Network converter and base applied in universal serial bus

Details Network converter and base applied in universal serial bus Network converter and base applied in universal serial bus

2001-10-31

2003-03-04

Luebke, Renee (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

With or having flexible guard or support for cable or conductor

C439S533000, C439S929000, C439S004000, C439S460000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06527581

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a network converter applied in a universal series bus (USB), particularly to an expandable network converter and its base applied in a universal series bus.
2. Description of Related Art
Almost all prior converters of input devices focus on serial ports or PS/2 ports. However, when input devices having USB interfaces become more popular, many converters for USB interfaces appear in the market. One advantage of using USB interfaces is the plug-and-play function, which restarts a connection by automatically researching after a connection is broken, and it is not necessary to create an additional signal-maintained circuit for makers and thereby saving the manufacturing cost.
Besides, USB converters can act as interfaces of personal computers and networks (such as Ethernet, HomePNA, wireless local network, etc.) and replace traditional network cards. Prior USB network converters include three types shown in FIGS.
1
(
a
) to
1
(
d
). In FIG.
1
(
a
), a USB network converter
10
includes a housing
11
, an A-typed USB cable
12
, and a network port (not shown) on the housing
11
opposite to the A-typed USB cable
12
. The A-typed USB cable
12
can plug into a USB port
14
of a personal computer
13
, and the network port connects to a hub
16
through a network cable
15
, as shown in FIG.
1
(
b
). A printed circuit board (PCB; not shown) is inside the housing
11
of the USB network converter
10
for transferring USB signals and network signals. FIG.
1
(
c
) is a solid diagram of a PCB
18
of another USB network converter. The largest difference from the USB network converter
10
shown in FIG.
1
(
a
) is that the USB network converter in FIG.
1
(
c
) directly mounts an A-typed USB plug
170
on the PCB
18
inside the housing, and omits the A-typed USB cable
12
. Similarly, the USB network converter in FIG.
1
(
c
) connects to the USB port
14
of a personal computer
13
by directly plugging the A-typed USB plug
170
, and using a network cable
15
to connect the network port
19
into a hub
16
. FIG.
1
(
d
) is a solid diagram of a PCB
18
′ of another USB network converter. The largest difference from the USB network converter in FIG.
1
(
c
) is that the USB network converter mounts a B-typed USB plug
171
on a PCB
18
′ in the housing. The appearance of the B-typed USB plug
171
is larger than the A-typed USB plug, and the above two kinds are the most popular forms in the market. The using method of the USB network converter in FIG.
1
(
d
) is connected to the USB port
14
of a personal computer
13
through a B-typed to A-typed USB cable, and another end of the USB network converter uses the network port to connect to a hub
16
through the network cable
15
.
As mentioned above, due to the three kinds of USB network converters in the market, it is necessary to prepare three different kinds of manufacturing molds and three different kinds of PCBs simultaneously for product makers. However, the cost is high, and the assembly process and the product management will be complicated. Therefore, how to effectively simplify these three kinds of USB network converters into a uniform one so as to reduce the manufacturing cost is an important issue.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A main object of the present invention is to provide an expandable and modulable USB network converter. The USB network converter of the present invention can achieve the functions of three prior USB network converters.
To obtain the above purpose, the USB network converter of the present invention comprises a converting body and a base. The converting body includes a PCB whose one end has a network port and the other end connects to a USB cable. The base has a socket hole, the positive side of the base is for containing the converting body, and the reverse side is used to fasten the USB cable and fix the USB plug in the socket hole.
The USB network converter of the present invention has the following advantages:
1. By a proper usage, the USB network converter of the present invention can achieve the functions of the three prior USB network converters.
2. The maker only needs one mold and to design one PCB to accomplish the USB network converter of the present invention, therefore the cost is low.
3. It is easy to assembly, occupies only little spaces, and can adjust output formats according to customer's demands.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4210380 (1980-07-01), Brzostek
patent: 5030902 (1991-07-01), Mattinger et al.
patent: 6363697 (2002-04-01), Tseng et al.

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