UNIVERSAL SERIAL BUS (USB) NETWORK TRANSPORT METHODS AND APPARATUS

1 . A method of performing a Universal Serial Bus (USB) data transfer between a server and a USB device connected over a network, the data transfer including a plurality of transactions between the server and the USB, the method comprising:

performing at least one of the plurality of transactions between the server and the USB device via a network communication; and

emulating locally at least one of the plurality of transactions expected to be performed via a network communication to reduce a number of the plurality of transactions that are performed via network communications.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein emulating locally includes emulating at least one response transaction.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein emulating locally includes emulating local to the server a Command Block Wrapper (CBW) response packet expected to be received over the network from the USB device.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein emulating locally includes locally emulating at least one request transaction.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein emulating locally includes emulating local to the USB device a Command Status Wrapper (CSW) request expected to be received over the network from the server.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the data transfer is a DATA-IN transfer requiring two network communications.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the data transfer is a DATA-OUT transfer requiring two network communications.

8 . At least one computer readable medium storing instruction that, when executed on at least one computer, perform a Universal Serial Bus (USB) data transfer between a server and a USB device connected over a network, the data transfer including a plurality of transactions between the server and the USB, the method comprising:

performing at least one of the plurality of transactions between the server and the USB device via a network communication; and

emulating locally at least one of the plurality of transactions expected to be performed via a network communication to reduce a number of the plurality of transactions that are performed via network communications.

9 . The at least one computer readable medium of claim 10 , wherein emulating locally includes emulating at least one response transaction.

10 . The at least one computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein emulating locally includes emulating local to the server a Command Block Wrapper (CBW) response packet expected to be received over the network from the USB device.

11 . The at least one computer readable medium of claim 10 , wherein emulating locally includes locally emulating at least one request transaction.

12 . The at least one computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein emulating locally includes emulating local to the USB device a Command Status Wrapper (CSW) request expected to be received over the network from the server.

13 . The at least one computer readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the data transfer is a DATA-IN transfer requiring two network communications.

14 . The at least one computer readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the data transfer is a DATA-OUT transfer requiring two network communications.

15 . An apparatus for at least part of a Universal Serial Bus (USB) data transfer between a server and a USB device connected over a network, the data transfer including a plurality of transactions between the server and the USB, the apparatus comprising:

at least one input for receiving communications from the server and/or the network;

at least one output for transmitting communications to the server and/or over the network; and

at least one controller configure to perform at least one of the plurality of transactions between the server and the USB device via a network communication and emulate locally at least one of the plurality of transactions expected to be performed via a network communication to reduce a number of the plurality of transactions that are performed via network communications.

16 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the at least one controller is configured to emulate locally at least one response transaction.

17 . The at least one computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the at least one controller is configured to emulate local to the server a Command Block Wrapper (CBW) response packet expected to be received over the network from the USB device and provide the emulated CBW response packet to the server.

18 . An apparatus for at least part of a Universal Serial Bus (USB) data transfer between a server and a USB device connected over a network, the data transfer including a plurality of transactions between the server and the USB, the apparatus comprising:

at least one input for receiving communications from the USB device;

at least one output for transmitting communications over the network; and

at least one controller configure to perform at least one of the plurality of transactions between the server and the USB device via a network communication and emulate locally at least one of the plurality of transactions expected to be performed via a network communication to reduce a number of the plurality of transactions that are performed via network communications.

19 . The at least one computer readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the at least one controller is configured to emulate locally at least one request transaction.

20 . The at least one computer readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the at least one controller is configured to emulate local to the USB device a Command Status Wrapper (CSW) request expected to be received over the network from the server and provide the emulated CSW packet to the USB device.