Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/ – Input/output data processing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-01
2003-11-25
Gaffin, Jeffrey (Department: 2182)
Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/
Input/output data processing
C710S007000, C710S020000, C710S036000, C710S107000, C710S313000, C707S793000, C705S018000, C370S405000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06654817
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a computer
1
peripheral device, especially to an integral peripheral device of USB local network card and USB modem.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
By the driving force of network application, the life cycles of computer products become extraordinary short. The assembling, maintainability, function, transmission speed and stability of computer products are essential competition factors.
FIG. 1
shows a conventional computer peripheral design, wherein a computer
10
is connected to a LAN card through a USB (universal series bus)
20
to access LAN (Local Area Network).
FIG. 2
shows another conventional computer peripheral design, wherein a computer
10
is connected to a MODEM
40
through a USB (universal series bus)
20
, and uses the MODEM
40
to access network through telephone line. However, the above-mentioned computer peripheral designs can provide accessing to a unique network, which is inconvenient to user.
FIG. 3
shows an improved computer peripheral design, wherein a computer
10
is connected to a hub
50
through a USB
20
such that the computer can simultaneous communicate to an LAN card
30
and a MODEM
40
through the hub
50
.
FIG. 4
shows the internal structure of the computer peripheral shown in FIG.
3
. The computer
10
has an application program
12
communicates to a USB LAN driver program
15
and a USB MODEM driver program
16
through an NDIS (Network Device Interface Specification)
13
and a VCOMM (Virtual Communication)
14
. The USB LAN driver program
15
and the USB MODEM driver program
16
, together with a USB hub driver program
18
is connected to an external hub
50
through a USB system driver program
19
and a USB cable
20
. When the computer is to access Internet or LAN, the USB system driver program
19
receive data from the USB LAN driver program
15
and the USB MODEM driver program
16
and sends the data to the hub
50
. Afterward the hub
50
dispatches the data to a USB LAN card
30
or a USB MODEM
40
. On the contrary, when the computer is to receive data from Internet or LAN, the hub
50
receives data from the USB LAN card
30
and the USB MODEM
40
and sends the data to the USB system driver program
19
. Afterward the USB system driver program
19
dispatches the data from the USB LAN card
30
and the USB MODEM
40
to the USB LAN driver program
15
and the USB MODEM driver program
16
, respectively. The data is then sent to the application program
12
through the NDIS
13
and the VCOMM
14
. However, for a notebook user, he must carry a USB hub, a USB LAN card and a MODEM with him to access LAN and Internet resource, this is inconvenient.
It is an object of the invention to provide an integral peripheral of LAN card and MODEM to provide convenient portability and reduce power consumption.
It is another object of the invention to provide an integral peripheral of LAN card and MODEM, by which a computer can access LAN and Internet simultaneously and the remote users can share compute resource with other users.
To achieve the above objects the present invention provides an integral USB MODEM/USB LAN card peripheral comprising a first connector connected to a computer; a second connector connected to a telephone line; a third connector connected to LAN; a USB controller used to collect and dispatch internet data; wherein the USB controller has a micro-controller connected to a first memory, and a USB SIE (serial bus interface engine) connected between the first connector and the micro-controller. The micro-controller is connected to a MODEM module and an ether network media access controller through an internal bus, wherein the MODEM module is connected to the second connector for accessing Internet; and the ether network media access controller connected to the third connector through a physical layer for accessing LAN.
REFERENCES:
patent: 6185218 (2001-02-01), Ratcliff et al.
patent: 2001/0011230 (2001-08-01), Morganstein et al.
patent: 2002/0059235 (2002-05-01), Jecha et al.
Abocom Systems, Inc.
Farooq Mohammad O.
Gaffin Jeffrey
Rosenberg , Klein & Lee
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