one upstream physical layer (PHY), at least one downstream PHY, and at least one Ethernet PHY.
41. The IC of claim 39 , further comprising one or more of:
one or more voltage regulators configured to provide power to the USB hub circuit, the Ethernet Controller circuit, and the digital interface;
one or more phase locked loops (PLL) configured to provide respective clock signals to the USB hub circuit, the Ethernet Controller circuit, and the digital interface.
42. The IC of claim 39 , further comprising:
a crystal configured to generate a periodic signal; and
a PLL configured to generate respective clock signals for the USB hub circuit and the Ethernet controller circuit based on the periodic signal.
43. The IC of claim 39 , wherein the Ethernet controller circuit comprises a MAC (Media Access Control) module, wherein the digital interface is configured to couple the USB hub circuit to the MAC module of the Ethernet controller.
44. An integrated circuit (IC) comprising:
an Ethernet controller circuit configured to transmit/receive data to/from a network;
a USB (Universal Serial Bus) hub circuit configured to transmit/receive the data to/from a host, and comprising an internal downstream port; and
a digital interface configured to couple the USB hub circuit to the Ethernet controller circuit through the internal downstream port, and configured to manage data exchange between the USB hub and the Ethernet controller;
wherein the USB hub comprises at least one upstream physical layer (PHY), at least one downstream PHY, and at least one Ethernet PHY.
45. The IC of claim 44 , wherein the Ethernet controller circuit comprises a MAC (Media Access Control) module, wherein the digital interface is configured to couple the USB hub circuit to the MAC module of the Ethernet controller.
46. The IC of claim 44 , further comprising one or more of:
one or more voltage regulators configured to provide power to the USB hub circuit, the Ethernet Controller circuit, and the digital interface;
one or more phase locked loops (PLL) configured to provide respective clock signals to the USB hub circuit, the Ethernet Controller circuit, and the digital interface.
47. The IC of claim 44 , further comprising:
a crystal configured to generate a periodic signal; and
a PLL configured to generate respective clock signals for the USB hub circuit and the Ethernet controller circuit based on the periodic signal.
48. An integrated circuit (IC) comprising:
an Ethernet controller circuit configured to transmit/receive data to/from a network;
a USB (Universal Serial Bus) hub circuit configured to transmit/receive the data to/from a host, and comprising an internal downstream port;
a digital interface configured to couple the USB hub circuit to the Ethernet controller circuit through the internal downstream port, and configured to manage data exchange between the USB hub and the Ethernet controller; and
one or more of:
one or more voltage regulators configured to provide power to the USB hub circuit, the Ethernet Controller circuit, and the digital interface;
one or more phase locked loops (PLL) configured to provide respective clock signals to the USB hub circuit, the Ethernet Controller circuit, and the digital interface.
49. The IC of claim 48 , wherein the Ethernet controller circuit comprises a MAC (Media Access Control) module, wherein the digital interface is configured to couple the USB hub circuit to the MAC module of the Ethernet controller.
50. The IC of claim 48 , further comprising:
a crystal configured to generate a periodic signal; and
a PLL configured to generate respective clock signals for the USB hub circuit and the Ethernet controller circuit based on the periodic signal.
51. An integrated circuit (IC) comprising:
an Ethernet controller circuit configured to transmit/receive data to/from a network;
a USB (Universal Serial Bus) hub circuit configured to transmit/receive the data to/from a host, and comprising an internal downstream port;
a digital interface configured to couple the USB hub circuit to the Ethernet controller circuit through the internal downstream port, and configured to manage data exchange between the USB hub and the Ethernet controller;
a crystal configured to generate a periodic signal; and
a PLL configured to generate respective clock signals for the USB hub circuit and the Ethernet controller circuit based on the periodic signal.
52. The IC of claim 51 , wherein the Ethernet controller circuit comprises a MAC (Media Access Control) module, wherein the digital interface is configured to couple the USB hub circuit to the MAC module of the Ethernet controller.